The Star 31 Dec 15;
JOHOR BARU: The four-month-long scheduled water supply to Pasir Gudang, Masai and parts of Johor Baru ended yesterday after the Sungai Layang dam level improved.
Water concessionaire SAJ Holdings Sdn Bhd announced that the consistent rainfall and other initiatives taken to overcome the crisis had been effective.
The company’s Corporate Communications Head Jamaluddin Jamil said the decision to end the scheduled water supply exercise was based on a detailed study on the rainfall pattern.
“Apart from that, the channelling of raw water between Cabang Tiram and Layang dam as well as between Sungai Johor and Layang dam, has been effective.
“The efficiency and capacity of the Sultan Iskandar water treatment plant, which treats raw water and channels to a network of pipe system, was also taken into account,” he said in a statement here yesterday.
Jamaluddin added that although the dam’s water level of 21.30m was below the critical level of 23.50m, SAJ was optimistic that the existing initiatives taken would be able to meet the current demand.
“We have also taken into consideration the coming public holidays and the start of the school year preparations and are optimistic that we will be able to manage the demands,” he said.
But Jamaluddin said the scheduled water supply exercise would resumed if there was a continuous drought.
“This is why we strongly advise consumers to continue using water wisely to avoid wastage, so that the water level in the Sungai Layang dam can last longer,” said Jamaluddin.
He also said that the exercise in Mukim Tanjung Surat, Mukim Pantai Timur and Mukim Pengerang in Kota Tinggi would continue until Jan 15.
“Although the transfer of raw water between Sungai Papan and Sungai Lebam dam is a success, we still have not seen a significant change in water levels,” said Jamaluddin.
For details, call 1 800 88 7474 (SAJ Info Centre), SMS to 019-772 7474 or email customer.care@saj.com.my.
Regular water supply returns after four months of scheduled supply
KATHLEEN ANN KILI The Star 30 Dec 15;
JOHOR BARU: A four-month scheduled water supply that started in August in several parts of Johor finally ended, bringing relief to thousands of people.
Water concessionaire SAJ Holdings Sdn Bhd (SAJ) corporate communications head Jamaluddin Jamil said that that water taps would run freely in Pasir Gudang, Masai and some parts Johor Baru after the Sungai Layang dam started recording positive water levels.
He said that the water levels have been showing positive trends following the consistent rainfall and the effectiveness of other initiatives taken to overcome the crisis.
“The decision to end the scheduled water supply exercise was based on a detailed study on the rainfall pattern besides the effectiveness of channelling raw water between Cabang Tiram and Layang dam as well as between Sungai Johor and Layang dam.
“The efficiency and capacity of the Sultan Iskandar water treatment plant, which treats raw water and channels to a network of pipe system was also taken into account,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.
No more scheduled water supply for Pasir Gudang, Masai and JB
CHUAH BEE KIM New Straits Times 30 Dec 15;
JOHOR BARU: Water utility company SAJ Holdings Sdn Bhd (SAJ) has lifted the Scheduled Water Supply exercise for Pasir Gudang, Masai and part of Johor Baru after increased rainfall and water channeling works improved levels at the Sungai Layang dam.
SAJ Head of Corporate Communications Jamaluddin Jamil said these and the other initiatives taken by the state government have also contributed to the positive trend in the water level.
In a statement today, he said the decision to lift the Water Supply Schedule was made after a detailed study of the rainfall distribution pattern indicated that Sungai Layang Dam has the capacity to provide sufficient raw water to the Sultan Iskandar water treatment plant.
"Although the level in the dam registered at 21.30m, which is still below the critical level of 23.50m, SAJ is optimistic that the initiatives undertaken by the state government will meet the needs of consumers who are preparing for the holidays and going back to school.
"However, the raw water at the dam is still vulnerable to dry weather which is expected to hit the country between January and March next year," he said, advising consumers to continue to be prudent in water usage.
Residents of these areas have been enduring scheduled water supply, in which water supply comes once every three days, since August.
More recently, SAJ supplied water to these areas for a duration of 36 hours followed by another 36 hours without water supply.
Meanwhile, consumers in the Tanjung Surat, Pantai Timur and Pengerang sub-districts in Kota Tinggi who are getting water supply from the Sungai Lebam dam will have to continue with scheduled water supply until January 15.
Jamaluddin said this will continue until the transfer of raw water from Sungai Papan to the Sungai Lebam Dam is successfully carried out.
"The scheduled water supply exercise will halt once the water level is stabilised," he said.
South Johor folks welcome end of water rationing
KATHLEEN ANN KILI The Star 10 Jan 15;
JOHOR BARU: Residents are relieved that their water taps are running normally again after four months of scheduled water supply due to low water levels at two main dams in south Johor.
Housewife G. Saroja, 58, from Permas Jaya, breathed a sigh of relief after learning about the end of the water rationing exercise on Wednesday night.
“It has been a challenging four months as we struggled to maintain sufficient water for the family, especially with my three young grandchildren around. The youngest is three years old and needs clean water for milk every four hours.
“We had to buy huge containers to store water and allocate a special one just for consumption,” she said yesterday.
Saroja said she never had to endure such a long period of water rationing before and hoped that some form of compensation would be given to those affected.
Nurul Azrinajwa Mat Khairi, 22, who lives along Jalan Masjid in Kampung Plentong Baru, said she had difficulty doing her dishes and laundry with the scheduled water supply.
“Sometimes the water supply did not follow the schedule, so we always had to save extra,” said the seamstress.
Yet storing more water was not practical.
“It could cause wastage – the water could not be kept too long as mosquitoes would start to breed,” said Nurul Azrinajwa.
The owner of the Kim Long Fruits Supplier shop, who wanted to be known only as Chok, 48, said he had spent hundreds of ringgit on containers to store water for his goods as well as for home use.
“I spent almost RM500 on four 70-litre containers for my shop and a dozen 15-litre ones for my home above my shoplot.
“I really hope SAJ (Syarikat Air Johor) will compensate us for the inconvenience and our extra expenses,” he said.
Nevertheless, Chok was grateful that SAJ halted the rationing exercise on Wednesday as soon as the water level showed improvement at the Sungai Layang dam.
The four-month-long exercise affected those in Pasir Gudang, Masai and parts of Johor Baru.
The Johor Public Works, Rural and Regional Development Committee chairman Datuk Hasni Mohammad had said that domestic water consumers affected by the exercise would enjoy special incentives to be decided by the state authorities.
