Malaysia: Water disruption affects 1.6 million in Selangor

SIRA HABIBU The Star 14 Oct 16;

PETALING JAYA: More than 1.6 million people in four districts in Selangor will have to depend on relief water for an indefinite period, as another wave of river pollution forced the closure of the Sungai Semenyih treatment plant.

Kumpulan Air Selangor Corporate Communication Department chief Amin Lin Abdullah said they have no choice but to wait until the odour pollution, believed to originate from Nilai Industrial Park in Negri Sembilan, was cleared.

“As we have no other alternative to switch the source of raw water supply, we have to wait until the odour goes off before resuming plant operations,” he said.

The Semenyih plant was closed at 7.30am yesterday, causing water disruption to 456 locations in Petaling, Hulu Langat, Kuala Langat and Sepang districts.

It is the third wave of water supply disruption in Selangor caused by river pollution in recent weeks.

On Sept 22, the Semenyih water treatment plant was closed due to river pollution caused by an illegal factory along Jalan Sungai Lalang.

The Langat and Cheras water treatment plants were closed earlier this month due to odour pollution in Semantan River originating from Pahang.

However, the two plants were up and running almost immediately as the source of raw water supply was switched from Semantan River to Sungai Langat dam.

Amin said relief water would be sent in tankers to affected areas, and critical premises including hospitals and dialysis centres.

He said consumers could obtain the latest information through the “mySYABAS” mobile phone application, or www.syabas.com.my.

Air Selangor also expressed regret for the inconvenience posed by the plant closure.

Semenyih assemblyman Datuk Johan Abdul Aziz lambasted the Selangor government for initially delaying the approval of the Langat 2 water treatment plant project.

“If they did not play politics, the Langat 2 would be up and running by now.

“We would not have to suffer like this if we have alternative plants,” he said.

Selangor Tourism, Environment, Green Technology and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Elizabeth Wong who confirmed that the source of pollution was from Nilai, said upstream waterways there which flow into Sungai Buah leading to the Semenyih Intake Point was found to have strong unusual odour.

“Dead fish have also been spotted around the area,” she said.

Wong said Air Selangor and the Selangor Water Management Board (LUAS) had sent river surveillance teams to narrow down the source of the odour.


Water supply disruption in Petaling, Hulu Langat, Kuala Langat and Sepang
The Star 23 Oct 16;

KUALA LUMPUR: Several areas in the Petaling, Hulu Langat, Kuala Langat and Sepang districts are experiencing water supply disruption due to the closure of the Sungai Semenyih Water Treatment Plant (LRA).

Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) in a statement Sunday said the LRA was closed at 7.30am due to odour pollution from the Nilai industrial area, in Negri Sembilan.

The affected areas in the Hulu Langat district are Bangi, Bandar Bukit Mahkota, Kajang, Semenyih and Rinching.

For the Kuala Langat district, the areas involved are Morib, Banting, Bandar Saujana Putra, Bandar Rimbayu and Telok Panglima Garang.

In Petaling the areas involved are USJ 1-27, Puchong, Seri Kembangan and Serdang while in Sepang, the affected areas are Putrajaya, Cyberjaya, Bandar Nusa Putra, Putra Heights, Pulau Meranti, Kota Warisan, Bandar Bukit Puchong and Sungai Merab.

Syabas said delivery of water supply to the affected areas and critical premises such as hospitals and dialysis centres was being carried out. – Bernama


Source of Semenyih pollution narrowed down to Nilai, taps still dry in many districts
DAWN CHAN New Straits Times 23 Oct 16;

SHAH ALAM: The source of odour pollution that caused the shutdown of the Sungai Semenyih water treatment plant this morning has been roughly pinpointed as Nilai in Negri Sembilan, the Selangor state government has confirmed.

Selangor executive councillor for Tourism, Environment, Green Technology and Consumer Affairs Elizabeth Wong said upstream waterways in Nilai were found to have an unusually strong odour as they flow into Sungai Buah, which leads to the Semenyih intake point.

"Dead fish have also been sighted in the area. River surveillance teams from Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Air Selangor) and the Selangor Water Management Board (Luas) were deployed this morning to narrow down the source of the odour.

“This afternoon, the teams were joined by a unit from the National Water Services Commission (SPAN)’s central office. "As of 4pm, the odour at Nilai is still evident, and all efforts are ongoing to pinpoint the contributing source.

We have conveyed information to the Negri Sembilan Department of Environment (DoE) through the Selangor DoE and Luas," said Wong in a statement today.

Several areas in the Petaling, Hulu Langat, Kuala Langat and Sepang districts are experiencing water disruptions following the closure of the Sungai Semenyih water treatment plant at 7.30am today.

In the Hulu Langat district, the affected areas are Bangi, Bandar Bukit Mahkota, Kajang, Semenyih and Rinching.

In the Kuala Langat district, the areas are Morib, Banting, Bandar Saujana Putra, Bandar Rimbayu and Telok Panglima Garang.

In the Petaling district, the areas are USJ 1- 27, Puchong, Seri Kembangan and Serdang.

In the Sepang district, the areas are Putrajaya, Cyberjaya, Bandar Nusa Putra, Putra Heights, Pulau Meranti, Kota Warisan, Bandar Bukit Puchong and Sungai Merab.

Wong said relief water supply is being delivered by tankers to affected areas and critical premises, such as hospitals and dialysis centres.


Semenyih water treatment plant closed again over pollution woes, taps go dry in numerous areas
SITI NURSURAYA ALI New Straits Times 23 Oct 16;

KUALA LUMPUR: Several areas in Petaling, Hulu Langat, Kuala Langat and Sepang are experiencing temporary water disruption due to the closure of the Sungai Semenyih water treatment plant following another case of odour pollution at 7.30am today.

The odour pollution is believed to have originated from the Nilai industrial area in Negri Sembilan.

In a statement, Syabas Head of Corporate Communications Amin Lin Abdullah said the main areas experiencing temporary water disruption are – Hulu Langat district: Bangi, Bandar Bukit Mahkota, Kajang, Semenyih and Rinching; Kuala Langat District: Morib, Banting, Bandar Saujana Putra, Bandar Rimbayu and Telok Panglima Garang; Petaling District: 1-27 USJ, Puchong and Serdang.

Meanwhile, in Sepang district, areas affected are Putrajaya, Cyberjaya, Bandar Nusa Putra, Putra Heights, Pulau Meranti, Kota Warisan, Bandar Bukit Puchong and Sungai Merab.

A full list of affected areas is available online at www.syabas.com.my Amin said that emergency water supply is being sent with the help of tankers to affected areas and critical premises, such as hospitals and dialysis centres.

"We have also sent water tankers to Serdang Hospital which is being affected by the disruption," he added.

Consumers can get the latest information and details of areas affected via the Syabas smart phone application "mySYABAS".