KAMPUNG LAHAR TIANG, May 15 – Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow has commended the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) for its swift response to an emergency water supply scenario caused by the Sungai Muda River level incident. Yesterday, PBAPP CEO Ir. Pathmanathan K. briefed the Chief Minister on the latest results of the corporation’s emergency response plan. As of 11.30am today, the Sungai Muda River Level (Lahar Tiang Intake) stood at 1.56m.
Raw water abstraction operations at Lahar Tiang at 83%, water production at the Sungai Dua Water Treatment Plant at 100%, and normalisation of water supply for about 400,000 accounts on the Seberang Perai at 90% and on Penang Island at 90%. The estimated number of consumers still affected by yesterday’s incident is approximately 40,000 accounts, with the targeted “full recovery” of water supply between Wednesday, May 17, 2023, or Thursday, May 18, 2023.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the PBAPP team for a job well done. He acknowledged that the majority of the people in Penang are now enjoying the benefits of the team’s work. He urged the team to continue their efforts until the water supply services in Penang achieve 100% or full recovery, as targeted or sooner. However, the Chief Minister pointed out that the cause of yesterday’s incident was an “Automatic Sensor Failure” at one of the Sungai Muda barrages in Kedah that suddenly opened a floodgate, letting super large quantities of river water flow out to the sea.
As a result, about 400,000 water consumers in Penang suffered from the mishap. The Chief Minister suggested that the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) conduct a full investigation into the incident. He also called for preventive maintenance to avoid a repeat or recurrence in the future, suggesting that SPAN get the relevant authorities in Kedah to check all the systems in all the barrages in Kedah to see if there is anything else that needs to be replaced or upgraded.
The Chief Minister further requested that the Federal Government set up the proposed “Ulu Muda Basin Authority” or UMBA to manage the Ulu Muda Basin effectively and professionally. Both Penang and Kedah are highly dependent on the Ulu Muda River Basin, which includes Sungai Muda, for water supply and irrigation. The Chief Minister emphasized the importance of conserving this river basin properly for the good of the people, the economies, and the future of the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER).
The Penang State Government aims to avoid mishaps and accidents at Sungai Muda. They believe that an UMBA could manage the Ulu Muda Basin effectively and avoid accidents that could affect the water supply for millions of people in Penang and Kedah.
