GEORGE TOWN, October 29 — The Air Itam Dam in Penang has reached an impressive 99.4 per cent effective capacity, marking its highest level in four years following continuous rainfall over the past two months.
According to Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) CEO Datuk K. Pathmanathan, the dam — which holds up to 2,159 million litres of water — last reached a comparable level of 93.4 per cent on December 2, 2021.
A total of 526.5mm of rain was recorded in the dam’s water catchment area from September 1 to October 27, significantly boosting water reserves. To manage the increased capacity, PBAPP has ramped up raw water drawdowns from 22 million litres per day (MLD) to as much as 65 MLD to prevent overflow.
The dam, however, remains temporarily closed to the public due to recent landslides caused by storms. Pathmanathan added that Penang’s other major dams — Teluk Bahang and Expanded Mengkuang — have also shown recovery, currently standing at 72.9 per cent and 91.3 per cent respectively, as the state anticipates further rainfall in November.
