Cabinet panel: No need for water rationing now

There is no need to ration water supply to Selangor and the surrounding areas in the Federal Territories at present, the special cabinet committee on water said today.

"Based on the presentation made today, we found that there is no need for rationing at this time," committee chairperson and Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said.

However, he said, there are several areas in the Klang Valley where "water is not forthcoming", and water concessionaire Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) has been instructed to ensure water supply there.

He said the National Water Services Commission is looking at complaints from areas including parts of Kapar, Balakong, Hulu Langat, Overseas Union Garden, Pandan Indah and Pandan Perdana.

Muhyiddin said that while water reservoirs are filled to the brim, five raw water treatment plants are working at over-capacity and are at risk of a breakdown.

They are the Sungai Langat, Sungai Batu, Sungai Semenyih, Sungai Selangor and Bukit Tampoi plants.

“We have asked Syabas to come up with a contingency plan,” he said.

Tenders for Langat 2 to be opened next month

He added that the federal government will also open tenders for the controversial over-RM8 billion Langat 2 water treatment plant by next month.

He said that this is because the government feels that the Selangor water issue has come to a “critical” level.

Muhyiddin said that the plant requires three-and-a-half years to complete and the federal government wants to be ready to start construction the moment Selangor says 'yes'.
“I have asked the attorney-general to review the matter in terms of land laws, etc,” he said.

Selangor is opposed to the plant, which also involves piping water from Pahang, as it argues that Selangor has more than enough water.