RM52.5 Mln To Improve Water Supply In Penang

PENANG, March 5 (Bernama)Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang Sdn Bhd (PBAPP) is investing RM52.5 million to upgrade its operations at the Sungai Dua, Tasek Gelugor treatment plant -- Penang's largest water treatment plant.Penang Chief Minister and PBAPP chairman, Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon said Package 8 of the Muda River Water Scheme Phase 4A will include the construction of a new, 23-million litre clear water tank and high-lift pumping station with 12 new pumps, as well as associated works.The project is scheduled for completion by 2009, he said at a ground-breaking ceremony for the upgrading of the plant. Also present at the function was second finance minister, Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop and PBAPP's general manager, Ir. Jaseni Maidinsa."The new clear water tanks will increase the contact and balancing time for water treatment and ensure better water quality," he said.The new high lift pumping station will also boost the PBAPP's standby pumping capacity to 80 percent of the total capacity of the Sungai Dua water treatment plant.The current maximum treated water capacity at the Sungai Dua plant is 885 million litres per day (MLD). Presently, the plant treats 735 MLD.Koh said plans were also underway to increase the maximum treated water capacity of the Sungai Dua plant to 1,000 MLD by 2012 to ensure sufficient treated water supply for the future.Besides this, Koh said PBAPP had invested about RM350 million from 2004 to 2007 for service improvements and to sustain 99 percent supply coverage in Penang."Today, it is a fact that Penang continues to enjoy good water supply at very reasonable rates of 22 sen per litre," he said.He also praised PBAPP for reducing the non revenue water to 17 percent, the lowest in the country from 20 percent previously.Going forward, Koh said the Mengkuang Dam will be expanded to increase its strategic water reserve by 148 percent within the next five years."We need to ensure that we have good water supply because we are stepping up to serve as the hub for the Northern Corridor Economic Region," he added.