EKVE SDN Bhd has denied allegations the murky water in Sg Klang recently originated from the East Klang Valley Expressway (EKVE) project site. 

The highway concessionaire in a statement today said the site, where minor earthworks were being carried out at a section of Sg Ampang, near the Ampang treatment plant intake, was located 15km away from Sg Klang. 

“That is too far for any silt flow – if at all there was any – from our project site at Sg Ampang to affect the water quality in Sg Klang,” it said in a statement.

The concessionaire said this in response to media reports alleging that the EKVE construction project was the source of the river water contamination.

According to the highway concessionaire, the earthworks being carried out at the site were minimal as the highway was already nearing completion and works at the project site were being carried out in strict adherence to the Erosion and Sediment Control Plan (ESCP) at all times. 

“Visits to the project site have been conducted by the Selangor Department of Environment (DoE) and the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council from time to time to ensure compliance with the ESCP.

“The Ampang treatment plant intake had not been shut down when murky water was flowing in Sg Klang, indicating there was only a very low level of water turbidity in Sg Ampang near where the project site was located,” according to the statement. 

The EKVE, spanning a total length of 39.66km, is a dual-two lane tolled highway between Bandar Sg Long and Ukay Perdana, and is expected to be completed by July this year.

Bernama reported on Thursday that Kuala Lumpur’s Department of Irrigation and Drainage had identified EKVE as the source of the murky water around the capital, including the River of Life project.

The investigation by DID on February 16 found murky water had begun to flow from Sg Ampang at the Ampang Recreational Forest, Selangor, near the treatment plant intake before flowing into Sg Klang, due to uncontrolled land clearing.

According to Selangor DoE the project is still under a stop-work order, which took effect on October 13 last year. The developer is prohibited from carrying out construction works and earthworks until the order is lifted.

 The department also said only repair works on the riverbank, slope stabilisation, and works to cover exposed slopes as well as slope maintenance near Sg Ampang that collapsed due to groundwater pressure are permitted. – Bernama, February 21, 2021.