OPERATIONS at the Sungai Dua water treatment plant had to be halted due to the high turbidity of raw water as a result of the floods and water surge phenomenon in Baling, Kedah on Monday.

Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the plant was shut down from 8am to noon today, causing water supply disruptions in several areas in the state.

“The muddy raw water from Sungai Muda, Kedah has made it difficult for the water treatment plant to function well,” he told reporters after attending the memorandum of understanding signing ceremony with the International Advertising Association World Congress in George Town today.

Chow said as an immediate measure, the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) had channelled water from the Mengkuang dam to the Sungai Dua plant and a nearby plant so that clean water could be supplied to consumers.

“PBAPP only on rare occasions draws water from the Mengkuang dam, which can last for up to 100 days, to distribute water to 85% of consumers in the state,” he said.

Meanwhile, PBAPP chief executive officer Jaseni Maidinsa said in a statement today that the water pressure in all pipelines throughout Penang is expected to be restored by noon tomorrow.

He said PBAPP had initiated emergency response engineering work after the turbidity levels of raw water pumped from Sungai Muda through the Sungai Dua canal to the Sungai Dua plant reached 3,000 Nephelometric Turbidity Units at 6am today.

He said the Sungai Dua plan produced more than 80% of the treated water that was supplied throughout Penang daily and the sharp increase in the turbidity of raw water from Sungai Muda was beyond PBAPP’s control.

“However, PBAPP has responded to this crisis situation in a timely and appropriate manner,” he said.

Jaseni said PBAPP will continue to monitor the turbidity of water abstracted from Sungai Muda and draw water from the Mengkuang dam to ensure a safe level of turbidity of raw water for the Sungai Dua plant. – Bernama, July 6, 2022.