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‘Tunnel a short-term measure’

tunnel

TEMPORARY MODIFICATION: It will replenish water supply in Langat, Cheras Batu 11 and Bukit Tampoi plants

CYBERJAYA: A MITIGATION plan to end the water crisis in at least some major parts of the Klang Valley is under way, as the Federal Government mulls ways to end the problem.

Pahang-Selangor Raw Water Transfer Project (Tunnel) director Dr Zullkefle Nordin said the crisis faced by 1.5 million people in Cheras and Hulu Langat was expected to be mitigated by temporarily modifying the tunnel.

He said this would replenish the supply of raw water in three treatment plants along Sungai Langat, namely the Langat, Cheras Batu 11 and Bukit Tampoi plants.

He said the plan would operate as a short-term measure, as the construction of the Langat 2 treatment plant was due to be completed only by 2017.

“The drought will last from May to September, and the weather might worsen in the coming years.

“We are worried that the Sungai Langat Dam (with a 50 per cent reserve capacity) might not be able to release water into the river because of the low water level.

“Hence, we intend to lay an underground pipeline, with a 1.5m diameter, which will connect the tunnel outlet in Hulu Langat to Sungai Langat.

“A wall will be built at the tunnel’s face to connect the pipeline,” Zullkefle told the New Straits Times yesterday.

The 44.6km-long and 5.2m-wide tunnel was expected to channel 600 million litres per day of raw water from Sungai Semantan and the Kelau Dam, he said, adding that Pahang would be charging Selangor 10 sen per cubic metre.

Zullkefle said the plan to install the pipeline, which costs between RM4 million and RM5 million, would be submitted to the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry for approval by the end of the week.

“The overall tunnel project is 95.2 per cent complete and is expected to (be completed) by year-end.

“Although we do not need a development order from the state (Selangor), we need (the state government’s) cooperation to make this plan a success.

“In times of crisis like this, political differences should be kept aside and priority should be given to the rakyat.”

The NST had, on Saturday, quoted Deputy Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid as saying a mitigation plan would be carried out by the Federal Government to transfer water from Pahang.

The plan is a short-term measure to alleviate the suffering of Klang Valley residents, many of whom have been putting up with water rationing for more than a month.

Zullkefle echoed Mahdzir’s sentiments, saying the plan to modify the tunnel was not a solution to the water crisis, as it would involve only the Cheras and Bukit Tampoi Dams, and not the Sungai Selangor Dam, which supplied up to 60 per cent of water to Klang Valley residents.

The water level in the Sungai Selangor Dam has drastically decreased, as the amount of rainfall in the catchment area has been less than normal (below 200mm).

The Federal Government, said Zullkefle, was concerned over the crisis, as water was a basic need.

He added that the government was doing its best to resolve the crisis.

“We are talking about national security and water security because when there is no water, it affects the country’s economy, and investors might not want to invest in the country.”

Asked if treated water should be transferred from Pahang, Zullkefle said it might be contaminated by impurities while being transferred.

He stressed that the Langat 2 project would end the water crisis.

“If the Langat 2 project had been constructed according to schedule (when it was first proposed), the Finance Ministry would not have to fork out RM900 million of taxpayers’ money for mitigation plans.”

-NST

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