Government may install temporary pipe to channel water directly to Sg Langat – Bernama
The Government is considering installing a 1.5-kilometre temporary pipe from the tunnel that will supply raw water from Pahang to the Langat 2 Water Treatment Plant, to Sungai Langat in Selangor to feed water to existing water treatment plants as a means to solve the water crisis in the Klang Valley.
Deputy Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water, Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said the construction of the tunnel to channel the raw water from the Semantan River in Pahang to service the Langat 2 plant, covering 46.6 kilometres, was more than 90% completed.
He said the installation of the temporary pipe would allow the raw water to be channelled to Sungai Langat to be treated at existing water treatment plants in Selangor until the Langat 2 Water Treatment Plant was ready in three years.
"The proposal will be taken to the Cabinet for a decision because it involves the cost of building the pipe and consent from the Pahang state government.
"If it is agreed by the Federal government and the Pahang government, the construction of the pipe will be completed next October or November," he told reporters after officiating the simultaneous opening of annual meetings of Umno branches in the Temerloh Division today.
Mahdzir, who is also the chairman of the Water Crisis Supply Management Committee, said through this move, Sungai Langat's water capacity would be boosted, thus allowing increased production of treated water at the existing treatment plants.
Last week, the media reported that a joint venture bid by Salcon, MMC and AZRB had received approval from Pengurusan Aset Air Bhd (PAAB) to build the Langat 2 Water Treatment Plant and the Water Reticulation System worth RM1 billion, which would be completed in 36 months.
Meanwhile, Mahdzir said the government would continue with the cloud seeding programme although the water levels in several dams in the state were now at a safe level and no longer critical.
He said the water level at the Sungai Tinggi and Klang Gate dams had reached a safe level, leaving only the Sungai Selangor Dam which was still at a critical 37.88% level. – Bernama, April 20, 2014.
