This follows the completion of the first phase of Penang's new twin submarine pipeline project.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng says Penang is the only state to have declared a ‘no water rationing’ policy.
GEORGE TOWN: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng today assured that there will be no water rationing in Penang for the next 10 years.
He said this followed the successful completion of the first package of Penang’s new Butterworth-Penang Island Twin Submarine Pipeline Project, costing RM9.2 million.
Package 1 encompasses the laying of 0.9km of 1,800mm land pipelines in the Macallum area in George Town.
Lim said the key rationale for the overall project, which costs RM125 million, was to ensure the efficient delivery of more treated water from the Sungai Dua water treatment plant to Penang Island, in order to address future water demand.
“It is also to replace the first twin submarine pipeline that was commissioned in 1973.
“In addition to that, it is to ensure that Penang lives up to its ‘no water rationing’ policy in the future, for the benefit of the people and thousands of businesses on the island,” he said in a press conference on a technical visit to the completed Package 1 site in the Macallum area today.
Also present was Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) and PBA Holdings CEO Jaseni Maidinsa.
Package 2A and 2B of the project, costing RM15.2 million, involve the laying of 0.8km of 1,800mm land pipelines in Butterworth.
According to Jaseni, PBAPP is awaiting approval from the Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP), Lembaga Lebuhraya Malaysia (LLM) and Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) to commence work.
Package 3 will see the laying of 3.2km of 1,200mm twin submarine pipelines from Butterworth to the Macallum area on Penang Island. The open tender is scheduled to be called by May.
Jaseni said the entire project was scheduled for completion by December 2020.
When completed, Lim said, the new project would deliver up to 315 MLD (million litres per day) of treated water from the Sungai Dua water treatment plant to PBAPP’s pump houses and treated water reservoirs at Bukit Dumbar on Penang Island.
“The treated water will then be re-pumped to water consumers throughout the southern parts of Penang Island and also Balik Pulau.
“The beneficiaries of this project include 500,000 people and thousands of businesses located in the areas from Green Lane to the southwest districts of Penang Island, comprising both domestic and trade water consumers.”
Lim added that such projects had helped Penang achieve the country’s highest water reserve margin in 2016 of 34.1%, which he said “allowed Penang to succeed in not imposing water rationing since 2008, the only state to escape water rationing in Malaysia”.
“It should be reiterated that Penang is the only state in Malaysia that has publicly declared a ‘no water rationing’ policy.
“The implementation of the New Butterworth-Penang Island Twin Submarine Pipeline project reflects our unwavering commitment to this policy by making sure that supply is always ahead of demand,” he said.
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Sumber Guan Eng assures no water rationing in Penang for next 10 years