A 44.6km-long tunnel, integral to the Pahang-Selangor Raw Water Transfer Project, is set to commence operations ahead of schedule, and should ease the water crisis currently plaguing Selangor.
Once operational, the tunnel will channel raw water from Sungai Semantan into Sungai Langat for treatment in seven existing Selangor plants.
The plan will be tabled to the Cabinet today by the National Action Committee set up by the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry.
The tunnel was originally designed to only channel water directly to the Langat 2 water treatment plant, whose construction has been delayed for three years now.
Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili confirmed yesterday that he would submit several proposals drawn up by the committee headed by his deputy Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid.
“The panel’s proposals can be put in place to overcome the shortage,” he said without giving details of the other suggestions.
Ongkili said the Federal Government would consider all possibilities in resolving the crisis before it worsens, adding that the water level in the Sungai Selangor dam, which supplies 60% of the raw water to treatment plants servicing Selangor users, was now at 37%.
Yesterday, Ongkili said his ministry will have no choice but to declare a water emergency for Kuala Lumpur, the Federal Territory and Putrajaya if water levels at the dams supplying the areas dip below 30% in the next two weeks.
See Also: Putrajaya: two weeks before we declare a water emergency
Story: The Star Online
