GEORGE TOWN, May 6 — The Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) will install two 1.8-metre (m) diameter main pipelines to channel more treated water from the Sungai Dua Water Treatment Plant (WTP) to the Barat Daya district on the island as part of efforts to strengthen water supply by 2030.

PBAPP chief executive officer Datuk K. Pathmanathan said the project is a key component of Phase 3 of the Water Contingency Plan 2030 (WCP 2030), with an estimated total cost of about RM416 million involving pipe procurement, installation works, excavation and road reinstatement works, as well as land acquisition costs.

He said the first pipeline will connect the Sungai Dua WTP to the connection point of the Penang Third Undersea Twin Pipeline Project (3rd PTSP) in Butterworth, involving a route of about 13 kilometres on the mainland.

“The second 1.8m diameter pipeline will connect the 3rd PTSP landing point in the Macallum area to the Bukit Dumbar Reservoir and Pump House Complex over a distance of about 3.9 kilometres on the island at a cost of RM56 million,” he told reporters after inspecting the project site at Solok Tengku here, today.

According to him, the two pipelines are crucial to enable PBAPP to pump more treated water from Sungai Dua to the island, particularly to meet rising demand in the Barat Daya district, which is expected to increase from 202 million litres per day (MLD) this year to 301 MLD by 2030.

The installation work of the new Macallum - Bukit Dumbar pipeline in Solok Tengku is expected to be completed by December 2027. — Bernama pic

Pathmanathan said works for the new pipeline from Macallum to Bukit Dumbar are scheduled to begin this month and are expected to be completed by May 2027 due to technical and logistical constraints involving traffic management and relocation of utilities, such as Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) and telecommunications lines.

“In addition, with the cooperation of the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM), the Public Works Department (JKR) and local authorities, we are confident these challenges can be overcome and the project completed as soon as possible,” he said.

He said the 3.9-kilometre project will be implemented in two phases due to land acquisition constraints, with the second phase involving about one kilometre crossing Sungai Pinang.

According to him, about 400 million litres of water per day are currently channelled to the island and with the completion of the dedicated pipelines, the capacity can be increased to around 600 million litres per day.

He added that the overall RM2.1 billion WCP 2030 is being implemented to optimise raw water resources, increase water treatment capacity and reduce dependency on the Sungai Dua WTP. — Bernama

GEORGE TOWN, May 6 — Water levels in Sungai Muda are now at a safe level following heavy rainfall over the past few days, Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) chief executive officer Datuk K. Pathmanathan said.

He said the river level is now above two metres, which is sufficient to meet current demand.

“Over the past three days, Sungai Muda’s water level has been at a safe level due to good rainfall distribution,” he told reporters after visiting a pipeline installation site in Jelutong here.

He said PBAPP will continue to monitor the river water levels as it is the main source of raw water supply for Penang.

Last month, water levels in Sungai Muda dropped to a worrying level, reaching the danger mark of 1.27 metres at the Lahar Tiang intake.

Pathmanathan said the decline may have been caused by water releases for irrigation purposes in neighbouring Kedah, upstream of the river.

“Although the situation is stable, we are expecting rainfall to decrease until September so we need more careful management of water resources,” he said.

He added that water levels in the dams in Penang are also dropping.

“Air Itam Dam is currently at about 52.8 per cent capacity, while Teluk Bahang Dam is at around 71.8 per cent,” he said.

The Expanded Mengkuang Dam remains more stable with a capacity of 90.2 per cent.

“As such, we cannot afford to be complacent and must ensure dam levels remain sufficient over the coming months,” he said.

He said PBAPP will increase the transfer of raw water supply from Sungai Muda to the island as a proactive measure.

“Currently, we are channelling about 420 million litres per day (MLD), and we will increase this by a further 20 MLD to meet the needs of consumers on the island,” he said.

“This additional supply will be delivered directly to consumers and is expected to be sufficient to meet current demand,” he added.

He said the move is part of a short-term strategy to ensure stable water supply, especially during the expected dry season in the coming months.