Water treatment plant shut down due to high ammonia content

JOHOR BAHRU: A high level of ammonia content reading in the raw water from source has forced the Syarikat Air Johor (SAJ Ranhill Sdn Bhd) to shut down the Simpang Renggam Water Treatment plant near Kluang temporarily.

Through a statement uploaded on the SAJ Ranhill Sdn Bhd’s official Facebook yesterday, the company said the ammonia had leaked out from a landfill leachate at the Ladang CEP 1 waste disposal pond in Renggam and contaminated raw water from Sungai Benut.

SAJ Ranhill Sdn Bhd corporate communications head Jamaluddin Jamal when contacted today said operations at the Simpang Renggam water treatment plant was shut down since the ammonia reading was 13 Parts Per Million (PPM) compared with the permissible level of 1.5 PPM by the Health Ministry.

“Right now we are monitoring the ammonia level at Sungai Benut and would resume operations at the treatment plant once the level drops to 1.5 PPM,” he said adding that 6,000 consumers in Simpang Renggam would be affected by the shortage which started Friday afternoon.

He said SAJ would be mobilising tankers to supply water to “critical public places”.

Consumers who need information can email, customer. care@saj.com.my or facebook, or contact SAJ Holdings at 1-800-887474, he said.

Meanwhile, waste management company, SWM Environment Sdn Bhd Johor region manager Mohd Zan Arris said the company were informed of the incident and would immediately take action to rectify the situation at the site.

“We are carrying out a thorough investigation to find out the cause of the leak,” he said. - Bernama