Penang to resume raw water talks with Perak

GEORGE TOWN: With sufficient water supply from Sungai Perak to meet the demands of Penang, further discussions would be held to consider implementing the long-delayed Sungai Perak Raw Water Transfer Scheme (SPRWTS), says Chow Kon Yeow.

The Chief Minister said a recent study by the Environment and Water Ministry found that water from the river is sufficient, and these findings would allow both parties to pursue further discussions.

“We have been waiting for the completion of the study to serve as the basis for our discussion.

“Since it has been established that Sungai Perak has sufficient water supply to meet the demands for both northern Perak and Penang, we will pursue the matter further,” he said.

Chow added that the state would study the recommendations made in the study.

He was responding to Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad, who said on Thursday that his administration could not supply raw water to Penang despite a coalition government formed between Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan after the 15th General Election.

Saarani had said that the issue was never about which political parties were governing the states, but a matter of supply capacity from the river, which he claimed was only sufficient for Perak’s use.

Meanwhile, Chow said that tapping water from Sungai Perak would not replace Penang’s current supply from Sungai Muda but complement it as another water source.

The SPRWTS project was proposed by the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) to utilise Penang’s second water source in Sungai Perak to meet future water supply needs for Penang and northern Perak.

Penang, through PBAPP, has been trying to source water from Sungai Perak as an alternative raw water resource for the state since 2011.

The project would involve the construction of a water tunnel to channel raw water from Sungai Perak upstream to Sungai Ijok, which would flow to Sungai Kerian.

The raw water would then be extracted from Sungai Kerian, where a water treatment plant would be built on the Penang side of the border.