Water supply resumes for 350,000 consumers in Penang, taps still dry in southwest district

SEBERANG PERAI, Jan 11 — Water supply has resumed for about 350,000 consumers in Penang, 33 hours after the scheduled water supply interruption (SWSI) started.

Energy Transition and Public Utilities Deputy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said this means water supply has normalised for about 60 per cent of the affected consumers.

He said the two major valve replacement works at the Sungai Dua Water Treatment Plant (WTP) are fully completed and functioning smoothly.

“Out of the 22 other water works in the state, only one is still ongoing and it is at 50 per cent completion now,” he said in a press conference after visiting the WTP here today.

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He commended PBAPP for completing the works ahead of schedule and resuming water supply to some areas earlier than planned.

He said the final work that’s still ongoing is the Sungai Perai underwater pipeline.

He believed that PBAPP will be able to achieve its target of resuming water supply for all affected consumers in the state within 96 hours, as planned.

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“Currently, most areas in Penang, both on mainland and island, have water supply except for the southwest district of the island,” he said.

He said water supply has only resumed for about five per cent of the areas in the southwest district.

The southwest district of the island covers Bayan Baru, the industrial zones in Bayan Lepas, Batu Maung, Sungai Ara and Balik Pulau.

He said PBAPP is on track to normalise water supply for 495,065 consumers or 84 per cent of the 590,000 affected consumers by 6am on Saturday.

“The target is for the southwest district to get their water supply between 48 and 72 hours,” he said.

He said a total 102 water tankers on standby at various state locations will be mobilised to bring water to affected areas.