Those liable for water cut to be named and shamed

DAP leader says hearing to investigate the shutdown of the Sungai Semenyih water treatment plant will start next week.

SELANGOR: The Damansara Utama state assembly person has criticised yesterday’s water disruption due to contamination, saying it was high time those responsible for it were held accountable to the public.

In a statement, Yeo Bee Yin who is also the chairperson of the Selangor Raw Water Management Special Select Committee confirmed a hearing would commence next week to investigate the shutdown of the Sungai Semenyih water treatment plant.

“It is time that the responsible parties for each water disruption are made accountable to the public,” Yeo said, adding that reports by the committee will show the problems faced by the segmented water industries in Selangor due to the improper privatisation of water operators in the past, as well as practical recommendations moving forward.

She also expressed her disappointment that incidences of water contamination were becoming more frequent and said the matter could no longer be taken lightly.

“It is unacceptable that the river water contamination that caused the water treatment plant shutdown has become a frequent occurrence in Selangor,” said Yeo, citing the shutdown of the Batu 11 Cheras and Bukit Tampoi plants last February.

The hearing next week will summon all related agencies including the Sungai Semenyih plant operator Konsortium ABASS, Selangor Water Management Authority (SWMA), the Department of Environment, and Syabas.

Yeo said the shutdown, due to ammonia and manganese contamination, had inconvenienced 450,000 households in four Selangor districts namely Petaling, Hulu Langat, Kuala Langat and Sepang.