Despite cloud seeding, Penang dam levels remain at all-time low

Despite a one-hour rain respite in Penang on Saturday, the two key dams at Air Itam and Teluk Bahang remain at an all-time low today.

Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) CEO Jaseni Maidinsa said despite the rain, which came after a cloud seeding exercise, only 2mm fell into the Air Itam water catchment area.

"The effective capacity then was 60.4 percent, whilst there was no rain in Teluk Bahang water catchment area, where the effective capacity was at 38.1 percent," Jaseni told Malaysiakini.

"Today, the Air Itam dam has gone down to 59.9 percent, while Teluk Bahang is at 37.9 percent.

"Penang people must use water wisely so that we can sustain until April," Jaseni added.

On Sunday, Bernama reported that MetMalaysia director-general Jailan Simon said the cloud seeding operation was carried out in six targeted areas in Kedah and Penang.

The operations resulted in rainfall at Empangan Muda, Pedu and Teluk Bahang, as well as the padi farming areas in Kuala Nerang and Kampung Perupok.

On Jan 15, PBAPP issued its first water alert warning as the two major dams in Penang was significantly lower than the recorded level last year due to reduced rainfall.

Jaseni had then said between September and December 2019, the total rainfall recorded in the Air Itam dam area was only 702mm.

This was equivalent to only 44 percent of the three year average of 1,577mm, recorded during the same period between 2016 and 2018.

For the Teluk Bahang dam, the total rainfall recorded in the dam area between September and December 2019 was 1,732 mm, equivalent to only 56 percent of the same three-year average of 3,101mm.

Sahabat Alam Malaysia president Meenakshi Raman (below) strongly agreed that the low rainfall in Penang in the last four months of 2019 is linked to climate change.

"Today, we have to accept that climate change is the new normal.

"In light of this human-made global disaster, a more integrated approach to water resource management can no longer be treated lightly by the federal and state governments," Meenakshi said in a statement.

"While we laud the call for consumers not to waste water, to address the reality of this new normal, appropriate policy and governance play a central role," she added.

"The simplest and most cost-effective step that must be urgently undertaken today is certainly natural conservation at the source," she stressed. - Mkini