Dry taps unlikely in Penang as Sungai Muda water clears up

 

The turbidity level of Sungai Muda returned to a safe level this evening. (PBA pic)

PETALING JAYA: Penang is unlikely to experience any water cuts now that the turbidity of water in Sungai Muda has dropped to safe levels, says the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP).

PBAPP said it will continue to monitor the turbidity of the river water over the next few days, following the flash floods in Baling, Kedah yesterday.

“The Sungai Dua water treatment plan, which uses raw water from Sungai Muda to produce more than 80% of the treated water supplied in Penang, continues to operate optimally.

“It is likely that water supply operations in Penang will not be affected by murky water from Sungai Muda, arising from the reported floods in Baling, Kedah,” it said.

Earlier today, the company said the main water treatment plant in Butterworth was on high alert as muddy water from the recent Baling floods could interrupt the state’s water supply again.

At 9am, the turbidity level was at 398, prompting PBAPP to issue the alert. It later went down to a normal reading of 261. During the previous Baling floods, which caused major disruptions to piped water supply throughout Penang, the turbidity level hit 3,000.

Non-stop rain that began at 2pm in Baling yesterday had caused water to rise above a newly built Bailey bridge in Kampung Iboi there. The floods forced seven families to be evacuated, rescue authorities told Bernama. - FMT