THE latest Bukit Dumbar Reservoir 4 (BDR4) will benefit about 315,000 people plus the Bayan Lepas Free Trade Zone, Penang International Airport and southern parts of Penang island.

The BDR4, costing RM9.3mil, is part of three projects valued at RM140.4mil undertaken by Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP).

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the water demand in Penang had increased by 11%, from an average of 744mld (million litres per day) in 2008 to an average of 826mld in 2017.

“The water demand does not remain the same year after year in Penang, it will continue to grow in line with population growth and increasing socioeconomic activities.

“PBAPP has stayed ahead of our water demand by implementing effective water engineering projects and services, resulting in Penang achieving a water treatment margin of 34.8% in 2017, the highest in Malaysia.

“A high water treatment reserve margin is important because it means that our risk of water supply shortage is low.

“With the new reservoir, it means that there will be more treated water to meet future water demands.

“It will enhance water supply and there will be less incidents of water supply interruptions related to the availability of treated water.

“There will also be a lower risk of water shortage during dry seasons and consistent delivery even during periods of high water demand,” he said in his speech during the launch of the new reservoir in Jelutong on Friday.

Chow said the other two projects undertaken by PBAPP were the recently completed Phase One of the Penang Water Supply Command Centre in the Sungai Dua water treatment plant in Seberang Prai costing RM6.1mil and the new Butterworth–Penang Island Twin Submarine Pipeline Project costing RM125mil which will be completed in December 2020.

PBAPP chief executive officer Datuk Jaseni Maidinsa said the BDR4 was the fourth reservoir to be commissioned in the Bukit Dumbar Reservoir and Pumping Station Complex.

“BDR4 was constructed to store a maximum of 36 million litres of treated water and with its construction we have increased our water storage capacity in Bukit Dumbar by 28.6%.

“The water in these four reservoirs originate from the Sungai Dua water treatment plant.

“The reservoirs serve Gelugor, Batu Uban, Sungai Nibong, Bayan Baru, Relau, Sungai Ara, Batu Maung, Bayan Lepas, Permatang Damar Laut, Teluk Kumbar, Gertak Sanggul, Genting and Balik Pulau,” he said.

Also present at the event were Deputy Chief Minister II Dr P. Ramasamy, state Works, Utilities and Flood Mitigation Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari and Sungai Pinang assemblyman Lim Siew Khim.

Source: The Star

Photo Credit: The Star