GEORGE TOWN: The state government, through the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP), is implementing four water infrastructure projects worth RM24.6 million to resolve water supply issues in Mukim 5 Sungai Bakap, Seberang Perai Selatan (SPS) near here.

State Infrastructure and Transport Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said that once completed, the projects are expected to benefit 18,066 consumers in the area.

"The four projects include the construction of a new dissolved air floatation plant with a capacity of 10 million litres per day (JLH) at the Bukit Panchor Water Treatment Plant (LRA), which was completed last August.

"Other projects are a 2.4 JLH LRA at Sungai Kerian, which is expected to be ready in April next year; (the installation of) new suction tanks at Taman Widuri and Taman Wellesley pump houses, to be completed by the end of the year; and two mobile LRAs of 0.25 JLH at Taman Sungai Duri Indah, (to be completed in November," he told the Penang State Assembly sitting today.

He said this in reply to a question from Nor Zamri Latiff (PAS-Sungai Bakap) about the measures taken by the state government to solve the water supply woes in Mukim 5 Sungai Bakap, which have plagued residents since 2019.

However, Zairil (DAP-Tanjung Bunga) said that there was a slight delay in the completion of the projects since PBAPP had to meet all of the additional requirements and requests from the local authority from time to time.

He also said that the state government, through PBAPP, is planning to build Sungai Kerian LRA Phase 1 in SPS. This plant will have a capacity of 114 JLH and will help SPS deal with its high water demand until 2030.

"Once completed, the plant is expected to benefit 55,000 users in SPS," he said.

Meanwhile, Zairil said that water billing calculations for every account are made based on the readings taken by meter readers at the customers' premises.

He urged consumers to contact PBAPP for further action in the event of unforeseen circumstances.

-- BERNAMA