Kedah, Melaka not severely affected by dry spell

Kedah still has enough water supply at all its three dams for public consumption and padi irrigation for at least another 10 months.

Kedah will not face a critical water shortage due to the unusually long dry season in the country.

State Housing and Local Government, Water Supply and Water Resources Committee chairman Badrul Hisham Hashim said there is sufficient water supply at the Pedu dam to supply the state for another 10 months or more.

He said apart from the Pedu dam, the Ahning and Muda dams are also providing the state with water for public consumption and padi irrigation, apart from channelling water to Penang and Perlis.

Badrul said the current capacity at the Pedu dam in Padang Terap is at 71.57 percent whereas the water capacity at the Ahning dam is at 67.43 percent.

Although the hot weather and lack of rain for two months has led to the decrease in water levels at the Ahning dam, Badrul urged padi farmers not to panic as the supply is enough to sustain their crops until March.

In Negeri Sembilan a Natural Disaster Operations room has been activated to coordinate water supply efforts in the state.

Its Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said low water levels at Sungai Batang Benar and Sungai Ulu Muar due to the current dry season is making it difficult to pump water into the Talang, Kelinchi and Sungai Terip dams.

Sungai Batang Benar supplies up to 13 million litres of raw water while Sungai Ulu Muar contributes another 45 million litres of water for consumers in Seremban alone.

Syarikat Air Negeri Sembilan (SAINS) has confirmed that there is a water crisis in the state but added it was still under control.

SAINS has prepared 11 lorries and 35 static tanks as a precaution in the event if there is no water.

Yesterday, almost 70 percent of the 3,000 households have had their water supply reconnected.

Meanwhile, Syarikat Air Melaka (SAMB) will start to pump water on Monday from Tasik Ayer Keroh to ensure Melaka will not have a water crisis.

Its CEO, Datuk Ir Mohd Khalid Nasir said that the water will be pumped into Sungai Melaka to fulfil consumers needs.

Currently, SAMB is pumping water from Kesang, Jasin since February 14 due to the heat wave and the lack of rain that has plagued the state since January.

The water levels at the Durian Tunggal Dam, Melaka is now at 69.8 percent and it is receding at a rate of 0.3 to 0.5 percent daily.

A potential water crisis was also averted after SAMB pumped water from Sungai Gerisik.

However, it said if there is no rain until the end of March, the water levels at dams in the state will recede to the critical 50 percent level.