Singapore to supply Johor additional potable water on BAKAJ's request

Singapore has started supplying Johor additional potable water following an urgent request by Badan Kawalselia Air Johor (BAKAJ), Channel NewsAsia reported.

Quoting Public Utilities Board (PUB), the news portal said Johor BAKAJ requested for an additional supply of six million gallons of treated water per day for the next three days.

The report said that the water was needed to stabilise its own supply system in Johor Baharu after the shutdown on Wednesday due to pollution in the Johor River.

"PUB has readily acceded to this urgent request and commenced additional supply of treated water to Johor since July 17. This additional supply will continue for the next three days."

The report said that consumers in Singapore will not be affected in any way as it was able to increase local production at short notice.

"PUB Singapore is entitled to draw 250mgd of raw water from the Johor River under the 1962 Water Agreement with Malaysia. This right is guaranteed by the 1965 Separation Agreement and expires in 2061.

"The 1962 Water Agreement also obliges PUB to sell 5mgd of treated water to Johor. In practice though, PUB has been regularly providing Johor with three times this, up to 16mgd on a daily basis."

This latest request for 6mgd is on top of the regular 15 to 16mgd supplied to Johor every day, PUB was quoted as saying.