Water disruption in Selangor, Putrajaya to fully recover on Monday - Air Selangor

KUALA LUMPUR: The unscheduled water disruption in 463 areas following the temporary shutdown of the Sungai Semenyih Water Treatment Plant due to an odour pollution incident, is expected to be fully recovered at 6 am on Monday (Sept 6).

Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Air Selangor) Corporate Communications head Elina Baseri, in a statement today said the Sungai Semenyih Water Treatment Plant has commenced its operation.

"Water supply for the affected areas will be distributed in stages starting from 6 pm, today. A total of 94 water tankers have been mobilised to the affected areas and critical premises during the unscheduled water supply disruption," she said.

Elina said Air Selangor understands the consumers' need for clean water, especially during the increase in COVID cases and following that the company is making all efforts to minimise the impact of disruption to the affected consumers.

The water supply disruption involved 172 areas in Petaling, 54 in Hulu Langat, 23 in Putrajaya and 20 in Kuala Langat.

The public can obtain the latest reports pertaining to the water disruption through Air Selangor's official social media account on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and website at www.airselangor.com or by contacting its call centre 15300.

In SHAH ALAM, Selangor Tourism and Environment committee chairman Hee Loy Sian said the Selangor Water Management Authority (LUAS) together with relevant agencies including the Department of Environment (DOE), Kajang Municipal Council, National Water Services Commission (SPAN) and Air Selangor immediately activated investigations to identify the source of the pollution.

He said that a waterway at a sump near a factory premises in the area near Sg Rinching, around 16 kilometres (km) from the Jenderam Hilir water intake, was suspected to be the source of the pollution.

"Odour samples at the sump were tested and revealed a solvent-like odour that was also detected where the waterway meets Sg Rinching.

"LUAS also took samples at the water intake at Jenderam Hilir to be analysed by the Chemistry Department," he said in a statement.

Subsequently, Hee said DOE issued a notice to the factory under Section 38(1)(a) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974 to carry out further investigations for two weeks.

Hee said LUAS also coordinated with Air Selangor to release water from the Semenyih dam in an effort to increase the dilution factor and to flush out the pollution in the river to enable the Semenyih plan to resume operations again.

Under Section 79(1)(a) of the LUAS Enactment (Amendment) 2020, water pollution offences are punishable with a jail term of not more than three years and fines between RM200,000 and RM1 million.

-- BERNAMA