Water rationing withdrawn after Selangor government's assurance on supply - Ongkili

The National Water Services Commission's (SPAN) decision to end water rationing in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur followed the Selangor government's assurance that there is enough raw water supply, said Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili.

He said the assurance was given based on the rise in the water level at Sungai Selangor and transfer of raw water at a rate of 950 million litres a day (MLD) into the river from from mining ponds.

"A guarantee on raw water supply to feed five water treatment plants along Sungai Selangor is needed because raw water comes under the state's jurisdiction," he said in a statement here Wednesday.

Earlier today, SPAN chairman Datuk Ismail Kasim had announced in KANGAR that water rationing in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, which had been in force for two months due to a prolonged drought, would cease effective tomorrow.

Ismail had said that the decision was taken following an application from the Selangor government to end the water rationing and likewise from Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) which distributes treated water in the state and the federal capital.

Ongkili also said the ministry and SPAN had also been given the assurance by the Selangor government that the water sourced from mining ponds had been tested and met the Health Ministry's guidelines on water quality.

He said water from the mining ponds was not pumped directly to treatment plants but into the river to help raise the water level.

However, Ongkili stressed that the water level at the Sungai Selangor Dam had yet to reach the desired level.

"To date, the heavy rainfall in Selangor (in the past days) has been more downstream rather than over water catchment areas.

"As such, precautionary measures to fill up the dams by reducing the release of water and cloud seeding must be continued by the Selangor government," he said, adding that water saving measures must also continue as another drought was forecast to happen from June to October.