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PETALING JAYA: It will take at least four days for the water supply to begin to restore, once the four water treatment plants that were closed on Thursday start operating, says Pengurusan Air CEO Selangor Sdn Bhd Suhaimi Kamaralzaman.
Sungai Selangor’s Rantau Panjang Phases 1, 2 and 3 water treatment plants were shut down after recording three-ton odor contamination on Thursday, affecting 1.2 million account holders.
At 2.30pm yesterday, the odor contamination was one TON (Threshold Odor Number).
Suhaimi said the source of the pollutant came from the areas surrounding Sungai Gong, about 20.3 km from the Rantau Panjang water treatment plant.
Air Selangor was pumping raw water in Sungai Selangor to dilute the pollutant.
Suhaimi explained that the minimum four days required for restoring the water supply were based solely on simulation.
“Once the water treatment plants have started operating, we must verify certain parameters, including the water levels in the reservoirs, before establishing a timeline for when consumers can expect the water to be restored in their respective areas.
“When the water supply is restored, I hope that consumers will not store water in excess and will be very careful with its use to ensure that all areas receive water as soon as possible,” he said yesterday at a press conference at Air headquarters. Selangor in Kuala Lumpur. .
To explain the magnitude of the problem, Suhaimi compared the current situation to two water interruptions that occurred consecutively in July due to contamination that caused the same four water treatment plants to close.
“The first incident of odor contamination on July 19 caused the water treatment plants to close for five hours. The water supply took 72 hours to start the restoration. “The plants were closed again on July 21 due to diesel contamination and were closed for another five hours,” he said.
“Altogether, there was a 10-hour shutdown of the four water treatment plants. And consumers who lived farthest from the water distribution center had no water supply for seven consecutive days, “he added.
Suhaimi said the case is usually not comparable because consumers closest to the water distribution center were beginning to be supplied when the second shutdown occurred.
“Now, it has been more than 30 hours since the water treatment plants closed. Plants will only start operating once odor contamination reaches zero TON, after three consecutive readings, taken at 30 minute intervals.
“My concern is that consumers understand the magnitude of the problem. This is a big problem. We are taking it very seriously. We are constantly monitoring the river.
“We will not take water with an odor contamination from a TON to process it, as it is not fair for consumers to get scented water. The health and safety of our consumers are fundamental to us. We hope that odor pollution will soon reach zero tons, ”he said.
Suhaimi said authorities must understand why people pollute the river.
“These factories deal with dangerous chemicals and dump them down the drain.
“Hopefully, they will go to jail. Before that, authorities need to know why they polluted the river. Is it the cost factor of disposing of it safely or is it because they don’t care?
“The brightest minds have met countless times (on this matter) and this still happens, it frustrates me,” he said, adding that ideally such factories should never be able to operate near waterways.
At a separate press conference, the Secretary General of the Environment and Water Ministry, Zaini Ujang, said that the ministry will prepare to table amendments to the 1974 Environmental Quality Law, which are expected to be submitted to Parliament.
“We will look beyond revoking their licenses and fines, and we will seek an amendment for higher penalties and a broader range of crimes,” he said.
“We have taken action at the suspect facilities on Thursday and if convicted, the culprits will be ordered to pay the cost of the cleanup.
“I have also informed the Attorney General about this to ensure that they are promptly processed,” he said.
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