Selangor to investigate all water disruptions
The Selangor state government will be calling for a hearing with relevant water concessionaires over the shutdown of the Semenyih water treatment plant, which led to some 450,000 households with dry taps recently.
In addition, it will also be investigating all future water disruptions in the state.
Selangor Raw Water Management Special Select Committee chairman Yeo Bee Yin in a statement today said the committee will call Sungai Semenyih WTP operator Konsortium ABASS, Lembaga Urus Air Selangor (LUAS), Jabatan Alam Sekitar and Syabas to explain the shut down of the plant.
“We will conduct a hearing next week to investigate the shut down of Sungai Semenyih water treatment plant. We are disappointed with the sudden shut down of the plant due to contamination, which has caused water disruptions four districts of Selangor – Petaling, Hulu Langat, Kuala Langat and Sepang,” she said.
The plant was shut down last Sunday and resumed operations yesterday (Monday) after it was found to have above-recommended levels of ammonia and manganese.
However, it is not the first time that the plant has experienced a major issue — in September 2010, some 1.2 million residents or 300,000 households throughout the same districts were left without water for the same reasons.
Yeo said it is unacceptable that river water contamination leading to shutdowns of water treatment plant have become such a frequent occurrence in Selangor. Last February, the Batu 11 Cheras and Bukit Tampoi plants were closed down due ammonia contamination.
“As such, the Selangor Raw Water Select Committee will conduct a formal hearing next week and will summon all related agencies including. A thorough investigation will be conducted on the water disruption,” she said.
She added that from now on, the select committee will be holding formal hearings and conduct investigations for every major water disruption in the future.
The committee, which was formed in the last state assembly sitting, comprises 10 bi-partisan members including: Dr Idris bin Ahmad (Ijok, PKR), Mohd Shafie bin Ngah (Bangi, PAS), Rajiv Risyakaran (Bukit Gasing, DAP), Dr. Xavier Jayalumar (Andalas, PKR), Jakiran bin Jacomah (Bukit Melawati, UMNO) and Datuk Sulaiman bin Abdul Razak (Permatang, UMNO).
-The Rocket
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