Raw water supply solution to Selangor’s woes, says Khalid
SHAH ALAM, May 27 — Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim has once again defended the state government’s stand that the issue of raw water supply is more important than that of treated water in solving the state’s water supply problem in the future.
Khalid (picture) also suggested that raw water be channelled to Selangor from Tasik Kenyir in Terangganu as the lake is more than 100 metres deep and has the biggest water-storing capacity in Peninsular Malaysia.
He said channelling water from Tasik Kenyir would cost less than channelling it from Sungai Pahang, which required installing pipes across the Main Range, at the estimated cost of RM5 billion.
He was speaking at the handover of letters for the extension of land leases to 183 residents and land ownership titles to 27 settlers from Bukit Cherakah, here, today.
The mentri besar was responding to a statement by Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Noh Omar on Friday over concerns there is only 2.4 per cent of treated water reserves left when they should be at 20 per cent, and not over the raw water capacity of dams in Selangor.
Khalid said the cost of installing pipes from Tasik Kenyir alongside the existing gas pipes from Terengganu to Selangor was estimated at RM700 million.
Tasik Kenyir, measuring 369 sq km, stores 13.6 billion cubic metres of water. It was built to generate hydroelectric power, with the power station at the Tasik Kenyir dam able to generate 400 megawatts of electricity for the country’s needs. — Bernama
