Melaka introduces 10 short-term measures to secure water supply amid hot weather, including cloud seeding and pumping from rivers and dams.
MELAKA: The Melaka state government has introduced 10 short-term measures to ensure sufficient water supply, particularly in response to the current hot and dry weather, the State Assembly was told today.
State executive councillor for Public Works, Infrastructure, Public Amenities and Transport Datuk Hameed Mytheen Kunju Basheer said the measures include cloud seeding operations using hygroscopic flare methods across the Melaka River basin, the Kesang River and catchment areas for the Durian Tunggal, Jus and Asahan dams.
“Also, pumping 220 million litres of water daily from the Grisek River in Muar to the Durian Tunggal Dam, and five million litres per day respectively from Ayer Keroh Lake to the Melaka River via Sungai Padang Keladi, as well as from Kesang 2 Pond to the Melaka River via Sungai Garing,” he said.
He added that water is being pumped from the Durian Tunggal and Krubong flood mitigation ponds into the Melaka River to raise its level, and from Bunded Storage II to Bunded Storage I using temporary pumps for use at the Bukit Sebukor Water Treatment Plant.
He said this in reply to Datuk Lim Ban Hong (BN-Kelebang) on the state government’s approach to ensuring adequate water supply in Melaka.
Hameed said other measures include releasing 220 million litres of water from the Jus Dam via the draw-off tower to increase the water level of the Batang Melaka River for supply to the Gadek Water Treatment Plant.
“Restrictions have also been imposed on water pumping for padi irrigation schemes at all individual and Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID)-managed pump houses, with farmers urged to use only the minimum required for irrigation,” he said.
He said that another 54 million litres of water per day is being pumped from the Jus Dam to the Durian Tunggal Dam using temporary pontoon pumps to boost its capacity.
“We are also identifying disused ponds within forest reserves, government land and private land to be channelled into water bodies and subsequently to intake points at nearby treatment plants, including ponds at Taman Negeri and Bukit Sedanan Forest Reserve, Kesang Pond and the lake at Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM),” he said.
As of April 7, water levels stood at 20,078 million litres (64.1 per cent) at Durian Tunggal Dam, 25,900 million litres (57.3 per cent) at Jus Dam, and 612 million litres (87.9 per cent) at Asahan Dam.
Water levels at both Durian Tunggal and Jus dams remain at a precautionary level.
