GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) is deploying 13 water tankers as a proactive measure to avoid or minimise unscheduled water supply disruptions in the state during this hot and dry Aidilfitri festive season.
Its chief executive officer K. Pathmanathan said the initiative is a Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2024 Water Contingency Plan because PBAPP anticipates that water consumption from April 7 to this Sunday may reach or exceed 927 million liters per day (MLD).
“These tankers, including three Jumbo tankers with a maximum capacity of 40,000 litres each, are on stand-by to serve some neighbourhoods in Seberang Perai Selatan as well as a few high ground and end-of-line (EoL) areas in Relau and Bukit Belah, in Barat Daya district.
“As a preventive and mitigation measure, we are deploying water tankers, together with 47 static water tanks, with a maximum capacity of 2,000 litres each, from April 7 to 14. If necessary, this deployment will be expanded (with more tankers) or extended (over a longer period of time) in response to water demand,” he said in a statement today.
Although the overall water supply status in Penang is under control, Pathmanathan advised water consumers to use water wisely during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations, as the state is still experiencing hot and dry weather, which is depleting dam storage reserves.
In February, PBAPP recorded a high average water consumption figure of 927 MLD in Penang, 50 MLD higher than the 877 MLD annual average for 2023.
