Cool it with the water use, says Penang utility as weather hots up
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PENANG residents are told to conserve water, especially those in the densely populated Air Itam township, as hot and dry weather .
The Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) said the effective capacity of the Air Itam Dam yesterday has dropped by 24.9% since January 1, due to hot and dry weather and low rainfall.
The corporation said the dam only received 94mm of rain during the period, which has led to this “dramatic drop” in capacity.
PBAPP chief executive officer Jaseni Maidinsa said high water usage was the second reason, for the “significant drop”, and called it “dangerous”.
From January 1 to February 18 last year, the average daily drawdown of water from the dam was only 0.15% of the effective capacity per day. But for the whole of last month, the average daily drawdown stood at 0.40%. From February 1 until yesterday, it was 0.64%.
“Evidently, water consumption in Air Itam and its surrounding areas had shot up due to hot and dry weather, as well as festive celebrations.
“Such a high level of water consumption is dangerous, especially when the raw water storage in the Air Itam Dam is being depleted significantly,” Jaseni said.
He said nobody could accurately predict when the rain would return to fill up the dam, so consumers should save water to support the state’s no water-rationing policy.
“PBAPP seeks the understanding and cooperation of all water consumers in Air Itam and the surrounding areas. Kindly reduce your daily water consumption immediately.”
Penang has the highest per capita water consumption in Malaysia. In 2017, each person in the state used an average of 276 litres of water a day, way higher than the national average of 201 litres.
Jaseni said PBAPP has implemented its dry weather water supply control measures to ensure supply sustainability until the wet season returns. – February 19, 2019.