Mahdzir (right) takes a closer look at the water level during a visit to Sungai Selangor Dam. — Bernama photo
HULU SELANGOR: Two million residents in the Klang Valley and Putrajaya may face a critical supply of clean water if the hot weather persists for three more weeks.
Deputy Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water, Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said the level at Sungai Selangor and Klang Gate Dams are at below 60 per cent capacity and would drop further if the hot spell persisted.
“Currently, the Sungai Selangor Dam has only 57.63 per cent water left while the Klang Gate Dam has only 58 per cent. Their levels can drop to 45 per cent if there is no rain in 16 days.
“Although, the existing water available is under control, we must do something. If the drought continues, we may need to ration water,” he told a media conference after a visit to the Sungai Selangor Dam here, yesterday.
The Sungai Selangor Dam in Kuala Kubu Bharu, here, which can accommodate 220 cubic metres of water, meets 60 per cent of the water need of the Klang Valley.
Mahdzir said he had ordered a meeting between the parties concerned to draw up measures if the water levels at the two dams continue to drop.
He said other than rationing water, other measures if stored water continue to drop to critical level, included cloud seeding.
“Clound seeding will be carried out at Sungai Selangor catchment and other areas if the levels of the dams drop to 45 per cent or 103.5 million cubic metres.”
He said the drop in water level was also due to increased and high usage of water in the Klang Valley.
In the same development, he said the water levels of dams in Kedah, Perlis and Penang are under control despite the drought in the three states. — Bernama