The Selangor government's plan to install membrane filters at water treatment plants is not practical as it is not only costly but more importantly, it will not add more water, said Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
The deputy prime minister said he had consulted the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry and learned that it would cost RM3 billion to install the filters at all 34 water treatment plants throughout the state.
He said ironically, the technology would not guarantee better quality of water and add more water to alleviate the impending water crisis in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya by 2015.
Hence, the state government should approve the Langat 2 Water Treatment Plant (Langat 2) as Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya water needs are expected to increase by between 3.5 per cent and 4.0 per cent per year, he told reporters during his visit to the Pahang-Selangor raw water transfer project site here Monday.
"According to the experts, it is not viable in terms of cost. I'm astonished and amazed that the state government wants to discuss (with me) on the use of the technology as it is not the solution," he added.
Muhyiddin said for the time being, the 34 water treatment plants could still cater to the industrial and domestic needs in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.
He said some developers in Selangor were already complaining that they failed to get the occupation certificate as the utility supplier was not prepared to supply water to them due to the absence of new water sources.
"This is a fact, something serious. The menteri besar has to solve this problem as soon as possible.
"This is about survival and the question of basic human needs. It should not be politicised. I had made clarifications based on facts obtained from water engineering experts that the situation is critical and should be resolved immediately," he added.
Muhyiddin said 20 companies had bid for the Langat 2 project and the tender would be awarded by June next year.
"If the construction of the Langat 2 project could start next year, it is expected to be completed in 2016 or 2017," he said, adding that the project was actually delayed for two years.
Muhyiddin said he was still awaiting the Attorney-General's Chambers' advice on whether the federal government could go ahead with the project without getting the state's approval under the National Land Code or the Land Acquisition Act.-- BERNAMA
No comments:
Post a Comment