Water crisis: Penang appoints three-member independent review panel

GEORGE TOWN - The Penang government has appointed an independent review panel to study the water crisis that hit the state in July and it has been given three months to finalise its findings on the matter.

State Infrastructure and Transport Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari the panel’s task is to identify the factors behind the recent water supply disruptions in the state.

"The three appointed to the panel are Datuk Ir Ting Chek Choon, Datuk Dr Nor Azazi Zakaria and Datuk Ir Lim Chow Hock, who are all experts in engineering and water catchment management.

"They will discuss, examine and study the post-mortem report prepared by the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) on the water supply disruptions that took place from July 6 to 11,” he said in a statement today.

Penang had previously faced water supply disruptions following the temporary closure of the Sungai Dua Water Treatment Plant (LRA) due to the unusually high turbidity of raw water from Sungai Muda when floods hit Baling, Kedah.

The incident resulted in 80 per cent or 528,000 of the 660,000 account holders across the state having their water supply cut off.

Elaborating, Zairil said the functions and roles of the panel members would be in accordance with the terms of reference that were approved previously, namely to identify the factor that led to the water crisis in Penang,

He added that, in addition, they would also identify the weaknesses and parties responsible for the problem.

"The panel will also propose short, medium and long-term measures to solve the water crisis,” he said.

He added that the panel members would also propose to the state government steps that needed to be taken to prevent such water crises from recurring. - BERNAMA