SEREMBAN: Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the state government is no longer interested in selling water to Selangor and has now revised its previous offer to sell water from the Ngoi-Ngoi water treatment plant (WTP) via the Triang Dam.
Instead, Negri Sembilan would sell water to the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya through a plan, which comprises the construction of a new dam and what could be the country’s biggest water treatment plant in Lenggeng.
Mohamad said the revised plan costing between RM2 billion and RM3 billion and take up to three years to be finished, was necessary as the state government had to consider the needs of Negri Sembilan people and upcoming development projects.
"After a comprehensive study on our (the state’s) current and future water needs, we decided to revise the offer because the state would need any surplus in water reserves to cater to the development of the Malaysia Vision City (MVV), a new growth triangle consisting of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Seremban and Port Dickson.
"Therefore, Negri now offers to build a new dam and water treatment plant in Lenggeng as well as pipelines, which is a dedicated system to supply treated water to Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya," said Mohamad after chairing the state executive council meeting at Wisma Negeri here today.
He said that once completed, the new dam and other facilities would supply between 569 million litres per day (mld) and 757 mld.
Mohamad, who is chairman of the state water concessionaire Syarikat Air Negeri Sembilan (Sains) said the proposed plan was being discussed among the related departments.
"So far the reception to this new proposal is good and once the study is completed, Negri will present it at the next National Water Resources Council meeting scheduled end of this year."
He said that the officers are happy as they will not be forced to share facilities with Negri thus providing a better security for KL and Putrajaya which currently only gets water from Selangor thus in urgent need to diversify its water sources.
Mohamad said should Federal government decide to proceed with the building of the dam, WTP and pipelines under the upcoming 11th Malaysia Plan, the facilities could be completed within two-and-a-half years to three years.
"If it is built, then the water treatment plant in Lenggeng could be the biggest such facility in the country," he said.
He said based on studies, Lenggeng was a suitable area to build a dam as it has a vast water catchment area and not far from its proposed WTP.
Lenggeng is located at the northern part of Negri Sembilan that borders Semenyih in Selangor. Semenyih also has a dam and is known for its famous hiking hill, Bukit Broga.