GEORGE TOWN: With the water level at the Teluk Bahang Dam at only 19 per cent, the Penang government has decided to carry out eight cloud seeding exercises to fill the dam.
Water levels at the other two dams in the state - Air Itam and Mengkuang - are at 40 per cent and 85 per cent respectively.
The water level at the Air Itam Dam is considered adequate during this season while water level at the Mengkuang Dam is considered very healthy.
Although Penang has seen a fair share of rainfall in the past month, it is mainly in the Seberang Prai Tengah district.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said since rainfall had not been reported in the Teluk Bahang catchment area which led to the water level to drop to 19 per cent, the state government decided to continue with cloud seeding exercise.
He said an allocation had been approved to carry out the cloud seeding but cautioned it would not guarantee rain would fall or fall in the right location.
"It is something out of our control, but with eight more cloud seeding exercises, we hope that Teluk Bahang will record rainfall to keep the dam level high.
"This is to ensure that water rationing action is not necessary. As such, the state water authority will look into the supply of water throughout the state and divert water to the necessary places, so that rationing is only kept as a very last resort," he told newsmen at his office in Komtar today.
Earlier today, the Citizens Awareness Chant Group (CHANT) had raised concerns over the low water level at the Teluk Bahang Dam.
Its adviser Yan Lee had called on the state water authority to commission a study to check whether the Teluk Bahang catchment area was damaged.
Chow said if the Mengkuang Dam holds enough supply, then more water could be sent to the Sungai Dua treatment plant and later transported to the island, which subsequently reduces the drawing of supply from Teluk Bahang.
"So, you don't need to draw down so much water from Teluk Bahang because you can get it from the Sungai Dua water treatment plant and the Air Itam Dam.
"This is how the state water authority does the balancing act. When (water level at) one dam is low, more water will be diverted from elsewhere to meet the demand of the location, in this instance serve by the Teluk Bahang Dam."
Chow also said the Meteorological Department would determine the right time to carry out the cloud seeding.
"To do cloud seeding, there must be enough cloud, because you are injecting a chemical into the cloud to create the rain. That is the pre-requisite for cloud seeding to work."
In January, Penang was placed on high alert after recording the worst dam water levels in the state's history.