GEORGE TOWN: The Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Ministry has confirmed that there is positive start to water talks between Penang and Perak.
Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said a working level discussion would be held tomorrow between both states.
"It looks like there is a positive start to water talks between both states.
"InsyaAllah, there is hope for Perak to supply water to Penang," he said at a joint press conference with Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow here today.
Nik Nazmi said the ministry would serve as the go-between between both states to ensure a fruitful discussion, if needed.
Several rounds of talks have been held between both states for the past 12 years with regard to the implementation of the Sungai Perak Raw Water Transfer Scheme (SPRWTS).
However, no decision has been reached to date.
It was reported previously that the SPRWTS, part of the Penang Water Supply Initiative 2050 (PWSI 2050) to mitigate Penang's raw water risks until 2030, was proposed following an independent masterplan study commissioned by the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) in 2009.
According to PBAPP, Sungai Perak is the best option as its raw water resource is presently underutilised.
As such, the Penang government and PBAPP had sought to tap Sungai Perak as the second or alternative raw water resource for the state since 2011.
The SPRWTS involved the construction of a water tunnel to channel raw water from Sungai Perak upstream to Sungai Ijok, which would flow to Sungai Kerian. The raw water would then be extracted from Sungai Kerian, where a water treatment plant would be built on the Penang side of the border.
Meanwhile, Chow confirmed the positive development, stressing that the matter had been discussed with two Perak Menteris Besar and relevant ministers in the past.
"We will resume talks before this and the talks will be centred on treated water rather than raw water," he added, noting that any further details would depend on the discussion.
On another matter, Nik Nazmi said the National Water Services Commission's (SPAN) statement that the Mengkuang Dam was high risk and might cause water supply issues to water treatment plants (LRA) and their surrounding areas in the event of dam malfunction, including due to weather factors, was in relation to water supply security and not the structure of the dam.
"I want to stress here that the term high risk refers to the water supply security and not the structure of the dam," he added.
Nik Nazmi also spoke on plans to set up the Muda River Basin Authority (MRBA).
Earlier, he visited the Mengkuang Dam to personally view the dam's expansion project.