GEORGE TOWN: The water supply from the Air Itam dam will only last for less than a month if the current dry season persists.
Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) chief executive officer K. Pathmanathan said water supply could only last for 29 days if they maintained the outflow from the dam.
As of 11am, the effective capacity of the Air Itam Dam was at 36.6 per cent.
The effective capacity of the Teluk Bahang Dam was at 87.8 per cent while the Mengkuang Dam was at 90 per cent.
"The Air Itam Dam can last for another 29 days if we maintain the outflow from the dam at 22 ML," he told the New Straits Times when contacted.
Concerns have been raised over the depleting water level at the Air Itam Dam, which has breached the Alert Level 2.
The first alert level is at 50 per cent, the second alert is at 40 per cent, and the third and final alarm is 30 per cent.
Pathmanathan said besides the dry weather normally prevalent during this time of the year, the drop in the dam's water level was also due to increased pumping following several rounds of supply disruption as a result of the leaked Sungai Prai pipeline.
"The drop in the dam's water level is because of the prevailing hot and dry weather conditions at this time of the year as well as increased usage.
"However, the drop is abrupt this time," he added.
Pathmanathan sajd PBAPP had asked for cloud-seeding exercise to be carried out via the state government.
"We will look into this after the recovery of the diversion works to fix the leaked Sungai Prai pipeline," he said.
Earlier today, the PBAPP said the on-site diversion works to connect two new 600mm pipelines at Sungai Prai had been completed much earlier than scheduled.
Pipeline testing and commissioning has started.
(Hyperlink: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/01/1007943/diversion-works-fix-leaked-sungai-prai-pipeline-completed-ahead-schedule).
At this time every year, the PBAPP would issue an alert level following dips in the dam's water level.