KUALA LUMPUR: Some 37,000 people were left with dry taps when an oily substance was detected in Sungai Linggi, causing the water treatment plant there to be temporarily shut down.
The Negri Sembilan Water Regulatory Agency (BKSANS) said it received a complaint on Saturday regarding water pollution resembling oil entering Sungai Linggi around the Jalan Pantai area in the Seremban district.
"The presence of the liquid was detected through an odour test, recording up to 11 TON (threshold odour number) at 9.20am yesterday, with the highest reading recorded at 21 TON at 10.30am," it said.
The impact of the release of this oil-like liquid into Sungai Linggi was that the Linggi Water Treatment Plant (LRA) had to be shut down.
The shutdown affected supply to the Seremban and Port Dickson districts.
BKSANS and the Negri Sembilan Department of Environment (DoE) believe the oily substance came from a lorry from a workshop premises.
Meanwhile, the state government, in a statement, said it was deeply committed and will not compromise with any individual or organisation found guilty of contaminating raw water sources in Negri Sembilan.