The production of treated water from the Sungai Semenyih Water Treatment plant has never been reduced from 145mgd to 120mgd a day although it tried to do so, said Kumpulan Perangsang Selangor (KPS).
It said the average production from March to July this year was between 141.05mgd and 144.64mgd per day.
In a statement here yesterday, KPS, a subsidiary of Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Berhad (KDEB), said in a board of directors meeting on August 25 last year, it was noted that the plant had been operating at around 140mgd per day, which was above its design capacity of 120mgd.
“The board raised certain concerns over the impact on the plant and machineries by operating the plant at this level,” it said.
KPS managing director/chief executive officer Suhaimi Kamaralzaman, it said, had written to both Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) and the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) on December 29 last year to inform them of its decision to normalise the supply of treated water from the plant, which is operated by Konsortium Abass Sdn Bhd.
The decision to reduce production, said KPS, was to levels obligated under Abass’ Privatisation cum Concession Agreement.
However, it said in a Jan 13 meeting this year, attended by Abass, SPAN, Syabas and representatives from the state government and the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry, the commission was not agreeable to the idea.
“Hence, the Sungai Semenyih Water Treatment plant is to continue to supply treated water at the current demand level,” it said, adding that SPAN’s decision was officially communicated to Abass on February 8.
KPS was responding to a claim by state Barisan Nasional coordinatorDatuk Seri Mohd Zin Mohamed that a memorandum dated December 29, 2011 showed that it had directed Abass to reduce the production of treated water from 145mgd to 120mgd a day.
Mohd Zin had said that this was the cause of the water crisis in Kajang and Balakong.
