GEORGE TOWN, Feb 13 ― Taps in Penang will still flow amid dry weather conditions, the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) assured residents in the northern state today.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who is also the head of PBAPP chief, said the company does not expect to face any water shortage as it has made preparations to handle the seasonal dry spell that has become an annual phenomenon.

“Every year we ensure that the water levels in the dams are at the maximum level at beginning of January,” he said in a statement.

He added that the current dry weather is expected to last until April, when the intermonsoon season starts.

Penang has a number of other water catchment areas and three main dams.

The Teluk Bahang Dam, located on the northern end of the island, is at 93.3 per cent capacity, Lim said, adding that there was enough for 284 days.

Water levels at the Air Itam Dam, another storage area on the island half of the state, is currently about two-thirds ful and should be enough to last 75 days, he said.

The Mengkuang Dam on the mainland is storing water at 55.7 per cent of its capacity, which should be sufficient for 83 days of supply.

But Lim said the Mengkuang Dam water level will be lowered to the 34-metre or 50 per cent of its capacity, following a request from the federal government’s water supply agency, to aide the construction and upgrading of the dam.

“Any shortfall in this coming dry season will be made up by water from Kedah and the cost, if any, shall be borne by JBA, KeTTHA,” Lim said, using the Malay initials to refer to the Water Supply Department under the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water.