PETALING JAYA, Feb 20 — Negri Sembilan declared a state of crisis yesterday while water reserves in the Klang Valley continued to deplete, affecting thousands of consumers.

Some 8,000 households in Sendayan, Rasah and Mambau suffered water disruptions, forcing Negri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan to activate the state’s Natural Disaster Operations room to supply water.

Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor, in a statement yesterday, said more than 110,000 homes in Selangor, Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur have suffered water disruptions as the Cheras Batu 11 and Bukit Tampoi water treatment plants remain closed because of high ammonia content in Sungai Langat due to the lack of rain.

However, the emergency committee initiated by the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry has yet to meet.

Its deputy minister, Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid, said the committee, consisting of representatives from various agencies to address the water shortage problems, would only meet next week if the water levels continued to drop.

The meeting would discuss steps to be taken, including water rationing in areas affected by the low water supply.

“The emergency committee consists of several agencies, including the ministry, water concessionaires and the National Water Services Commission. We have yet to meet but if the situation gets worse by next week, we will call for a meeting,” he said.

Mahdzir had said on Tuesday that cloud seeding would be carried out this week as the reserves in the Sungai Selangor dam could drop by between 40 and 45 per cent if it did not rain for the next 20 days.

However, the Meteorological Department said the cloud seeding activity could not be carried out based on the current weather condition.

The department’s deputy director-general, Dr Rosaidi Che Abas, said: “An exact date to perform the exercise cannot be determined as the current atmosphere is stable and not conducive for the formation of rain clouds.

“The weather changes day by day, so we would have to monitor closely until the weather would allow an 80 per cent successful rate.”

Rosaidi said the Selangor Water Management Authority had requested for cloud seeding to take place over Klang Gates dam, and the Royal Malaysian Air Force was on standby for the operation.

As of yesterday, water levels at the Sungai Selangor and Klang Gates dams were at 52.65 per cent and 56.12 per cent, respectively. The reserves have dropped by between one and five per cent since Mahdzir visited the dams last Thursday.

Mohamad had said Sungai Batang Benar and Sungai Ulu Muar, which were sources of raw water to the Talang, Kelinchi and Sungai Terip dams, were dried up.

Syabas said more households would face water cuts if the hot spell persists.