IPOH, Sept 27 — The Minerals and Geoscience Department is in the process of identifying underground water resources nationwide to reduce the country’s dependence on the current water supply.

Natural Resources and Environment deputy minister Datuk Hamim Samuri said Malaysia has about five trillion cubic metres (TCM) of underground water.

He said a study was being carried out by experts on certain factors such as rate of production as it was feared that an excessive amount could result in water contamination and sinking of the soil. 

"The well exploration pilot project is conducted at Sekolah Menengah Sains Bagan Datuk (SABDA) and it is to identify underground water potential in the area,” he told reporters after opening the 8th Mineral Symposium and Minerals and Geoscience Conference here last night.

Participants of the biennial event which was first held in 2002 include eight representatives from Asean countries such as Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos.

The symposium is also among the activities listed in the Asean Minerals Cooperation Action Plan (AMCAP) III (2016-2020).

Hamim further revealed that the quantity and quality of the underground water produced from the study at SABDA were good.

"The depth of the well is 135 metres and the water flow is about 4.5 million litres per day while the total dissolved solids (TDS) measured in the laboratory showed the water to be a suitable raw water source,” he added. — Bernama