MARAN, Feb 8 — Pahang’s off-river storage pilot project will kick off in Lipis this year, with an allocation of RM12 million, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said.

Seen as a solution to the water shortage problem faced by residents in the district, he said the project would store river water rather than let it flow untreated into the South China Sea.

He said six areas in Lipis — Jelai, Kuala Medang, the Tanjung Gahai agropolitan project, Kuala Koyan, Kampung Bertam and the upcoming Rumah Makmur housing scheme — would benefit from the storage project.

"The project is now at its design stage by Pengurusan Air Pahang Berhad (PAIP) and we will look at its effectiveness before extending it to other areas in the future,” he told reporters after officiating the launch and handing over of offer letters of the Rumah Makmur and Pahang 1Malaysia People’s Homes (PR1MA) housing schemes in Bandar Tun Abdul Razak, Jengka, here today.

On January 16, Wan Rosdy announced the state government’s plan to store 80 per cent of water from its major rivers.

He said research showed that water from Pahang’s river basins, particularly Sungai Pahang, Sungai Kuantan and Sungai Rompin contribute 12.661 million cubic metres that end up in the sea daily, without being utilised.

That amount is more than enough for meet the state’s treated water needs, Wan Rosdy said. — Bernama