PARIT BUNTAR, May 3 — The Perak government is considering to build a RM300 million water channel linking Sungai Perak to the Bukit Merah reservoir as a long-term solution to prevent future water crises in Kerian.
Mentri Besar (MB) Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir said the 15km-long channel would allow the transfer of water from the river into the reservoir and stop water levels from dipping drastically during prolonged heat spells.
“During periods of extreme drought, it will help maintain the water level above critical point,” he said at the Bukit Merah Laketown Resort here after visiting drought-hit areas in Kerian yesterday.
“We are discussing this plan at the moment, and we hope the federal government can help us with the project as it will incur high cost.”
Zambry said the authorities are also looking at implementing other long-term solutions to minimise the impact of drought on the local agricultural sector.
This, he said, includes the construction of additional retention ponds in the district.
“The water flowing (from the Bukit Merah reservoir) to the sea can be channelled to the ponds to supply the eight padi field compartments we have in Kerian,” he said.
Zambry said the state has also instructed the Perak Water Board to study the possibility of digging riverbank filtration wells, much like what was done along the banks of Sungai Perak in Kuala Kangsar.
“This system can produce 25 million litres of water a day,” he said.
At the moment, Zambry said the water level at the Bukit Merah dam has improved slightly, increasing from 6.06m on April 25 to 6.3m yesterday, thanks to rainfall in the area.
However, he acknowledged that the level was still classified as critical.
Water shortage at the country’s oldest dam made national headlines when it hit critical levels following the extended dry spell, forcing authorities to cut supply for agricultural use.
This has taken a major toll on padi farmers in Kerian, with nearly 1,900 farmers in the Selinsing and Gunung Semanggol areas losing an estimated RM26 million.
Zambry, who also visited affected padi fields in Kampung Tebuk Pancur here, said he empathised with the affected farmers.
He urged Putrajaya to consider giving the farmers subsidies based on their previous yields to offset their losses.
On reports regarding encroachment at areas near the Bukit Merah dam, Zambry said his administration viewed the matter seriously but added that such activities could not be blamed as the sole cause of the dam’s levels dipping.
“There are many contributing factors, including decades of siltation and the extreme weather conditions caused by El Nino phenomenon.
“But if there are any illegal encroachment activities, we will investigate the claims,” he said.
