GEORGE TOWN, Sept 5 — Penang is on water shortage alert with its Teluk Bahang Dam still at below 50 per cent capacity despite the recent rainy weather, said Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
The lawmaker said the Teluk Bahang Dam is now at 45.3 per cent, which is below the first alert level of 50 per cent.
“The climate has changed, during dry weather it’s at drought levels and wet weather, it’s very wet, rainfall is very heavy but always restricted to a narrower period,” he said.
Lim, who is also Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) chairman, said the heavy rains in a short period means there would be a lot of surface water runoff that flows into the sea or even cause flash floods.
“So when the drought is very long and it caused low water tables and when the wet weather is short, we will come to a situation where the water levels at dam is still low and it may even dry up,” he said.
Currently, the Mengkuang Dam is still under the expansion works so its capacity could not be taken into consideration, he said.
The Mengkuang Dam expansion works will only complete in the middle of next year.
The Teluk Bahang Dam is one of the main dams on the island.
The Air Itam Dam is at 68.3 per cent capacity, which is just above the alert level capacity.
Lim called on Penangites to continue to conserve water despite the wet weather in recent weeks.
