.JPG "Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu speaks after launching the Perak International Skydiving Championship at the police aviation training centre in Ipoh April 16, 2019. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Farhan Najib")
IPOH, April 16 — Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu said today that the state and the federal government are reviewing a plan to reopen the Ayer Ganda water treatment plant in Hulu Perak, Gerik before the start of the Muslim fasting month in May.
Ahmad Faizal said that he has discussed the matter with the Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar.
“The matter [to reopen the water treatment plant] is being considered by the Ministry and the National Water Services Commission (SPAN),” he told reporters after launching the Perak International Skydiving Championship at the police aviation training centre here.
This came after residents of Kampung Air Ganda Temenggo, Hulu Perak expressed their concern at the shortage of water supply, which resulted from the closure of the water treatment plant.
On April 4, state Education, Science, Environment and Green Technology Committee chairman Abdul Aziz Bari revealed the discovery of arsenic by the authorities in water from Sungai Rui in Hulu Perak.
Five days later, SPAN ordered the state government to shut down the water treatment plant as a precautionary measure after the discovery, despite the water treatment plant showing traces of arsenic below the standard set by the World Health Organisation.
Ahmad Faizal said the state government has to shut down the plant as it is required to comply with instructions from SPAN.
“However, we will continue providing clean water to the affected residents until the water treatment plant is reopened,” he said.
Meanwhile on Saturday, the State Water Board in written statement said that they would build 11.5km of pipes and booster pumps to channel treated water from the Lawin water treatment plant to Kampung Air Ganda following the closure of the water treatment plant.
