KAJANG, Oct 3 — The government plans to build several sewage treatment plants based in states such as Kelantan, Pahang and Johor, under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), says Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr A. Xavier Jayakumar.

He said the plants are expected to cost about RM2 billion.

“(However) they will not be as large as the Langat Central Sewage Treatment Plant (CSTP) because the population there (in those states) is not as large as in large urban areas (in the Klang Valley),” he told reporters after launching the Langat CSTP’s first sewage inflow here, today.

CSTP Langat today received the first phase of 60,000 population-equivalent (PE) sewage inflow from the Cheras and Kajang areas.

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The plant built over 7.3-acres of land, scheduled to be fully completed by 2023, will be able to handle sewage inflows of up 207,000 cubic metres (m3) per day, or 920,000 PE, over the next 20 to 30 years.

Earlier, in his speech, Dr Xavier said the plant would replace the existing 232 small sewage treatment plants in Cheras and Kajang that were outdated and inefficient.

“The use of green technologies in the plant, such as solar and biogas generation, reuse of treated water and rainwater harvesting, is expected to help reduce operating costs in the long run,” he said.

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Meanwhile, commenting on Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s statement today that the government would review the need to re-introduce the Goods and Services Tax (GST) system, Dr Xavier said a careful study was needed to determine the people’s view over the matter before a decision could be made. — Bernama