GEORGE TOWN, Nov 23 — Works on the third Penang Twin Submarine Pipelines (PTSP) project has reached its final phase and expected to be completed by the end of 2020.

State Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow today said the RM114.3 million project involving pipelines connecting Sungai Dua Water Treatment Plant in Seberang Perai and Bukit Dumbar Pumping Station in Penang Island would deliver up to 315 million litres of treated water daily, equivalent to 126 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

“When it is completed at the end of next year, this project will benefit about 500,000 people living in the Southern areas of the island,” he said in his speech before the project technical visit at Gat Lebuh Macallum here.

He said that the third PTSP project would also back up the first PTSP, which were commissioned in 1973 and almost reached its end-of-life after 46 years of service.

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“Thirdly, the third PTSP project will support the state government’s ‘no water rationing’ policy in the future,” he added.

Meanwhile, Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Datuk Jaseni Maidinsa said that the first two phases for the project, involving the installation of land pipelines in the island and the mainland, were completed in November 2017 and August 2019 respectively.

He said that the final phase of the project would involve the laying of 3.2 km of twin 1.2 m diameter submarine pipelines across the channel separating the mainland from the island.

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“This will be the most challenging part of the project because it involves undersea and seashore engineering,” he said.

He said the works for the final phase encompassed excavating undersea trenches for the laying of submarine pipelines, land reclamation and shore protection.

“Overall, our progress for this phase is about 34 percent completion and we look forward to the full commissioning of this project by the end of 2020,” he added. ― Bernama