OFFICIAL LAUNCHING OF BUKIT DUMBAR RESERVOIR 4
OFFICIAL LAUNCHING OF BUKIT DUMBAR RESERVOIR 4,
PENANG ISLAND, PENANG.
TALKING POINTS
YAB Tuan CHOW KON YEOW,
Chief Minister of Penang, and
Chairman of PBA Holdings Bhd (PBAHB) and
Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang Sdn Bhd (PBAPP)
- 1. Good Morning.
I would like to thank PBAPP for inviting me to officially launch the Bukit Dumbar Reservoir 4, or BDR4, here today.
For the record: the newly formed Penang State Government will continue to prioritise continuous good water supply in our state for the benefit of 1.76 million people who live here, as well as all the businesses that operate here.
We intend to uphold Penang’s good record in water supply. Our long-term goal is to work with PBAPP, the leading water supply operator in Malaysia, to achieve water supply security in Penang until Year 2050.
- 2. Looking back in the past 10 years, Penang’s water demand increased by 11.0%, from an average of 744 million litres per day, or MLD, in 2008 to an average of 826 MLD in 2017.
The point I wish to make is this:
Penang’s water demand does not remain the same, year after year. It will continue to grow, in line with population growth and increasing socioeconomic activities.
More people and more businesses will need more water in the future.
Based on PBAPP’s projections, our water demand will reach 1,884 MLD by Year 2050.
- 3. As such, PBAPP operates in accordance to an ISO 9001:2015 policy of continual improvement in water supply engineering.
PBAPP continually implements smart and effective water engineering projects and services to ensure water supply sustainability.
In fact, as a responsible water supply operator, PBAPP has been working hard to stay ahead of water demand in Penang. As a result, Penang has achieved a water treatment reserve margin of 34.8% in 2017, the highest in Malaysia.
A high water treatment reserve margin is important. Our high reserve margin means that our risk of a water supply shortage is low.
- 4. In this context, we may say that PBAPP is a forward-looking water supply operator. Staying ahead of water demand is important because in the field of water supply engineering, it is always better to be safe than to be sorry.
We must always plan ahead to avoid a water crisis because we do not want the people to suffer. At the same time, we do not want Penang-based businesses to suffer losses.
- 5. Accordingly, I am pleased to note that PBAPP has undertaken the following 3 key water engineering projects, with a combined value of RM140.4 million, for the benefit of Penang and its people:
- The RM125.0 million Butterworth-to-Penang Twin Submarine Pipeline Project which will facilitate more efficient pumping of more treated water from Sungai Dua to this location in the future. This third submarine pipeline project for Penang is scheduled for completion in December 2020;
- The RM6.1 million Phase 1 of the Penang Water Supply Command Centre in the Sungai Dua Water Treatment Plant that enables real-time monitoring and implementation of daily water supply operations in Penang; and
- This RM9.3 million BDR4 treated water reservoir which we are launching today.
- 6. BDR4 provides the following benefits:
- Availability of more treated water to meet future water demand
in the southern areas of Penang Island;
- Enhanced water supply security, 24/7, 365 days a year;
- Less incidences of water supply interruptions as related to
treated water availability;
- Lower risks of water shortages, especially during dry seasons;
and
- More consistent delivery of water to all supply areas, even
during periods of high water demand.
- 7. As mentioned by Dato’ Ir. Jaseni, this new reservoir enhances the assurance of continuous good water supply for about 315,000 people and thousands of businesses located in the southern areas of Penang Island.
- 8. In closing, I would like to thank PBAPP for continually investing in water supply engineering projects for the benefit of Penang and its people. Please keep up the good work.
I hereby officially launch PBAPP’s Bukit Dumbar Reservoir 4.
Thank You.