Giving updates: SPAN members (from left) Muhammad Sha’ani Abdullah, Mohd Azmi and Santiago during a press conference on the water supply disruption at Sungai Muda. — AZMAN GHANI/The Star
PETALING JAYA: The staff in charge of the barrage operations at Sungai Muda, which supplies water to much of Penang and Kedah, work from 8.30am to 4.30pm with off days on Fridays and Saturdays during the dry season.
In a surprise revelation, the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) said round-the-clock surveillance was only done during the rainy or flood seasons.
This, said SPAN chairman Charles Santiago, was one of the reasons behind the unscheduled water disruption that hit many areas in Penang and Kedah, affecting some 678,983 consumers there.
The commission’s special technical committee investigation into the incident on May 13 this year found that the faulty barrage gate opening that caused water to flow out of Sungai Muda uncontrollably happened outside working hours.
The incident occurred at 10pm on May 13, a Saturday, with the faulty barrage gate opening.
By sunrise on May 14, water levels at Sungai Muda had fallen from their normal 3m to 0.67m.
SPAN said the staff from the Sungai Muda River Basin Management (PLSM) should be working round-the-clock daily.
“It’s time to heighten the surveillance levels,” Santiago told a press conference here yesterday to reveal the technical committee findings on the water supply disruption.
He said extending the surveillance hours was an immediate measure that could be done through the National Resources, Energy and Climate Change Ministry declaring Sungai Muda a security zone.
This was among SPAN’s proposals presented to the minister, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
PLSM, Santiago explained, was now under the Irrigation and Drainage Department.
Santiago said SPAN also proposed the formation of a Barrage Management Committee at Sungai Muda involving inter-agency collaboration as a short-term measure.
“There are many agencies involved in the operations but no efficient communication. There was no process for the agencies to stay informed of the real-time situation there,” he added.
He said staff hours should be expanded with a focus on water supply.
He said the sudden water cut had been a problem waiting to happen.
“It could have been avoided. The Sungai Muda incident serves as a big example for all authorities, especially in areas where rivers cut across several states,” he said, adding that SPAN also proposed for the infrastructure at the Sungai Muda barrage in Penang to be fortified or closed indefinitely.
SPAN commissioner Datuk Mohd Azmi Ismail said the investigation found a technical glitch as the reason for the fault in the automated barrage gate there.
“The gate was supposed to be closed but it opened due to a technical failure. There was also no alert, even when this happened,” he said.
With the system being 20 years old, Mohd Azmi said regular maintenance and upgrades were needed.
In the long term, SPAN chief executive officer Datuk Ahmad Faizal Abdul Rahman proposed that alternative water sources be sought to reduce dependence on Sungai Muda.
“Based on news reports, the Perak Mentri Besar said he was ready to discuss supplying water to support Penang but we are not sure of the progress.
“We hope that a solution can be found,” he added.
