GEORGE TOWN: The cloud seeding operations in the water catchment areas (WCA) of the Air Itam and Teluk Bahang dams did not yield any rainfall, says the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP).
"We did not record any rainfall during the two days on Feb 27 and 28, which will not increase the effective capacities of the two dams," said PBAPP chief executive officer K. Pathmanathan in a statement on Thursday (Feb 29).
He said the likely factors for this outcome were unfavourable atmospheric and cloud conditions.
"Cloud seeding usually induces more rainfall if there are rain clouds at a specific altitude. If there are no clouds, not enough clouds or if the temperature is too high for water drops to form in the clouds and fall, cloud seeding may not induce any rainfall.
"As such, PBAPP hopes that the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) will commission the RMAF to conduct additional cloud seeding operations in Penang next month," added Pathmanathan
He said under the Air Itam Dam Action Plan 2024 (AIDAP 2024), PBAPP has reduced daily drawdowns from the Air Itam Dam by 75% and, accordingly, the treated water output of the Air Itam Dam Water Treatment Plant (WTP) has also dropped by 66%.
"To ensure water supply sufficiency in Air Itam, PBAPP is pumping 33 million litres of treated water per day (MLD) from the Sungai Dua WTP in Seberang Perai into the service area of the Air Itam WTP," he said.
Pathmanathan called for prudent water consumption by the 30,000 water consumers in the Air Itam water supply service area.
"Please use water wisely until the rains arrive to refill the Air Itam Dam," he added.
