GEORGE TOWN: Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang (PBAPP) has secured approval for the installation of a new RM128mil treated water pipeline from the Sungai Dua Water Treatment Plant (LRA) to Butterworth, with work scheduled to begin in 2026.
PBAPP chief executive officer Datuk K. Pathmanathan confirmed that approvals had been granted by various federal, state and local authorities, including the Malaysian Highway Authority.
He said the large 1.8m pipeline would connect a new outlet point at Sungai Dua LRA to the inlet of the third Penang Twin Submarine Pipelines (3rd PTSP) in Butterworth.
"It is a key component of the 4th Water Contingency Plan 2030 (WCP 2030), designed to enable PBAPP to increase the supply of treated water from Penang's largest and most critical LRA to the island, in the future.
"The Sungai Dua-Butterworth LRA pipeline, stretching 13km, is expected to be one of the longest major pipelines installed in Penang since PBAPP's corporatisation 26 years ago.
"For safety, engineering integrity and cost efficiency, PBAPP must install the pipeline underground, across or along parcels of land in Seberang Prai Utara (SPU), including areas under the jurisdiction of the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM), and those related to the Butterworth Outer Ring Road (BORR) and the North-South Expressway (PLUS)," he said.
Pathmanathan added that PBAPP also plans to install a new pipeline on the island, as part of the third WCP 2030 project, which will cover 3.9km, to channel treated water from Sungai Dua to the Bukit Dumbar water reservoir and pump station complex.
He said that from Bukit Dumbar, the treated water will be pumped primarily to the Barat Daya district, benefiting 165,054 account users in both the Timur Laut and Barat Daya districts, including 140,669 domestic users and all multinational companies in Bayan Lepas.
"Last year, PBAPP had pumped an average of 366 million litres per day (MLD) of treated water from the Sungai Dua LRA to the island, including 33MLD required to support the Air Itam Dam Action Plan 2024 (Aidap 2024).
Meanwhile, he said that PBAPP is working to expedite the necessary approvals from relevant authorities, such as the Irrigation and Drainage Department (DID), the Integrated Agricultural Development Area (Iada), and the Seberang Prai City Council (MBSP).
He added that on March 12, the PBAPP delegation met with LLM director-general Datuk Sazali Harun, who agreed in principle with the plan to install the pipeline across or along LLM land, provided that the works do not cause major issues along BORR or PLUS. – Bernama
