MALACCA: The state government here has a water shortage contingency plan for water rationing should there be no rain till early June.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron however said there is adequate water at the dams here and this would be able to last for the next 50 days before water rationing should happen.
"Malacca has water to last for the next 50 days without any rain.
"If there is no rain for 50 days, then we may be forced to do water rationing," he told reporters at the Malacca International Air Carnival at Batu Berendam International Airport here, on Saturday.
As of yesterday, Idris said water levels at Jus dam was at 70 per cent and Asahan dam was at 80 per cent, while Durian Tunggal was at 50 per cent.
"If it hits 40 per cent, then we have to be cautious.This is why we are now pumping between 100 million litres and 200 million litres of water a day from the Jus dam to Durian Tunggal dam.
"We are using a pump system for the first kilometre with the rest using gravitation system."
He added that another 100 million litres of water is being pumped to the Gadek water treatment plant also through the gravitational pipe system.
Idris said Malacca was also sourcing 3.78 million litres of water from Sungai Muar per day.
The state consumes 535 million litres of water per day for both domestic and commercial use.
On a related issue, Idris acknowledged that the current heat wave and dry spell had affected the Gadek and Menggong water treatment plant resulting in complaints from residents.
He said water levels at the Gadek treatment plant were low resulting in accumulation of chlorine and causing the water to have a reddish tint.
"We have stopped treatment at the treatment plants and began delivering water to the affected residents.