GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) has reported that the Air Itam Dam's effective capacity is now reduced to 33.7% as a result of the prevailing hot and dry weather conditions.
Its chief executive officer K. Pathmanathan said the dip in the level was also due to the water disruption on the island caused by the 1,350 millimetre burst pipe at the bottom of Sungai Perai, Butterworth in early January.
"The Air Itam Dam's water level receded quite drastically because it is the dry season now and water consumption is high. We are also using it to supply the island after the Sungai Perai incident.
"PBAPP will finalise measures to increase the water capacity at the dam after the completion of plan B, which is the installation of a new 600mm pipe across Sungai Perai," he said when contacted today.
The Air Itam Dam recorded an effective capacity of 83 percent on Dec 1 last year. However, the Sungai Perai incident last month led to higher consumption to accommodate the affected population, causing the water level to recede to 37.7 percent as of 5 pm today.
The Teluk Bahang Dam, near here recorded a level of 88.1 percent while the Mengkuang Dam in Bukit Mertajam was at 90.1 percent.
For the record, the first alert level is at 50 percent, the second level is at 40 percent, and the third level is at 30 percent and below. – BERNAMA