The Penang government has expressed frustration that the it will still not be able to use raw water from Sungai Perak, despite already fulfilling requirements to cut down water usage.

Citing a written reply in Parliament, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng (left) said that the federal government now says Penang has to get the nod of the Perak government for the RM2 billion project.

The federal government also claims that existing efforts in Penang will suffice.

“Penang has fulfilled the federal government's requirement to reduce the high water usage by raising tariffs, and his has been send to the Penang Water Services Commission (SPAW) for approval.

“Yet, the Sungai Perak Raw Water Scheme (SPRWS) is still stalled,” he said in a statement.

In the written reply last month, Water, Energy and Green Technology Minister Maximus Ongkili said that the SPRWS can be implemented to ensure supply until 2020, but the existing dam expansion project should suffice.

“For the SPRWS, the Penang government must first get written agreement from the Perak government to supply raw water to Penang, given that water is under the state's jurisdiction.

“Once there is a Penang-Perak agreement, the matter can be raised for consideration of the federal government,” Ongkili said.

Water in Penang can last until 2030

He said the federal government has also approved a RM1.2 billion project to expand the Mengkuang Dam.

The project is due to be completed in 2016, and will raise raw water capacity from 22 million cubic meter to 73.5 million cubic meter.

“(This) will suffice to supply raw water to Penang beyond 2020,” Ongkili (above) said.

He said that if Penang domestic water usage is limited to below 250 litres per capita a day in the city and 240 litres per capita per day in the rural areas then supply could even last until 2030.