PKR's Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli has urged Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) to use funds it would need to take him to court to fix water distribution disruption instead.

His remark was prompted by Syabas' statement threatening to  sue Rafizi for defamation for allegedly linking the closure of the Cheras Batu 11 and Bukit Tampoi water treantment plants to ammonia pollution in Sungai Langat.

Responding to this, Rafizi said that he will not be cowed from voicing out public issues and is willing to face legal action in the interest of the constituents and Selangor residents.

“However, Syabas and its part owner Puncak Niaga look silly for being willing to waste funds on legal fees to sue an elected representative like me, when the money can be better used to fix the filters which apparently caused disruption at the Batu 11 Cheras and Bukit Tampoi plants,” he said.

Rafizi also stood his ground by reiterating that he has reliable information that the two plants were shut down because of high ammonia levels in the water.

He said that checks through publicly-available sources showed that the maximum level of ammonia that the two treatment plants can treat is 1.5 mg/litre capacity.

However, the permissable limit for ammonia in waste to be released by sewage treatment company Indah Water Konsortium is 15 mg/liter or 25 mg/liter, depending on the river location.

“This means that water treatment plants...should know the existence of the ammonia in the river is high, especially during dry seasons...and should anticipate its effects on the water supply through weather forecasts.

“My question is why there was no proactive measures taken by Puncak Niaga and Syabas, which are owned by the same people, to upgrade their treatment plants to ensure that they will be able to process water with ammonia levels of higher than 1.5 mg/litre?”

Rafizi ( right ) also claimed that Puncak Niaga has now agreed to install the appropriate filters to the tune of RM5 million but the work will only be completed in six months, prolonging the water cuts.

In the meantime, he said, Puncak Niaga should pond upstream of Sungai Langat to water down the ammonia content so that the Bukit Tampoi treatment plant can run.

“The cost is only RM360,000 a month,” he said.

Have tried different avenues

Rafizi also said that his statement to the press on the ammonia filtering was among many avenues he had tried to push for smoother water supply for his constituents.

This included a signature drive, bringing a case to the Consumer's Tribunal, raising the matter during parliamentary debates, proposing that the state provide emergency water supply during cuts and holding discussions with Syabas staff in order to assist the residents.

“It is my responsibility to criticise Syabas' performance due to their failure to plan...which caused hardships for Klang Valley residents,” he said.

In a statement today, Syabas said that Rafizi's claim on the ammonia content at the two closed plants is “incorrect and baseless”.

“Monitoring water supply and pollution in the rivers and dams is the job of the Selangor government.

“As such, Syabas will take legal action against Rafizi for defaming Syabas with his untrue statement,” said Syabas spokesperson Priscilla Alfred.