JASIN: The Federal Government’s off-river storage facility or Takungan Air Pinggiran Sungai (TAPS) project in Melaka will solve the issue of limited raw water supply in the state, says the Prime Minister.
Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the move was aimed at reducing Melaka’s dependence on the supply of raw water from other states, such as Johor and Negri Sembilan.
“The Federal Government has approved a RM350mil allocation through the Environment and Water Ministry for the construction of TAPS in Tasik Biru to increase the number of raw water supply sources in the state.
“As a long-term solution, the Federal Government has also approved RM150mil under the 12th Malaysia Plan for the channelling of raw water from TAPS to Jus Dam here, which is expected to be completed by 2028,” he was quoted by Bernama as saying during the launch of the Chin Chin 3 Compact Water Treatment Plant here.
The Federal Government, said Ismail Sabri, was also in the midst of implementing the TAPS project involving raw water in Jernih Dam in Alor Gajah with a RM234.7mil allocation, which was expected to be completed in 2026.
Besides the TAPS project, he said RM600mil had also been approved by the government through the Irrigation and Drainage Department for the construction of a dual-function pool in Krubong for flood mitigation and water resources.
The project, he added, was to upgrade the existing flood mitigation pool to solve the recurring flooding in the downstream areas of Sungai Melaka as well as serve as a storage pool for raw water supply before this was channelled to the Durian Tunggal Dam.
He said the Federal Government would always support the state government’s efforts, including carrying out projects and studies to increase its raw water resources should it receive the mandate in the 15th General Election.
“This includes a feasibility study of Phase 3 of the Sungai Muar Raw Water Transfer Project to accommodate the increasing demands of Malaysian families in Melaka.
“The implementation of the project is important in line with Melaka’s development as the country’s main tourist destination that guarantees the continuous generation of revenue and economic growth,” he said.
Ismail Sabri said the government also supported Syarikat Air Melaka Berhad’s (SAMB) efforts to continue the floating solar panel project at the Phase 2 Water Treatment Plant at Jus Dam should a similar project at the Durian Tunggal Dam be successfully implemented.
He said the renewable energy project approved by the state government was to study the feasibility of installing floating 150MW solar panels on the water’s surface at the Durian Tunggal Dam to generate electricity for SAMB’s operations.
“The implementation of the solar energy project is in line with the government’s aspiration towards achieving the status of a net zero carbon nation by 2050,” he said.
On the Chin Chin 3 Compact Water Treatment Plant, Ismail Sabri said it would benefit over 100,000 families in Melaka, especially in the Jasin and Merlimau districts.
He said the construction of the plant would cost RM40mil, adding that it was one of SAMB’s initiatives to help the state government and the people who had suffered drought and water rationing from January to March 2020.