GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government and Penang Water Supply Corporation Sdn Bhd (PBAPP) welcome the latest development of the Perak-Penang water project which was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday.

In his announcement, Anwar informed that the Perak government agreed to provide water supply from Perak through the Kerian Integrated Green Industrial Park to Seberang Prai.

The distribution of water supply for the first phase of the Perak-Penang water project is expected to reach Seberang Prai, including Nibong Tebal and Sungai Bakap.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the implementation of the Perak-Penang water project was very important to Penang.

"It not only benefits the three states in the north of the peninsula, but also the needs of 32,993 user accounts in the affected Seberang Prai Selatan District (SPS), who will now have their water supply more guaranteed.

"This (porject) includes existing development centres, those in the process of development and those to be established in the future," he said today.

Chow said, based on the unwavering commitment of the Penang government and PBAPP to ensure the sustainability of water supply to the people of Penang, it is hoped that the project which has been delayed for 13 years would finally be realised.

When speaking at the closing of the northern region Madani Rakyat 2024 programme in Penang yesterday, Anwar said the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah, and the Perak government under Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad, had agreed to provide water supply to Penang.

Anwar said the water supply would flow through the Kerian Integrated Green Industrial Park to Seberang Prai.

Under the first phase, water supply will reach Seberang Prai, including Nibong Tebal and Sungai Bakap.

There have been concerns of water supply issues, especially in Nibong Tebal.

It was reported previously that the Sungai Perak Raw Water Transfer Scheme (SPRWTS), part of the Penang Water Supply Initiative 2050 (PWSI 2050) to mitigate Penang's raw water risks until 2050, was proposed following an independent masterplan study commissioned by the PBAPP in 2009.

According to PBAPP, Sungai Perak is the best option as its raw water resource is presently underutilised.

As such, the Penang government and PBAPP had sought to tap Sungai Perak as the second or alternative raw water resource for the state since 2011.

Penang is currently dependent on Sungai Muda for raw water supply. Penang gets 80 per cent of its water from Sungai Muda.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/05/1046891/penang-cm-says-perak-penang-water-project-very-important-state