Water sold to Selangor free from bauxite contamination, says Pahang govt

The Pahang government said yesterday that the raw water supplied to Selangor was not contaminated with bauxite. State Basic Facilities and Environmental Committee chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Soffi Abdul Razak said the source of the water supplied to Selangor came from west Pahang area such as Raub and Bentong, away from the bauxite mining areas in Kuantan.

"Water is collected in Kelau dam before being released to Semantan river and pumped into the tunnel which channelled the water into Langat river. Bauxite issues have nothing to do with it because the catchment areas are different."

Soffi was commenting on Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali's statement that the state government would conduct tests on raw water from Pahang following fears of bauxite sediment pollution in rivers there.

Azmin said the two-month test would ensure that the Selangor government would not have to bear high costs of treating raw water if it was contaminated.

Soffi said there was no need for Selangor to conduct the test as the matter had been stated in detail in the agreement signed by both parties. The agreement stated that the quality of water to be supplied must meet the standards that had been set including by the World Health Organisation (WHO), he added.

"To sell the water, we have to test the water in Kelau Dam. Personnel from the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water will also be conducting tests at the Mempateh water treatment plant. Selangor Water Management Authority (Luas) will also be testing the water from Pahang. So I do not see the need to review the agreement because everything is in order."

Soffi said the Pahang government would never compromise on public health and always made sure the water treatment and supply was done in accordance with the standard operating procedures.

"The same water is also supplied to the people of west Pahang, so one cannot say that we are taking this issue lightly. If the turbidity of water is over 1,000 NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Units), then the water treatment plant will be closed," he said.