Source : Malaysiakini

MP: Seek Underground Water Instead of Building Dams

Chan Kok Leong | Apr 15, 08 3:51pm, Malaysiakini

Klang parliamentarian Charles Santiago questioned the rational behind the Selangor government’s decision to continue with the Pahang-Selangor dam project.

Noting that the project would bring more harmful effects than benefits, the DAP politician said that Selangor should re-consider and look at other options.

“Instead of building a dam in Pahang, which will cause many environmental and ecological detriments, the Selangor state government should explore other options.

“And while there is no guarantee (as rainfall may reduce drastically due to global warming and climate change) that a dam in Pahang will provide a steady flow of raw water to Selangor, the effects of a permanent dam are irreversible,” said the 48-year-old political scientist when contacted today.

Instead of a dam, Selangor should explore the possibility of tapping into Perak’s underground water reserve, Santiago suggested.

Enough underground water

According to Santiago, who is a director of NGO Monitoring Sustainability of Globalisation (MSN), there is enough underground water in Batang Padang, Perak to solve the state’s water woes.

“According to our studies, the catchment is capable of providing some 2,000 million litres per day (mld).

“Furthermore, the Environmental Impact Assessment for the project overestimated Selangor’s needs. The report said that Selangor needed 3,000mld in 2001 but in reality the actual usage was only 2,647.6mld that year.

“Added to the fact that population growth in Selangor is only 1.6 percent as opposed to the report’s estimates of four percent growth per annum, Selangor should have adequate water,” said Santiago.

Besides the environmental damage, Santiago said that many orang asli who live in the area would also have to be relocated.

Higher cost to consumers

Not helpful either, he added, is the higher cost to consumers in Selangor.

“If they piped the water down from Perak, it would be cheaper as no mega infrastructures would need to be built,” he reasoned.

The Pahang-Selangor dam project is estimated to cost RM9 billion to construct.

“What the Selangor government should also do is to create more projects to conserve water, not build more mega dams. Climate change and global warming is a reality and people should be educated on its preciousness and not abuse it,” he added.

The Pahang-Selangor dam was mooted by the National Water Council to avert water crisis in Klang Valley in 2000. Under the plan, a 37.5km tunnel from Telemong Dam and Kelau Dam in Pahang to rivers in Selangor.

The tunnel which will go through the Main Range will enable 1,000mld of water to be piped into Selangor. Water, diverted into Selangor’s rivers, will be subsequently channeled into the Langat and Semenyih dam