GEORGE TOWN, March 21 — Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) will lay its longest major pipeline next year after obtaining approval from the relevant agencies.
PBAPP’s chief executive officer, Datuk K. Pathmanathan, stated that the new RM128 million pipeline project will benefit 165,054 registered water consumers in the northeast and southwest districts of the island.
“Lembaga Lebuhraya Malaysia (LLM) has given PBAPP the green light to lay the pipeline underground across highway reserve land under the jurisdiction of LLM,” he said in a statement issued today.
He said the 13km pipeline will run across or along many parcels of land in North Seberang Perai including along Butterworth Outer Ring Road (BORR) and the North-South Expressway (NSE).
He added that PBAPP has been seeking approvals from various federal, state and local government authorities to lay the new pipeline from the Sungai Dua Water Treatment Plan (WTP) to Butterworth in North Seberang Perai.
“This large 1.8 metre pipeline will connect a new WTP outlet point in Sungai Dua to a new inlet point of the third Penang Twin Submarine pipelines in Butterworth,” he said.
He said the pipeline is important to allow PBAPP to pump more treated water from the WTP to the island in the future.
PBAPP is also planning to lay a new 3.9km by 1.8 metre pipeline to channel the treated water from Sungai Dua to the Bukit Dunbar Reservoir and Pumping Station Complex where the water will be channelled primarily to the southwest district of the island.
“Work on the 13km by 1.8m Sungai Dua to Butterworth pipeline project is scheduled to commence in 2026,” he said.
Pathmanathan said PBAPP is finalising the alignment of the new pipeline in North Seberang Perai now.
He stated they are also seeking to fast-track other approvals from the Department of Irrigation and Drainage, Integrated Agricultural Development Area, the Public Works Department and the Seberang Perai City Council.
The project will benefit 165,054 consumers on the island, a majority of which are domestic consumers and multinational companies in Bayan Lepas.
