The measures include active cloud seeding, pumping water from reserve ponds in Bestari Jaya and constant monitoring along the length of rivers supplying raw water, according to a statement issued by Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali’s office.
Azmin yesterday chaired the Selangor State Economic Action Council (MTES), instructing government agencies to strengthen their efforts to ensure water supply remained adequate.
His office reported that water levels at dams in Selangor remained well above critical levels on Wednesday.
The water at the Sungai Selangor Dam is at 65.51%, Sungai Tinggi Dam 75.76%, Sungai Semenyih Dam 69.50%, Sungai Langat Dam 73.27%, Batu Dam 71%, Klang Gates Dam 62.93%, and Tasik Subang Dam 86.54%.
“We cannot afford to be complacent because the El Nino phenomenon will continue to affect rainfall and our water supply,” said Azmin.
He also called on the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) to increase its efforts to campaign for water conservation via the mainstream media.
Local councils have been ordered to take action against unlicensed car washes and Air Selangor will be stepping up enforcement against water theft.
According to the state government, cloud-seeding operations, which will enable rain to fall in water catchment areas and river basins, have been in effect since January this year. The cloud seeding utilises hygroscopic flare technology that typically enjoys an 80% success rate.
The state government has allocated RM5 million a year for cloud-seeding operations, and has conducted 103 such operations to date at an average cost of RM23,000 per day of operation.
The state government has eight reserve ponds in Bestari Jaya, with an estimated capacity of 80 million cubic metres, and has conducted raw water quality tests to ensure the water meets health standards.
Pumping operations began in January 2016 with an output of 400 million litres per day. This will be increased to 1,000 million litres when appropriate.
Selangor is also part of a “Low-Carbon Cities Initiative”, which saw five local councils picked last November to apply Low-Carbon City Working Plans towards 2017.
The five councils are Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam, Subang Jaya, Klang and Sepang.