GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) hopes that the cloud seeding operations scheduled today and tomorrow will trigger as much rain as possible in the catchment areas of the Air Itam and the Teluk Bahang reservoirs.
PBAPP Chief Executive Officer K. Pathmanathan (pix) said the operation was directed and coordinated by the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) and would be conducted by the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).
He expressed gratitude to NADMA, RMAF the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) and the Penang government for their swift response to the cloud seeding request made earlier this month.
“According to the official notice from the Penang Water Supply Regulatory Body (BKSA), the scheduling and implementation of cloud seeding operations are subject to atmospheric and cloud conditions.
“From February 1 until today, PBAPP has only recorded 45 millimetres (mm) of rain in the Air Itam Reservoir catchment area and 71.5 mm of rain in the Teluk Bahang Reservoir catchment area. PBAPP thanks the Federal Government and the state government for initiating this much-needed cloud seeding operation,” he said in a statement here today.
The media had reported that the effective capacity of the Air Itam Reservoir continued to decline with readings recording a storage rate of 33.7 per cent.
Pathmanathan said last year’s consecutive cloud seeding operations in May and June contributed to a total of 30.5 mm of rain in the Air Itam Reservoir catchment area, and the rain helped ensure no water crisis in Air Itam last year
He said at present, the effective capacity of the Air Itam Reservoir is low, while the effective capacity of the Teluk Bahang Reservoir is decreasing.
“Therefore, any amount of rain will be useful as we strive to maintain the raw water reserves of these reservoirs until the rainy season arrives,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said as of today, the water level of the Sungai Muda in Kedah is 2.23 metres, and PBAPP is abstracting raw water from the river to support optimum water production at the Sungai Dua Water Treatment Plant.
“Meanwhile, the capacities of the Muda Reservoir and the Beris Reservoir, which release water into the Muda River, are reported to be 63.2 per cent and 100 per cent, respectively,” he said. –Bernama
