Penang unveils hybrid water plan to cut dependence on Sungai Muda

During a recent meeting with major non-domestic water users, PBAPP chief executive Datuk K. Pathmanathan outlined a hybrid water framework for the 2030s to lessen Penang’s reliance on Sungai Muda, which currently supplies over 80% of treated water. The strategy includes the Perak-Penang Water Project, expected to deliver 300-500 MLD by sourcing treated water from Perak under a bulk supply agreement, new desalination facilities generating 200-300 MLD for growth zones in Seberang Prai Selatan and Tengah, and a 2,000 MLD Off-River Storage Scheme at Sungai Muda for short-term emergencies.

The initiative follows a conditional agreement signed with Prasarana Air dan Irigasi Perak Sdn Bhd and responds to heightened upstream drawdowns linked to Kedah’s rice-planting cycles. Projected water use is set to rise 34.3% from 865 MLD in 2025 to at least 1,162 MLD by 2032, driven by developments such as Silicon Island A, Batu Kawan Industrial Park 3 and Andaman Island.