GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) has activated the Sungai Muda Contingency Plan 2026 (SMCP2026) following a critical drop in the levels of key dams in Kedah that serve as Penang’s primary raw water resource. He said that last year, PBAPP abstracted an average of 1,000 million litres per day (MLD) of raw water from the river to produce roughly 85.5% of the treated water supplied across the state. He cautioned that the corporation foresees the dam being unable to release significant volumes of raw water into the Sungai Muda system soon, possibly as early as March. The contingency plan involves maximising raw water abstraction from Sungai Muda while river levels allow it, and utilising strategic drawdowns from the Expanded Mengkuang Dam (EMD), which currently sits at a healthy 91.5% capacity. Additionally, PBAPP will continue its Double Dam Defence programme to ensure that the Air Itam and Teluk Bahang dams do not run dry.

Source: The Star February 23, 2026 16:36 UTC