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This document
contains the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) on SPLASH
and its Projects. If you don't find an answer to your question, consider
searching or asking at the online Q&A here.
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The no-project option means no new
source of water supply will be developed to meet increasing
demand. Any disruption in present water supply cause severe
distress in terms of comfort, hygiene and high cost in dealing
with the situation.
A more serious consequence will be the loss of confidence
from existing and potential investors who will invest somewhere
else, putting future jobs and economic well-being at stake.
Other options have been considered. SSP3 is the best.
Please see Options to Meet Demand.
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The project is able to supply additional amount of water to residents in Northern Selangor and Federal Territory in stages according to the completion of the project components. The Rasa Water Treatment Plant Phase 1 was implemented urgently and has been completed in November 2001. The plant began its operations in November 2001 and is able to provide an addition of 125MLD of treated water.
The Sungai Selangor Regulating Dam will be operational in 2003 after two wet seasons required to fill the reservoir. The project when fully completed in 2005 will provide at its full capacity of 1,050MLD of clean treated water.
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The area chosen was geologically suitable and compared to the total catchment area of 197 square km, the area flooded is only 3% and this is mainly secondary jungle. In a list of other location options, the area that would have to be flooded was 10%.
Please see The Best Site in The State.
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The rapid rate of development has generated
negative affects on Malaysia's water resources. Despite
having abundant water resources, many parts of Malaysia
experiences water stress from time to time. The 1998 water
crisis in the Klang Valley, for example, affected more than
1.8 million households in 665 areas and housing estates.
Current water supply situation is critical as existing treatment
plants are running at full capacity and water demand growth
is expected and will continue to be strong in view of industrialisation,
development projects that have already been implemented
and population in-migration from other states.
Current total production capacity is 3656 million litres
per day (MLD), which is enough to meet projected demand
up to the year 2003. After this date, new water supply is
required as water demand is projected to increase by 6%
every year after the year 2000.
The Sungai Selangor Water Supply Scheme Phase 3 (SSP3),
while being part of a long term water supply scheme for Selangor and the Federal Territory,
is being urgently developed to avert an impending water crisis in 2003.
When fully completed in 2005 the project will provide a clean and reliable water supply to a population
of two million people and industries in Selangor and the Federal Territory.
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According to the JBA, non-revenue water in Selangor was reported 36% in 1998.
Of this, 12% was attributed to pilferage, 5 % to meter underregistration, 3 % to water for fire
fighting and other operational use leaving 16% as loss from leakage which is actual amount wasted.
The main issue with reducing leakage is the reality of having to locate the leakage and repair or
replace the more than 10,000km of buried pipes in the State. This is extremely laborious and disruptive
activity requiring a 10 to 15 year program of concerted action as well as substantial amount of money to be spent.
This is currently being done, but the reduction of leakage will give less than 1% increase in supply every year.
Demand which is projected to increase by 6% in future, will need new water supply, like SSP3 to be built. Fixing
pipe leakage is not a short-term solution to replace SSP3, it is part of an overall solution to meet increasing
demand and improve efficiency.
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To transfer water from Pahang, two more dams need to be constructed in addition to a 38-km tunnel
through the Main Range. The Pahang Inter State Transfer is not an alternative option to SSP3 but rather part of the
long term water resource and water management plan for the State of Selangor. The Pahang Inter State Transfer will
be the next project after SSP3. The earliest the project can be completed will be 2006. It is being planned to meet
medium and long- term water demands from 2007.
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The cost (estimated at RM 900 million) will be much more than Sg. Selangor as it involves
the cost of constructing pipelines (115km minimum) and pumping stations. This excludes royalty charges to
Perak State government, additional pumping cost (RM 40 million to RM 50 million per year) as well as cost of
land acquisition (about RM 40 million).
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A review of ground water potential in Selangor has been carried out in the
ongoing National Water Resources Study. The water resources potential in this area is limited
except for isolated acquifers like in Olak Lempit. Due to the limited amount
(only 50 to 100Mld at most), it is only suitable for isolated demands and small-scale municipal supply .
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Desalination is a very expensive process and is normally used by isolated areas
where there are no other alternatives. The cost is about 10 to 15 times more expensive than a
conventional plant, excluding operation and maintenance. A desalination plant of the size of SSP3
will cost RM 19 billion to build only.
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This is a controversial issue. As water is a basic necessity and must be made available
to all, this option is politically sensitive. Experience shows that consumption continues to go up even
when tariffs are raised gradually every few years.
To have some effect, the tariff hike has to be steep to make it prohibitive for the consumers to use more
than the bare minimum. The lower-income group who tends to have bigger families, will be most affected.
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- The resettlement of the orang asli was implemented smoothly by SPLASH according to Government and Jabatan Hal Ehwal Orang Asli recommendations.
- They have been comfortably relocated to a site close to their former settlement.
- The orang asli now have all facilities and amenities enjoyed by the urbanites and yet still close to nature
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Both Orang Asli communities of Kg Gerachi and Kg Pertak has been compensated with the following, details to which they have discussed and agreed, under the general resettlement package:
- New homes :
a 3-bedroom brick house per family on 0.4 hectares plot of land. The Batins will get a 4-bedroom house.
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Utilities :Water, electricity and tarred roads
- Community facilities :
A public hall, clinic, sundry shop and kindergarten
- Land title :
The land status of the areas occupied by the Orang Asli is state land. The process to gazette this land and award land titles to the Orang Asli residing on this land is underway.
- Relocation allowance:
Each family will also receive a transfer allowance of RM500
In addition to the general compensation, each Kg. Gerachi family will :
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be given a 2-hectare plot of land planted with oil palm to replace their trees that will be flooded
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receive a monthly subsistence allowance of RM250 for 3 years pending maturity of the crop.
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We are genuinely concerned about their conditions and over and above what we are required to do in the concession
agreement, we intend to do much more for them through our Community Development Programme.
The provision of jobs and job training under our Community Development Programme is
to ensure the income and livelihood of the Orang Asli at Kg Gerachi and Kg Pertak are improved.
It is also to assist the communities to improve their job skills and education through job
opportunities, training and education programmes.
The objective of the programme is to prepare and equip the Orang Asli Community to be absorbed into the nation's community. SPLASH provided jobs and training to enhance the skills of the Orang Asli at Kg. Gerachi and Kg. Peretak and uplift their living and social standards.
Scholarships:
A scholarship programme was implemented in consultation with the Orang Asli Welfare Department (JHEOA). SPLASH provided scholarships to 5 students pursuing 3-year diploma courses at institutions of higher learning in Malaysia. This is an ongoing commitment from SPLASH to JHEOA.
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There may be some affect on the fireflies at Kg Kuantan. As it is today, the fireflies are already declining even before construction of the dam.
The MNS findings reveal that the project does not have any adverse effect on the fireflies. The report has also outlined measure to prevent possible impact on the fireflies and SPLASH has strictly complied with the requirement with DOE monitoring the situation regularly.
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Even though Malaysia is blessed with abundant rainfall, the rainfall is seasonal and uneven.
We need dams to ensure that water supply is well distributed and regulated. Dams are built for storage of water,
which can be used for various purposes; to provide water for daily usage and industrial purposes, for irrigation,
for recreation, for hydroelectric power generation, for navigation as well for flood prevention.
The Sungai Selangor Regulating Dam is a regulating dam whereby it will regulate the river flow in an efficient manner.
During the rainy season, water which flows to the sea and is wasted will be collected and stored in the dam.
During the dry season, this valuable stored water will be released into the drying river to ensure that the
treatment plants at Rasa and Bukit Badong have sufficient water while helping the river maintain its eco-system.
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The dam has been designed to international practices, with very high safety factors, including considering the potential of earthquakes, although
the country is not in an earthquake zone.
We are also subjected to a 5-level check by a panel of independent experts. The levels are:
i) Review of design by an independent reviewer from the UK All Reservoir Panel
ii) Review of design by an independent consultant appointed by the dam designer
iii) Review of design by an independent consultant appointed by the Government
iv) Supervision from an independent dam expert during construction stage
v) Regular check and monitoring of operations by an independent dam safety expert after construction.
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With proper maintenance, the dam and treatment plants could last indefinitely. The dam actual design capacity of 235 million cubic
meters allows for up to 5 million cubic meters of siltation after 100 years.
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Impact can be controlled with proper planning. SPLASH is committed to implementing the project
in an environmentally sustainable manner and will adhere to conditions in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
The EIA, after having undergone the required process, was approved by the DOE in June 1999.
Subsequently to that, the DOE stipulated conditions to the EIA and the mandatory EMP was drawn up accordingly.
The Environmental Management Plan (EMP) entails significant impact to the environment made possible by construction
activities and mitigation and rehabilitation measures to avoid or minimise such impact.
The EMP is closely monitored by a team of EIA consultants;
the team comprises Universiti Kebangasaan Malaysia appointed by SPLASH,
Gunung Ganang appointed by the state government and a full-time DOE officer.
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Tax payers' money will not be used to fund the project as financing will be raised through funds from the shareholders and commercial loans.
SPLASH has already successfully raised and concluded RM1.635 billion with CIMB. The finance facilities comprising the Al-Bai Bithaman Ajil of RM1.2 billion bonds and RM435 million Floating Rate Notes (FRN) have been fully subscribed.
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The cost of the regulating dam is only about RM 450 million
The cost of the whole project of RM 2.146 billion includes the construction of the
regulating dam, the road alignment of a 5km section of KKB-Bukit Fraser Road and two
water treatment plants at Rasa (supplying 250 million litres per day to the northern
part of Selangor) and Bukit Badong (supplying 800 million litre to Klang Valley).
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