83000 batu pahat, johor

From: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2010/5/1/southneast/6159582&sec=southneast

—————-

Saturday May 1, 2010

Batu Pahat folk told to store up due to poor water quality in Bekok Dam

JOHOR BARU: Residents in Batu Pahat have been reminded to store water as water rationing will continue in the district until May 29.

Syarikat Air Johor Sdn Bhd (SAJ) corporate communications manager Jamaluddin Jalil said the rationing exercise would continue for another month due to poor water quality and quantity at the Bekok Dam.

“We have been facing this problem since the previous water rationing schedule and we are forced to continue with rationing as the problem has shown no signs of improvement,” he said adding that the Bekok River was also experiencing water quality issues.

Jamaluddin said to resolve the problem, SAJ has released a new schedule to cope with the situation while they took actions to improve water quality.

“If the situation worsens, SAJ will prolong the water rationing activities to cope with the matter.

“However, the water rationing will be halted if water levels at the dam and river increases,” he said.

For enquiries, pls call the SAJ Info Center at 1-800-772-7474, via SMS to 019-7727474, or via email at customer.care@saj.com.my

From NST: http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles/3dri/Article/index_html

—————————-

(Johor Streets) Bekok dam’s water level back to normal

2010/04/26

THE end of the dry spell is near for the Batu Pahat area, state international trade and Industry, energy, water, communication and environment committee chairman Tan Kok Hong said in Johor Baru, recently.

Continuous rainfall in parts of Johor, especially at night, has caused water level at the Bekok dam near Batu Pahat to return to normal.

“The overall situation is improving as the water levels at the dam and rivers continue to rise.

“The state executive council will decide in its next meeting whether to continue water rationing in Batu Pahat.”

Batu Pahat is the only district with water rationing exercise which will end on April 29.

The dry spell caused a stir in Kluang when several areas, including rural villages, underwent a water rationing exercise beginning on Chinese New Year eve on Feb 13.

Parts of Batu Pahat later underwent a similar rationing exercise on March 29.

However, Kluang’s water rationing schedule was lifted on April 14 following the improved levels at the Sungai Sembrong and Sembrong Barat dams.

Tan said the current rainfall in Johor was due to the south-west monsoon which usually begins by the end of April.

“The rainfall may also be a sign of the La Nina effect,” said Tan.

The La Nina effect, which is associated with wet weather, often follows a period of dry weather due to El Nino.

The Phillipine government had recently announced its preparation for anticipated typhoons due to La Nina. The Manila-based daily, Business World reported on April 14 that the Phillipine government was preparing for excessive rainfall as the country’s dry spell subsided.

Meanwhile, SAJ Holdings Sdn Bhd corporate communications head, Jamaluddin Jamil, said the Bekok dam, which supplies water to Batu Pahat, had recorded an improvement in its water level.

On Monday, water level at the Bekok dam level was 10.6m while the previous day it was 10.53m.

“The levels have been increasing consistently.

“Previously, during the beginning of rationing in Batu Pahat, the water level was 9m, which is below the 10m critical mark.”

Jamaluddin said a weekly meeting to address the dry spell in Johor was held on Monday.

Another  report in the newspapers about the pipe water in Batu Pahat.

I found this as well:
Dr. Boo Cheng Hau’s blog has also results of the the analysis of the water samples.
You can view it here: http://drboochenghau.blogspot.com/2010/04/water-testing-results.html

————-

From TheStar Online: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/4/18/nation/6081839&sec=nation

Sunday April 18, 2010

Poor water quality claim in Johor
By DESIREE TRESA GASPER, desiree@thestar.com.my

JOHOR BARU: Quality tests conducted on tap water at several places in Batu Pahat and Yong Peng have shown increased levels of magnesium, said Skudai assemblyman Dr Boo Cheng Hau.

Tests on samples taken from Jalan Kurnia in Batu Pahat, Taman Batu Pahat, Jalan Besar Yong Peng and Taman Bukit Perdana showed magnesium levels that were four times the accepted level, he said.

“This could be one of the reasons why we have received complaints that more children were being admitted to hospitals for diarrhoea,” he said.

He added that consumption of high levels of magnesium could also lead to muscle spasms and mental disorders.

Dr Boo said tests conducted on water taken from the Bekok river and Bekok dam also showed a higher level of ammonia and coliform.

He said this would be due to illegal oil palm plantations and animal farms found near water sources.

“Ammonia is usually found in fertiliser used at the plantations while coliform can be found in the faeces of cows that may be reared near the water sources,” he added.

The assemblyman sent water samples in the area for testing following complaints by residents that the water quality was poor since rationing started.

It was earlier reported in The Star that Dr Boo had spent his own money to conduct these tests as many residents from Batu Pahat and Yong Peng had forwarded complaints to him about the matter.

“The people have a right to know if the water they are drinking is contaminated. The Government has to take steps to rectify this problem,” he said.

State International Trade, Industry, Energy, Water, Communication and Environment Committee chairman Tan Kok Hong said he had not received any report of poor water quality from residents in the area.

He stressed that the water standards were in accordance with the conditions set by the World Health Organisation.

“Since the drought occurred, we have noticed that the water had become more acidic, but this is due to environmental reasons.

“When the water level reduces, the peat soil at the bottom of the river is exposed to sunlight, which causes a chemical reaction resulting in the water becoming more acidic,” he said.

However, he stressed that the water would be filtered through treatment plants before it is supplied to consumers.

“The complaints from residents could also be due to other factors such as rusted or leaking pipes,” he added.

Updates about the water situation from TheStar Online.

Mr Tan Kok Hong says the water meets WHO standards. He should probably visit Batu Pahat and taste the water himself?

—————————————

Friday April 16, 2010

Water rationing to end
By NELSON BENJAMIN / nelson@thestar.com.my

JOHOR BARU: The water crisis in the state is expected to be over soon with rising water levels at three major dams affected by the severe drought.

State International Trade, Industry, Energy, Water, Comm unication and Environment Com mittee chairman Tan Kok Hong said that due to the higher water level at the Sembrong Barat, Sembrong Timur and Bekok dams, water rationing in some parts of the state has been suspended.

“We are starting with Kluang and will monitor the situation for about two weeks before lifting the rationing for residents in Batu Pahat,” he said when contacted.

Tan reiterated that while the worst was over, residents should always be prudent when using water.

He said that the government’s effort to induce rain through cloud seeding has been successful. Water levels in Sembrong Barat has now reached 8.47m from the critical figure of 7.4m; Sembrong Timur 0.8m from 0.5m (critical) and Bekok 10.59m from 10m (critical).

Water rationing in Kluang, which affected more than 15,000 residents, has been going on since mid-February, while rationing in Batu Pahat, which involves 500,000 people, started in end-March.

Tan added that cloud seeding activities would be continued until the end of the month.

Asked about Skudai assemblyman Dr Boo Cheng Hau’s move to collect samples of water from the Bekok dam and also tap water around Batu Pahat and Yong Peng after he received public complaints about its poor quality, Tan said that the water was in accordance with standards set by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

He added that besides tests by the water operators, the Health Ministry also did its own testing.

“We do not compromise on public safety and health,” he said, adding that while the water quality in some places had worsened during rationing, it was still within the safety standards.

Syarikat Air Johor Holdings Sdn Bhd (SAJ) chief executive officer Abdul Wahab Abdul Hamid said in a statement that residents in Kluang would receive normal water supply with immediate effect.

To make enquiries, SAJH has urged members of the public to call 1-800 88 7474, SMS 019-772 7474 or email customer.care@saj.com.my.

The water rationing in Batu Pahat will start 29 March 2010.

There are two types of rationing.
I. Water supply for only 12 hours of water daily.
II. 24 hours of water, followed by 24 hours of dry taps, ie alternate days supply.

Our district is divided into zones “A” to “O” by SAJ.
Zones A to H follows the alternate days supply ration.
Zones I to M has 12 hours supply from 10 PM to 10 AM. (night supply)
Zones J to O has 12 hours supply from 10 AM to 10 PM.  (day supply)

The schedule is available at SAJ’s website:
http://www.saj.com.my/Content.php?menu_parent_id=1&content_id=48

For further details, you can call 1800-88-7474 or visit SAJ’s website at: http://www.saj.com.my/