State public works, transport and infrastructure committee chairman Fazli Salleh said the plants involved are Sultan Iskandar WTP (Johor Bahru), Lok Heng WTP (Kota Tinggi), Sungai Gembut WTP (Kota Tinggi), Bukit Batu WTP (Kulai) and Tenglu WTP (Mersing).

He said the state government was constantly monitoring the current situation at all WTPs, which are supplying a million consumers.

The state government has mitigation measures in place, he added.

“As a precautionary measure, we are prepared to place several pumps, for example in Sungai Johor, Sungai Tiram and Tasik Biru Seri Alam. There is also the raw water transfer project from Sungai Lukah.

“We will pump water if the water in the plants decreases because El Nino is expected between May and July.

“But we hope Johor will not be adversely affected by this phenomenon,” he said when met at Kumpulan Johor Corporation’s 2023 Aidilfitri open house here today.

Fazli said the state government was constantly monitoring all 16 dams in Johor, including the smallest dam in Gunung Ledang, Muar, with a capacity of 0.39 million cubic metres. This can only last 13 days if there is no rain.

Bekok Dam, which is the largest, can supply water for 299 days if there is no rain.

Fazli said the state government would also consider conducting cloud seeding if necessary.

The National Water Service Commission (SPAN) recently listed eight states that could be easily affected by the El Nino phenomenon that causes dry and extremely hot weather, based on its experience in 2015 and 2016.

These states are Perlis, Kedah, Perak, Selangor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang and Johor.