Chief minister Chow Kon Yeow said the expansion project started in 2011 through a direct federal government allocation worth RM1.2 billion, involving four phases: Phase 1, Phase 2A, Phase 2B and Phase 2C.

“Phase 2B is being built and it involves laying a pipeline to upgrade the drawdown capacity to 600 million litres of raw water per day (MLD) at any time from 300 MLD currently.

“Without implementing the full scope of the RM1.2 billion project (as envisioned in 2011), Penang’s water supply services will inevitably be disrupted by mishaps occurring at Sungai Muda, its  one and only major raw water source,” he told a press conference here.

Chow said the capacity of the expanded Mengkuang Dam would be able to last up to 10 months in the event of a prolonged drought without any disruption to consumers.

However, he said the dam was unable to fulfil its full potential since the project was not completed.

Chow added that other projects that had yet to be completed by the federal government included the laying of additional pipelines to further boost the drawdown capacity to 1,000 MLD at any time, the construction of a new 440 MLD pumping station at Sungai Muda, as well as the construction of a new barrage across Sungai Muda at Rantau Panjang.

Currently, the Penang Water Supply Corporation is only able to draw down 300 MLD from the expanded Mengkuang Dam, he said, as opposed to the 1,000 MLD that is needed.

“Penang will remain vulnerable to incidents and mishaps at Sungai Muda unless the dam expansion is fully completed,” he added.