The pipeline is to divert water from the old pipe on the bed of the river which has ruptured twice and is beyond repair.
In the meantime, Chow said, water will still be drawn from the ruptured pipe, but at a lower pressure.
The pipe supplies water to key areas of the island’s southern reaches, where the state’s technology hubs are located, and the lower half of Seberang Perai.
The leaks come amid four days of scheduled water supply disruptions to enable major valve repairs to be carried out at the Sungai Dua water treatment plant in Butterworth, which supplies water to 80% of the state, besides repairs to 22 other areas elsewhere.
Chow said the submerged pipe had been installed some three decades ago, and the latest rupture occurred on another section of the pipe, not at the previously repaired sections.
“The situation remains delicate,” he told reporters at Penang Hill. today. “On the one hand, we have major repairs to carry out and, on the other, we have this leak.”
He said the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) was seeking permission from the public works department to lay two 600mm temporary water pipes on the Ampang Jajar bridge above Sungai Perai. Their combined capacity will be larger than the pipe running under the river.
The process will take up to 30 days, he said, as government procedures had to be followed, and parts ordered.
Separately, Chow welcomed Putrajaya’s offer to allocate more funds to help with the repairs, saying it could use “whatever we could get”.
Supply back for 84% of users
PBAPP said consumers in areas under the second phase of the water supply restoration plan have fully received supply as of 6am today.
In a statement, it said the second phase involved 495,065 consumers, or 84% of the 590,000 affected users in Seberang Perai and on the island.
“PBAPP is working to restore water supply to 99.5% of the 590,000 consumers, starting from 6am today, with treated water from the Sungai Dua water treatment plant to Penang island.
“PBAPP is also focusing on restoring water supply in the Barat Daya district, especially in areas of distribution where pipes end, and high areas, which is expected to be completed by 6am tomorrow,” it said.