Johor bahru: Water levels at all 16 dams in Johor remain at safe levels and are operating well despite the state facing prolonged hot weather over the past month. Johor Works, Transport, Infrastructure and Communications Committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh said overall dam capacity in Johor currently exceeded 70 per cent, indicating that raw water supply remained sufficient to meet current needs.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohamad Fazli clarified that Johor has 16 dams with different management bodies: 10 operated by the Johor Water Regulatory Body (BAKAJ), four by the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), one by Petronas, and one by Singapore's PUB (National Water Agency). Despite some concerns, the dams remain active, and water levels are satisfactory.
However, Mohamad Fazli noted that four dams had recorded water levels below 60 per cent and required close monitoring, although they were not yet at critical levels. The Upper Layang Dam is at 46.89 per cent, Pulai 1 Dam at 47.63 per cent, Gunung Pulai 2 Dam at 56 per cent, and Lower Layang Dam at 60.33 per cent. These four dams, under BAKAJ's management, have not reached critical levels and continue to operate well.
On the sustainability of the water supply if dry weather persists, Mohamad Fazli stated that Johor's dams are designed with storage margins to withstand droughts of between three and six months. He mentioned that a coordination meeting would be held to prepare for potential plant closures or reduced operations, but emphasized that the situation remains under control.
Mohamad Fazli also mentioned the possibility of implementing cloud seeding, which would be discussed depending on necessity and weather factors. Concurrently, mosques and surau across Johor have been directed to perform the istisqa' prayer for rain due to the dry weather and several fire incidents in the state.
Recent open burning incidents have been reported, with the largest involving a peatland fire covering nearly 100 hectares at Jalan Sungai Kapal, Taman Bayu Damai, Pengerang, and another at Batu 13 Bukit Naning, Muar, involving about 12 hectares of peat forest near the Johor State Farmers' Organisation (PPNJ) estate.
Meanwhile, Mohamad Fazli announced the completion of the RM13 million concrete bridge construction project on the Gelang Patah-Pendas route, which was finished on Jan 27. The project, expected to benefit 80,000 users, involved street light installation and road widening, and is anticipated to improve the flow of Sungai Gelang Patah, reducing flood risk in the area. The project, initially scheduled for completion between 2019 and 2020, faced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic and required a new contractor.