Last week, a local daily reported that a sand-mining company’s activities along Sungai Johor had resulted in pollution that led to a disruption in water treatment at the Semangar plant in Johor. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 7 — Singapore increased its delivery of treated water to Johor in the past week after the latter was hit by supply disruptions due to pollution, according to The Straits Times (ST).

Singapore’s water agency PUB reportedly sent an additional six millions of gallons per day to the Malaysian state during the period, on top of its typical daily supply of 16 millions of gallons.

“At Johor’s request, PUB helped to tide Johor residents over the water supply disruption by turning on PUB’s Pasir Gudang offtake and supplying an additional six millions of gallons per day (mgd) of treated water between Jan 2 and Jan 4, 2019,” a PUB spokesman was quoted as saying yesterday by the ST.

PUB said its Johor River Waterworks was unaffected by recent pollution to the river catchment that had disrupted output at Johor water plants.

The 1962 Water Agreement between Singapore and Malaysia requires Singapore to provide five mgd of treated water to Johor, although Singapore has been channelling 16 mgd of treated water to Johor at the latter’s request.

Last year, this reportedly also surpassed the usual daily amount for 20 days, which was also at Johor’s request.

PUB said all its supply of the additional treated water beyond the agreed five mgd was done on a “goodwill basis” at the price of 50 sen per 1,000 gallons as agreed in the 1962 water agreement, further noting that this price is only a fraction of water treatment costs.

Noting that both Malaysia and Singapore’s water agencies have been working together for a long time, PUB added: “PUB has thus far been responsive in assisting Johor residents to reduce the impact of their water disruptions, in the spirit of good neighbourliness.”

Last week, local daily The Star reported International Trade, Investment and Utilities Committee chairman Jimmy Puah as saying a sand-mining company’s activities along Sungai Johor had resulted in pollution that led to a disruption in water treatment at the Semangar plant in Johor.

Some 3,000 homes in Taman Desa Tebrau and nearby areas in Johor Baru were affected during the water supply disruption on January 1.

As of January 3, the water supply was reportedly restored.