KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): The National Water Services Commission (SPAN) has urged the Perak government to carry out water quality tests in Gerik and Kuala Kangsar to ensure raw water in the areas is free from arsenic pollution.

Its chairman Charles Santiago said the issue of arsenic pollution in raw water in Gerik has yet to be resolved even though the state government via Perak Water Board (LAP) had completed laying 11.5km of pipes and installing a new booster pump to channel water from the Water Treatment Plant (WTP) in Lawin to Ayer Ganda apart from completing the RM1.32mil project in five weeks, which was ahead of schedule.

“Therefore, SPAN hopes the Perak government will take measures to resolve the pollution issue in Sungai Rui which is a source of raw water for the Ayer Ganda WTP,” he said in a statement Friday (May 17).

He said any move by the Perak government to free the river from arsenic pollution would help revive the operation of the water treatment plant for the area.

On April 9, SPAN ordered the Ayer Ganda WTP to stop operation following the discovery of arsenic in the raw water which was higher the permissible level.   

The WTP which has a capacity of 0.68 million litres per day is supplying treated water to about 312 account holders in Kampung Ayer Ganda and it is still not allowed to operate to date. - Bernama