Sabotage at Selangor water plant not ruled out

PETALING JAYA • Sabotage has not been ruled out by the Selangor government in the contamination of the Sungai Semenyih water-treatment plant, state tourism, consumer affairs and environment committee chairman Elizabeth Wong has said.

"The water is still being tested as we are trying to identify the pollutant causing the foul smell," she said on Sunday in the wake of the closure of the facility last Thursday.

Though preliminary tests have so far found the facility free of hazardous substances, Ms Wong said the government would take stern action against whoever was responsible for the contamination, reported The Malay Mail Online. Tests have so far shown the water is free from sulphide, formaldehyde, selenium, anionic detergent, cyanide and mineral oil.

Over a million consumers in Selangor have been affected by the plant's shutdown. The contamination is believed to have originated from the Semenyih Hi-Tech Industrial Park. River surveillance teams of water supply company Air Selangor and its Lembaga Urus Air Selangor subsidiary are working with the Department of Environment to identify the possible sources of contamination, reported The Malay Mail Online.

Seventy-five water tankers have been placed on standby to provide treated water to affected residents.

A similar disruption occurred at the plant last year, affecting the supply of water.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 27, 2016, with the headline Sabotage at Selangor water plant not ruled out. Subscribe