Flood mitigation remains Batu pond’s priority as Petra explores supplying 10 million litres daily

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 2 — The Batu flood retention pond could be upgraded to serve dual purposes: retaining its vital role in mitigating floods while also providing up to 10 million litres of water per day for residents and industries. The Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry (Petra) outlined this proposed pilot project, which would supply five million litres daily (MLD) for domestic use, potentially benefiting around 6,000 households, and another 5 MLD for industrial use in the Batu area.

Although previous studies identified the pond's potential for water abstraction up to 95 MLD, Petra proposed starting with a capacity of 10 MLD to evaluate the feasibility of the dual-purpose concept. The proposed upgrade is still subject to confirmation following a feasibility study and concept design currently being conducted by the National Water Research Institute of Malaysia (Nahrim).

This two-phase pilot project will focus first on the feasibility study and concept design, expected to be finalized this December, followed by the physical implementation contingent on government approval and the study's outcomes. Petra emphasized that flood mitigation would remain the primary function of the pond throughout the project.

The feasibility study will examine the technical requirements to ensure that the dual-purpose use does not compromise the existing flood mitigation capacity. It will also investigate raw water quality, pollution levels, and treatability to determine if the water is suitable as an alternative supply source. Petra highlighted that this project aligns with the National Water Policy's goal of enhancing water security through more efficient, sustainable, and resilient water resource management.

Additionally, the project is expected to bolster the country's preparedness for climate change and extreme weather events, including floods and droughts.