Southern Region News November 05, 2009 18:28 PM Johor Looks Into Possibility Of Building New Dam PASIR GUDANG, Nov 5 (Bernama) -- Johor is looking into the possibility of building a new dam for better water source for local consumption in the future. State International Trade and Industry, Energy, Water, Communications and Environment Committee chairman Tan Kok Hong said today the matter was discussed at the Integrated River Basin Water Management Committee meeting chaired by him on Wednesday and the area proposed for the new water catchment area was in Kahang. "We'll be looking around for better source of water in the area," he told reporters after attending the BASF 10th anniversary of its engineering plastics plant here. He said the committee, whose members included the Malaysian Nature Society and intellectuals from University Teknologi Malaysia at ad hoc level would make a thorough study and coordination to ensure sustainable raw water supply for the state in the future. It would also view the project from the aspect of flood mitigation. Tan also said that the water level at the Sembrong Dam in Batu Pahat had dropped to 7.71m on Wednesday, nearing its critical level of 7.4m, and could last about two months before reaching the lowest level. He hoped that the monsoon rain, which came later than usual, could fill the dam to prevent a water supply problem. Syarikat Air Johor Holding (SAJH) yesterday issued an advisory asking the people in Kluang to be thrifty in using the water. The Sembrong Dam is a water catchment area that supplies water to the Sembrong Barat Water Plant which distributes treated water to 240,000 consumers in Kluang. -- BERNAMA