Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang (PBAPP) is investing RM250 million to build a new water treatment plant (WTP) near Mengkuang Dam to strengthen water supply in Penang.

Chief Minister Y.A.B. Chow Kon Yeow said the new Mengkuang Taman WTP, located about 550 meters from the dam, is designed with a maximum treatment capacity of 114 million litres per day (MLD). The project is expected to take 18 months to complete, with targeted completion by November 2026.

“Once completed, the status of Mengkuang Dam will shift from the current Enlarged Mengkuang Dam (EMD) classification to a dual-purpose dam,” Chow said during the groundbreaking ceremony on May 24, 2025.

This transition, he added, will help reduce the state’s reliance on the Sungai Dua WTP, currently the main source of treated water in Penang.

PBAPP Chief Executive Officer, Dato’ Ir. K. Pathmanathan, shared that since January 2021, the dam’s capacity has consistently remained above 85%, reflecting its reliability as a raw water source.

The EMD has an effective capacity of 86,400 million litres – equivalent to 4.7 times the Teluk Bahang Dam and 40 times the Air Itam Dam.

“The primary goal of the Mengkuang Taman WTP is to produce up to 114 MLD of additional treated water for the Seberang Perai Tengah (SPT) district,” Pathmanathan explained.

The project is a strategic move to support growing water demand in the region, especially in the face of climate change and urban expansion.