GEORGE TOWN: The third Penang Twin Submarine Pipelines (PTSP3) project undertaken by Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang (PBAPP) worth RM114.3 million has been named the best project by the National Water Services Commission (SPAN).

PBAPP chief executive officer K.Pathmanathan (pix) said it is the first such award from SPAN for major water supply projects completed by water operators in Malaysia in recent years.

“PBAPP undertook the PTSP3 project in response to high water demand in Penang during periods of climate change, and it was designed primarily to supply up to 315 million litres of treated water per day (MLD) from the Sungai Dua water treatment plant in Seberang Perai to the Bukit Dumbar Pump House and Water Reservoir Complex on the island.

“315 MLD refers to the volume of water that can fill 210 million large drinking water bottles of 1.5 litres or 126 Olympic-sized swimming pools daily. PTSP3 serves about 465,000 consumers in the Barat Daya district within the service areas spanning from Bukit Dumbar to Balik Pulau,” he said in a statement today.

He said the PTSP3 project took four years, from Oct 2016 to Nov 2020, adding that the main elements are underwater or underground.

Pathmanathan said that, unlike other major water supply infrastructure, a significant portion is ‘not seen’; however, it is a crucial project for consumers in Penang.

Deputy Prime Minister also Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof presented the award to PBAPP at the Malaysian Water Association 2024 dinner event in the capital on Tuesday.