The Malacca government will implement the second phase of water rationing exercise next week if water supply in the state is still low, said Chief Minister Adly Zahari.

He said the water supply rationing exercise was implemented since Jan 29, while the model for the second phase of the exercise would be announced soon.

Adly said the total water supply at three dams in the state remained unchanged at 33 percent and the implementation period and model of the rationing exercise would depend largely on weather conditions, rainfall distribution and water supply improvement initiatives.

“If there is no rainfall and the water supply is still low we will continue to schedule (water rationing) with the new model,” he told the media after attending a state-level Chinese New Year celebration at SM Pay Fong. The event was also attended by the Yang Dipertua Negeri, Mohd Khalil Yaakob.

On Jan 29, Malacca commenced its daily water rationing exercise involving 550,673 people or 62.8 percent of the population, to ensure adequate water supply following the dry spell in the second phase of the Northeast Monsoon, which is expected to end next month.

However, the water rationing exercise does not involve hospitals, industrial areas and tourism centres. Melaka currently has three dams, namely, the Durian Tunggal Dam in Alor Gajah, while the Jus Dam and Asahan Dam, are both located in Jasin. — Bernama