Malaysia, China firm ink RM983m underground sewage plant deal

KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 3): The Malaysian government and Beijing Enterprises Water Group Ltd (BEWG) have signed an agreement for the CONSTRUCTION []
of the RM983 million Pantai 2 Sewage Treatment Plant, the country's first underground sewage treatment plant.

Minister of Energy, Green TECHNOLOGY [] and Water, Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui, said on Thursday the job was awarded to Beijing Enterprises on a design-and-build basis following the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the sewerage services industry here on Nov 11, 2009.

Chin said the new sewage plant, with the application of green technology, would have a capacity of 1.423 million population equivalent (P.E) or equal to 320,000 cubic meters per day.

It will cater to the sewerage treatment needs of the 1.8 million residents within the Klang Valley until the year 2035.

He also said that the government would close down more than 100 small sewage plants by 2020 as the cost of operation of these plants was high.

The first phase would see 27 plants in the Pantai area closed down next year.

"The cost of operation of small plants is high. The Pantai 2 sewage plant is expected to reduce the cost of operations by 20-30 per cent," he said to
reporters at the signing ceremony here.

The Pantai 2 catchment areas covers places like Bandar Baru Sentul, the Kuala Lumpur Business District, Bangsar, Bukit Kiara recreational areas,
Seputeh, Kerinci and Old Klang Road.

Work on the project started on July 28 this year and is expected to be completed in 2015. Being a design and build contract, BEWG will be required to operate and maintain the plant for two years.

BEWG, listed on the main board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong, owns and operates over 70 water supply and water sewerage treatment plants in China, with an actual water treatment capacity of over seven million cubic meters daily.

Chin said the plant would see green technology initiatives such as effluent reuse and rain-harvesting system, utilisation of solar power for street
lighting, biogas utilisation, and treated effluent reuse for air-conditioning usage.

The new plant will be built underground and integrated with leisure parks, sports facilities and a community centre atop it.

"By using the advanced A20 system, the space required for the new sewerage treatment plant will be reduced by 50 per cent of the size required for a conventional treatment system using extended aeration," Chin said.

The open space allocated for sport facilities will include a football field, sepak takraw, basketball, tennis, volleyball and futsal courts as well as a
jogging track. - Bernama