According to PUB Singapore, Johor's water regulatory body, Badan Kawalselia Air Johor (BAKAJ), has "made an urgent request to PUB Singapore for an additional supply of 6 million gallons of treated water per day for the next three days."

This water is required to stabilise Johor's own water supply after the shutdown on Wednesday due to pollution in the Johor River.

PUB has agreed to this request and had done so since July 17, 12am. PUB added that this would not affect the supply of water to Singapore as they are able to raise production levels.

The Johor River Water Agreement

In case you didn't know, under the 1962 Water Agreement with Malaysia, PUB is entitled to draw a maximum of

250 million gallons per day (mgd) of raw water from the Johor River. This right is guaranteed by the 1965 Separation Agreement and expires in 2061.

In addition, the agreement also obliges PUB to sell 5mgd of treated water to Johor.

Singapore had to pay rent for the land it used.

According to PUB, it "has been regularly providing Johor with three times this, up to 16mgd on a daily basis." The additional request for 6mgd will be on top of the "15-16mgd we provide Johor every day," said PUB.

Second request in two months

This is not the first time this year that BAKAJ has asked for more potable water.

On June 4, Singapore supplied an additional 6mgd daily after a prolonged dry spell in Johor. The dry spell also resulted in the water levels in the Linggiu Reservoir to dip to an all-time low of 33 percent from 40 percent in April. Linggiu Reservoir supplies Singapore with raw water.

Top photo via Noé Alfaro Flickr

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