SEREMBAN: No new sand mining permits will be issued along Sungai Linggi as the authorities take tougher measures to restore the quality of the river water and ensure treated water supply to Port Dickson was not disrupted, says Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun.

       This, the Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar said, was necessary as the Sungai Linggi water treatment plant had to be closed on several occasions recently causing disruption in treated water supply to the resort town and its surrounding areas.

       "We are also going to check on those with permits and ensure they strictly comply with the sand mining rules," he said, adding that more regular patrols would also be carried out to ensure no one else polluted the river.

       Aminuddin said the plant had to be closed on several occasions, especially whenever it rained heavily due to increased turbidity of Sungai Linggi.

       He said checks showed that this was also caused due to soil erosion near Gunung Berembun and Bukit Tangga.

       "The recent floods had caused severe soil erosion in the area and whenever it rains heavily now, silt and other debris will flow into Sungai Linggi from its tributaries such as Sungai Golai, Sungai Batang Penar, Sungai Jerlang and Sungai Terip.

       "Several other measures to address this, which include building a sediment containment structure to help filter water at the upstream areas along Sungai Gunung Berembun, would be carried out to reduce water turbidity," he said.

       Aminuddin said there were also plans to build an off-river storage area which would be able to store 250 million litres of water.

       "So, whenever the water quality in the river drops, we will be able to take raw water from this off-river storage area to be processed for consumers in PD," he said, adding that the project would be carried out by the Federal Government.

       He said state water concessionaire Syarikat Air Negri Sembilan will also carry out several other projects which include laying new distribution pipes from the Teluk Kemang retention pond to Si Rusa pond covering a distance of 10km to improve supply in the resort town.

       The project, estimated to cost RM15mil, would be completed in June next year.