By Sofia Nasir
SHAH ALAM, Nov 20 — Starting next year, all new high-rise developments in Selangor will be mandated to include on-site stormwater detention facilities as part of a new requirement by the state government.
State executive councillor for infrastructure Izham Hashim said the initiative is meant to ensure every stratified building has its own storage facility to help address flooding issues.
“This new concept that we are introducing is for us to better manage stormwater. Take a 20-storey building for example, when there is a heavy downpour, we can store (the water) first.
“The issue we always face is when there is a huge amount of rainwater coming down at once, there is a potential for flooding. The best solution is for us to store the water and only release it when the drains or rivers have receded,” he said in the State Legislative Assembly today.
Izham was responding to a question from Sementa assemblyman Noor Najhan Mohamad Salleh on the issue of flooding in the state.
According to Izham, the new condition will be introduced in all local councils.
He added that Selangor will be the first state in the country to construct a barrage in Sungai Kapar Kecil meant to control flooding.
He said the construction of the RM220 million barrage, which will be funded by the Federal government, will commence next year and is expected to be completed within two to three years.
“This barrage will have interconnected water gates. It is constructed because the water surface area is too wide, so we are installing multiple water gates.
“The allocation has already been approved, and we will commence construction in Kapar first,” he said.
