KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 22): EKVE Sdn Bhd has denied allegations that the murky water in Sungai Klang recently originated from the East Klang Valley Expressway (EKVE) project site.

The highway concessionaire in a statement on Feb 21 said the project site where minor earthworks were being carried out at a section of Sungai Ampang near the Ampang Treatment Plant Intake was located 15 kilometres away from Sungai Klang.

“That is too far for any silt flow — if at all there was any — from our project site at Sungai Ampang to affect the water quality in Sungai Klang,” the statement said in response to media reports alleging that the EKVE construction project was the source of the river water contamination.

According to the highway concessionaire, the earthworks being carried out at the site were minimal as the highway was already nearing completion and works at the project site were being carried out in strict adherence to the Erosion and Sediment Control Plan (ESCP) at all times.

“Visits to the project site have been conducted by the Selangor Department of Environment (DoE) and the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council from time to time to ensure compliance with the ESCP.

“The Ampang Treatment Plant Intake had not been shut down when murky water was flowing in Sungai Klang, indicating that there was only a very low level of water turbidity in Sungai Ampang near where the project site was located,” according to the statement.

The EKVE, spanning a total length of 39.66km, is a dual-two lane tolled highway between Bandar Sungai Long and Ukay Perdana, expected to be completed by July this year.

Bernama reported on Thursday that the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur Department of Irrigation and Drainage (WPKL DID) had identified that the EKVE construction project was the source of the murky water around the federal capital including the River of Life (ROL) project.

The investigation by WPKL DID on Feb 16 found that murky water began to flow from Sungai Ampang in Ampang Recreational Forest, Selangor, near the near the Ampang Treatment Plant Intake before flowing into the Sungai Klang, due to uncontrolled land clearing.

According to Selangor DoE the project is still under a stop-work order which took effect on Oct 13 last year and the developer was prohibited from carrying out construction works and earthworks until the order is lifted.

The department also said that only repair works on the riverbank, slope stabilisation, and works to cover exposed slopes, as well as slope maintenance near Sungai Ampang that collapsed due to groundwater pressure was allowed to be carried out.