Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali wants the state to have decision-making powers over the controversial Langat 2 water treatment plant.

Speaking about the plant for the first time since taking over last month, Azmin (below) said Putrajaya currently does not consult the state on technical details about the water treatment plant.

Instead the state government's only involvement is to approve federal requests to acquire land in Hulu Langat as well as the development plan.

"After a contractor is appointed by the federal government, only then does Selangor get to review the technical specifications for phase one of the Langat 2 water treatment plant.

"The state government finds that several of the specifications for the project is excessive.

"This will surely involve higher development costs and operation costs," Azmin said while debating Budget 2015 in Parliament today.

Among the excessive specifications he said, is the use of dual media filter technology, with granular activated carbon (GAC).

"The use of a dual media processing system with granular activated carbon is suitable for water sources that are contaminated till class 4, the worse water (pollution) classification"

"Is the water flowing from Sungai Semantan that will flow into Selangor at class 4, that is, a water source with the lowest quality?" he asked.

Rising cost

He also questioned the cost, which will multiply tenfold when Langat 2 begins operating with water from Sungai Semantan in Pahang.

"The Selangor government will pay 10 sen per cubic meter to Pahang for the raw water.

"Currently, Selangor's water operators only pay 1 sen per cubic meter," he said.

The final cost, he said, will surely be placed on consumers, who will be forced to pay more for their water.

The Langat 2 plant was approved after long negotiations between Putrajaya and then Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.