Time still flows like water at Penang treatment plant

GEORGE TOWN: Ages ago, having a watch on your wrist or in your pocket was a luxury, so when engineers built the Ayer Itam water treatment plant, they built a four-faced clock tower so that townsfolk could always tell the time.

It stands until today, still showing the exact time.

The 30m tall clock tower is a unique feature of the water filtration plant, which was constructed in 1963 at a cost of 7,000 Malayan dollars, according to Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) chief executive officer K. Pathmanathan.

Its clock faces are 4m in diameter, he said, adding that the clock was manufactured by Royal Eijsbouts, a bellfounder and tower clockmaker in Asten, the Netherlands.

Pathmanathan said contrary to public perception that the clock tower was a century old, it was actually built in 1963 together with the water treatment plant.

“If we are talking about the clock tower, we have to mention the filtration plant that was built at a cost of one million Malayan dollars, designed and supervised entirely by the then Penang City Council.

“Much of the equipment in the filtration plant was fabricated in the council’s workshops and installed by council workers,” he said.

The Ayer Itam Dam filtration plant, known today as the Air Itam Dam WTP, was officially opened by Tengku Puan Hajjah Nor Sa’adah, the wife of the then Penang Governor, in May 1963 in the presence of Chief Minister Datuk Wong Pow Nee and George Town Mayor Ooi Thiam Siew.

Given its age, the clock tower has seen better days and has had experienced some downtime.

Pathmanathan said some of the repairs on the clock were carried out locally or at times by purchasing parts from the Netherlands.

“However, the clock has been running well since Sept 15 this year,” he said, adding that PBAPP staff members have to know how to tune the clock and make sure it tells the correct time.