The Ayer Itam water treatment plant in George Town, Penang, features a unique clock tower that was built in 1963 at a cost of 7,000 Malayan dollars, according to the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) chief executive officer K. Pathmanathan. The clock tower stands at 30m tall and has four clock faces measuring 4m in diameter. It was manufactured by Royal Eijsbouts, a bellfounder and tower clockmaker in Asten, the Netherlands. It was created so that the townsfolk could always tell the time, as having a watch or clock was once considered a luxury.
Contrary to public perception that the clock tower is a century old, Pathmanathan clarified that it was actually built in 1963 alongside the water treatment plant. The plant, which cost one million Malayan dollars, was designed and supervised by the then Penang City Council. Pathmanathan highlighted that much of the equipment in the filtration plant was fabricated in the council’s workshops and installed by council workers.
The Ayer Itam Dam filtration plant, now known as the Air Itam Dam WTP, was officially opened in May 1963 by Tengku Puan Hajjah Nor Sa’adah, the wife of the then Penang Governor. The opening ceremony was attended by Chief Minister Datuk Wong Pow Nee and George Town Mayor Ooi Thiam Siew.
Despite its age, the clock tower has undergone repairs and experienced some downtime over the years. Pathmanathan revealed that some of the repairs were carried out locally, while other parts were purchased from the Netherlands. However, since September 15 this year, the clock has been running well. PBAPP staff members are responsible for tuning the clock and ensuring that it accurately tells the time.
