Address water supply shortage, resource depletion, urge NGOs
KUALA LUMPUR: The authorities must swiftly address the nation’s water supply shortage and the depletion of clean water resources as demand rises for the resource.
In conjunction with World Water Day yesterday, the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca), Water and Energy Consumers Association of Malaysia and Forum Air Malaysia urged Malaysia to tackle mismanagement and unsustainable use of the precious natural resource.
Fomca president Datuk Dr Marimuthu Nadason said prolonged mismanagement and unsustainable use of water would have permanent and irreversible impact on human health and the environment.
“Apart from the negative effects of urbanisation, water scarcity is also due to limited water management capacity and unorganised management.
“It is also caused by poor or no communication between users.
“Logging activities in water catchment areas like Ulu Muda Forest in Sik, Merapoh Forest in Kuala Lipis and Bukit Ulu Sat, Bukit Tapong in Pasir Puteh has polluted the rivers and threatened the water supply as well as wildlife species.
“Climate change has altered the availability, quantity and quality of global water supply and cycle.
“Some of its effects include longer drought periods and heavier than usual rainfall,” read a statement from the non-governmental organisations.
Marimuthu urged state governments to cease political bickering over water resource management to implement efficient long-term plans to manage the scarce resource.
“The people are getting increasingly less impressed with all state governments’ track record when it comes to water management.
“They want to see an uninterrupted supply of clean and treated water and are not bothered about the politics of it,” he said, citing water cuts in the Klang Valley due to river pollution in September.
“Amid the pandemic, residents donned face masks and lined up to fill buckets with water.
“A month later, before courts could identify and charge the culprits responsible for the September incident, a similar chemical dumping again left more than a million homes without water for days,” he said.
He said the high non-revenue water rate in Malaysia had led to water shortages in the country.
“Mostly, the loss of water occurs as a result of pipe leakage and water theft. Household and commercial water users can and should play an active role by reporting the problem to the authorities.
“Problems such as pipe leakage or burst pipe can be resolved sooner if we report the cases.
“The United Nations set the daily water requirement at 165 litres per person every day.
“Based on statistics from the National Water Services Commission, Malaysians consume an average of 201 litres of water per person per day, which is equivalent to 134 bottles (1.5 litre each).
“Malaysians’ average daily per capita consumption is also higher than recommended by the WHO.”
He said raising awareness to combat complacency on water use among Malaysians was vital to achieve the government’s aim to reduce water consumption to 180 litres per person per day by 2025.
“With proper water management, the establishment of good strategies, effective legislation, proper maintenance of water resource would eventually materialise.
“Failing that, we would not be able to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030 target, which is to ensure access to clean water and sanitation for all,” he said.