‘Govt focusing on efforts to solve nationwide non-revenue water issue’

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is currently focusing on efforts to address the nonrevenue water (NRW) issue across the country as it is causing losses of over RM2 billion annually.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said these efforts include providing matching grants to assist water operators in dealing with the NRW issue more effectively and sustainably.

“The main challenge is with old pipes that are leaking, damaged, and so on, leading to NRW where water is processed but lost due to leakage, and this requires significant funding to replace old pipes.

“That’s why one of our strategies is that any state government with NRW of more than five per cent, the federal government will assist by providing grants, while those already performing well will be provided with loans to replace old pipes. This is one of our efforts and focuses until we can resolve this issue.”

Fadillah, who is also Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation said this to reporters after delivering a keynote address at the Symposium on Future Leaders of Water Sustainability (Flows) 2024: Accelerating Impact for Water Resilience, here Thursday.

In his keynote address, Fadillah said the 12th Malaysia Plan (RMK-12) outlines strategic objectives to bolster water security and sustainability by aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) No. 6. (SDG 6), specifically targeting to enhance clean water coverage and reduce non-revenue water in supporting a resilient water infrastructure.

He also stressed that achieving sustainable water management will require a foundation of datadriven policies and collaboration between multiple stakeholders.

“Initiatives like the centralised water data centre aimed to enhance decision-making processes and promote effective resource management is a strategic way forward,” he said.

As such, he said the water symposium today aims to address critical issues of water security and the indispensable role of water business management. He said it also seeks to foster cross-sector collaborations for innovative solutions and advocate for sustainability in water development aligned with SDG 6.

“Our focus will be on ensuring access to safe drinking water and sanitation, sustainable management of water resources, wastewater and its ecosystems.

“To achieve these goals, we must provide an enabling platform for all stakeholders to actively participate in driving these aspirations,” he added.