Work together to protect our water resources

MRS Yeoh (not her real name) finally purchased her dream home in Ambang Botani, Klang almost a decade ago. Like many others who purchased homes there, she was attracted to the nice landscaping and the fact that it was a guarded and gated community.

Rizal (not his real name) purchased his dream home in Sepang Putra, intending to use it as a quiet retreat after his retirement about seven years ago. For him, the prospects of living next to a park with a lake was enticing.

Little did Mrs Yeoh and Rizal know their dream purchase would turn out to be a foul nightmare! From the beginning, the sanitation system (widely known as the sewerage system) failed to function properly. Most of the toilets in their homes (especially on the ground floor) overflowed, often spilling into the kitchen and laundry area. On rainy days, the manholes in front of the houses also overflowed, churning untreated sewage into the public drains and finally the lake.

Lately, residents of Ambang Botani have been sharing pictures of the lake turning black and fish going belly up with the Malaysian Water Forum or Forum Air Malaysia (FAM).

The matter was covered by several media channels and also brought to the attention of the Malaysian Water Services Industry Commission or SPAN. More than a year later, there is no sign of any remedial work on the sewerage system and residents are also in the dark over who is responsible for the repair.

Our rivers, from which 97% of our raw water comes, are being inundated with pollutants. In 2016, several shutdowns of major water treatment plants in Selangor alone were attributed to pollutants (high ammonia from untreated sewage and landfill leachate, and flame retardant dumping, to name a few).

With its negative reserve margin, more than 33% nonrevenue water (NRW) and one of the highest per capita water consumption in the country at 231 litres (Penang uses 293 litres per capita per day), Selangor has everything going against it in ensuring an uninterrupted, clean and safe water supply system.

We embarked on a mission in 2006 to reform the water and sewerage sector, which was at that time in debt to the billions of ringgit to the federal government, and performing poorly. Then the Water Services Industry Act (WSIA) 2006 was enacted and enforced.

But 10 years on, we are seeing numbers that refuse to budge, with more than 35% NRW and more than 210 litres per capita per day consumption, which is among the highest in SouthEast Asia.

There have been several good case studies on the reforms in Johor, Negeri Sembilan and Malacca. Since the new licensing regime under the WSIA was adopted by operators in these three states, NRW has improved significantly. But the national average is hampered by states like Pahang and Perlis where more than half of the water treated is lost during distribution mostly due to leakages.

Sadly, very little is being done to manage water demand from users, both domestic and commercial.

So, in short we have problems with wastewater and wastage of water, both of which need to be addressed immediately.

Many of the complaints received on water supply, pollution and sewerage problems have one common contributing factor – local governments. Their limited capacity and capabilities seem to impose barriers in implementing solutions.

Water supply and sewerage problems associated with joint management boards and strata title home owners have reduced but they still pose a significant threat to uninterrupted water supply to thousands of highrise residents, especially in low cost projects, in this country.

SPAN is not the only body responsible for solving this issue. Several ministries and government agencies are also responsible, including Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government, Natural Resources and Environment, Agriculture, Plantation, Rural Development, and the Science, Technology and Innovation ministries and all their relevant agencies.

Sewerage services providers, statelevel water operators, state governments and local governments are key players that need to know the impact of their decisions and policies on the sustainability of our precious water resources and water supply.

And can the party instructed to rectify the Ambang Botani problem commence work as soon as possible?