‘Guarantee it’s safe to drink water directly from the tap’
AN expert says this provision, if introduced in legislation, can also compel the authorities to compensate people who fall ill after drinking the water.
THE Water, Land and Natural Resources Ministry should apply for and enforce a gazette if the water supply in the country really is safe to be consumed directly from the tap.
Water Quality and Modelling specialist Dr Zaki Zainudin said the gazette would be a guarantee by the government that the water supply was clean and free of harmful bacteria, including E. coli.
“If it is really safe to consume water directly from the tap, the government should apply for and gazette the matter.
“The government can gazette the matter under the Water Services Industry Act (Wasia) or other legislation governing water services as a form of guarantee to the people.
“Once the gazette has been made and enforced, the government and respective agencies must be held accountable, including compensating people suffering from illnesses after drinking water directly from the tap,” he told the New Sunday Times yesterday.
He was responding to the statement by Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr A. Xavier Jayakumar that it was safe to drink water directly from the tap.
Zaki said he was not sure what Xavier meant.
“He says it is safe to drink water directly from the tap. Does he mean water derived directly from the water treatment plant or water which has gone through the water distribution network and stored in water tanks in the residential areas and houses?”
He said although water from treatment plants met the Health Ministry’s standards, tap water might not always be safe to drink.
“Cross contamination can happen anywhere in the distribution network.
“And residual chlorine, although it can help with disinfection, is only effective depending on the severity of the contamination.
“Apart from the main distribution plant, water from the tap can come from the residential area’s or the house’s tank, which is susceptible to contamination, as it is at times left open.”
Despite the assurances given by Dr Xavier and SPAN, Zaki urged people to take preventive measures by boiling water before consuming it.
“I am not saying that it (consuming water from the tap) is not safe.
“However, in the interest of public health, it is always good to take precautionary measures by boiling the water.”
The Consumers Association of Penang also recommended people take precautionary measures, but it believed that the nation’s water supply was clean and safe to be consumed directly.
“It is always best to not take things for granted.
“Boil the water before consuming it,” said its officer, Uma Ramaswamy.