Much we can do over water

FEBRUARY is just coming to an end and we have already faced a significant number of water-related problems. From water supply disruptions to floods, we either have too much or too little water, bringing disaster and causing frustration to Malaysians.

Unlike our usual hot and dry Chinese New Year, this year’s festive season was a little different. Data from the Malaysian Meteorological Department shows that in January, 20 out of 34 rain monitoring stations showed “much above average” values for rainfall.

This change in rainfall pattern is then tied to the unusual number of floods we have seen this year.

We can easily blame climate change for this change in weather pattern but we still need to acknowledge that there are many water problems that are caused by people too.

One example is the recent water supply disruption in both Kuala Lumpur and Selangor which were caused by river pollution. A single case like this affected 1.8 million people, causing inconvenience to residents and businesses.

Remember that our water resources are limited and pollution cases like these will reduce them further. The danger of losing water is not only limited to river pollu- tion. Now we have pipes bursting all over the country due to their old age.

This translates into unexpected water cuts and unknown recovery times for many of us. For those who have experienced this, I’m sure you remember that feeling of coming home from school or work only to find that you cannot shower or even use the toilet!

Despite all these problems, it looks like Malaysians are still comfortable with the current situation because we forget them the moment they go away.

However, we should never let our guard down as we can expect to face even more water-related problems in the future. Imagine the future when our industries are more developed and our population has increased further.

We would need to use more water but by then the supply might be more limited due to all the mismanagement problems which could have been avoided.

No doubt development is important but we must never sacrifice our most basic needs such as food, water and a liveable environment.

Today’s water problems are already a sign of the more serious problems we would face in the future, so we need to make sure that we start dealing with them now.

Even if we cannot control the natural causes, there are still heaps of problems that are within the control of humans. If the push for action from the people is strong enough, the authorities and industries would then have to put more focus into these issues. (Picture shows high levels at the Sungai Selangor dam.)

NAH KOK WAI Research and Policy Executive Forum Air Malaysia