SPAN chairman said Perlis loses more than 63% of drinking water before it reaches the tap. He has called on Malaysia to look at water as a “matter of national security”, saying the country stands to lose RM15 billion worth of drinking water over the next 10 years through sheer neglect. The national water services commission (SPAN) chairman says the country must make upgrading the nation’s water infrastructure as a priority. Poor water infrastructure and management cost the country RM8 billion in non-revenue water (NRW) between 2018 and 2022.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org
Presently, Perlis is losing 63.3% of its water to NRW, followed by Kedah (58%) and Kelantan (52.6%). Meanwhile, Penang’s loss – at 23.6% – is the lowest, followed by Johor (25%) and Selangor, (27.5%). The national NRW average is at 37%, with pipes of between 30 to 50 years old needing replacement. Only RM1.9 billion was set aside for NRW-related matters by the 11th Malaysia Plan (2016-2020), which was insufficient.
Internet-linked devices to monitor water leaks, similar to tech used in China, can help reduce waste more efficiently. Urgent fixes may cost RM30 billion over 3 years but will ensure water security and avert water supply crisis. There are technologies available to identify where the loss occurs, but we are not inclined to use them because the existing cartel prefers the “cut and cover “method.
Reference:
Water leaks will cost us RM15bil over 10 years, says Santiago, Predeep Nambiar, FMT,
23 March 2024
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