GEORGE TOWN: The Federal Government needs to make a decision on the sharing of water among states, says Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
He said while the states have their own priorities, one state should not have excess water while another faces water shortages.
“In Penang, we do not have enough raw water sources. In the end, the Federal Government needs to make a decision as this is important for the country.
“Each state needs to put its own interests aside for the country as a whole,” he said during Penang’s World Water Day celebrations at the Ayer Itam Dam yesterday.
Chow said the importance of having water “surpassed state border and political issues”.
“Even the Prime Minister has said that water sources are our country’s treasure.”
Chow said the state has asked for a separate authority to manage the Muda river basin.
“We have asked for an Ulu Muda Basin Authority which is what the national water services commission (SPAN) has said we need as well,” he said.
Chow was responding to questions on SPAN wanting all states to work together to come up with strategies to manage water levels and come to grips that they can no longer keep water resources to themselves.
SPAN chairman Charles Santiago said that no single state should have the power to hold another hostage, especially in the face of climate change and events like El Nino, which could significantly affect water availability.
Chow urged Penangites to make the effort to prevent the state’s dam levels from going down by reducing domestic water consumption by 20% every day.
He said based on the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP)’s water consumption data for 2022, a 20% reduction in domestic consumption would result in a saving of 106.8 million litres per day (MLD) of water.
“This 106.8MLD will go a long way towards ensuring water supply sufficiency in Penang until the expected heavy rainfall in September.
“Currently, the effective capacity of the Ayer Itam Dam was at 41.5% on Friday and the Malaysian Meteorological Department has published data online indicating that there may be a hot and dry El Nino phenomenon from now until August.
“Reducing domestic consumption will have a bigger impact on water conservation than reducing consumption by government and commercial sectors in the state.
“PBAPP has identified two reasons behind the low dam levels in the state, the first being low rainfall in the dam water catchment areas since Jan 1 this year. The second reason is the high consumption where the state has set a new record for water consumption at 868MLD,” Chow added.
PBAPP chief executive officer K. Pathmanathan said while the current capacity of the Ayer Itam Dam could only last 40 days, they would need to stretch it for another 102 days.
“It depends on how much it rains between now and September,” he said.
