Air Selangor's Rasau Water Supply Scheme will serve as the first dual-function off-river storage (ORS) in the country, functioning as retention ponds for flood mitigation, as well as a vital source of raw water to the Rasau Water Supply Scheme.
Thousands have lived without love, not one without water, British-American poet W. H. Auden once said.Indeed, as a general rule of thumb, a person may survive only for three days without water.
Water is the elixir of life - it is the only substance that all living things require to exist.
The liquid prolongs and enhances quality of life, enabling humans to maintain a healthy body and make coffee - another necessity for some.
Water also possesses great power to wreak havoc and destruction. According to the United Nations (UN), water can spark conflict when it is scarce or polluted, when people have unequal or no access - causing tensions to rise between communities and countries.
However, it is also stated that water can create peace - where everyone’s water needs can be balanced by cooperating on water which can help stabilise the world.
In line with UN’s efforts and in conjunction with World Water Day 2024 - themed Water for Peace - Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Air Selangor) reiterates its pledge to operate sustainably in building resilience as well as promoting prosperity in water supply.
The country's largest water services provider does this through practical water management strategies to ensure clean and safe treated water is channelled to its 9.3 million consumers.
The Langat 2 Phase 2 Water Supply Scheme Project is currently being implemented by Pengurusan Aset Air Berhad (PAAB) with a capacity of 1,130 million litres per day and is expected to be completed by 2028.
Leaving long-lasting impacts
In adhering to its sustainability aspiration as well as the collective action between stakeholders and consumers, Air Selangor aligns seamlessly with its core business strategy and brand promise of ‘Joy in Every Drop’.It has implemented effective measures to manage water resources amid global concerns on climate change. The initiatives aimed at increasing the company’s production capacity and meet long-term demands for clean and safe treated water include:
1. Rasau Water Supply Scheme: Phase 1 of the project is expected to be completed in 2025, while Phase 2 in 2028. Once fully completed, the scheme has the capacity to supply 1,400 million litres of clean safe treated water per day.
One of the unique aspects of the Rasau Water Supply Scheme is its nine dual-function Off-River Storage (ORS) ponds. Once fully operational, it will serve as the first dual-function ORS in the country, functioning as retention ponds for flood mitigation, as well as a vital source of raw water to the Rasau Water Supply Scheme.
2. Langat 2 Water Supply Scheme Phase 2: This project is currently being implemented by Pengurusan Aset Air Berhad (PAAB) with a capacity of 1,130 million litres per day and is expected to be completed by 2028.
3. Labohan Dagang Water Supply Scheme Phase 2: This project has a capacity of 200 million litres per day and is expected to be completed by 2029.
Air Selangor acting chief executive officer Abas Abdullah shares that these water supply schemes are designed to secure a sustainable supply of clean, treated water for future growth areas whilst ensuring a sustainable water supply for the communities.
He notes that these projects are capable of bolstering Air Selangor’s water supply resiliency by augmenting water reserve margins to 20% by year 2030.
Air Selangor acting chief executive officer Abas Abdullah shares that its Net Zero Energy Vision is not just an aspiration, but a firm commitment that is based on sustainability for future generations.
Air Selangor has also implemented the Pipe Replacement Programme to increase the efficiency of the existing water supply system from 150km per year to 300km per year starting 2024, and subsequently to 400km per year starting 2034. This will allow the replacement of 5,000km of ageing pipes by 2040.
Furthermore, it launched the Net Zero Energy Vision 2040 initiative in November 2023 towards efficient sustainable energy use to achieve the goal of net zero carbon emission by 2040. This is in line with Malaysia’s commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050.
“Under the Net Zero Energy Vision 2040 initiative, we have successfully started the first phase by installing 9 megawatts (MWac) of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels at the Sungai Selangor Phase 2 Water Treatment Plant (WTP) and 10.5MWac at the Sungai Selangor Phase 3 Water Treatment Plant (WTP),” Abas shares.
Encouraging every individual, organisation, and community to join hands in safeguarding and managing water resources responsibly, Abas says: “Air Selangor’s Net Zero Energy Vision is not just an aspiration but it is our firm commitment that is based on sustainability for future generations.
“With the implementation of this initiative, the renewable energy generated for our own use can reduce the operational costs of Air Selangor and is set to position us as the pioneer in large-scale renewable energy in Malaysia.
“We believe that with the right strategy and steps, we can achieve this vision without neglecting the needs and comfort of our consumers.”
Protecting common interests
Data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) found that over three billion people worldwide depend on water that crosses national borders.
Yet, only 24 countries have cooperation agreements for all their shared water. This means there is an urgent need, within and between countries, to collectively protect and conserve water amid increasing climate change and growing population to ensure tensions do not rise.
With that in mind, Air Selangor stands firm in its commitment to maximise its impact and achieve sustainability goals more efficiently through close collaboration with partners and stakeholders.
Efforts to engage and foster collaboration include:
1. Water conservation awareness among public and school children through the popular animated character BoBoiBoy Air.
2. Publication of Water Handbook with the collaboration between experts at Air Selangor and academicians from University Malaya (UM) to encourage sustainable water consumption amongst Malaysians.
3. Installation of water efficient taps in mosques in Selangor to encourage water conservation.
4. Introducing the Leak Reporting Initiative to reduce Non-Revenue Water (NRW) and improve customer experience via Air Selangor app whenever they notice any pipe leakage, pipe bursts, metre leakage, or illegal tapping.
5. Creating a one-stop content platform, Hydro Hub to share more information on water-related topics.A firm believer that short- and long-term challenges can be resolved through the power of collaboration and shared responsibility, Air Selangor urges everyone to lend their support in promoting prosperity and sustainability for greater impact and lasting change.
Reiterating that it recognises the critical importance of water in sustaining life, promoting peace, and driving sustainable development, the company commemorates World Water Day 2024 by standing at the forefront of a joint effort involving all its partners, stakeholders and consumers.
