KEDAH and Penang must take steps to save water before the dams in the two drought-hit states dry up, National Water Services Commission (SPAN) chairman Charles Santiago said.

He urged the local water authorities to impose water-saving measures even if the move is unpopular.

“I don’t know why they are taking their time. The measurement of 30.8% in the Air Itam Dam’s operational capacity is worrisome. This is critical and if there is no replenishment, there would no longer be water,” said Santiago in an interview.

He was responding to reports of water disruptions in Langkawi due to prolonged drought while in Penang, the Air Itam dam is reportedly at a critical level.

Santiago said the states affected by drought, which has severely impaired the catchment areas, need to raise awareness that water conservation is the only solution to the crisis.

“In the past, there were weather forecasts, which are traditional by nature. We know the seasonal weather patterns throughout the year. But now climate change, which has brought on this global warming phenomenon, has the capacity to disrupt the weather predictions,” Santiago said.

The regional heatwave is expected get worse this month even though Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow is optimistic the seasonal monsoon will arrive at month end.

CNN reported that sweltering heat is back in Southeast Asia, a region that is among the most vulnerable to climate change. And it is not going away anytime soon, scientists have warned.

Home to more than 675 million people in 11 countries, the region has seen temperatures reach unprecedented levels with little respite from heat and humidity, climatologist Maximiliano Herrera told CNN.

Thailand has been worst hit, Herrera said, adding that heat forecasts there have been especially dire. 

Temperatures across the country have been “breaking records non-stop” for 13 months with high heat and humidity levels, he said.

Santiago said the water conservation measures proposed are to ban car washes, limit the use of water at public government offices, reduce watering of plants and to reduce landscaping activities.

Most importantly, consumers need to undertake conservation efforts to save water otherwise they are staring at major disruptions in weeks to come, said Santiago.

He said that the heatwave is also forcing some folk to take up to three and four showers daily to cope with the punishing weather.

SPAN data show the average Malaysian consumes 201 litres of water daily, more than the average daily per capita consumption of 165 litres a day recommended by the World Health Organisation.

Data from 2018 showed Penang had the highest daily per capita consumption at 277 litres.

Santiago wants both household and industrial consumers to reduce water usage while the latter should explore using wastewater that is recycled in their factories.

He also wants the Penang government to hasten the conversion of wastewater for the manufacturing sector so treated water can be saved for consumption, sanitation, and healthcare. – The Vibes, April 16, 2024.