SARAWAK’S Utilities Ministry is targeting the pockets of domestic consumers who use water well in excess of the average water consumption rate.

Its minister, Stephen Rundi, said today his ministry was looking into the proposal of levying water conservation surcharges on domestic consumers to “encourage” them to stop wasting water and ensure they do not abuse the domestic water subsidy they currently enjoy.

Rundi said the other key objective of the surcharge was to “promote a water saving culture” that could save the state millions of ringgit or even billions in investment, which could instead be used for future water infrastructure projects.

He told the state assembly today that as part of water demand management, it was necessary to inculcate and encourage water conservation at home.

Apart from the surcharge, Rundi said intervention measures, such as the mandatory use of water saving devices in the private and public sectors, needed to be considered.

“Water demand management, as an integral part of integrated water resources management, has many benefits.

“It has a positive impact on the environment as it reduces the volume of water supplied to consumers, thus enhancing the sustainability of current water resources.

“This, in turn, will enable the water services provision to be expanded without necessarily increasing the volume of water supply,” he said.

Rundi said low water consumption could also save the state much needed funds for infrastructure maintenance and the building of new infrastructure.

The water conservation surcharge is nothing new, he told the state assembly, as it is practiced here and abroad by water supply authorities, such as the Penang Water Supply Corporation. – July 16, 2018.