Malaysia: Rationing in 2 Perak districts

New Straits Times 3 Apr 14;

IPOH: A total of 23,719 Perak Water Board consumers in Taiping and Kamunting, some 80km north of here, will face a two-week water rationing exercise, which kicks off today.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said the measure was taken after obtaining approval from the National Water Service Commission and was made because of the dwindling water supply in the two areas. The rationing exercise would last until April 16.

"Though known for being the wettest town in the country, Taiping, too, has been badly affected by the hot and dry season.

"The supply of water has dropped from 35 million litres a day to 26 million litres a day last week," he said in a press conference held on the sidelines of the Perak State Assembly yesterday.

Present was Perak Water Board general manager Datuk Mohd Yusof Mohd Isa, and Taiping member of parliament and Kepayang state assemblyman, Nga Kor Ming.

Although the dry season affected all water catchment areas in the state, those in Taiping were quite badly affected, Dr Zambry said, adding there was no supply disruption in the rest of the state.

Penang folk to pay more to prevent water wastage
BALVIN KAUR New Straits Times 3 Apr 14;

'STOP WASTING WATER': They are the biggest water consumers in country, says CM

GEORGE TOWN: PENANG folk will soon have to dig deeper into their pockets to pay their water bills.

According to Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, this was because many Penangites were wasting water, which he believed could lead to scarcity, as seen in some states.

Lim, who is also Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) chairman, said the state government was left with little choice but to raise the water tariff.

"We have tried many ways to check against wastage but failed. Water usage by Penangites is the highest in the country even though our rates are the cheapest, at 31 sen per 35,000 litres," he said after chairing the weekly state executive council meeting here yesterday.

Lim said Penangites used an average of 311 cubic litres of water daily compared with the people in Sabah and Perlis, whose daily consumption stood at 115 and 241 cubic litres, respectively.

Penang's water consumption was 50 per cent higher than the national average rate of 212 cubic litres per person daily.

Lim said the proposed water rate hike, which is still being worked out, would not be a burden.

"PBAPP, which had recommended the water tariff hike, is conducting a study and will recommend the new rates.

"The proposed rates would be submitted to the National Water Services Commission for approval.

"I assure the people the new rates will be lower than the national average of 66 sen for the first 35,000 litres."

Asked if the new rates would be implemented by year's end, he said: "That is too long. It will be sooner."

Asked whether his earlier announcement that Penang would consider water rationing still stood, Lim said it was now not necessary.

However, he said there was a need to implement a contingency plan to avoid water rationing in the future if there should be an extended dry season.

"I think Penangites, too, would like to avoid water rationing."

The last time water rates were increased in Penang was 23 years ago. However, Lim's announcement was greeted with mixed reactions by various quarters.

Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) president S.M. Mohamed Idris said the water tariff increase was long overdue.

"The water rate hike will definitely stop water abuse. Consumers will react fast when they have to dig deep into their pockets to pay for utilities."

Penang Hoteliers Association president Datuk Lim Mee Lee, however, disagreed, saying the increased water tariff would be a burden to hoteliers.

"The state government imposed levies on hotel rooms, which will come into force in June, and now we have to contend with a water tariff hike.

"This will hit us hard," he said, adding that some hoteliers would be forced to increase their room rates to offset the increase in their overheads.

He said it could not be ruled out that a water rate hike would cause a chain reaction to other businesses and it could ultimately affect consumers the most.

Penang Malay Congress president Rahmad Isahak said the state government should postpone its decision to increase the water tariff.

"The economy is bad right now and the people are already feeling the pinch.

Penang offers 60% discount on conservation surcharge
The Star 4 Apr 14;

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government has proposed to the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) that households with eight or more members be given a 60% discount on the water conservation surcharge from May 1.

Families can go to any of the nine PBAPP offices and produce the MyKads of those staying “under one roof” to qualify for the discount, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng told a press conference at his office here yesterday.

He said PBAPP chief executive officer Jaseni Maidinsa will handle the mechanics of the matter. Responding to criticisms on the water tariff hike, Lim, who is PBAPP chairman, said the state has a responsibility to do everything possible to avoid water rationing.

“Penang’s water consumption is 50% higher than the national average of 212 litres per capita per day,” he said.

“This is just not sustainable. The public must be made aware of the severity of the drought and the real possibility of water rationing.”

He said the PBAPP subsidised nearly RM70mil last year to maintain the domestic tariffs as the lowest in the country at 31 sen for the first 35,000 litres per month. He added that the national average is 66 sen, with the most expensive water being in Johor at 105 sen.

Penang MCA deputy chairman Tan Teik Cheng said Lim had announced the hike in water tariffs without consulting the people.

“I challenge Lim to disclose the water bill of his official residence and that of the relevant agencies to prove the state government is making itself a role model in saving water,” he said in a statement here yesterday.

Penang MCA secretary Dr Tan Chuan Hong said Lim always claims the state government is ready to face criticisms but when the public rejects a certain move, the state administration remains unflinching.

Penang Gerakan secretary Oh Tong Keong said the party wanted an explanation if the increase in water tariffs was due to the ‘surplus of directors’ in PBAPP.

“Lim should inform the people if the payment of allowances to the directors in the PBAPP board, warranted an increase in water tariffs,” he said.

Penang MIC Putera chief N.G. Senthelnat­h­an said that the state government had not made any effort to build water dams or find alternative sources to increase water supply.

'Cloud seeding in catchment areas will go on'
KALAVAANI KARUPIAH AND MASTURA YUSOFF New Straits Times 4 Apr 14;

NOT SUFFICIENT: Rainfall did not increase water levels in Selangor dams, says Met Dept

KUALA LUMPUR: EVEN though there has been steady rainfall in recent days, it has not fallen over the required water catchment areas, resulting in the need to extend water rationing.

Meteorological Department's atmospheric science and cloud seeding division director, Azhar Ishak, said the cloud-seeding operation would be continued in an effort to increase the water levels in dams in Selangor.

"We will continue to carry out the cloud seeding operation until we get further directives.

"At the same time, the process can only be conducted if there are enough clouds in the catchment areas surrounding the seven dams.

"Basically, there is no other method to ensure that cloud seeding results in more precise rainfall. All we need are sufficient clouds to conduct the operation."

Department of Irrigation and Drainage's water resources and hydrology director, Datuk Hanapi Mohamad Noor, said though the rainwater was not sufficient in the catchment areas, it had helped raise the water levels in the dams.

"Take for example, the Sungai Selangor dam. Generally, the water level in this dam drops by an average of 0.2m daily without any rainfall. The dam also releases water into Sungai Selangor and three other water treatment plants, which are located downstream of the dam, in Rasah, Kampung Timah and Rantau Panjang."

Hanapi said if rain did not fall in the dam catchment area but instead downstream of the dam, it would still help raise the water level in Sungai Selangor through other river tributaries such as Sungai Batang Kali, Sungai Ulu Yam, Sungai Serendah and Sungai Rawang.

Hanapi said additional water could be sourced from underground by constructing tube wells.

"Tube wells can supply underground water between half and one million litres per day, which can benefit about 5,000 people daily.

"If more underground tube wells can be constructed, preferably near the water treatment plants, then there will be more water supply available from the rivers."

Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd's corporate communications and public affairs assistant general manager Priscilla Alfred said the water crisis had forced it to continue the water rationing exercise even though the third phase of the exercise was slated to end this month.

"We will continue our efforts until we get the stop notice from the Selangor government."

The ongoing water crisis has taken a turn for the worse, with more than 2.2 million consumers affected in the latest phase, bringing the total number of those affected to 5.9 million in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.

The water rationing is expected to continue until the end of this month and may be extended if the situation worsens. Additional reporting by Nikita Nawawi