Malaysia: No need for water rationing yet -- Minister

MARTIN CARVALHO The Star 16 Mar 16;

KUALA LUMPUR: Though facing hotter and drier weather due to El Nino, there is no need for water rationing at the moment, said Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili (pic).

The Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister said there is enough supply in dams nationwide which are being monitored daily.

"Water rationing is decided by the operator at the state level and needs approval from the state government.

"The state will then need to get the nod from the ministry.

"So far, no state has applied to carry out water rationing," he told reporters at Parliament lobby on Wednesday.

He said close attention will be given to states that usually face a prolonged dry spell.

"Some states usually face a longer dry spell and we will have to monitor this very carefully.

"The sensitive areas are usually Johor, Selangor, Kedah and Penang," he added.

Asked on the water levels in dams, Dr Ongkili said several reservoirs had recorded drops but they are yet to reach the critical level.

He also said that close monitoring of the water level at the dams was crucial to determine if cloud seeding is necessary.

The hot and dry weather is expected to continue until the end of March due to the El Nino phenomenon, when sea temperatures usually rise by 0.5 to 2 degrees Celsius and rainfall drops by between 20 and 60 per cent for most areas in the country.