Penang mulls need for water rationing

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Government will decide on the need for water rationing here in the light of a similar exercise in Taiping despite it being known as the town with the highest rainfall.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the state executive council would meet on the matter on Wednesday after a review of the state’s water reserves.

He said he was shocked to learn that the Perak Government would ration water in Taiping for two weeks from April 3.

“Perak state Public Facilities, Infrastructure, Energy and Water Committee chairman Datuk Zainol Fadzi Paharuddin said they had to resort to water rationing for the first time in Perak due to the dwindling water supply following the prolonged dry spell,” he said.

Lim said he was disappointed that Penangites’ water consumption had continued to rise despite numerous educational programmes and imposition of water conservation surcharges as a penalty on those who waste water.

“Water consumption in Penang was the highest in Malaysia at 295 cubic litres per person per day last year. For the first two months of the year, the figure increased by 5.4% to 311 cubic litres per person per day,” he said yesterday, adding that the country was facing its worse drought in 15 years.

Lim, who is also Penang Water Supply Corporation chairman, urged users to conserve water because the state’s water consumption was nearly 50% higher than the national average of 215 cubic litres per person per day.

“Our water resources and reserves can be extended by 50% if we conserve water and use the same amount as the national average.”