MB: Councils to ensure builders have own water supply

PASIR GUDANG: Local councils in Johor will be asked to carry out a feasibility study on the proposal for developers to include rainwater harvesting and install water tanks in their development projects.

This, says Mentri Besar Datuk Khaled Nordin, was to reduce their dependency on dam water.

He said the move was part of a long-term solution to ensure that the water levels at dams in the state remained sustainable.

“There is a coastal housing area in Permas Jaya here where the developer has built its own system. And the area itself is not included in the current water rationing sche­dule.

“We believe that it is about time that the local councils studied this and to see whether such systems will help lessen dependence on traditional water supply from SAJ (Syarikat Air Johor Holdings),” Khaled said.

He was speaking to reporters after opening the Duta Jauhar 2.0 and Economy and Human Capital Transformation project in Taman Desa Rakyat here yesterday.

Khaled said the state would also hold a water forum on Tuesday that would gather key players, including experts from the universities, to find a solution.

“The change in the weather has contributed to the current water woes here, and the forum will discuss it. Hopefully, we will be able to find a proper long-term answer to it,” he said.