Groundwater not the only solution to water crises | R.AGE Newsflash

PETALING JAYA: The government’s plans to address Malaysia’s frequent dry spells and water crises by tapping into underground water, or groundwater, has received mixed reactions from experts.

Some, like Centre for the Environmental Sustainability and Water Security (IPASA) senior fellow Prof Dr Zulkifli Yusop, believe that the yet-untapped estimated five trillion cubic metres of groundwater could be a useful alternative source of water during crises.

"Our demand is increasing so rapidly, our rivers is always polluted and we are expecting a more frequent drought seasons in the future. So we have to think about what are other alternative resources especially during crisis, " he said, adding that other countries, including Denmark and the United Kingdom had already been using groundwater.

However, detractors like Association of Water and Energy Research Malaysia (AWER) president S. Piarapakaran argued that draining the ground could lead to land subsidence and a heightened risk of peat fires.

"When there's drop in water table (water level in the ground) you will have land subsidence issues, if you look at Jakarta, it's sinking like 10 centimeters per year.

"Then, we also look at when there's drop in water table (water level in the ground) peat swarm areas get drier which means higher risk of pear fires to occurs even during slight dry seasons, " he added.

Watch: Can groundwater save us from the water crisis? | Newsflash

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