Photo: Bernama
DEMAND for clean water in Kelantan is much higher than the volume its water operators can produce, the Dewan Rakyat has been told.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said water operators in the state could only provide up to 514.7 million litres daily (MLD) while the demand is 584.4 MLD.
“Non-revenue water (NRW) in the state is at 54.5%,” the Energy Transition and Public Utilities Minister said yesterday.
He was responding to a supplementary question by Datuk Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PN-Rantau Panjang) who had asked about the government’s long-term plans to build facilities to tackle floods in the state.
Fadillah said state governments and water operators must cooperate to resolve issues involving water treatment plants, adding that the main issue in Kelantan is a lack of such facilities.
“At the federal level, we only help with the (water) supply, but treatment plants have to be prepared by the state government.”
He also pointed out that the RM500mil allocation announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for Kelantan to solve its water woes is a loan and not a grant.
Fadillah said the recent adjustment of water tariffs would also help state governments to build water treatment plants.
“If we provide the supply (of water) but there’s no facility, we still can’t give the people clean water,” he said.
Fadillah said the Irrigation and Drainage Department (DID) is developing the National Water Balance Management System at 19 river basins, to ensure rivers remain water sources.
“Currently, works are already completed at seven river basins and operating, while nine others are expected to be completed in 2027.
“The DID is also monitoring 25 river dams to ensure there is sufficient water supply for domestic and agricultural purposes,” he added.
