Plug it up: PBA workers repairing a leaking underground pipe in George Town. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) is rolling out a multi-phase, multi-million-ringgit strategy to tackle the state’s non-revenue water (NRW) issue, which currently stands at 28%.
PBAPP chief executive officer Datuk K. Pathmanathan said the high NRW level is the result of rapid urban development combined with ageing infrastructure.
“Over the past decade, Penang has seen significant economic and population growth, which has naturally driven up water demand.
“To ensure supply, especially to high-ground areas and consumers at the tail end of the pipeline, we must maintain high pressure in the distribution system.
“It is a fundamental principle in the industry that higher pressure can worsen NRW, as it increases the likelihood of leaks in weaker sections of the network,” he said yesterday.
However, Pathmanathan stressed that the main challenge lies in the age and condition of the system itself.
“About 1,433km of Penang’s pipes are over 50 years old, making them a major cause of leaks and bursts.
“On top of that, over 35% of our water meters have exceeded their recommended seven-year lifespan, resulting in under-registration of consumption and commercial losses,” he said.
To address these issues, PBAPP has drawn up a two-pronged action plan, backed by substantial board-approved investments.
The first initiative is the Accelerated Pipe Replacement Programme.
Under Phase One (2025-2029), RM156mil has been allocated to replace 155km of vulnerable, leak-prone pipes.
“This crucial work is already in progress and remains on schedule.”
For Phase Two (2026-2030), another RM81mil has been earmarked to replace an additional 53km of weak and frequently leaking pipes.
The second initiative is a large-scale water meter replacement programme worth RM18.6mil, through which PBAPP aims to replace 150,000 old and faulty meters to reduce commercial losses from under-registration.
“This high-intensity project has been outsourced to qualified plumbing contractors and is scheduled to be completed within six months,” he added.
