PETALING JAYA: The National Water Services Commission (SPAN) estimates that the average Malaysian goes through about 225 litres of treated water a day – roughly the same as 150 large 1.5‑litre bottles.
This rate is higher than most of Malaysia’s neighbours – including Thailand (200 litres per day), Indonesia (160), and Singapore (143) – and above the World Health Organisation’s recommended 160 litres per day.
SPAN says if Malaysians don’t reduce consumption, water shortages will occur in the future – even though many believe the nation is blessed with abundant rainfall.
This is because SPAN projects that as climate change intensifies, there will be more droughts and the dry spells will be more intense.
“As climate change intensifies drought frequency and severity, national water demand increases, and Malaysia’s per capita water use can reach 300 litres per day in some states,” SPAN said in a recent email interview with The Star.
“If consumers and businesses do not act, water shortages and economic repercussions will escalate. Unsafe water infrastructure and high non-revenue water (NRW) losses continue to threaten system resilience.
“Every household and industry must contribute to preserving this essential resource.”
The key data point – 225 litres per day – is central to SPAN’s ongoing campaign, WaterWise, to get Malaysians to change how they use the resource.
As SPAN chairman Datuk Abdul Kadir Mohd Din recently said: “Water from the sky is free. But water coming out of your taps costs money.”
The WaterWise campaign is also a crucial pillar in the country’s Water Sector Transformation plan (AIR2040).
According to AIR2040’s document, the plan aims to make the water sector dynamic and contribute to the country’s gross domestic product while providing quality and affordable water for all.
A key part of the WaterWise campaign is to emphasise the 225-litre per day benchmark and help consumers better understand how they can reduce their water footprint, SPAN said.
These steps include adopting everyday conservation habits, including fixing leaks immediately, using water-efficient appliances and bathroom fixtures and collecting and reusing water.
“Ultimately, the Water Wise Campaign supports the creation of a more informed, responsible, and water-conscious society.”
Besides changing consumer behaviour, SPAN believes that achieving several critical targets in AIR2040 will make the greatest impact on water sustainability.
This includes replacing ageing water infrastructure and reducing NRW to below 25% nationwide through installing smart meters, leak detection technologies and digital water management systems.
SPAN also aims to mainstream water reuse technologies among consumers and industries by creating green financing mechanisms to support sustainable water investments.
These technologies include systems that harvest rainwater and reuse wastewater, the commission said.
These strategies will be complemented by stronger enforcement and tougher penalties for water theft and contamination.
Besides water security, the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) also spells out measures to deal with climate risks that include major flood mitigation projects in high-risk areas such as Kuching (Sarawak), Johor, Pahang, Kedah, Sabah and Perak.
“The plan includes AI-based early warning systems for floods to enhance preparedness and reduce disaster impacts,” SPAN said.
