‘Waste not, want not’

WITH Hari Raya just days away, many homes across Malaysia are bustling with preparations for open houses and gatherings.

Even those not celebrating will balik kampung for the festive holiday and have some sort of family reunion.

Such gatherings present an ideal opportunity to pause and reconsider a resource we consistently undervalue – water.

Gatherings, while joyous, inevitably mean higher water usage, even double the usual daily consumption as water would be used more for house cleaning, and when entertaining guests, more dishes to wash.

National Water Services Commission (SPAN) chairman Charles Santiago, during a recent conversation, said he made an observation on how Malaysian adults habitually remind children to switch off appliances to save on electricity, but often lack the same urgency for turning off taps.

Why? Because electricity costs more.

It is a reflection of our collective attitude towards water – a resource still astonishingly cheap despite being finite.

In Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, residents pay just 65sen per cubic metre for the first 20 cubic metres of water monthly.

This means RM6.50 buys an astounding 10,000 litres of clean drinking water, about half the cost of a single premium cafe beverage.

Johor, with Malaysia’s highest domestic water rates, charges RM1.05 per cubic metre, or RM10.50 for 10,000 litres.

Penang, long known for inexpensive water, charges 62sen per cubic metre, which is RM6.20 for the same 10,000 litres. These rates were last revised in 2024.

As Santiago explained, the result is an alarmingly high consumption rate of about 227 litres per person daily, well above the target of 160 litres for sustainable domestic use.

This casual attitude towards water extends into industrial practices as well.

Santiago pointed to an incident where a stream in Rawang was deliberately diverted into a factory compound, causing downstream pollution.

Such cases illustrate the urgent need for stricter water management and stronger enforcement.

In response, Selangor has implemented its Zero Discharge Policy, requiring industries to recycle wastewater or pay based on discharge volume.

It is still early days, and no data has been presented yet.

Penang, which records among the highest per capita usage, is also exploring similar measures, according to Santiago.

While policy changes pave the way, public attitudes must shift along with them. A buy-in from the public is essential.

Santiago believes a key reason Malaysians undervalue water is its persistently low cost.

Unlike electricity rates, which fluctuate with global oil prices, water tariffs rarely reflect the true cost of treating, delivering and protecting its supply.

Part of the solution inevitably involves addressing tariffs that could be coming soon.

In a recent media report, talks are underway on potential nationwide water tariff hikes by July 1, including a possible 30% increase for users in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.

While unpopular, such adjustments may be necessary to ensure tariffs better reflect the actual cost of water services, ultimately promoting more responsible consumption.

“When people understand how the extra revenue supports infrastructure upgrades and water security, acceptance is easier,” said Santiago.

At the same time, there must be a push to increase the adoption of rainwater harvesting, wastewater reclamation and water reuse practices for both domestic and industrial use.

In many countries, drinking water is reserved strictly for consumption, while recycled water is used for agriculture and industrial cleaning.

However, Malaysia still uses treated water for commercial and industrial purposes.

Santiago warns that delays in creating sustainable water systems can lead to future water crises.

For all festivities in Malaysia, as families gather, perhaps it is time to reflect on how small changes such as fixing leaks and encouraging water-wise habits can protect this precious resource and ensure our celebrations remain joyful in the future.