People power over water

Brief caption: Water level at Air Itam Dam, Penang.Pix by GARY CHEN/The Star/19 Sept 2016.

I READ with great trepidation reports in the media on the water supply problems confronting Selangor. Blaming the current state government for the water woes is irresponsible as privatisation of water services was done before it took hold of the state. On the other hand, its provision of free water albeit with certain conditions is disconcerting. Providing free water does not make the water services industry financially sustainable.

Water is too precious a resource to be used as a political gimmick. The looming Day Zero in South Africa’s Cape Town comes to mind. Day Zero is expected in April this year when the taps in Cape Town will run dry. This is due to a prolonged drought and also mismanagement of the water resources.