Optimising management of non-revenue water

Adopt best practices: Filepic of workers repairing a burst water pipe near Rawang town. National discussions on non-revenue water must remain grounded in evidence and informed by international best practices. — AZMAN GHANI/The Star

IN light of recent news coverage attributing non-revenue water (NRW) largely to ageing pipelines, it is important to recognise that while public concern over infrastructure deterioration is valid, national discussions on NRW must remain grounded in evidence and informed by international best practices.

The widely-referenced “The Manager’s Non-Revenue Water Handbook” by Ranhill Utilities and Usaid clearly explains that NRW comprises both physical losses and commercial losses, and that reducing NRW requires a comprehensive water balance approach – not simply wholesale pipe replacement.