MSAN agrees with extracting groundwater for treatment plants

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Water Resources Council (MSAN) today agreed with the state and federal governments to carry out extraction of groundwater as a source of raw water for treatment plants during periods of drought.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pix) said the decision was made following the hot weather in the past few months which resulted in 17 out of 505 water treatment plants in the country to run out of raw water.
"The meeting today also discussed four papers for consideration on streamlining the governance of water resources to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the development of water resources in the country," he said in a statement after chairing the 11th MSAN meeting at Parliament today.
The two-hour meeting was also attended by Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili, mentris besar, chief ministers, federal ministers and state executive councillors.
According to Ahmad Zahid, MSAN also agreed that the National Hydraulic Research Institute (Nahrim) and the Drainage and Irrigation Department conduct a Conjunctive Water Supply System Master Plan Study in Kuala Lumpur.
Ahmad Zahid said the conjunctive water supply system would focus on usage of rainwater, stormwater runoff, low river flow and groundwater.
He said among the suggestions in the meeting was the inter basin water transfer to assist states facing water deficit and to increase the storage capacity of dams and reservoirs.
"The meeting also took note of the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry proposal on Water Demand Management in the Domestic and Industrial Sectors in Malaysia," he said.
According to Ahmad Zahid, water demand management was an effective method for the sustainable management of water resources via several strategies including continuous water tariff adjustments towards meeting the actual cost of water supply and taking into account the aspects of catchment areas, treatment cost and distribution.
"Apart from that, continuous efforts would be carried out to reduce non-revenue water and the usage of water efficient apparatus such as the mandatory installation of dual flush water closet enforced by the National Water Services Commission (SPAN)," he said. — Bernama