Drastic moves needed to instil water-saving culture: Penang community figures

GEORGE TOWN – It is time for creative and even drastic measures to instil a culture of saving water among consumers, a few Penang community figures say, as the state heads into a major water crisis. 

This may include limits on the commercial use of treated water and studies on using recycled water. 

Kebun Bunga assemblyman Jason Ong Khan Lee suggested the state look at regulating the use of treated water by car wash businesses, which he said “could be reduced further or banned altogether”. 

He also called for a stronger push to educate household consumers as the state faces its second water supply disruption in 11 months, amid warnings of low water levels in dams and dry weather due to the El Nino phenomenon from the middle of this year until early 2024.

Ong said that households need to learn to apply a water-saving culture in tasks as simple as watering plants, which can be done sustainably. 

They should even be taught about limiting shower times, he added. 

“Water savings devices also need to be made available and affordable to households. The time has arrived to appreciate water more,” Ong said in an interview. 

He also suggested monetary incentives as a measure to make household and commercial users of water save more of the precious commodity. 

But consumers alone cannot bear the brunt, Ong said and urged the state to improve water distribution and find new water resources. He added that this needs to be expedited, especially seeing how consumers struggled with yesterday's water shortage. 

Penang Forum executive council member Khoo Salma Nasution, meanwhile, took to social media to post that the state government needs to set its priorities on issues like water supply sustainability, instead of land reclamation projects. 

“If the Penang South Island (PSI) scheme is launched, the water supply issue here would worsen,” she said, referring to the mega reclamation project in the south, now downsized from the initial three islands to one. 

The scaled-down project, however, is still receiving opposition from certain groups.

Academic Chan Ngai Weng, meanwhile, has suggested a “no-water day”. This is akin to the similar practice of a no-car day to create greater awareness of using public transportation in order to control traffic jams and reduce air pollution and atmospheric warming. 

“For a long time now non-governmental organisations and even some governments have mooted the idea of a no-water day. But none dared to do it. 

“Perhaps yesterday’s no water day in many parts of Penang was a blessing in disguise as it certainly helped to create huge awareness about the importance of water and the need to conserve it at all costs,” he said to The Vibes after making the suggestion in a chat group.

The latest water crisis to hit Penang, which is already struggling with low rainfall and drying dams, was a sudden drop in water level in Sg Muda, affecting intake points at water treatment plants. The drop in river level was attributed to sensor failure in a floodgate that allowed freshwater to escape to the sea. 

Water supply was resumed in stages for about 90% of Penang consumers yesterday. 

Penang has been depending largely on water from Sg Muda in Kedah which has become a politicised subject as the northern neighbouring state is led by the opposition PAS. 

Penang is also seeking water from Perak through the proposed Sg Perak Raw Water Transfer scheme whereby Penang Water Authority Holdings would treat the river water from Perak for Penang’s supply and also redistribute to its southern neighbour. 

Tg Bungah Residents Association chairman Zulkifar Abdul Aziz, meanwhile, told The Vibes that Penang must also take responsibility for its section of Sg Muda within state boundaries and which supplies 80% of the water needs here. – The Vibes, May 16, 2023