27/07/2025

ON SUNDAY JULY 27, 2025 theSunday Special VII

Water, water, not everywhere

Why are water shortages still making headlines in a country drenched by rain? BY CECELIA FONG

M ALAYSIA receives gener ous rainfall year-round. On paper, we’re a water-rich nation. But recent years have revealed a troubling paradox: our taps still run dry while the skies pour. From unplanned rationing notices in Klang Valley to dry spells disrupting farming in the north, water insecurity is creeping into the national conversation. The real concern isn’t just about droughts – it’s about how we manage, protect and value one of our most basic needs. Despite average annual rainfall exceed ing 2,500mm, Malaysians are no strangers to water disruptions. Much of this stems from the deteriorating health of our rivers, which serve as the primary source of water for both domestic and agricultural use. Industrial discharge, illegal dumping and mismanaged waste have turned several previously clean rivers into toxic channels. The 2019 disaster at Sungai Kim Kim in Johor – where thousands, including schoolchildren, fell ill from illegal chemi cal dumping – was a wake-up call. Since

then, repeated shutdowns of treatment plants along Sungai Semenyih and Sungai Selangor have reinforced just how fragile our water system has become. Authorities are sounding the alarm. LUAS (Lembaga Urus Air Selangor), for instance, now conducts 24-hour surveil lance of critical river basins to prevent pol lutants from triggering plant shutdowns. They also advocate for households and industries to install water-saving devices, detect leaks early and harvest rainwater for basic uses such as gardening or car washing. But behavioural change remains slow. A big part of the problem lies under ground, literally. M DOD\VLD VX̆ HUV IURP QRQ UHYHQXH ZD ter (NRW), which is clean, treated water that is lost before it reaches consumers due to pipe leaks, theft or inaccurate metering. The country’s NRW rate currently stands at 37.1%, significantly higher than the international benchmark of 20%. That means more than a third of our clean water, worth over RM2 billion annually, never even reaches a tap.

Once-pristine rivers, our primary water source, are now polluted by industrial waste, illegal dumping and inadequate waste management.

Then there’s climate change. As our FLWLHV ÀRRG IURP VXGGHQ FORXGEXUVWV UXUDO regions sometimes go thirsty. This erratic weather pattern is making water manage ment more complex. Compounding the issue is deforestation, which depletes catchment areas and weakens the land’s natural ability to absorb and retain water slowly over time. Still, there are glimmers of hope. G UDVVURRWV H̆ RUWV DUH JDLQLQJ WUDFWLRQ Organisations like Water Watch Penang and River of Life KL are engaging schools, businesses and city councils to promote water literacy. Whether teaching grey water reuse (recycling water from sinks and showers) or encouraging households to collect rainwater, the message is clear: Saving water is everyone’s job. Apartment dwellers in some urban DUHDV DOVR H[SHULPHQW ZLWK ZDWHU Ḣ FLHQW DSSOLDQFHV GXDO ÀXVK WRLOHWV DQG GDLO\ habits such as reducing car washes or cut ting back on water-intensive landscaping. Younger Malaysians, in particular, are demonstrating a growing awareness of the connection between daily choices and long-term sustainability. Because this isn’t just a rural issue or a seasonal hiccup, it’s a national vulner ability. THE words we speak daily shape how others perceive us and more impor tantly, how we perceive ourselves. If you want to step into the best version of you, take a moment to tune into the language you use. Empowering speech isn’t about being perfect or forceful – it’s about being clear, intentional and kind to yourself. So the next time you’re tempted to say “maybe,” pause. Choose a word that moves you forward, not keeps you stuck. Because sometimes, the secret to real change isn’t a new habit but a better sentence.

Deforestation is drying up catchment areas and reducing the land’s ability to absorb and hold water.