As a people-centric government, the Penang PR state government will take into account the views by the rakyat and NGOs when formulating the water tariff hike as one of the measures to avoid water rationing. This follows public calls not to increase the first band of water tariff of “0-20 m3 at 22 sen/m3” (No change) to reward those who save water.
I have reiterated to Penang Water Supply Corporation(PBAPP) General Manager Jaseni Maidinsa that the water tariff hike must reduce the high water usage in Penang and yet neither overburden the poor nor penalise conscientious water users. After the tariff hike, PBAPP has been directed to ensure that Penang’s domestic tariffs for the first 35,000 litres would still be the lowest in Malaysia.
PBAPP records the most efficient water supply management in Malaysia with water loss calculated in terms of Non-Revenue Water at 17.6%, the lowest in Malaysia compared to the national average of 36.4%. PBAPP has still managed to remain profitable yearly despite the country’s lowest domestic water tariff that cost nearly RM 70 million in subsidies.
Unfortunately the lowest water tariffs in the country has resulted in domestic water consumption in Penang to be the highest in the country at 311 liters per capita per day(l/c/d). Penang’s water usage is 50% above the national average of 212 l/c/d. Singapore uses 151 whilst the United Nation’s recommendation is 100. In addition, no project has been deferred because of water shortage or rationing despite the stronger pace of development in Penang during the last 6 years as compared to the previous 18 years.
So far Penang has been fortunate to avoid water rationing unlike some states, but is concerned at the forecast by the Meteorological Department of a prolonged drought of 5 months from May to September. Under such challenging circumstances, we cannot continue with “business as usual”. The Penang state government has to act responsibly to take all measures, including water tariff hike to reduce high water usage, to avoid water rationing.
These efforts on the water demand side has led to some mainstream media to question why there is no similar focus on the water supply side by searching for new and additional sources of water to avoid water rationing. By seeking additional water supply there would be no need to reduce consumption through increasing water tariffs Clearly some mainstream media had overlooked the state government’s efforts to implement the RM 2 billion Sungai Perak Raw Water Scheme(SPRWS) to source additional water supply from Sungai Perak.
Unfortunately the state government had been unsuccessful in trying to get the Federal government to inject RM300 million to implement the SPRWS, with the remainder RM1.7 billion spent by PBAPP to build the required water treatment plants. In a letter dated 18 September 2013 to me, Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water Datuk Seri Dr Maximums Ongkili rejected granting RM300 million for the SPRWS and said that the state government should focus on reducing the high domestic water consumption instead of the SPRWS.
PBAPP had tried water awareness and education programmes and introducing the water conservation surcharge (WCS) penalising those who use excessive water to promote water saving. Unfortunately these efforts failed and domestic water consumption rose from 285 l/c/d in 2011 to 311 as at 1 March 2014.
If it takes higher domestic water tariffs to reduce domestic water consumption so that Penang can avoid water rationing and succeed in implementing the RM 2 billion SPRWS, then this has to be done. The point is this: “Even if the people who are suffering from water rationing in other states are willing to pay more now, they cannot pay more to avoid water rationing because there is not enough water to supply”. Let us therefore ensure that “No Water Rationing in Penang” policy can be successfully sustained.