“A DROP of water is worth more than a sack of gold to a thirsty man” — and so it is to planet Earth, which is thirsting for water due to global warming and climate change.
Compounded by a lack of awareness of how our lives revolve around water, humans would, indeed, be in dire straits if ignorance and irresponsible behaviour are not checked. Think about it — water is used every day for drinking, food preparation, bathing, and other chores.
Malaysians use 210 litres per person per day, when only between 100 and 120 litres of water is needed as recommended by the World Health Organisation.
Prior to any water disruption, most Malaysians go on a buying spree getting containers to store water.
And from past experience, when supply is restored and life returns to normal, the cycle repeats itself come the next water drill.
Take the current water disruption in the Klang Valley and parts of Selangor, for instance. Authorities have said supply is expected to be restored to 50 per cent of the affected areas within 24 hours of repairs being done.
But dry taps have become a common occurrence in recent years; in a year, there are at least two scheduled disruptions, and that does not include the “burst pipe” incident in a housing area when supply is halted for a few hours.
Long periods of dry taps can result in economic losses due to an increase in cost and a drop in productivity. Major industries, such as manufacturing, tourism, food and healthcare, suffer losses when operations cannot run normally.
Over time, water disruption can cause other problems such as epidemics because of the lack of clean water. Indirectly, it reduces investors’ confidence.
Although the disruption is planned, the shutdown of the Selangor River Phase 2 Water Treatment Plant for upgrading affects 577 areas and more than four million people.
Indeed, such accounts are not new. Upgrading of water infrastructure is certainly much needed in growing Malaysia, and water disruption drills ought to be done to repair damaged pipes and replace old ones; nevertheless, authorities need to find ways to minimise the impact, perhaps scheduling the disruption so that it does not involve huge swathes of the population.
Recently, it was reported that Cape Town in southwest Africa released a draft strategy for water supply and efficient water management for city residents by 2040.
The city suffered its worst drought on record between 2015 and 2018. The water strategy, reportedly, is a bold statement of intent.
It sets a benchmark for sustainable development; although there have been critics, perhaps it is something Malaysia should consider — a committed water strategy — to help us manage our water more efficiently for the long term.
Water conservation should be a way of life for Malaysians, not just during a water disruption exercise, planned or otherwise. If we all do our part to be more water efficient, we can make a difference.
Scientifically, 97 per cent of water on earth is salt water, only three per cent is fresh water of which one per cent is for drinking, and two per cent is locked in ice caps and glaciers.
Make saving water a personal responsibility to ensure earth’s survival and adequate supply for future generations.