IF we think water – fresh water – is an ever flowing resource, we should do well to think again.
Yes, Malaysia is a land of much rainfall and many rivers. With such abundant natural assets at our disposal, we like to believe our taps will never run dry since there is always a bottomless reservior to fall back on in time of need.
This sort of thinking does make people feel safe – and bold – over water usage. But if left unchecked, it begets a false sense of security that will lead to wastage – and ultimately shortage.
The amount of water in the world is not limitless. The human race and the other species sharing the planet cannot expect an infinite supply.
True, water covers about two-thirds of the Earth’s surface. But as The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleride, so poignantly laments: Water, water, everywhere, and all the boards did skrink. Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink.
That’s the great paradox of the world’s oceans. Even with all their fathomless depths of water, they offer no ready fix to global water woes – being too salty for use. Only 2.5 per cent of the world’s water is not salty, and two-thirds of that is locked up in the icecaps and glaciers. Of what is left, about 20 per cent is in remote areas, and much of the rest arrives at the wrong time and place as Monsoons and floods.
The great lakes of the world are also shrinking and could be exhausted sooner than anticipated due to over exploitation of their fresh water, aggravated by the vagaries of global warming.
Population is rising but water supplies are not. Humans have available less than 0.08 per cent of all the Earth’s water. Yet over the next two decades, is usage estimated to spike by about 40 per cent.
It’s foolhardy to think Malaysia will never face water shortage. In fact, at this very moment, some states in the peninsula are facing a major water crisis. If scorching conditions persist, as many as two million Klang Valley residents may experience disrupted supply of clean water.
Selangor, the most populous state, appears to be bearing the brunt of the problem. The level of its five reservoir dams has dropped substantially, necessitating rationing in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur and several outlying districts.
The situation is serious enough for the Selangor state government to agree – after five years of protracted tub-thumping – to sign an MoU with the federal government aimed at revamping the state’s water supply industry.
Under the MoU, the Selangor state government will issue a development order for the construction of the Langat 2 Water Treatment Plant (Langat 2) and its distribution system (LRAL2) (Package 2A) and ensure all approvals and authorisations relating to the LRAL2 project approved within 30 days.
Meanwhile, in Negri Sembilan, seven reservoir dams have seen a big drop in water level. A state of crisis has been declared, affecting more than 8,000 homes – the worst for the state in decades.
There are fears major rivers and dams will reach critical levels across several states if the hot dry spell continues. A state of emergency has already been declared in some badly-affected areas while cloud-seeding has been carried out.
The water shortage problem is exacerbated further by the perennial haze problem Malaysia is facing. Over 6,000 open fires are blazing across the nation – 14 times more than last year.
The world has warmed, says a UN report on climate change. It could a natural process but far more likely, human beings are to blame.
In 1997, the developed world created the Kyoto Protocol under which the signatories were required to set their emissions targets. However, since then, instead of decreasing, global emissions have increased by 24 per cent.
The two largest producers of greenhouse gases are the US and China, being collectively responsible for over 40 per cent of all emissions. The US chose not to ratify the Kyoto Protocol. And China, as a developing country, isn’t bound by it, hence rendering the accord on global warming virtually useless.
Coming back to water scarcity, people in many developing countries with this problem are forced to drink low quality water from largely soiled streams, resulting in deaths through water-borne diseases.
Experts say 70 per cent of the world’s water sources is used for agriculture and irrigation, and only 10 per cent for domestic uses. Less water means lower yield from farming and other crops that need water to grow. Farm animals will not do well and may die without water, giving rise to constant hunger, thirst and low quality of life.
In Sarawak, over 80 per cent of the population has access to clean water. While there are no immediate plans to increase water tariffs in the state, it’s still imperative to use water with utmost care to avoid unnecessary wastage.
Access to quality water is key to economic prosperity and better living standards. Water shortage will impede economic activities and growth, compelling people to face constant poverty as a result.