KUALA LUMPUR, March 14 — As the drought worsens throughout the country, the government may have to declare a water emergency in three weeks’ time.

The Star reported Energy, Green Technology and Water minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili as saying, “If it does not rain these three weeks, then I think the National Security Council which is studying the whole water situation will have to declare a water emergency.”

Selangor is currently in the third phase of water rationing which will affect 722, 032 households of about 3.6 million people.

The Selangor Water Management Authority (LUAS) website showed that the Sungai Selangor Dam is consistently decreasing from 40.99 per cent on Wednesday to 40.53 per cent yesterday at 8am.

Sources told The Star water levels at dams are considered critical if they were below 40 per cent.

However, LUAS director Md Khairi Selamat disagreed and said the critical level was 30 per cent.

He added that if it did not rain at all, “we would have 30 days before it (Sungai Selangor Dam) reaches critical level.”

Cloud seeding has been put on hold for now as the Meteorological Department’s aircraft has been deployed to help with search and rescue operations for the missing flight MH370.