KUCHING, March 24 — Malaysia is not at risk of facing “water bankruptcy” as the country still has sufficient raw water resources, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Amar Fadillah Yusof.

However, he stressed that the real challenge lies in the integrated management of water resources, protection of river basins, and improving the efficiency of the national water delivery system.

The Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation said Malaysia receives an average of more than 2,500 millimetres of rainfall annually, with renewable water resources estimated at over 580 billion cubic metres per year.

“This shows that the country is not facing a physical shortage of water resources.

“The country’s main challenge is not scarcity of water, but how we manage, protect and optimise our water resources strategically to ensure long-term security, resilience and sustainability,” he said in a statement following a report in Harian Metro, citing experts’ warnings of a looming “global water bankruptcy” due to declining water quality and pollution.

Fadillah highlighted several key issues requiring attention, including water storage management, encroachment into catchment areas, river pollution, and the lack of integration among alternative water sources such as groundwater, recycled water, rainwater harvesting and desalination.

He said active dam storage currently can sustain water supply for up to 90 days.

However, the national Non-Revenue Water (NRW) rate remains high at about 34.3 per cent, equivalent to some 6,000 million litres of treated water lost daily, translating to nearly RM2 billion in potential revenue losses annually.

“If the NRW rate can be reduced to just 25 percent, the country can save about 2,000 million liters of additional water per day without having to build new water treatment plants,” he said.

According to Fadillah, national water demand is expected to increase from about 19,372 million litres per day in 2025 to over 25,000 million litres per day by 2030, requiring more strategic planning for new water sources.

He pointed out that of Malaysia’s 2,986 river basins, about 30 per cent of major basins are facing moderate to severe pollution pressure due to industrial discharge and uncontrolled land use, which could affect water treatment plant operations.

To address these challenges, he said the government is accelerating the implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) across major river basins, strengthening water storage strategies, and enhancing the use of digital technology and artificial intelligence in the sector.

He added that a national-level digital hub for the water sector is expected to be launched soon, with plans to expand it regionally by 2040.

Fadillah also stressed the importance of continuous public awareness programmes, noting that domestic water consumption in Malaysia remains high at about 225 litres per person per day, compared with the World Health Organisation’s sustainable target of 165 litres.

“Malaysia is not a country that will go ‘water bankrupt’. However, without comprehensive and integrated transformation in water resource management, supply pressures may occur in certain areas by 2030,” he said.

He added that under the Water Sector Transformation Roadmap 2040 (AIR 2040) framework, Malaysia aims not only to secure its water future but also to emerge as a regional hub of excellence in the water sector by 2040. — The Borneo Post