JUNE 4 ― Malaysia recently experienced one of its worst water shortages in history, with several states affected by reduced rainfall. Rivers and dams dried up due to the hot and dry weather, with water levels in several dams falling drastically.
Malaysia has access to strong water supplies such as its rivers, but the frequent episodes of water shortages demonstrate that our water security remains vulnerable to climate change.
With United Nations’ World Meteorological Organisation announcing that global temperatures are on course for a 3-5°C rise this century, our climate conditions are expected to worsen in the years to come.
We therefore need to make a fundamental change to the way we manage water. This means rethinking the different aspects of water management, including how we approach existing infrastructure all the way through to how we educate people to use water more efficiently.
Building water-wise communities
We are high consumers of water in Malaysia ― on average using 210 litres per person per day, when the recommended amount by the World Health Organization is only between 100 and 120 litres of water.
With that in mind, water education is crucial and in the current situation we have seen the government play an active role advising people to conserve water.
While this may help stave off a potential crisis, a more informed and longer-term approach to citizen action is needed to effectively tackle this issue.
Digitalisation and data at home can help change this consumption rate by increasing an individual’s awareness of their own water usage ― effectively empowering them with “water-wise” behaviour.
The concept of a “smart home” opens up a wealth of new opportunities for water sustainability. Installing something as simple as a digital water meter provides consumers with information on water use, where they can meaningfully adjust their behaviour to save both water and money in the process.
While smart home devices are becoming more commonplace in Malaysia with the roll-out of smart meters to monitor energy use, we should already be looking at how we can do the same with water.
Singapore is one country that has already started to adopt this approach, with smart water meters installed across new and existing homes as part of an initiative by its national water agency PUB, to encourage water conservation as well as help with water demand management.
Redefine water infrastructure
Beyond consumer action, ensuring a robust water infrastructure is also critical. We need to upgrade pipelines and other water distribution infrastructure, both on the capacity side as well as distribution, to ensure water security and sufficiency in the state.
Notably, water loss occurring along the water system due to leakage ― or non-revenue water (NRW) ― is a key issue for Malaysia’s water management.
Demonstrating this, in 2017, an average of 5,929 million litres of treated water ― more than enough to sustain the water demand in Selangor and Johor ― was lost nationwide daily.
In response, the government recently announced ambitious plans to reduce the national NRW rate from the current 35 per cent down to 31 per cent by 2020.
One way that Malaysia has approached this is through the mass replacement or reparation of pipes. Recently, the Malaysian government has been working hard to address issues with existing infrastructure ― for example, the recent improvement and repairs of the water pipes at the Sungai Selangor Water Treatment Plant Phase 2 (LRA SSP2).
While the initiatives to improve Malaysia’s ageing water infrastructure is commendable, we need to additionally look at how we can ensure the sustainability of our water systems, by delaying its inevitable wear and tear, which could potentially undo our existing efforts to reduce NRW.
With that, digitalisation can play an important role in our water management that is pre-emptive and predictive, ensuring that we are constantly monitoring the conditions of our water systems and attending to each and every change adequately, and addressing any issue before it happens.
Utilities around the world are increasingly leveraging real-time sensors and data analytics to support their daily operations.
For water leakages, a key factor contributing to the wear and tear in water pipes is excessive pressure coming from a constantly high-water supply.
With digitalisation, water utilities can use technologies that intelligently adjusts water flow according to demand through the use of remote sensors.
This reduces any excess water pressure, which in turn limits water leakages and losses, minimising cost and energy.
It is not enough to improve our national water systems without taking into consideration how we can ensure its longevity.
Data, Internet of Things, and digitalisation have the potential to truly strengthen our national water infrastructure by tackling some of the key challenges we face in safeguarding water security.
Collaboration is still key
In order for digitalisation to take place, we ultimately need public-private partnerships to ensure that new innovation is not only developed, but also incorporated on a large scale.
Industry players can introduce innovative solutions to address water-related issues, as well as bring unique expertise to the table; while a mandate and support from the government is critical to ensure a project’s success.
By leveraging synergies in research and development, and through the exchange of best practices, such partnerships ensure faster and more effective development and deployment of innovative water solutions.
Water management is one of the biggest socio-economic-ecological issues of the 21st century, not just for Malaysia but across the globe.
We can no longer look at just traditional practices to address contemporary water challenges, but instead look at adopting and integrating digitalisation to help transform Malaysia’s water security.
* Leong Chee Khuan is Area Managing Director for South Asia and General Manager for Grundfos Pumps Sdn Bhd.
** This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
