The struggle between Malaysia’s federal government and the state of Selangor over a water treatment plant meant to avert a water crisis continued - with a federal water expert accusing the state government of short-term thinking that will end with taps running dry.
Dr Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri said that the state’s existing water treatment plants are operating at maximum capacity and that the new Langat 2 water treatment plant was the only way to ensure adequate water supply past 2014. Selangor’s government has blocked the development of the plant because it says the water issue can be solved through restructuring the water industry and conserving resources.
The average Malaysian uses about 310 litres of water per day (lpd), compared to a UN recommendation of 145 lpd. Dr Zaharuddin Sani said that Malaysians viewed water as a free resource due to poor policies, and recommended that the government charge water fees that reflect its value.
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