THE year began with statements that Putrajaya will invoke Section 114 of WSIA 2006 Act to temporarily take over Selangor’s water assets, management and concessions following its failure to restructure the water supply services in the state.

Last year there were problems in water supply in Selangor ranging from dry spells to the Sungai Selangor oil spill. During Chinese New Year, major water disruptions occurred in several places in Hulu Langat and Kuala Langat due to ammonium contamination at Sungai Langat.

While the need for safe, clean and continuous water supply is clear, unfortunately, the solutions are not.

Following the failure by the state to restructure its water and the announcement of the continuation of the Langat 2 project, the people are unsure when and how the issue will be settled.

Amidst all this, it was announced that the Selangor state government would carry out the Hybrid Off-River Augmentation System (HORAS) at the Selangor River to ensure water availability during drier months.

It is undeniable that the restructuring of water supply services is vital in ensuring the sustainability of clean and safe water supply in the state.

However, the people are uncertain whether the takeover of Selangor’s water supply by the Federal Government would speed up the restructuring process or otherwise.

An action plan with a solid timeline to complete the restructuring process should be made available by the Federal Government.

It was subsequently announced that the long suspended Langat 2 project is to be resumed.

Langat 2 is often associated with high expenditure, thus as an alternative the Selangor government proposed HORAS at the Selangor River.

Details on what is HORAS and how it will affect the environment and the natural water cycle are still not available.

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and the cost-benefit analysis on the proposed HORAS project should be done to justify its commencement.

The water sector restructuring process in Selangor should take place as soon as possible in order to ensure sustainability of clean and safe water supply.

Also, any developments such as the Langat 2 project and HORAS should always take into consideration the consumer’s interest and long-term sustainability of the water services industry.

MATHINI ARVEENA RAVEE
Malaysian Water Forum

Source: http://www.thestar.com.my/Opinion/Letters/2014/02/05/Restructuring-of-water-services-vital/