The Penang state exco will decide at our weekly meeting on April 2, 2014 whether to follow for Penang, the decision of the Perak state government to impose water rationing in Taiping.

I was shocked to learn that the Perak state government will embark on water rationing for the first time ever in the wettest town in peninsular Malaysia, which is Taiping, next week.

Water rationing there is expected to affect some 28,000 of the total 85,000 water account holders in Penang for two weeks from April 3. Perak state public facilities, infrastructure, energy and water committee chairperson Zainol Fadzi Paharuddin said they had to resort to water rationing for the first time in Perak due to the dwindling water supply following the prolonged dry spell.

This shows that Malaysia is facing the most severe drought in 15 years. I had previously announced that there will be no water rationing in March even through the current drought season. However, a review will be done by the Penang state exco for the month of April at our coming exco meeting of our existing stocks of water supplies and water reserves to determine whether such water rationing is necessary in Penang.

The Penang state government wishes to express grave disappointment that our water consumption continues to rise despite the numerous educational programmes and imposition of water conservation surcharges as a penalty on those who waste water.

Last year, water consumption in Penang was the highest in Malaysia at 295 cubic litres per person per day. For the first two months of the year till March 1, 2014, that figure of water consumption has risen by 5.4 percent to 311.

The Penang state government urges Penang’s consumers to conserve and not waste water because our water consumption is now nearly 50 percent higher than the national average of 215 cubic litres per person per day. Our water resources and reserves can be extended by another 50 percent if we conserve water and use the same amount as the national average.

LIM GUAN ENG is chief minister of Penang, Penang Water Supply Corporation chairperson and secretary-general of DAP.