Save water! The environment is in danger! Clean water supply for the future generation is at stake!

These are phrases we can hear quite often, especially in the last few months when the weather was dry and water disruption problems happened in several areas. While the advice itself is good, we have yet to see changes in the water consumption patterns among consumers. Are consumers to be blamed for this?

While it is true that the current tariff mechanism encourages water conservation, how many people actually realise it? Did you know that the more water you use, the higher the price of each unit of water becomes? Water in Malaysia is so cheap that people would not even notice the difference!

Then there are also the water efficient devices which can help reduce water. A significant portion of our household water usage comes from our toilets and showers. Therefore, some newer toilets, shower heads and even washing machines are designed in such where it can use significantly less water than its regular counterpart.

We also have rain water harvesting systems which can be set up in our very homes! How many Malaysians even realise the existence of such devices? Even if they do, would they be willing to pay for it?

Water efficient devices are always a little more expensive, and the cost of rainwater harvesting systems start from over a thousand ringgit. Rather than encouraging them to save water, this would probably scare them away. Not to mention the little advertising that these environment friendly devices actually get.

Consumers, especially those with middle and lower income, will definitely consider price when purchasing these home fittings and appliances. They also make up of the majority of the Malaysian population. So, authorities should not be puzzled when people do not follow their advice to switch to water efficient products. In fact, it is not only for the poor, there is currently no incentive to encourage the use of water efficient appliances no matter whom you are.

Authorities all over the world have been trying to promote water conservation as a way to secure a sustainable water supply for the future generation. However, water conservation cannot be achieved by efforts of the authorities alone. The cooperation of consumers will be the key to controlling water demand. If you want the people to conserve water, you need to at least let them know it exists, then give them a good reason to invest in it.

Southern California replaced pre-rinse spray valves at restaurants for free, the capital of Colorado pays its user in cash for every gallon of water saved, and our neighbor Singapore has mandatory water efficiency labelling that shows all consumers how much water they can save. If Malaysia wants to move in the same direction, what do we have to offer the consumers?

NAH KOK WAI is research and policy executive, Forum Air Malaysia.