The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) has submitted a memorandum to Selangor state government urging for the latter's cooperation in the Pahang-Selangor Interstate Water Transfer project.

NONE Fomca, together with representatives from 15 other consumer groups, handed over the memorandum to Selangor executive councillor Elizabeth Wong who received it on behalf of Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim at the State Secretariat in Shah Alam today.

Citing projections by the Malaysia Water Industry Guide, Fomca president N Marimuthu said that by 2019, water consumption would increase by 3.5 percent and the state government might not be able to meet the demand unless immediate measures are taken.

"We are not here for a political purpose. We represent the people and when they turn on the tap they want water coming through and whether it's done by the federal or state government doesn't matter to us," he said.

In the 22-page memorandum, they had also suggested to the state to gazette more water catchment areas and come up with a concrete plan to manage water demand.

Marimutu also quoted the Malay saying, ‘ Gajah sama gajah berjuang pelanduk mati ditengah ' which means when two powerful parties quarrel, the poor and weak suffer.

"We don't want this to happen to the millions living in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur and a repeat of the 1989 water crisis," he said.

Rainwater harvesting

Among other suggestions, the NGOs proposed that the federal government design and implement a national water policy to improve water demand management, integrate water management, create a fund for climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as initiate and fund projects for the public and industry to save water.

"We encourage the use of alternative water resources such as rainwater harvesting as Malaysia has high rainfall. Industries must also improve their operations to minimise the wastage of non revenue water (NRW) and upgrade pipes and tunnels effectively to stop leakages," said Marimuthu.

He pointed out that leakages could hasten the looming water crisis expected in 2014, according to the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry.

Wong, who is a Tourism, Consumer Affairs and Environment exco, stressed that it is not the state's intention to stand in the way of the interstate water transfer project but to ensure that it is glitch free.

"We are having some problems with the project as it cuts through the southern part of the state that has been gazetted as a water catchment area," she said.

She added that most of the water catchment areas in the state have already been gazetted.

water paips Wong revealed that the state is also pondering a suggestion that developers implement rainwater harvesting in new housing settlements as up to 30 percent of treated water can be saved through this method.

According to Wong, a working committee was instructed to present a paper on the suggestion last year and the policy is likely to be implemented soon.

"We are concerned about the increased use of water and we are looking at what is best for the users.

"In Germany and Singapore, they use half of what we use in Selangor where we use treated water to water plants and porches which is wastage," she said.