The Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry has no plans to submit a ‘free-of-charge first 1,000 litres water’ proposal to the government because the programme would only encourage wastage.

Its Deputy Minister Noriah Kasnon said the current water tariff was still reasonable.

“The ministry instead wants to educate and encourage consumers on economical water use to sustain supply so that the next generation does not suffer water supply problems,” she said in replying to Datuk Marcus Mojigoh (BN-Putatan) in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Marcus had wanted to know the government’s stand on such a programme and the approach being taken in resolving the non-revenue water (NRW) issue.

Noriah said the National Water Services Commission (NWSC) jointly with water operators had stepped up monitoring and enforcement to prevent water theft through illegal water supply connections, which had contributed to the rise in NRW.

She added that the government’s commitment to overcome NRW incidence continued in the Rolling Plan (10th Malaysia Plan) where a ceiling allocation of  RM324.3 million had been set aside for it.

- Bernama