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Johor PKR shocked that state needs water supply from S’pore
Published:  Jun 9, 2016 8:48 AM
Updated: 2:47 AM

Johor PKR has expressed regret and shock that Singapore is supplying an additional six million gallons of potable water a day to Johor, on the request of the Johor government.

“This clearly shows that there is a weakness in Johor’s water management system, where not only is the water source inconsistent, but the water treatment plant also cannot process enough potable water for the needs of the people of Johor, to the point that we need to seek help from our neighbouring country,” Johor PKR vice-chairperson Jimmy Puah said in a statement yesterday.

The Johor government needs to admit its weakness in managing the state water resources and try to follow the examples of countries like Singapore, the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia, which were far more advanced in water management systems and searched for water resources, Puah added.

He also said Johor PKR was concerned about the state's water issue, as the people of Johor paid the highest water tariff in Malaysia, at RM1.31 per cubic metre, yet often faced water shortage.

Those in the south and east of Johor experienced water rationing last year, and recently, parts of Mersing and Kota Tinggi had their water rationed, said Puah.

Steps to take to tackle problem

Johor PKR suggested several steps to help the Johor government and Malaysia overcome these problems in the long-term, he said.

1. Work with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) to form a Centre for Water Management and Sustainable Water Resources immediately.

2. Alternatively, allocate more funds and cooperation to UTM's Institute of Environmental and Water Resources for it to conduct more research.

3. Create diploma and bachelor’s degree courses at UTM that focus on water management systems and the search for water resources.

4. Create a special scholarship for the field of water management, from bachelor’s degree to PhD, which would bond recipients to the government.

5. Continue efforts to search for alternative sources of water, such as underground sources, as well as tighten existing laws and regulations to prevent encroachment and pollution of water catchment areas.

On June 6, Singapore’s Public Utilities Board (PUB) revealed it would be supplying an additional six million gallons of potable water to Johor a day, amid a dry spell affecting the Sungai Layang Dam in Johor Baru.

It said PUB had over the years supplied about 16 million gallons of potable water to Johor.

An additional five or six million gallons a day of potable water was supplied from Aug 14, 2015, to Jan 8, 2016, it said.

Under the 1962 Water Agreement, PUB is entitled to draw up to 250 million gallons a day of raw water from the Johor River daily, while Johor can supply up to five million gallons a day of raw water to Singapore.

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