SHORTAGE: Six million to face problem
KUALA LUMPUR: WITH water reserves at an all-time low, water disruption is imminent for nearly six million consumers in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.
Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) yesterday warned that with low water reserves in almost all of its 34 treatment plants -- they stand at less than one per cent rather than the required 10 per cent -- consumers from Kuala Lumpur, Petaling, Klang, Gombak and Hulu Langat can experience water shortage at any moment.
"The current water reserves in the treatment plants are at their all-time low, leading to the possibility of huge-scale water disruptions.
-----------------------------------------------------------
2013
GIVE US MANDATE: Opposition-led Selangor govt rapped for not giving development order to build Langat 2 plant
SEMENYIH: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak promised yesterday that Barisan Nasional would solve the water shortage issue in the Klang Valley, if the party is given the mandate to rule Selangor.
He hit out at the opposition for pointing fingers at Syabas and BN instead of solving the water shortage problem....
-----------------------------------------------------------
2012
The state government, through the Selangor Water Management Authority (LUAS), controls the state's seven dams, and water levels were between 92% and 100% as of July 2.
"We only control the raw water in the state and there is more than enough, which means Syabas should be answering why it does not have enough treatment plants to provide clean water to the people, and why there is talk of water rationing today," he said.
Jayakumar further claimed it was irresponsible of Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin and Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk Noh Omar to suggest that the state allow Langat 2 to be built first and discuss water tariff hikes later.
-----------------------------------------------------------
PUTRAJAYA: THE Selangor government is going ahead with its planned takeover of the water operations from concessionaire Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd, state executive councillor Dr Xavier Jayakumar said yesterday.
He proposed a "referendum of the people", where the people of Selangor would decide.....
...Jayakumar said the state government had requested RM225 million from the Federal Government to carry out water mitigation projects through the State Economic Planning Unit, but the approval was still pending...
-----------------------------------------------------------
The Selangor government is all for preventing this RM8.65 billion gravy train from riding out, and its position is simple: there is plenty of water in Selangor, and if there is any shortage at all, it is due to failure, or worse, failure on the part of Syabas.
Here’s what Syabas doesn’t want you to know about this water “crisis”: it’s not about how much raw water there is (since the dams in Selangor are all clearly full); it’s about how Syabas is failing dramatically to efficiently convert enough of that raw water into potable water.
Syabas’ level of NRW is 32 percent. This means that a whopping one-third of the raw water that enters a Syabas water treatment plant goes entirely to waste.
While Syabas is dead set on exponential increases of up to 75 percent on water tariffs, Selangor has pledged to cap any tariff increases to 12 percent....
-----------------------------------------------------------
2010
At least twice in the last two weeks, residents of Selangor and Kuala Lumpur were warned that they faced the grim prospects of water rationing by 2014 unless the impasse between the Federal and Selangor state governments was not solved.
Central to the issue is the planned Langat 2 water treatment plant, a project that has been delayed as the two parties haggle over issues that can be considered trivial compared with the great inconvenience residents could face when their taps run dry.
-----------------------------------------------------------
2009
PETALING JAYA: Water rationing could start next month for Klang Valley residents if they do not conserve water from now.
Drainage and Irrigation Depart-ment hydrology and water resources director Datuk Lim Chow Hock said water shortage would be more critical in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur due to the dense population....
...In the Klang Valley, the Sungai Langat, Klang Gates and Batu dams were at full capacity, while the Tasik Subang dam was at 87% yesterday.
Puncak Niaga forecasts that the dams would have enough water for 161 days or 5.4 months even if the dry spell continued...
THE Selangor state government made an offer on 13 Feb 2009 to four privatised water service providers — Puncak Niaga Sdn Bhd (PNSB), Syabas, SPLASH and Abass — to acquire their water assets and concessions.
The combined RM5.71 billion offered was made with the objective of delivering the lowest possible water tariffs for Selangor and Kuala Lumpur residents. At the same time, the offer was consistent with, and guided by, the terms and conditions specified in the concession agreements signed willingly by all parties involved....
...If, however, the ministry offers the concessionaires a much higher cash value for its assets as well as lucrative licence terms for them to continue as the water operators in the state, the minister must explain why he is forsaking the rights and interest of the 7.3 million Selangor and Kuala Lumpur population.....
-----------------------------------------------------------
This water crisis issue surfaced since 2008 and continues until today. Everyone seems to be pointing fingers at each other while the people have suffer supply disruptions and poor quality of water. Almost every household have a water filter installed, some more than one.
Privatised Water Service Providers:
Puncak Niaga Sdn Bhd (PNSB),
Syabas,
SPLASH
Abass
Others involved:
Federal Government
Selangor Government
Going by news reports, there's one common factor through the years, the Langat 2 treatment plant. The cost is said to be in the billions. Beneath all the noise:- about Selangor offering to buy up the water assets but water service providers asking for high price, federal government going ahead with the plant, water tariff increase, water crisis, water rationing, not to mention the poor quality of water supplied, numerous warnings through the years... it all boils down to money and politics.
It's the same thing happening over and over again with privatisation, like electricity, sewerage treatment, postal services, roads and highways, airlines, and now water. What happens in the end? After privatisation, the rates and prices always increases. The consumer pays. When these companies lose money, the taxpayer pays. There's only one party that gains, the service providers. They profit.
1. Is the Langat 2 plant the solution? If it is, then Selangor State Government should work work out a solution with the parties involved. If it is not the solution, then why is the Federal government insisting on building it? What are the alternatives? Is there really a crisis looming?
2. These water service providers, as I understand, are supposed to supply treated water to the consumers. Aren't they supposed to ensure that their facilities are doing it's job? They are charging consumers for water. What are the terms of their services? Isn't it their responsibility to ensure that their facilities are capable to deliver the required supply to the consumers?
3. Whenever there's a water shortage, it always blamed on other things such as low rainfall, dry weather, low water level at the dams, leaking pipes, wastage by consumer, shortage or breakdown of equipment, and whatnots.
Finally, must everything be politicised?
