HUNDREDS of thousands of residents in Selangor and Johor were affected by disruptions in water supply during the dry spell last year. The hot weather and lack of rain in catchment areas caused reservoirs in the states to recede. Although water-rationing is over, it could return due to the dry weather.
Unlike our neighbouring country Singapore, where water supply comprises desalinated water, NEWater (purified reclaimed water), catchment water and imported raw water, our country depends heavily on catchment water. This makes us vulnerable to weather variability.
Effort has been put in to increase our nation’s water catchment capacity but a more sustainable solution is required if we really want to solve the water challenge.
Seawater desalination offers a reliable source of water supply that is not climate dependent. Many utilities throughout the world are turning to desalination to improve the security of their water supplies and to avoid major social and economic disruptions.
Two desalination plants in Singapore, for example, have a total production capacity of 100 million gallons of water per day, and with this capacity, it can meet 25 per cent of the nation’s water needs.
Advances in membrane technology over the last decade have significantly reduced the energy and capital cost of seawater desalination plants, making it an attractive option to be considered in both developed and developing nations.
This technology has become an essential tool for the effective management of water strategies in many countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United States and China. There is no doubting the reliability and sustainability of this technology in water production.
Uninterrupted water supply is achievable if we start to explore other water sources. It is never too late to diversify the nation’s water supply portfolio by incorporating a secure, rainfall-independent source of desalinated water.
n Dr Lau Woei Jye, senior lecturer, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor