The government is focusing on the national non-revenue water (NRW) issue as it is causing annual losses of over RM2 billion, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said.
He said these efforts include providing matching grants to assist water operators in dealing with the NRW issue more effectively and sustainably.
“The main challenge is with old pipes that are leaking, damaged, etc, leading to NRW where water is processed but lost due to leakage. It requires significant funding to replace old pipes.
“That’s why one of our strategies is that for any state government with NRW of more than 5 per cent, the federal government will assist by providing grants, while those already performing well will be provided with loans to replace old pipes. This is one of our efforts and focuses until we can resolve this issue.”
Fadillah, who is also Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, said achieving sustainable water management will require a foundation of data-driven policies and collaboration between multiple stakeholders.
