SHAH ALAM: Water consumption throughout Selangor has decreased since Pakatan Rakyat implemented the 20 cubic metres of free water scheme.
In addition, more than 1.3 million families have saved RM1,200 per year since the scheme was implemented four years ago.
Meanwhile, for some consumers who have yet to receive the free water scheme, they have saved RM875 in the past five years. This is after the Selangor State Government prevented the increase of water tariffs by the Selangor Water Supply Company (Syabas – Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor).
The statistics are based on the 20 cubic metres per month which amounts to RM11.40.
If the Pakatan Rakyat Government did not govern Selangor and Syabas was allowed to increase water tariffs, the cost of water for every household from January 2013 is RM18.80 per month for 20 cubic metres.
Apart from saving consumers money, the scheme has resulted in the saving of water consumption throughout Selangor since 2007. This is according to a Selangor Water Monitoring Committee recently.
The committee found that the level of consumption of 35 cubic metres per connection in 2007, water consumption has decreased to 32.8 cubic metres for every connection in 2011.
Each connection refers to the metered water supply connected to a domestic consumer’s premises.
The decline of 2.2 cubic metres per month has disputed earlier criticisms that the free water scheme will lead to wastage.
Instead, said Member of Parliament Charles Santiago, the scheme has taught the people of Selangor to conserve water consumption because they do not want to pay RM11.40 per month for their water bills.
“Normally, we would assume that if something is given free, it will cause wastage. However, the opposite has happened in the case of the free water scheme.
“Consumers who received 20 cubic metres (of free water) per month will try to conserve so as to not waste water resulting in them not having to pay their water bills.
“This is another accomplishment for the Selangor Government,” said Charles who is also involved in the Coalition Against Water Privatisation movement.
The reports from the committee was formulated using the data of the Malaysian Water Industry Guide (MWIG) for 2090, 2011 and 2012, certified by the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water.
According to the MWIG data for 2008, consumption per connection per month was 34.8 cubic metres compared with 35 cubic metres in 2007.
After the year 2008, the trend showed a decline to 34.5 cubic metres (2009), 34.0 cubic metres (2010) and 32.8 cubic metres (2011).
