He said they should instead invest in reducing non-revenue water (NRW), intensifying rainwater harvesting, amplifying use of reclaimed water and adopting zero-discharge policies.
He said reducing NRW, which was estimated to cost RM8.05 billion between 2018 and 2022, would mean a need for fewer water treatment plants. This, in turn, would generate “a huge amount of savings”.
Given Malaysia’s average annual rainfall intensity of between 2,000mm and 3,000mm, Santiago said rainwater harvesting should be increased and made mandatory for large-scale users.
He said this would reduce dependency on treated water, which would bring down costs. Water obtained through this method could also be used for non-core activities such as irrigation, cooling systems and toilet flushing, he said.
“Therefore, there is a need to make rainwater harvesting mandatory for non-potable water usage within industries, similar to how it is outlined in the Uniform Building By-Laws for domestic implementation,” he said in his keynote address at the Water Malaysia 2024 conference.
Santiago also urged operators to consider the option of water reclamation, which looks at repurposing water within the industrial sector to ensure that the resource is efficiently used and to facilitate the reduction of demand for treated water.
He said such a policy could likewise translate into savings and create water supply security to mitigate climate emergencies.
Similar methods are used around the world, including in Singapore and parts of the US like California and Texas, as well as countries in the Persian Gulf.
Santiago also urged the water services industry to champion “zero-waste” concepts.
He said the output or discharge from water and sewerage operators should be recycled, redirected or repurposed in all ways possible.
“We know that there are few water treatment plants that employ the concept of zero-discharge in terms of effluent.
“This must be made mandatory and replicated at all treatment plants,” he said, adding that the policy should be implemented in all states, based on Selangor’s pioneering efforts.