KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 25): Due to various leakages in Malaysia's water distribution system, particularly due to the nation's ageing pipe system, water services operators lost RM2 billion in potential revenue in 2022.

This was a result of 7.08 billion litres of treated water wasted on a daily basis in 2022, Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change (NRECC) Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii told Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday. 

He noted that this translates to a national non-revenue water (NRW) rate of 37.2%. The figure stood at 36% in 2021, according to Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Air Negara (SPAN).

Huang said that the bulk or 75% of leakages were due to physical losses such as pipe leaks and imperfect pipe joints. 

Meanwhile, commercial losses — which include water theft and inaccurate meter readings — accounted for 20% of leakages, while the remaining 5% was due to other factors such as loss during maintenance. 

The deputy minister explained that the high rate of NRW was due to old pipes — particularly asbestos cement (AC) pipes — that were installed in the nation’s water distribution system some 30 to 50 years ago.   

“These pipes exceeded their designed operational life in 2022. About 39,895km or 29.3% of the 135,975km pipe distribution system in Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan are of the AC type,” he added. 

Towards addressing leakages through NRW, Huang said the government has implemented the National NRW Reduction Programme under the 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP), which was continued under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), with an allocation of RM1.9 billion.

Under the programme, the government has provided an allocation of RM530.4 million to provide grants for basic infrastructure to accurately measure NRW.

“States involved under this approach have an NRW rate of 40% and above, namely Kelantan, Pahang, Kedah, Perlis, Sabah and Sarawak,” Huang said.

Meanwhile, the other RM1.37 billion allocated under the programme is for direct grants of 50% or 75% of annual expenditure for mitigation works carried out if a set NRW target is achieved.

Under the Environmental Sustainability in Malaysia 2020–2030 Plan, the government has pegged a national NRW target of 20% by 2030.

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