Mohamed Hafiz Abdul Hamid, 48, washes his car at his house in Petaling Jaya yesterday, unaware of the dropping water levels at the Sungai Selangor dam. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri

PETALING JAYA, Aug 1 — An impending water crisis is awaiting more than 60 per cent of the population in the Klang Valley if nothing is done to address the depleting water level at the Sungai Selangor dam.

Klang DAP MP Charles Santiago said water supply could be disrupted in the next two weeks as many return to the city from their hometowns after Hari Raya celebrations.

“If there is no rain at the water catchment areas in the next two weeks, we are going to be staring at the mother of all rationing,” he said.

Santiago, who is also a co-ordinator of the Coalition Against Water Privatisation (CAWP), labelled the Selangor government as “irresponsible” for failing to take early steps to inform the public on the actual situation concerning shortage of water supply in the state.

He lashed out at Selangor Water Management Authority (Luas) and state government calling them “incompetent” for failing to properly address the water crisis in the state.

“Both parties have been told numerous times to buck up but they failed to take heed of warnings despite the depleting water levels,” he said.

“I am baffled as to why the mentri besar (Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim) and Luas has not been addressing the looming water crisis in the state and they now appear to be in a bind.”

Santiago said the decreasing water at the dam since early July was already a clear indication the situation could be getting worse.

“The water level has now dropped to 33.46 per cent and the state government should have held an emergency meeting on Wednesday to inform the people they need to start conserving water,” he said.

“The water level at the dam is already reaching the emergency level and it is possible consumers may not be having water by the end of next week,” he said.

As to whether it was the right time for another round of water rationing, Santiago said it would be a pointless exercise.

“How can there be rationing when there is no water to ration in the first place. There are no reserves at the dam,” he said.

“Although the water level at Sungai Selangor is at 33.46 per cent, only a small percentage can be used because 15 to 20 per cent of the water reserve would be contaminated with soil, sand and other elements.”

He urged Luas to inform the public on the actual effective capacity of water from the 33.46 per cent which can be consumed and what is the level of dead storage of water in the dam.

“Although water from former mining pools was being pumped into Sungai Selangor, not all water would be channeled to the dam.

“Water evaporation and water seepage effects the quantum of water sent to the dam and there would still be a shortage of supply,” he said.

Advising the state government not to sit on its laurels, Santiago said it was high time the state authorities swing into an emergency mode and enforce a no hose policy immediately.

“They should ban all car washing exercise and bottling of water. Priority must be given to water for consumption,” he said.