Future Outlook of Fresh Water Supply and Demand in Selangor

Abstract

Water is an essential resource for the well-being of humans as well as for ecosystems. In this regard, the increasing water scarcity areas has become one of the major problems faced by humanity. In Malaysia, Selangor is considered a water-stressed area due to the increase in water demand and limited suitable fresh water resources for treatment and distribution. The increase in population as well as urbanization and industrialization made the rivers in Selangor arguably the most polluted compared to other states. These situations result in a series of unscheduled water supply interruption over the years and negatively impact the majority of consumers. Projected water demand also indicates that the existing water supplies are not sufficient in the long run, therefore, it is deemed required to study the water demand and supply gap in Selangor to ensure the current water management is sustainable for the remote future. This paper mainly discusses on the current water production from Water Treatment Plants as well as projection of water demand which also foresee the future water deficit in Selangor. The method used in this study was based on review of secondary data acquired from available published report and website, while the assessment of water demand conducted comprise of calculation of projected population, projected domestic water demand, projected total water demand and water deficit up to year 2050. According to the result obtained, the existing water demand and supply in Selangor is 4,967 MLD, meanwhile, the projection of water demand in Selangor up to year 2050 is 7,011 MLD with the projected water deficit of 2,044 MLD. The findings of this paper are essential in water resources planning and management, particularly in terms of additional raw water supply that will be required to cater to the future water demand in Selangor.