The National Water Services Commission urges water operators to stockpile supplies and prepare for potential disruptions from the West Asia conflict, aiming to safeguard service continuity.
PUTRAJAYA: The National Water Services Commission (SPAN) has urged all water service operators to implement immediate mitigation measures to counter potential disruptions stemming from the West Asia conflict.
SPAN stated that these measures must include ensuring an adequate stockpile of chemicals, mechanical parts, and electrical spares for at least the next three to six months.
The commission highlighted the industry’s heavy reliance on international markets for fuel used in treatment and distribution, as well as for logistics to procure equipment, spare parts, and chemicals.
“Based on current monitoring, operators have not yet felt a significant impact as fuel costs remain controlled, following the announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim,” the commission said in a statement.
It added that the costs of spare parts and processing materials have also not shown any sharp increases to date.
SPAN confirmed it would continue monitoring the situation through ongoing impact assessments and did not rule out direct consequences that could disrupt the industry if the conflict persists.
“Any sudden spike in costs will affect the operations of water service providers,” the commission warned.
It noted that if necessary, appropriate measures would be proposed to the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry (PETRA) to minimise consumer impact while maintaining consistent service capacity.
“PETRA, through SPAN, is proactively examining all potential risks, both tangible and intangible, to the water services industry and will take necessary steps to ensure service continuity,” SPAN said.
The commission also called on consumers to use water and energy prudently, particularly during festive seasons and amidst global crises.
Any issues with water supply can be reported directly to operators or to SPAN via the SiSMAS application at sismas.span.gov.my.
The Sun Malaysia
