PUTRAJAYA: All buildings, including houses, may be required to install a system to catch rainwater.
Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui said the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) and the Housing and Local Government Ministry were considering making it compulsory for all buildings to have a rainwater harvesting system.
"I cannot say when exactly as we are still studying its implementation. We plan to incorporate this into the Uniform Building By-Laws 1984 Act.
"This is necessary as Malay-sians waste a lot of treated water," he said after the ministry's monthly assembly here yesterday.
Chin said the ministry was also discussing the implementation of the system with the Malaysian Real Estate and Housing Developers Association and would continue hosting awareness programmes to curb water wastage.
He said the average Malaysian uses as much as 205 litres of water a day while the recommended amount, as suggested by the United Nations, is 165 litres per day.
"The people think because Malaysia is a tropical country, and with the water bills low, that there is no need to conserve water.
"The water they are wasting is actually treated water and has undergone a very expensive procedure before it was channelled to them."
He is hoping to achieve the ministry's target of 175 litres of water per person per day once the rainwater harvesting system is implemented.
-- NST
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