Plea To Bruneians To Conserve Water
By Husin Ismail

Bandar Seri Begawan - Water levels of dams on which Brunei residents depend for their water supply may decrease in the dry months, according to the Water Services Department.

It is thus best for everybody to conserve water and help avoid a "critical situation", meaning' a scenario when consumers have to put up with water rationing, the department said in a statement.

The department said that it "is anticipating a reduction in the flow of river water and levels in existing dams." This is in line with an episode of the El Niño weather pattern which the Meteorological Department has predicted from this month to the middle of this year.

It will be recalled that Brunei previously experienced a reduction in the water levels of its dams in 1997. Back then, the department had to take steps to ensure uninterrupted water supply for all households, including the release of raw water from Benutan Dam to feed Tutong River.

A spokesperson at the department is calling on the public to conserve water.

Consumers are encouraged to check all taps and repair any faulty and dripping taps immediately, minimise car washing and watering plants, and maximise washing loads.

Open the tap only when necessary, the spokesperson said, adding that households have to immediately report any piping failure or leaks.

The call for water conservation is important in view of high per capita consumption in Brunei, which is 450 litres of treated water per day. This translates to $240 or 300 bottles of 1.5-litre water bottle ($0.80 per bottle).

More than half of water consumed is used for bathing purposes, washing cars, watering plants and so on. The water consumption rate in Brunei is relatively high in comparison to some of its neighbouring countries such as Malaysia - 220 litres and Singapore 160 litres per person per day, according to the department.

One of the reasons for this high rate of consumption is that the sultanate has the lowest water tariff in the region and cost is partly subsidised by the Government.

The water tariff has not been changed since 1986. Domestic consumers pay $0.10 per cubic metre for the first 54.54 cubic metres and $0.44 in excess of the minimum.

The water consumption tariff is around $18 per month for an average household with six members.

Globally, more than one billion people have no direct access to potable water supply and more than two billion do not have proper sanitation facilities.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, by 2050, the number of countries facing water stress or scarcity could rise to 54, with a combined population of four, billion people. -- Courtesy of The Brunei Times

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