Sunday, September 30, 2007

Arsenic in Asian Drinking Water Linked to Microbes

SHARE WITH YOU...
Search by Wee Beng Wah 30/09/2007
John Roachfor National Geographic News
June 30, 2004


Microscopic organisms that get their energy by inhaling metals in the ground play a key role in the arsenic poisoning of drinking water for millions of people in Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, according to a new study.

Researchers hope that the finding will shed light on how the drinking water came to be so heavily laced with arsenic—and that, in turn, it is hoped, could yield a way to reduce the level of the toxin.

More information:
Arsenic-Laced Well Water Poisoning Bangladeshis
Microorganism Cleans Up Toxic Groundwater
Rust Breathing Microbes: Miracle Microbes?

Cited by the World Health Organization as the "worst mass poisoning in human history," as many as several million wells in India and Bangladesh became contaminated with the poison in the early 1990s. The poisoning remains a grave threat to those who continue to drink and irrigate with the water today.

Exposure to high levels of arsenic can cause cancers of the skin, bladder, kidney, and lung, and diseases of blood vessels of the legs and feet. It may also contribute to diabetes, high blood pressure, and reproductive disorders.

"Some researchers have estimated that two-thirds of the population in Bangladesh are at risk for chronic arsenic poisoning," said Willard Chappell, an emeritus professor of environmental sciences at the University of Colorado at Denver and expert on arsenic.

For the past decade, research teams from around the world have tried to determine why arsenic is present in such high concentrations in the Bangladesh and West Bengal aquifers. That knowledge would help them identify areas of high risk and develop appropriate remediation strategies.

Reporting in the July 1 issue of the science journal Nature, an international team of researchers indicts bacteria for the rising arsenic levels.

"When we found maximum rates of arsenic mobilization, we found signatures for known metal-reducing bacteria including a commonly found iron-reducing bacteria," said John Lloyd, a microbiologist at U.K.'s University of Manchester. Lloyd led the research team.

Metal-reducing bacteria "breathe" metals such as iron to get energy from their food, in the same way that we humans breathe oxygen to break down our food.

The bacteria breathe by passing electrons onto metals, which changes the characteristics of the metals. Scientists refer to this as metal reduction.

Derek Lovley, a microbiologist at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, said the University of Manchester-led study definitively shows what many scientists had suspected.

"The paper puts together components that were known individually, but nobody had done that experiment with material from the [Bengal] aquifer before," he said. "It's important in that way.

To speculate is one thing, it's another to definitively show it."

Decoupling
In the University of Manchester-led study, the researchers found that arsenic reduction and release took place after the microbes had reduced and released iron, not simultaneously. This is an indication the processes are decoupled.

Lloyd said that while the reasons for the decoupling are not fully understood, the decoupling is not totally unexpected.

One explanation for the decoupling could be that the bacteria feed on the substrates that give the most energy first. Since iron is abundant and preferred by several of these microorganisms, they go after it before they move in on arsenic. Another possibility is that iron reduction causes a change in the mineral structure of the sediments, so that the arsenic becomes more readily available to the metal-reducing bacteria, leading to the release of arsenic into the groundwater.

"We're looking at that in detail now," Lloyd said. "We're trying to get to grips with the details to answer those sorts of questions."

Organic Stimulus

Earlier research by Lovley and his colleagues has shown that acetate—essentially vinegar—is a favorite food of metal-reducing microbes and causes populations to explode.

The University of Manchester-led team added acetate to its sample to simulate an influx of organic carbon to the sediments where the microbes live. This resulted in marked stimulation of iron reduction followed by arsenic release.

The researchers said the stimulation of iron reduction and arsenic release and reduction by acetate demonstrates that the availability of organic carbon controls the mobilization of arsenic by metal-reducing bacteria.

"These sediments are starved of organic matter and electron donors," Lloyd said. "If organic matter does get into the subsurface it will stimulate the activity of these organisms."

Influxes of organic carbon are known to occur when irrigation wells are drawn down, leading several researchers to propose that the introduction of organic carbon by irrigation pumping can be a factor in increasing arsenic mobility in shallow groundwaters in Bangladesh and West Bengal. This theory is supported by the Manchester-led study.

Now that the researchers have a better understanding of the processes that control the release of arsenic into the region's groundwater, they are looking for a way to reverse the processes so that the drinking water can be made safe to drink.

According to Chappell, the arsenic-research community has yet to reach consensus on the mechanisms that cause the arsenic poisoning. He cautions against accepting the University of Manchester-led study as the final word. "The problem itself, however, is very real and very bad," he said.

"Also, while it is much worse in Bangladesh and West Bengal than elsewhere, more and more countries are identifying the problem—these include Nepal, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, China, and others where tube wells were installed to prevent diarrhea-related problems associated with surface-water use."

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Most Polar Bears Gone By 2050, Studies Say

SHARE WITH YOU...
Search by Wee Beng Wah 29/09/2007
John Roach

for National Geographic News
September 10, 2007

Two-thirds of the world's polar bears could disappear by 2050 as global warming continues to melt the Arctic's sea ice, according to a series of U.S. government studies released last Friday.

The new findings paint a sobering picture for polar bears, whose dependence on sea ice makes them particularly vulnerable to warming temperatures.



Polar Bears Suffering As Arctic Summers Come Earlier, Study Finds (September 21, 2006)
Grizzly-Polar Bear Hybrid Found—But What Does It Mean? (May 16, 2006)

"Our results have demonstrated that as the sea ice goes, so goes the polar bear," said Steven Amstrup, a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) wildlife research biologist in Anchorage, Alaska, and leader of the polar bear studies.

USGS conducted the studies to help the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determine whether polar bears warrant protection under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. That decision is due in January 2008.

(Read: "Polar Bears Proposed for U.S. Endangered Species List" [December 27, 2006].)

Kassie Siegel is a climate change activist with the Center for Biological Diversity in Joshua Tree, California. The new studies, she said, represent a watershed moment in the climate crisis.

"If we don't change the path that we're on now, then it will be too late," she said. "Polar bears will become extinct."

Polar Bears and Sea Ice
Scientists estimate that 20,000 to 25,000 polar bears live throughout the Northern Hemisphere in areas that are covered by sea ice for extensive periods.

Polar bears eat mostly seals and other fatty marine mammals that they hunt from the ice.
In some places—like the southern end of polar bear range in Canada's Hudson Bay—the sea ice melts in the summer. The bears then come onto land, where they have insufficient food until the sea ice refreezes in the fall.

Those bears, USGS's Amstrup said, may be the first to die off. As the sea ice melts sooner each summer, the bears will be forced to come ashore earlier and face food shortages before they have stored enough fat to last through the season.

"There's a limit to how long they can fast," Amstrup said.

In other regions polar bears live on the sea ice year-round.

These bears prefer to hunt from the ice that hangs over shallow continental shelf waters, which contain more prey than deeper waters offshore.

But as the ice retreats farther from the shoreline, the bears may have less success with their hunts (related: "Arctic Ice at All-Time Low" [August 20, 2007]).

In addition, the rapid movement of sea ice in these regions may leave some bears stranded in food-poor areas, or it might require long and exhausting swims from food-rich areas back to ice, Amstrup noted.

By mid-century polar bears will likely be eliminated from the southern end of their range and in the Polar Basin, where sea ice is moving farther from land.

These two areas are currently home to approximately two-thirds of the world's polar bear population, Amstrup said.

Polar bears are only predicted to hang on in the Canadian Arctic islands and some regions along the northern coast of Greenland where sea ice is expected to persist even in summer (see map).

Survival Hopes
The USGS findings are based on the best available models of future climate, Amstrup said.

Warming temperatures, however, are melting the sea ice quicker than even the best climate models projected, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colorado.

As of September 3, 2007, sea-ice extent had fallen to 1.70 million square miles (4.42 million square kilometers)—beating the previous record low of 2.05 million square miles (5.32 million square kilometers) set on September 21, 2005.

The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change earlier this year determined that the ice-melting trend is "very likely" being caused by human emissions of greenhouse gases, Amstrup noted.

So hopes of long-term polar bear survival hinges on humans taking action now, he said.

Atmospheric scientists believe that gases already in the climate system will continue to warm the Earth and melt sea ice until about 2050, even if cuts to emissions are made today.

But if polar bears do persist through the end of the century in the Canadian Arctic islands, those bears could seed a rebounding population.

"Emissions reductions now could assure polar bears will still be around to repopulate sea ice when it returns to other areas," Amstrup said in a followup email.

MERDEKA WATER RIGHT DECLARATION

post by Susanne Chi

MERDEKA WATER RIGHT DECLARATION

A Malaysian Inter-Faith Collective Statement on Water as a Right

We, religious leaders and groups, NGOs, trade unions, resident’s associations comprising of Buddhists, Catholics, Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Taoists, participating at the inter-faith forum entitled, “United for Water: Religions Speak on the Right to Water”, in Kuala Lumpur today, hereby resolve the following:

1. Water is God’s gift to people, is essential for life and belongs to everyone

Our religions and faiths believe water is sacred and the Creator’s gift to people. Water is life and must be respected. It is used in worship by all our religions and faiths. Therefore, it must be conserved and utilized as a basic need for all human beings and living things on the earth. It symbolizes life in its pristine form. The right to water is intrinsically linked to the right to life.

2. Access to water is a right

The human right to water entitles everyone to sufficient, safe, acceptable, physically accessible and affordable water. The use of pre-paid cards and water disconnections would be in violation of the right. The State needs to fulfill this right and is responsible to protect and promote the right. Access to water therefore cannot be premised on profitability. People should enjoy this right without discrimination.

The State should ensure that the right to water is represented and realized in the policies of the private water sector.

Fulfillment of the right to water should be consistent with the demands of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC, 1989), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW, 1979), the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR, 1948) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR, 1966).

3. Water conservation, preservation and protection is a responsibility of the people and the State

Water is a scarce resource. Citizens, the government, stakeholders and businesses should work together to ensure that water sources such as rivers, lakes, water catchments and groundwater are conserved, preserved and protected for the present and future generations.

Tender Out Next Month For RM3.8 Bln Pahang-Selangor Water Transfer Project

post by Susanne Chi

Bernama, August 29th, 2007 KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 (Bernama) -- The Energy Water and Communications Ministry will open the tender for the RM3.8 billion worth Pahang-Selangor raw water transfer project by next month. It will be an international tender exercise.

Its minister Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik said the pre-qualification exercise has already been completed and the ministry was determined to carry out a proper tender exercise.

A proper tender will be probably be out in a month's time, he said, adding that the whole exercise was expected to take about two to three months to finish.

Lim was speaking to reporters after delivering a keynote address at the Fourth National Utilities Summit 2007, here Tuesday.

The Pahang-Selangor water project will involve the construction of the Kelau Dam and a 44.6 km long water transfer tunnel bored through Titiwangsa Range to transport water from Pahang river to Selangor.

Work is expected to commence early next year while completion will be in five years.

Dr Lim said the project would enable the government to supply alternative water sources such as underground water.

He said that a proper tender exercise for the project, estimated at RM3.8 billion could be reduced to RM3 billion.

On the project's infrastructure, he said the ministry has decided to award the construction of a water treatment plant namely `Langat 2' to Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Bhd (KDEB).

He said the award was timely and KDEB was a suitable candidate as it has been helping the ministry in preparing the infrastructure for the project.

The infrastructure works will cost about RM2 billion.

The water treatment plant under Langat 2 will have a capacity of 2,180 million litres per day and a network of pipes to distribute the treated water.

‘Water industry funds mismanaged’

post by Susanne Chi

‘Water industry funds mismanaged’

KUALA LUMPUR: International studies indicate that 20%-40% of the financial resources in the water industry is drained by corruption, through revenue leakage, misallocation of funds to a nonperforming department and procurements, said social activist Josie Fernandez.

The lack of transparency intensifies water scarcity, she said at the “Coping with Water Scarcity” seminar here in conjunction with the recent World Water Day.

“The money is not in the water but in procurement and I think the public should be able to sit as a member of the boards in water operators and water supply companies to ensure open and transparent procurements,”said Fernandez,a member of anti-corruption group, Transparency
International (TI) Malaysia.

Citing the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board in Pakistan as an example, she said it had managed
to reduce costs through an integrity pact, involving the stakeholders, Karachi’s district government,
Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town,13 union councils and the TI-Pakistan Secretariat.

“Studies showed that in opening tenders and bidding processes for the replacement of pipe projects,
there was more than 500% cost reduction in acquiring pipes alone,” she said.

Fernandez also pointed out that community participation,particularly women,was essential in
conserving water.

Global Environment Centre’s project director, Dr. K. Kalithasan, said the conditions of water
resources and services were the effect of human activities and it was the people’s responsibility to ensure that quality was good.

Puncak Niaga signs deal on water plant

post by Susanne Chi

17-08-2007: Puncak Niaga signs deal on water plant

KUALA LUMPUR: Puncak Niaga Holdings Bhd has entered into a 28-year concession agreement with the Selangor state government for the operation and maintenance of the Sungai Lolo water treatment plant in Hulu Langat.

In a statement yesterday, Puncak Niaga said its 82.5%-owned subsidiary Puncak Niaga (M) Sdn Bhd (PNSB) has been appointed as the operator to manage, maintain and refurbish raw water intake, and the extended treatment plant.

It said a separate novation agreement was also signed between the Selangor government, PNSB and Puncak Niaga’s 70%-owned subsidiary Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) through which Syabas assumes all of the state’s rights under the operation and maintenance agreement.

Puncak Niaga said under the concession period from Dec 1, 2006 until Dec 31, 2034, PNSB had been granted the right to abstract raw water from Sungai Lolo or other sources as agreed by the director of Water Regulatory Department.

It would also have access and exclusive use of the plant area as well as the right to sell in bulk treated water produced from the operation of the facility to the state government.

Under the novation agreement, Syabas will assume the state government’s obligations with regards to the purchase of treated water from PNSB, payment for the bulk supply and all of the other obligations. Puncak Niaga said the execution of the agreements was not expected to have any effect on its earnings for the current financial year.

Religious Groups, NGOs Hold Gathering On Water Conservation

post by Susanne Chi

July 18, 2007 17:55 PM

Religious Groups, NGOs Hold Gathering On Water Conservation

KUALA LUMPUR, July 18 (Bernama) -- Religious groups and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in their efforts to instill greater awareness among the public on the importance of conserving water, will be holding a discussion on the subject at Masjid Negara here on Aug 4.

The gathering will deliberate the different religious views on human rights to water and is themed "United for Water: Religions Speak on the Rights to Water" and will specifically refer to the United Nations's General Comment No 15.

Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud at a press conference on it here Wednesday, said: "The event hopes to raise awareness among Malaysians to conserve water and to respect and protect human rights to the precious resource."

The event is jointly organised by various organisations including Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM), Buddhist Missionary Society of Malaysia (BMSM), Malaysia Hindu Sangam (MHS), Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM) and MTUC.

International Movement for a Just World (Just) president Dr Chandra Muzaffar will deliver the keynote address while papers will be presented by other speakers including the general-secretary of CCM, Rev Dr. Hermen Shastri and the president of Buddhist Maha Vihara, Sarath W. Surendre.

Those interested in participating in it can e-mail their details to monitoring.globalisation@gmail.com or call Simon Lee at 012-6332349.

Thursday, September 27, 2007

NST Online » Local News 2007/09/27

posted by NEO SEP 060157



Have will, can get clean rivers
Enforcement has ensured that Sungai Siniawan remains pollution-free despite
the presence of pig farms nearby.



KUCHING: Sungai Siniawan and Sungai Sarawak Kanan in Bau district have an image to protect - they are considered among the cleanest rivers in Sarawak. Their water is now crystal clear.


The pig farms that polluted the rivers in the past have toed the line drawn by the Natural Resources and Environmental Board (NREB).There are between 20,000 and 30,000 pigs in Siniawan.Sungai Siniawan, which flows into Sungai Sarawak Kanan, is an example how a river can be rehabilitated. It used to be heavily polluted.NREB officials took samples of water discharged from Yin Yan Pig Farm into Sungai Siniawan on Monday, and found the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) over five days was recorded at 51.2mg per litre of water. This is well below the maximum 250mg/l under the water quality standard for the country.


The Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) of the samples taken from the river on Monday indicated that it was 299.8mg/l as against the maximum of 1,000mg/l under the Malaysian standard.The Total Suspended Solid (TSS) was recorded at 141.7mg/l, which was below the 300mg/l permitted by the Malaysian standard.“Talk that Sungai Siniawan is heavily polluted is untrue,” state government environmental adviser Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit said yesterday.Samples taken from Sungai Sarawak Kanan also showed that its water was free from pollution.Results of analyses from samples taken on June 28 at five different points in Sungai Sarawak Kanan showed that the BOD, COD and TSS were below the permitted quality levels.


Dawos, who is the Mambong MP, and some NREB officials had gone to the Yin Yan Pig Farm on Monday to take samples of its discharge. He said the farm had followed the guidelines issued by the NREB, such as construction of four lagoons and other facilities to keep its premises clean and tidy.The lagoons are used to separate waste from the water.“You can see that the water at the fourth lagoon is clear and ready to be discharged into the river.” Dawos said the state government had realised the need to regulate livestock farms in Sarawak because many of them were found to be discharging waste into the rivers.As a result, the Veterinary Public Health Ordinance was enacted by the state legislative assembly in 1999.


Dawos said the state government gave the livestock breeders a grace period of five years to meet the requirements and conditions stipulated by the ordinance.“Although we knew that many pig farms, for example, in Siniawan, were polluting the rivers, we did not take action against them. We gave them time to meet the requirements and, at the same time, we told them what they should do with their farms.”Nevertheless, he said some farms were fined when they were slow in meeting the requirements.“Now, however, all of them have toed the line.”


Under Part V of the ordinance pertaining to livestock farming, any farm with 100 head of cattle, pigs or goats and any farm with 1,000 chickens, ducks or geese is required to have a licence issued by the state veterinary authority to operate.Any person operating a farm without the licence faces a penalty of RM5,000 or two years’ jail or both .On regulations concerning the environment, the ordinance gives powers to the NREB to act.Dawos said based on these powers, the NREB required all pig farms to submit a half-yearly report to it pertaining to the pig population, among others.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Too many calls for Puspel to handle

post by Susanne Chi


Too many calls for Puspel to handle

THIS is a common problem often faced by consumers - calling Syabas' toll-free Puspel helpline, only to have the call not picked up or be transferred from one extension to another.

The Pusat Perkhidmatan Pelanggan (Puspel) toll-free line is one of the channels consumers throughout Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya can contact should they have any problems or enquiries about water supply services.

The 1800-88-5252 line is operational 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

“There are 60 lines available for the Puspel helpline, but the company has to handle about 2,000 phone calls every day,” said Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) Corporate Communications & Public Affairs Division general manager Abdul Halem Mat Som.

“There are some calls that will be abandoned, but we’ll get someone to entertain the calls on the caller's second attempt.”

On a recent complaint that calls to Puspel on the low water pressure issue in the SS1, SS2 and SS3 areas in Petaling Jaya were not picked up, he said that it could be that the callers tried calling only once.

“We apologise for the difficulties faced by them. If consumers' calls don't go through the first time, I’d suggest that they try calling again and we'll get somebody to answer their call,” said Abdul Halem.

Tender Out Next Month For RM3.8 Bln Pahang-Selangor Water Transfer Project

post by Susanne Chi

August 29th, 2007

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 (Bernama) -- The Energy Water and Communications Ministry will open the tender for the RM3.8 billion worth Pahang-Selangor raw water transfer project by next month. It will be an international tender exercise.

Its minister Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik said the pre-qualification exercise has already been completed and the ministry was determined to carry out a proper tender exercise.

A proper tender will be probably be out in a month's time, he said, adding that the whole exercise was expected to take about two to three months to finish.

Lim was speaking to reporters after delivering a keynote address at the Fourth National Utilities Summit 2007, here Tuesday.

The Pahang-Selangor water project will involve the construction of the Kelau Dam and a 44.6 km long water transfer tunnel bored through Titiwangsa Range to transport water from Pahang river to Selangor.

Work is expected to commence early next year while completion will be in five years.

Dr Lim said the project would enable the government to supply alternative water sources such as underground water.

He said that a proper tender exercise for the project, estimated at RM3.8 billion could be reduced to RM3 billion.

On the project's infrastructure, he said the ministry has decided to award the construction of a water treatment plant namely `Langat 2' to Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Bhd (KDEB).

He said the award was timely and KDEB was a suitable candidate as it has been helping the ministry in preparing the infrastructure for the project.

The infrastructure works will cost about RM2 billion.

The water treatment plant under Langat 2 will have a capacity of 2,180 million litres per day and a network of pipes to distribute the treated water.

What Do You Mean, “Never Mind the ‘Smelly’ Water?

post by Susanne Chi


The Coalition Against Water Privatisation (CAWP) is most concerned with the misleading report provided by the New Straits Times dated 27th March 2006 on the analysis of the tap water in Klang Valley.

The analysis is dubious for the following reasons:

1. The NST reported that water samples sent for testing was collected on March 13, 2006. The pollution of tap water was first reported immediately after the floods on February 25th to 26th 2006. There is a significant time lag of almost two weeks between the reported pollution and the samples collected for analysis.

2. It is unclear whether the samples were collected from relevant locations. It is also unclear how many samples were taken and whether the quality of the samples taken is sufficient to make the findings statistically valid.

3. It is unclear who ALS Technichem (M) Sdn. Bhd is. Are they an accredited firm with a proven ability to test water quality? Does this firm have the necessary equipment to test for heavy metals such as arsenic?

4. The standard used (Standard B of the Third Schedule in the Environmental Quality (Sewage and Industrial Effluents) Regulations 1979 are standards for discharge from factories into rivers. It is not the standard for in stream water quality. Therefore this is not the standard to evaluate quality of in stream water.

The NST should not rely on these samples and analysis to conclude that the water consumed is safe.

The NST should consult reports from the following authorities to determine if the drinking water is safe for consumption.

The standard set by the Ministry of Health is the National Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality Standards 1983 which states among other requirement that “drinking water must be clear, colourless and odourless” – all of which Syabas has failed to meet during polluted water crisis.

The Department of Environment is the final authority when it comes to the standard of water quality in stream (water quality in the river) and the Department of Environment has clearly stated that the ammonia content was 10 times higher than the previous level.

The Selangor government should also investigate the concessionaire based on the Selangor Water Enactment if the standards of water quality have been breached.

Therefore, we ask the Ministry of Health, Malaysia and the Department of Environment, Malaysia to publish their findings on the water quality of the Sungai Selangor as well as our drinking water supplied during the water pollution crisis.

CAWP also once again calls upon the government:

(i) to determine if Syabas was:
a) negligent;
b) compromised prescribed water quality standards; and
c) endangered public health in the affected areas;

(ii) to determine if Syabas should compensate water users in the affected areas;

(iii) To ensure, safeguard and protect catchment areas and strictly control any development within the catchment areas, especially upstream of the treatment plants. The government must enact laws to protect catchment areas and any form of developments in these areas;

(iv) to closely monitor of all existing sewage oxidation pond and sewage plant in water catchment areas and introduce warning system in case of pollution discharge;

(v) to declassify the Syabas concession agreement for public scrutiny;

(vi) To revoke the Concession Agreement with Syabas and take over the management of water in the state. The responsibility of supplying clean, safe, clear, odourless water to consumers should be the sole responsibility of the government and not left in the hands of the private sector.


Issued By:
Charles Santiago, Co-ordinator,
Coalition Against Water Privatisation.
H/p: 019-3150939

Human faeces killing rivers

post by Susanne Chi

Human faeces killing rivers

LANGKAWI: Human faeces, and not industrial waste, make up the bulk of organic pollutants in the heavily polluted rivers of the country.

Drainage and Irrigation Department director-general Datuk Keizrul Abdullah said a study carried out by the Department of Environment two years ago showed that 91% of the organic pollution was caused by faecal matters.

He said this occurred because many residents who used septic tanks refused to engage Indah Water Konsortium to carry out de-sludging periodically.

“There is general misconception that the main sources of pollution are from industrial waste and landfills.

Causing damage: Rubbish filling up the rubbish trap at Sungai Keladi in Kelantan as a DOE study found that faecal matters has been the cause of 91% of organic pollution in rivers. — Bernama
“But we, the individuals, are the main source (of pollution). If we realise this, we will stop pointing fingers at others,” he said after visiting the Kilim River here yesterday.

Keizrul said earthworks that caused siltation make up the bulk of the physical pollutants.

“We have imposed erosion and sediment control plan on developers to control physical pollution,” he said.

On a recent statement made by Environment Minister Datuk Azmi Khalid that the Love Our River campaign initiated in 1993 was a failure, Keizrul said the programme had at least succeeded in creating awareness on river pollution.

“Now, we are taking our campaign a step further, through education. We are formulating a curriculum for schools to teach children how to assess levels of pollution using a bio indicator technique,” he said.

Keizrul said children were the best agents for change.

Of the 2,000 rivers in Malaysia, 16 have been identified as dead rivers. “The worst polluted rivers are in Penang, Selangor and Johor,” he said.

He said RM200mil was allocated under the Ninth Malaysia Plan for the One State, One River project to clean up the most polluted river in each state.

“Our ultimate aim is to ensure all the 189 river basins in the country are clean by 2020,” he said, adding that Malaysia has 35,000km of rivers.

M'sians Use Four Times More Water Than Necessary, Says Expert

post by Susanne Chi

Dr K. Kalithasan of the Global Environment Centre (GEC) said Malaysians were using between 184 and 500 litres daily.

Much of the water is wasted for "businesses" in the toilet and bathroom, he told reporters after presenting a talk at a workshop on water conservation for 70 students, here.

Kalithasan said the daily water usage per Malaysian was about 184 litres but in bigger towns and cities the usage could reach as high as 300 to 500 litres.

He said Malaysians were generally living in a comfort zone where water scarcity was still not a huge issue.

"We only appreciate it (water) when crises arise," he said.

The two-year national water conservation campaign, which started in July last year, is jointly organised by the Energy, Water and Communications Ministry, the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) and GEC.

On the role of the public in river conservation efforts, Kalithasan said the government should transfer the responsiblity and let the general public hold ownership of such projects if it is serious about the efforts yielding positive results in the long run.

He said the government was now holding the responsibility of river conservation and the participation from the grassroots in the effort was too scarce and not consistent.

He said many of such projects failed because the allocated money was largely spent on advertisements rather than proactive action that involved people at the grassroots level.

"When the community doesn't hold the ownership, it doesn't feel the need to be responsible for the rivers. Ideally, such projects should be focused on the grassroots level where the community is provided with some resources to launch their campaigns," he said.
post by Susanne Chi

17-08-2007: Puncak Niaga signs deal on water plant

KUALA LUMPUR: Puncak Niaga Holdings Bhd has entered into a 28-year concession agreement with the Selangor state government for the operation and maintenance of the Sungai Lolo water treatment plant in Hulu Langat.

In a statement yesterday, Puncak Niaga said its 82.5%-owned subsidiary Puncak Niaga (M) Sdn Bhd (PNSB) has been appointed as the operator to manage, maintain and refurbish raw water intake, and the extended treatment plant.

It said a separate novation agreement was also signed between the Selangor government, PNSB and Puncak Niaga’s 70%-owned subsidiary Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) through which Syabas assumes all of the state’s rights under the operation and maintenance agreement.

Puncak Niaga said under the concession period from Dec 1, 2006 until Dec 31, 2034, PNSB had been granted the right to abstract raw water from Sungai Lolo or other sources as agreed by the director of Water Regulatory Department.

It would also have access and exclusive use of the plant area as well as the right to sell in bulk treated water produced from the operation of the facility to the state government.

Under the novation agreement, Syabas will assume the state government’s obligations with regards to the purchase of treated water from PNSB, payment for the bulk supply and all of the other obligations. Puncak Niaga said the execution of the agreements was not expected to have any effect on its earnings for the current financial year.

post by Susanne Chi

Response to Talkings points for Yang Berhormat Metery KTAK for the senior EditorsMeeting on 2d May 2006

1. Sovereignty Over Water Supply

Minister’s Statement:

CAWP alleged that if a service like water supply is provided on a commercial and profit basis it will be subjected to take over by foreign corporations which will have the same rights as local companies. Government not aware of how the World Trade Organisation (WTO) General Agreement on Trade and Services (GATS) to which Malaysia is a signatory will impact the industry if the Bill is passed.

KTAK has consulted Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), which has confirmed that Malaysia will not make a liberalisation commitment in the WTO regarding water supply or water services. Thus the water industry will not be subjected to take over by foreign corporations despite there would be pressure for Malaysia to do so.

However, according to MITI the Government is firm that Malaysia would not liberalise the water industry as it is considered a basic utility and should not be opened for international market forces to determine.

MTUC/CAWP’s Response:

a) We welcome the Malaysian government’s commitment not to liberalise the water sector. However, we believe that this intention to be more meaningful should be made into law. In the real politics of WTO negotiations, trading off the competitive advantage of one country for another is a key feature. Only a legally binding provision can protect the countries sovereignty and natural resources.

b) Developing countries such as Malaysia, very often come under pressure to open up their service sectors, as a ‘trade-off’ for developed countries’ concession in other areas such as agriculture and better market access for industrial goods.

c) Given that Malaysia’s main exports are agriculture (Agreement on Agriculture) and manufacturing products (Non Agricultural Market Access), this ‘trade-off’ can be an extremely powerful tool for industrialised countries to extract offers in the sectors of their choice.

d) By committing a services sector to liberalisation a WTO Members (such as Malaysia) is legally bound by GATS to provide national treatment and market access to all foreign service suppliers of other Members in that sector. For example, Malaysia has made some commitments in opening its private hospital services. It therefore cannot restrict, for instance, any foreign based medical laboratories from providing electronic diagnostic tests to customers in Malaysia.

e) Furthermore, once a GATS commitment is made, it cannot be withdrawn or modified, unless compensation is given to all Members affected. Therefore, it is important to realise that by making a commitment, a government is effectively “locked” into its schedule, which limits its future policy options. The GATS is essentially about progressive liberalisation.

f) The European Commission has made bilateral and plurilateral requests on environmental services including drinking water and sewerage.

g) The European Commission (EC) in its bilateral requests and offer process to Malaysia is entitled: ‘GATS 2000, Request from The EC and its member states to Malaysia

Water for Human Use and Wastewater management, which includes “Water collection, purification and distribution services through mains. The Mode used is Mode 3, which demands Malaysia to take commitments under Market Access and National Treatment.

At the plurilateral level the EU has requested for sewerage services for liberalisation

MTUC/CAWP’s Recommendation

MTUC/CAWP reiterates that the only manner to ensure that water resources and management remains in the hands of the nation is define the word “person” in the Water Services Industry Bill (WSI) 2006 as “state party” and “fully owned state corporation”

2. Absence of Consumer Protection Clauses

Minister’s Statement

It is not true that there is an absence of consumer protection clauses in the bill. In fact the ten national policy objectives for the water supply services and sewerage services industry as outlined in the explanatory statement of the Bills clearly encapsulates the intention of the bill. More specifically 7 out of 10 objectives stated in the explanatory statements are on consumer protection i.e. 2(a), (b), (d), (f), (g), (h) and (j).

In addition, there are many clauses that are drafted to promote consumers’ interest covering the following areas. Explanations of the Clauses are in Appendix 1

MTUC/CAWP’s Response:

a) We had argued with the Minister that in making judgments, learned judges would refer to the clauses in the Act rather than the explanatory statement. MTUC/CAWP had requested that the Ministry make the explanatory note, the preamble of the WSI Bill, thereby giving it the effective legal power to ensure the intent of the Bill were achieved should disputes arise.

b) As reflected by the Minister’s answer above, there is no specific clause which guarantees consumers their rights or the highest consumer standards. In fact, consumers are not even guaranteed their right to redress or compensation in these bills.

c) Below we provide the Clauses, which relate to consumer protection to demonstrate how weakly they are worded, rendering them totally ineffective.

WSI Section 33

A service licensee providing water supply services or sewerage services has a general duty to -

(a) deal reasonably with consumers; and

(b) adequately address consumer complaints

This is a very general and fuzzy requirement on the part of the service licensee to consumers.

WSI Section 41

(1) The water distribution licensee shall, when supplying water to any premises, ensure that at the time of supply the quality of water supplied complies with the minimum quality standards as prescribed by the Minister.

Water Quality – minimum quality standards as prescribed by the Minister. This statement does not ensure that water quality in Malaysia is of the highest standards.

WSI Section 88 and 89

Section 88 (1) Any sum of money in respect of –

(a) water supplied or services rendered in connection with such supply; or

(b) the provision of sewerage services,

shall be payable, within thirty days from the date of presentation of the bill, to the service licensee and if such sum is not so paid, the sum shall be recoverable by the service licensee through civil action in court.

Section 89 (1) Subject to subsection (2), a water distribution licensee may –

(a) disconnect the supply of water to a consumer by severing the service water pipe or cut off the water supply including the right to reduce the supply of water or pressure of the water supply; and

(b) take such other means as it deems fit and proper.

Provides for automatic disconnection of water supply after 30 days. The Bill does not make it mandatory for the water operators to resolve the matter with the consumer such as sending notices, rescheduling payment, providing for flexible payments, etc.

WSI Section 68

“The Commissioners may develop consumer standards on its own initiative or upon recommendation from the Water Forum…”

There is no guarantee that the highest consumer standards will be developed.

WSI Section 69

(1) The Commission shall designate a body to be know as the “Water Forum” for the purposes of this Act by notifying the body in writing, if the Commission is satisfied that –

(a) the membership of the body is open to all persons;

(b) the body is capable of performing as required under the relevant provisions of this Act; and

(c) the body has a written constitution.

The Water Forum is open to any “relevant persons”. This creates barriers to civil society is setting best practices and highest standards as they will be confronted by the industry players even at the conceptual stage. Water Forum will be weighted in favour of industry.

SPAN Section 15

There is also no explicit statement that among the functions of the Commissioners is to protect the consumer interest.

3. Minister’s Power

Minister’s Statement

There is no absolute power accorded to the Minister because most of the decisions to be made are either based on Cabinet decision or SPANs recommendation. However under circumstances for the purpose of national interest, prompt decision has to be made. The Minister shall exercise its authority as the Minister in charge of the water services. For the appointment of the Chairman of SPAN, administratively it is still bound to the Prime Minister’s decision. List of powers accorded to the Minister are listed in Appendix 2.

MTUC/CAWP’s Response:

a) The Minister is the final decision maker in all matters in this legislation;

b) Section 5(1) states that the Minister is to appoint Commissioners. However, the criteria stated (Section 5(1) (c) … have experience and shown capacity and professionalism in matters relating to finance, engineering, business or administration, or to be otherwise suitable for appointment because of their special knowledge and experience. These favours ex – civil servants and industry actors and may discriminate against civil society, especially environmentalists and consumer advocates.

c) Section 11(1) Minister may at any time revokes the appointment of any member of the Commission without assigning any reason for the revocation

d) Section 18(1) The Commission shall be responsible to the Minister

There is no language as “the Minister shall give due regards to the recommendation of the Commissioners.” Instead the various clause which the refer to the Minister’s decision making ability as “may upon the recommendation of the Commission”

The issue of collective responsibility of the Cabinet and referring to the Prime Minister do not apply, as it is matters relating to Executive powers. In relation to powers granted to the Minister through this legislation, this is the first Bill, which provides far-reaching powers to the Minister with no bounds, safe the powers of the Executive.

4. Lack of an effort to benchmark water quality (CAWP)

Minister’s Statement

Clause 41 on water quality require that the water distribution licensee shall, when supplying water to any premise, ensure that at the time of supply, the quality of water supplied complies with the minimum standards as prescribed by the Minister. Currently the standard is based on standard set by the Ministry of Health guidelines on water quality (World Health Organisation minimum standard). Failure to comply commits an offence under the Act.

Commission may, under Clause 68, on its own initiative or upon the recommendation of the Water Forum, prepare or caused to be prepared consumer standards and this may include benchmarking on water quality.

Under Clause 175, the Commission is required to monitor all significant matters relating to water supply and sewerage services industry and report to the Minister at the end of each financial year of the Commission. This shall include the services and performance standards of licensees. The Commission shall publish the report in a manner deems appropriate as soon as practicable following the date on which the Commission conveys the report.

MTUC/CAWP’s Response:

a) Clause 41 gives the power to the Minister to decide on the minimum water quality standard. This can erode existing high water quality standards in Malaysia.

b) The technology used by water treatment operators is of the lowest level treating water only for bacteria and sediments. The current technology (except for Seremban) does not address the toxic waste in Malaysian rivers. There is no incentive or rewards to force the water operators to increase the water quality.

c) The Minister does not have any power to regulate issues relating water catchments and upstream of water intakes.

5. Infringement on Fundamental Human Rights to Affordable Access of Water (Query raised by the DAP)

Minister’s Statement

The objective of restructuring the water industry by the government is to ensure affordable and accessibility of water to all citizens. There will be no more privatisation, as the water operators would be given license to operate. The government has also instructed that all state government are to corporatise their state water authorities. This is to ensure that the water operators are run efficiently even if they are government owned corporations.

Water is an essential necessity thus the government will ensure the public will have access to continuous supply of clean, treated water.

MTUC/CAWP’s Response

a) The MTUC/CAWP has requested that the phrase “…that water is an entitlement” be inserted into the Bills. The Minister agreed but unfortunately did not deliver on his pledge.

b) The MTUC/CAWP had asked that the word “person” be defined as state parties and state owned corporations be inserted into the interpretation section. This will ensure that water will be managed by the state and/or its agencies.

6. Allowing Market Forces to Decide on Water Supply Unethical and Immoral (Query raised by the DAP)

Minister’s Statement

The water services industry is a strictly regulated service and unlike other services there is no intention of liberalising it by allowing the market forces to decide on water supply to the public. In the new industry structure every service provider in the industry would be licensed.

MTUC/CAWP’s Response

Section 191 provides a list of 15 private companies managing the water supply in Peninsular Malaysia. The government has already liberalised the market as these private companies operate in response to market forces. Water companies such as Puncak Niaga, and Ranhill are listed in the stock market and have to meet financial projections, especially tariff increase for increase in stock value.

7. Failure to Address Environmental Concerns by Protecting Water Sources. (Query raised by the DAP)

Minister’s Statement

This is not true as under Clause 55 of the Water Services Industry Bill if the licensee is of the opinion that the supply of water is unsafe for the purpose of normal supply to the public or poses a health risk to the public the water distribution licensee shall immediately temporarily cease the supply of water to any premises.

MTUC/CAWP Response

a) Clause 55 allows for the water operators to shut down the treatment plant without compensating the water users or providing the water users with alternative water supply. This will further cause hardship to water users as they will have to source for water.

b) The Minister does not have any power to regulate issues relating water catchments and upstream of water intakes.

c) Furthermore, the Water Bills do not promote water demand management but continuous to promote meeting water supply needs.

8. Lack of consultation with the Rakyat on Impact of Bills (DAP)

Minister’s Statement

This is not true of the Water Services Industry Bill and the Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Air Negara Bill is the first 2 bills that the government has declassified to enable the Ministry to have public consultations with all stakeholders and the public at large. Altogether there been public consultations made before and after the drafting of the 2 Bills. Details of the consultations are as detailed below.

Item

No. of Consultations

Consultation before and during drafting of Bills

43

Consultation after approval of Cabinet

13

MTUC/CAWP Response

We welcomed the Minister’s mature decision to declassify the Bills. This provides the Ministry with the opportunity to tap into the expertise of the private sector and civil society to scrutinise the Bills thereby further enhancing them. However, after various parties submitted 350 recommendations, only 3 minor changes were made. This is most disappointing especially when both the private sector and civil society acknowledges that the Bills are seriously flawed.

9. No guarantee of Efficiency, cost and Quality of Water (Query raised by the DAP)

Minister’s Statement

The Bill does not make any provision for privatisation of supply of water. However, with the existence of the national water regulator, this would enable the government to ensure that the water operators would perform efficiently supplying water at the cost that is affordable and according to the quality determined.

MTUC/CAWP’s Response

a) The Bills allow for the licensing of private companies to manage water services in the country. If it is true that that the Bill does not make any provision for privatisation, why isn’t it unambiguously stated in the Bill.

b) Clause 175 is about the “Reporting to Minister on industry performance.” MTUC/CAWP calls that full disclosure of all information related to industry be made mandatory for public scrutiny. As the provision of water is a natural monopoly, only through full transparency can benchmarked competition be effective. Furthermore, the Water User Forum shall have full oversight over these industry data.

10. Apparent advantages that will be given to water industry players to dominate the water forum and Commission (Query raised by the DAP)

Minister’s Statement

This is not true as the Commission may decide that an existing body that was previously designated as the Water Forum is no longer an appropriate body for the purpose of the Act if it is not satisfied that the body no longer meets the requirements set out in Clause 69(10) (b) i.e. the body is incapable of performing the functions imposed on it as a Water Forum.

MTUC/CAWP’s Response

The MTUC/CAWP wants the Bills (Clause 69) to make it explicit that the Water Forum is restricted only to water users and civil society. Examples of these groupings are consumer groups, residents associations, environmental groups, human rights groups, farmers’ organisations, associations representing small and medium scale enterprise, etc. No water industry player is allowed in the forum.

Monday, September 24, 2007

Giant water-filled caverns discovered

searched by Wee Beng Wah

2007/08/29 NSTP
By : Goh Thean Eu


KUALA LUMPUR: Underground water caverns with a combined size comparable to that of Singapore have been discovered in Batang Padang, Perak.

Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik said, with the discovery, Perak could supply Selangor additional water to ensure its taps won’t run dry in three years as some fear.

"Huge! The underground caverns are as big as Singapore. You can imagine the amount of water that’s inside," said Dr Lim after the opening of the 4th National Utilities Summit here yesterday.

Dr Lim said the water-filled granite caverns could be tapped for use as early as 2009.

The country’s water resources are depleting fast, driven by population growth and industrialisation.

The demand for water is projected to increase by 63 per cent from 2000 to 2050. Some experts have warned of acute water shortages by 2012.

However, Dr Lim said, the problem could be solved if users cut down water consumption and water companies repaired their pipes to reduce non-revenue water (NRW) loss.

"A total of RM640 million has been allocated for this purpose (to reduce NRW) under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP).

"I believe we will be able to reduce the NRW loss rate of 38 per cent to 30 per cent in 2010," he said.

Dr Lim said the government had allocated more than RM8 billion to develop the water supply infrastructure under the 9MP.

"I am proud to say that almost everyone in this country has access to safe potable water supply. I am confident that we will be able to achieve 97 per cent coverage by the end of the 9MP in 2010," Dr Lim said.

Besides the water-filled caverns, the government also expects the Pahang-Selangor interstate water supply project to help meet the growing demand for water. Construction work on the project is expected to start early next year.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

NST Online » Local News 2007/09/18

Reported By : Ranjeetha Pakiam

Posted by NEO SEP 060157

Priority to safe closure of landfills

KUALA LUMPUR: The closing of the country’s 16 most polluting landfills will be done in the safest and most environment-friendly manner possible, the deputy prime minister said.

Datuk Seri Najib Razak said consultants had been engaged to conduct site investigations and devise safe closure methods.The closure of the 16 landfills will start next year at an estimated cost of RM160 million.The 16 critical landfills are in Perlis, Kedah, Perak and Pahang (one in each state), and Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Johor (four each).They are among the hundreds of landfills near water intake points, along rivers or by the sea without leachate treatment plants.

"The government is committed to taking positive steps to protect our environment," he said after officiating at the completion of the safe closure of the Taman Beringin landfill in Jinjang Utara, Kepong, yesterday.Najib expressed his approval of the methods employed by Cypark Sdn Bhd, through its environmental arm CyEn Resources Sdn Bhd, to close the Taman Beringin landfill and rehabilitate the area.Asked if Cypark would be chosen to close the 16 landfills, Najib said the government would decide later but added that the company had "made a strong bid for it".The Taman Beringin landfill was the subject of complaints due to its proximity to residential areas and development projects.
Cypark, one of the largest integrated landscape development services firms in Asia, was appointed by City Hall in March 2004 to engineer the safe closure of the landfill.According to Cypark Group chairman Tan Sri Razali Ismail, the 14ha landfill at Taman Beringin had received around eight million tonnes of rubbish since 1984."The height of the dumpsite was about 40 metres from the ground and it was estimated that the rubbish went another 40 metres underground, as it was on disused mining land," he said.
CyEn commenced work on Aug 20, 2004 and transformed the "waste mountain" into a mound covered with grass.The restoration process included engineered capping, leachate collection and management, master planning for after-care and post-closure use, monitoring and beautification.The project initially cost RM24 million but Cypark Group chief executive officer Daud Ahmad said RM33 million was spent after new areas for rehabilitation were identified and a RM7 million leachate treatment plant was set up at the former landfill.



Sunday, September 16, 2007

Domestic Water Consumption, 1999

Post By Voon Chen Li

Abstract
The map shows total municipal needs by province and territory. Domestic water consumption includes the quantity of water used for household purposes such as washing, food preparation, and bathing. Across Canada, nearly all of the water used by municipal water systems comes from lakes and rivers the remainder (12% of the total) comes from groundwater. Establishing


and maintaining water systems is costly. There are three major costs: water supply, infrastructure maintenance, and administration. Water prices across Canada are generally low compared to other countries. Monthly bills range between $15 and $90, the lowest being in Quebec, Newfoundland, and British Columbia, and the highest in the Prairie Provinces and northern Canada. Although water usage rates vary across Canada, the overall per capita use is very high compared to that of other industrialized countries. Only the United States has higher rates of municipal water usage.
Can you imagine a city without water? We use it for drinking, cooking, and for other household needs. In 1998, Canadians, on average, used 343 litres of water per person per day. Water is also needed to clean our streets, fight fires, fill public swimming pools, and water lawns and gardens. And then, where would this water go without a sewerage system? It is not surprising that some of the oldest infrastructure built by human society consisted of aqueducts and sewerage systems. Even in Canada, many cities still use parts of water systems that were built not long after the cities were first settled.
Municipal water use refers to all water supplied by a municipality for its residents, businesses and industries. Although municipal water use is a small part of water consumption in Canada (just 11% of all withdrawals for 1991), it is the most visible use for most Canadians.

Sources of Municipal Water
Across Canada, nearly all of the water used by municipal water systems comes from lakes and rivers, the remainder (12% of the total) comes from groundwater. In many places, water is distributed through a series of pipes connected to a municipal water supply system. In smaller centres and in rural areas, it is usually obtained from wells. Water supply systems typically have intake, treatment, storage, and distribution components. Rural residents usually have individual groundwater supplies. Wells must be carefully prepared and maintained to prevent pollution.
In some remote areas, water is delivered by trucks. For example, in the far North, water may have to be trucked to homes that do not have conventional water supplies because the ground is frozen. Water is also delivered by truck in some rural areas where shallow wells tend to go dry.
Where there are piped systems in the North, the pipes are often buried well below the surface (up to 3 or 4 metres down) to get below the worst of the frost. The pipes are also insulated to prevent the water from freezing.
In permafrost areas, there is a different problem. The heat lost from even insulated underground pipes would melt the permafrost and cause the ground to cave in. Therefore, above-ground utilidors (insulated boxes) are used to carry water pipes and sewer pipes to individual residences. These pipes may also carry hot water for heating. The utilidors are heated, insulated, metal or wood-clad enclosures that are generally installed on piles or blocking.

Cost of Water
Establishing and maintaining water systems is costly. There are three major costs:
Water supply: Water usually has to be pumped, stored, moved and treated to make it available in safe form for consumers. It then has to be taken away after use. At all of these stages, infrastructure is needed.
Infrastructure maintenance: Maintenance includes on-going maintenance, but also periodically being upgrading and being increased in capacity.
Administration: There are numerous overhead costs in running a water system.
Water prices across Canada are generally low compared to other countries. Based on 1996 data, the average household pays $27.65 per month, and uses about 30 000 litres per month, for water delivered to the residence. Monthly bills range between $15 and $90, the lowest being in Quebec, Newfoundland, and British Columbia, and the highest in the Prairie provinces and northern Canada.
Although the operating costs for trucked-in water service are very high, the lower capital costs make it more economic than piped service for most northern communities. Consumption is much lower for areas with trucked service, about 200 litres per capita per day in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.