ALOR SETAR: The Kedah government will involve the private sector to tackle the issue of non-revenue water (NRW) in the state.

       Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said the state government had obtained approval from the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) and was awaiting a decision from the Environment and Water Minister.

       “To overcome this problem of NRW, we will involve the private sector and Kedah is set to be the first state to do so.

       “The private sector will invest in infrastructure and a lot of costs can be saved from there.

       “Our target is to reduce the NRW rate from 50% to 25% within the next 15 years,” he said after his Hari Raya open house at Seri Mentaloon here yesterday, Bernama reported.

       He said private sector involvement would also help save electricity costs by 60%, which the state government had to bear.

       “The cost of water is not as high as that of electricity; we have to pay RM180mil a year to Tenaga Nasional Berhad. Our pumps are old and consume a lot of electricity.

       “To change the pumps will cost millions of ringgit, so we cannot rush into changing them.

       “Other developed states like Selangor also face water problems, so be patient. I am not justifying the problem but we are making efforts and I give an assurance that infrastructure issues involving water will be resolved in the next three years,” he added.