BY SARAH HAFIZAH CHANDRA & ALEXANDRA LORNA
KUCHING: The state government aims to balance economic growth through a responsible approach in utilising natural resources and integrating climate adaption and mitigation plans.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the approach prioritises the sustainable use of land and ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs while preserving the health of land and ocean ecosystem.
“In line with sustainable development principles and commitments towards climate adaptation, various initiatives will be implemented such as to maintain more than 50 per cent forest and tree cover, establish an integrated watershed management policy to conserve and protect water resources, increase urban green spaces and prioritises green mobility solutions including developing fuel cell technology.
“There are many factors contributing to the state of the present water supply system issues, and they include inadequate treatment plant capacities, insufficient raw water sources, inefficient water treatment processes, inadequate treated water storages, ageing pipelines, lack of interlinked networks, poor soil conditions, and high non-revenue water amongst others.
“To address these issues holistically and systematically, the state government has introduced the Water Supply Grid System spanning across the whole of Sarawak for the purpose of providing reliable, sustainable and resilient water supply to address the short term, medium term and long term demands towards the year 2070,” he said in his keynote address at the Borneo International Water and Wastewater Exhibition and Conference (BIWWEC) 2022 here on Today (Oct 18).
Abang Johari disclosed that an initial funding of RM4 billion has been allocated for the implementation of the first phase of the programme that would be in place by 2025.
At the same time, he said Sarawak was also implementing the Alternative Water Supply programme (SAWAS) to serve isolated communities with standalone treated water supply systems.
“The implementation of SAWAS is one of the initiatives towards achieving 100 per cent water supply coverage by 2025 in Sarawak,” he added.
