Malaysians have been urged to significantly reduce their water usage given the hot and dry spell that is currently gripping the country.
National Water Services Commission (SPAN) chairman and former Klang MP Charles Santiago said daily habits such as taking long showers or washing cars daily is placing a strain on existing water supply.
‘Go slow on those habits’
Santiago said that measures must be taken by Malaysians before water supply drops to dangerous levels, such as Sungai Muda in Kedah.
“Go easy on car washing, gardening, and cut your shower time by 50%,” he added.
He also highlighted that car washes are one of the main culprits behind draining the country’s water reserves.
If you take one million cars and multiply that by about 25 litres per wash, you are already looking at about 25 million litres of water a week — and that is just for one wash.
“People need to be a bit more sensitive and just wash their cars less,” he told Malay Mail.
M’sians using more water than usual
Santiago added that according to existing data, Malaysians use an average of 201 litres of water per person daily, whch is way higher than the UN-recommended 165 litres.
It also exceeds what Singapore and Thailand use at 140 litres and 90 litres respectively.
However, he reiterated that the public must stay hydrated to avoid getting heatstroke.
“Reduce usage, but don’t dehydrate. Just avoid excessive use,” he said.
The heatwave is a direct result of rising global temperatures caused by global warming, making 2026 possibly the hottest year to date:
