Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang (PBAPP) has set a target to reduce domestic water consumption across the state to 250 litres per capita per day (LPCD) this year through a series of water-saving initiatives involving multiple stakeholders.
PBAPP chief executive officer Datuk K. Pathmanathan said the goal is achievable if domestic users consistently practise water conservation, as even small savings at the household level can meaningfully reduce overall usage.
He revealed that Penang’s LPCD has dropped considerably in recent years, from 307 litres in 2022 to 261 litres in 2025, thanks to collaboration between PBAPP, Water Watch Penang (WWP) and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).
“In 2022, Penang’s LPCD rate stood at 307 litres per day, while in the following year it rose slightly to 308 litres per day. However, last year saw a sharp decline to 261 litres per day, which is a significant achievement resulting from joint efforts by various parties, including WWP and USM,” he told reporters after the state-level World Water Day 2026 celebration at the USM Parade Ground.
“PBAPP is now focusing on achieving the target of 250 litres per day, given that the national average currently stands at around 225 litres per day. There is still considerable room for us to reach the target, and it is not overly difficult — even small savings by domestic users can help reduce overall water consumption.”
The event was officiated by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and attended by WWP president Chan Ngai Weng.
Pathmanathan said the corporation is urging domestic consumers to adopt an “active water-saving” culture to safeguard supply amid climate change challenges and mounting pressure on water resources.
He stressed that curbing domestic consumption is equally important as increasing supply capacity through major infrastructure projects being carried out by the federal government, the state government and PBAPP.
“Last year, Penang’s average water consumption was recorded at 865 million litres per day (MLD), with 482 MLD or 55.7 per cent used by households, while the remaining 383 MLD was consumed by non-domestic sectors such as factories, hotels, shopping malls, business premises and government offices.”
“The limited land area of Penang, at just 1,158 square kilometres, also contributes to the state’s constrained raw water resources,” he said.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said achieving the 250 LPCD target would directly extend the effective capacity of the Air Itam Dam and Teluk Bahang Dam by 37.3 per cent during hot and dry periods — a buffer that could determine whether Penang faces a water crisis or avoids one during El Nino years.
“Individually, the contribution required from each of us is merely a small saving of about 17 litres per day. However, when this small practice is adopted collectively by Penang’s 1.8 million residents, it would generate a significant cumulative impact, amounting to savings of up to 30.6 million litres per day (MLD),” Chow said.
“From a reservoir data analysis perspective, the collective savings of 30.6 MLD could directly reduce daily reliance on the Air Itam Dam and Teluk Bahang Dam by 37.3 per cent.”
Source: Malay Mail / Bernama
