Prolonged hot weather, looming ‘Godzilla’ El Nino pose risks to dams

 Water experts say conservation measures must be taken now with the hot spell expected to last until June.

The capacity at the Muda dam in Sik, Kedah, has dropped to 8.04%, while other dams in the northern region are also showing declining water levels as the hot weather persists. (Bernama pic)

GEORGE TOWN:

 Prolonged hot weather, coupled with the looming threat of a projected “Godzilla” El Niño, could place additional strain on Malaysia’s dams, particularly in the northern states, experts warn.

A “Godzilla” El Niño is an informal term used by scientists and meteorologists to describe an exceptionally strong and rare El Niño event, characterised by extreme sea surface warming in the Pacific Ocean.

The Malaysian meteorological department (MetMalaysia) has said the current hot spell is expected to continue until June, and checks have already shown signs of declining dam levels in several states.

In Penang, the level at the Air Itam dam stood at 69.9%, the Teluk Bahang dam at 84.4%, and the expanded Mengkuang dam at 91.3% as of March 27.

In Perlis and Kedah, the situation is more concerning. The water at the Timah Tasoh dam in Perlis is expected to last about two-and-a-half months without rainfall, while Bernama reported that the level at the Muda dam in Sik has dropped to just 8.04%.

K. Kalithasan of the Global Environment Centre (GEC) said current weather patterns, combined with forecasts of a possible intense El Niño event later this year, could significantly reduce water reserves if conditions persist.

Kalithasan said measures such as inter-dam transfers, cloud seeding, and maximising river water intake could be deployed by affected states.

“If we don’t take immediate water-saving or conservation measures, Malaysia could face water shortages and may struggle to withstand the anticipated hot weather,” he told FMT.

Universiti Sains Malaysia professor and Water Watch Penang chairman Chan Ngai Weng said dam operators typically respond to declining water levels with a combination of short-term and structural measures.

Chan said operators often begin by issuing early alerts to consumers and tightening water management protocols.

“Operators may also launch public water-saving campaigns and reduce water pressure in the distribution system to minimise wastage and non-revenue water losses,” he said.

“In some cases, tariff adjustments may also be considered to discourage excessive use.”

He said cloud seeding could be explored, though its effectiveness is not guaranteed.

On March 24, deputy prime minister Fadillah Yusof said Malaysia is not at risk of “water bankruptcy”, citing abundant rainfall exceeding 2,500mm annually and renewable water resources of more than 580 billion cubic metres.

However, Kalithasan said current projections suggest risks could emerge in the future if water management inefficiencies are not addressed.

“We must be water-wise and start taking water management seriously across all sectors – domestic, agricultural and industrial. We also need to reuse and recycle grey water,” he said.

Chan said while Malaysia has abundant water resources compared to many countries, most states still have poor water management.

“Our rivers, which are the main water sources, are grossly polluted and degraded. We need to protect and conserve them to prevent water bankruptcy,” he said. - FMT