Ageing pipes keep Malaysia trapped in costly water loss cycle

SHAH ALAM - Ageing pipeline infrastructure remains the main contributor to the country’s persistent non-revenue water (NRW) problem.

Former National Water Services Commission chairman Charles Santiago said while water theft contributes to overall losses, the far bigger issue stems from deteriorating underground pipe networks that leak treated water before it reaches consumers.

“Malaysia loses around RM2 billion worth of treated water each year, largely due to ageing infrastructure, with water theft accounting for only a small portion of the losses.

“The core issue lies in old pipeline networks, especially asbestos cement (AC) pipes, which were originally designed to last between 30 and 40 years. In many parts of the country, however, these pipes have remained in operation for over 50 to 60 years,” he told Sinar Daily.

According to Santiago, many of these ageing AC pipes have become increasingly brittle over time, making them highly vulnerable to leaks and bursts.

“These ageing pipes have become brittle and prone to frequent breakages. While some pipe bursts are visible and quickly repaired, a significant portion of leaks occur underground and remain undetected for long periods.

“This leads to continuous water loss across the distribution system,” he said.

He added that years of insufficient maintenance and weak infrastructure management have further worsened the situation, with an estimated 39,000km of pipelines nationwide now requiring replacement.

The NRW burden, however, is not evenly distributed across the country.

Santiago said states such as Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan, Pahang and Terengganu continue to record particularly high NRW levels due to financial limitations and weaker mitigation capacity.

“In some cases, the situation is particularly severe. Perlis, for example, records NRW levels of close to 60 per cent. In practical terms, this means that for every 100 litres of treated water produced, about 60 litres are lost before reaching consumers,” he said.

By comparison, he noted that more developed states such as Selangor, Perak, Penang and Johor have managed to keep NRW levels below 30 per cent through more systematic maintenance and stronger infrastructure management practices.

Although the federal government has allocated RM2 billion for water infrastructure upgrades and pipe replacement programmes, Santiago said the amount remains insufficient given the scale of deterioration nationwide.

He explained that pipeline replacement involves extremely high costs, especially across large and ageing distribution networks.

“Beyond infrastructure repair, reducing non-revenue water is also seen as a critical step in improving national water efficiency. Lower leakage rates would reduce the need to construct additional water treatment plants, which are expensive to build and operate.

“Without addressing systemic losses, new infrastructure investments risk becoming inefficient and unsustainable,” he said.

Santiago warned that Malaysia could remain trapped in a cycle of recurring leaks, costly repairs and continuous capital expenditure unless a more aggressive replacement strategy is implemented.

He stressed that the issue is no longer purely technical, but also a major governance and financing challenge requiring close coordination between federal authorities, state governments and water operators.

As urbanisation accelerates and demand for clean water continues to grow, experts warn that delaying large-scale infrastructure renewal could further strain public resources and weaken Malaysia’s long-term water security.