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The demand for water is a function of the general increase in the population of the country, population concentration in various industrial centers, changing consumption preferences , and growth of commerce , industry and agriculture. Between 1950 and 1980 demand for water largely came from an increasing population. However , after the 1980s, demand for water was a result of an expanding industrial economy. In fact , the industrial demand constitute a significant proportion of the total demand for water. the demand for water increased exponentially with the introduction and expansion of the auto and electronics industry. The proliferation of golf courses in urban cities was another source of water demand. There is a mismatch between the demand for water and the availability of water in terms of spatial distribution of rainfall. In the 1980s, the West Coast states where economic growth and population concentration are high received less water compare to the East Coast states. Growth in the demand for water in commercial centers, such as the Klang Valley, Penang, Melaka and South Johor was estimated between 5 - 8 percent. The Malaysia Public Works Department Report (CBA/JKR 1998) indicates that since 1960s, the water demand in the country has increased at an average rate of 9 - 10 per cent . As a result , the number of urban areas facing water stress ( situation where the annual rainfall is unable to meet the economic and population demands) increased. In 1950, there were 100 treatment plants producing 195 million liters of water per day (MLD) for a population of 1.15 million in Peninsula Malays, representing approximately 23 percent of the urban population. All the major towns had treated water supply systems at that time. In 1998 there were more than 478 treatment plants producing approximately 9,870 MLD, serving a population of 19.8 million. The new mega projects undertaken to respond to the increasing urban demand for water within the production range of 500 MLD to 1,000 MLD, about 7 times the production capacity of the late 1950s. |