By 2050, about 70% of the world's population would be city dwellers and the latest UN estimates stated that the world's population was expected to climb to 9.2 billion in 2050. Many cities around the world are suffering from water stress. In Malaysia, it it estimated that between 65 to 70% of the 28 million population live in the urban areas and water stress is fast developing due to high demends both for domestic and non-domestic uses. S Piarapakaran, president of Association of Water and Energy Research Malaysia (AWER), as quoted by Borneo Post March 22nd,2011, stated that most of the cities in the country do not have a water treatment plant within their vicinity, for example Taiping. Bukit Larut catchment that supplying water for Taiping is currently subjected to threat from development. More than 200,000 people are depending on the water source. He was also stressing about the important of having proper reserved margin in designing water treatment and supply system.
by F.J. Putuhena