INTRODUCTION
From 8-9 December, a Workshop cum Training for Trainers on Water Security and Safety Plan was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This workshop was jointly organised by the Malaysian Capacity Development Network for Sustainable Water Management (MyCDNet) in collaboration with Akademi Sains Malaysia (ASM), Malaysian Water Association (MWA), Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran Malaysia (JPS) and Sime Darby, with full support from CapNet UNDP.
As an extension of the Millennium Development Goals, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were drafted to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all. One of the SDGs was to ensure availability and sustainable management of water sanitation for all. As water scarcity is also making its way into Malaysia, water security and water safety planning is needed to ensure investment in adequate capacity building as well as infrastructure and facilities at every level. Protecting water-related ecosystems such as forests, mountains, wetlands and rivers is essential if we are to ensure water security and adequate renewable freshwater. The theme of ‘Water Security and Water Safety Planning’ therefore stretches your imagination to the wider perspectives of the water agenda for good water planning and governance for a secured water future where the environmental risk factors, such as contamination of water from source to consumers are taken into consideration.
WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES
1. To provide training for a secured water future for long-term sustainability of water of acceptable quantity and quality for livelihoods, human well-being, health and socio-economic development;
2. To provide participants with a wider perspective on water in terms of water security and water safety that will enable them to plan their own water agenda in their own organizations;
3. To build new partnerships for knowledge sharing on good water governance;
4. To provide knowledge on the linkages of water and ecosystem services in the country.
WORKSHOP BRIEF
1. The opening of the Workshop was officiated by Dato’ Ir Lim Chow Hock, Network Manager of MyCDNet, who thanked the participants for their attendance and co-operations, and proceeded to give an introduction of the purpose of the Workshop.
2. The keynote address was delivered by Dato’ Ir Haji Hanapi bin Mohamad Noor, the Director of Water Resources Management and Hydrology Division, JPS). Dato’ Ir Haji Hanapi explained the importance of water security and the need of water safety planning to ensure that water remains a source that can be replenished.
3. Following the keynote address, Dr Low Kwai Sim from Akademi Sains Malaysia gave the first talk on Water Security and Water Safety Plans. The presentation describes the current overview of the water scarcity scenario in Malaysia as well as the world.
4. Mr Mansor Abd Ghani from MWA provided the facts and figures of the the current situation of water security in Malaysia. Furthermore, he also produced strategies for the future and describing water as a commodity.
5. Mr Lee Ming Enn gave an overview picture of the corporate sector and their contributions and initiatives with the water footprint management.
6. Ir C. Kamalesen provided the overall concept towards a secured water future by providing strategies and examples of managing the integrated approaches.
7. The final talk was given by Dr Low Kwai Sim regarding water safety planning and briefed on how the group discussion structure would be conducted.
8. The participants were divided into smaller groups to discuss issues of water security and safety planning.
9. On the second day, the participants were taken to the Sg Batu Water Treatment Plant where they were able to witness the current water treatment process and management as well as look at future options recyled water.
