Kelantan: This is the second and final part of a two-part series on water supply services in Kelantan, focusing on the state's high non-revenue water (NRW) rate and the measures undertaken by Air Kelantan Sdn Bhd (AKSB) to address the issue. While a series of new and upgraded water treatment plants are expected to reshape Kelantan's water sector over the next few years, they alone will not resolve one of the state's biggest challenges -- its persistently high non-revenue water (NRW) rate.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Kelantan records an NRW rate of about 50 per cent, among the highest in Malaysia, with ageing and leaking pipelines identified as the primary reason treated water fails to reach consumers. Air Kelantan Sdn Bhd (AKSB) General Manager Azhar Hanafi said reducing NRW remains the most effective way to increase water supply without having to significantly expand production capacity at water treatment plants (WTPs). "Kelantan's NRW rate is far higher than the national average of about 34 per cent. If we can close that 16-percentage-point gap, the volume of water reaching consumers will increase substantially," he told Bernama.

PIPE REPLACEMENT TO DOMINATE NEXT FIVE YEARS

Azhar said Kelantan still has about 3,800 kilometres of ageing asbestos cement pipelines that have been in service for decades and now require replacement, as deteriorating pipes are a major contributor to water losses. "As most water treatment plant projects are nearing completion, AKSB's main priority over the next five years will be reducing NRW. We plan to replace 1,000 kilometres (km) of ageing pipelines over the next five years at a cost of RM1.2 billion, financed by Pengurusan Aset Air Berhad (PAAB)," he said. The replacement programme will be carried out in stages, targeting between 150 and 200 km annually.

Responding to questions on why the entire exercise cannot be completed at once, Azhar said AKSB must repay the financing and therefore has to ensure the company's long-term financial sustainability. To date, more than 200 kilometres of new pipelines have been completed, while nearly 100 km are currently at various stages of implementation this year. At the current pace, however, replacing the state's entire ageing pipeline network is expected to take until 2045. "We have almost 4,000 km of old pipes, and if we can only replace about 1,000 km every five years, the process will naturally take a long time," he said, adding that replacing all ageing pipelines across Kelantan could cost more than RM4 billion.

GUA MUSANG SETS THE BENCHMARK

The positive impact of water infrastructure upgrades is already evident in Gua Musang, which now records the highest domestic water consumption in Kelantan. According to Azhar, households in the district consume more than 30 cubic metres of water monthly, in line with the average domestic consumption benchmark set by the National Water Services Commission (SPAN). The figures reflect a more stable water supply compared with other districts. "Gua Musang also records one of the lowest NRW rates in Kelantan, at about 40 per cent, largely because it has fewer ageing pipelines than other districts," he said.

He hopes similar improvements can be replicated elsewhere, particularly in Kota Bharu, which has the state's largest network of ageing pipelines. Nearly 70 per cent of the pipeline replacement programme scheduled through 2030 will therefore be concentrated in Kota Bharu, involving between 600 and 700 kilometres of pipelines.

TRACKING LEAKS AROUND THE CLOCK

Reducing NRW involves much more than replacing ageing pipes. It also requires continuous efforts to detect and repair leaks occurring across the state every day. AKSB recorded about 40,000 leakage cases last year, averaging more than 3,000 incidents each month. About half of these cases were reported by consumers, while the remaining 20,000 were detected through the utility's own monitoring efforts. According to Azhar, most leaks stem from ageing pipelines that have exceeded their service life.

To strengthen leak detection, AKSB has introduced a dedicated night-time team equipped with specialised technology capable of detecting underground leaks invisible to the naked eye. The initiative is expected to raise the number of leaks detected annually to about 50,000 cases. The utility has also set a target of repairing 90 per cent of reported leaks within 24 hours. Its repair rate has already improved to around 70 per cent, up from just 47 per cent previously. Apart from pipeline leaks, AKSB is also focusing on improving meter reading accuracy, another factor contributing to NRW. The company aims to replace 48,000 consumer water meters this year, with 17,000 already installed as of mid-year.

ROUND-THE-CLOCK OPERATIONS AT MERBAU CHONDONG

While leak detection and water losses remain a major focus, water treatment plants continue to serve as the first line of defence in ensuring clean water reaches consumers. Located in Machang, the Merbau Chondong Water Treatment Plant supplies treated water to about 34,000 consumer accounts across Machang, parts of Pasir Puteh, as well as southern and eastern Kota Bharu. Plant Operations Chief Khairul Nizam Din said the facility processes about 60 million litres of raw water daily, producing up to 58 million litres of treated water. "Current capacity is sufficient to meet demand in Machang and parts of Pasir Puteh. Ongoing upgrading projects will further strengthen the water supply system in the future," he said.

According to Khairul Nizam, one of the plant's biggest operational challenges is dealing with system failures or disruptions that could interrupt water supply to thousands of consumers. Any disruption would affect consumers in Machang, Pasir Puteh and Kok Lanas, all of which depend on the plant for their water supply. "When disruptions occur, our first priority is to notify consumers through early public announcements while arranging water tanker deliveries to the affected areas," he said.

Besides technical issues, plant operations are also influenced by environmental factors such as prolonged dry weather and river pollution. Khairul Nizam said raw water levels at the Horizontal Collector Well (HCW) typically decline during extended dry spells, but operational measures are in place to ensure sufficient raw water is always available for treatment. He acknowledged that river pollution remains one of the greatest threats to plant operations and raw water quality.

FOUR HOURS TO PRODUCE SAFE DRINKING WATER

Behind every tap that delivers clean water lies a carefully controlled treatment process requiring constant monitoring. Khairul Nizam explained that treatment begins when raw water enters an aeration system before passing through a static mixer, where chemicals such as alum are added. The process continues with flocculation, sedimentation, filtration and chlorination before the treated water is transferred to storage tanks for distribution. From start to finish, the treatment process takes approximately four hours. To ensure compliance with water quality standards, testing is conducted every four hours around the clock.

MERBAU CHONDONG UPGRADE TO ENHANCE WATER QUALITY

At the same time, the Merbau Chondong Water Treatment Plant is undergoing a quality enhancement programme expected to significantly improve the consistency and quality of water supplied to consumers. Khairul Nizam said the upgrading works would strengthen the plant's capability to produce higher-quality treated water. "With the new system currently being implemented, God willing, the Merbau Chondong Plant will be able to deliver even better-quality water to consumers," he said.

Ultimately, the success of Kelantan's water sector transformation will not be measured solely by the number of treatment plants built. Its true benchmark lies in ensuring that every drop of treated water reaches consumers instead of being lost within the distribution system. For AKSB, that is the challenge that will shape the future of water supply services in Kelantan for decades to come.