Implementation of

Rainwater
Harvesting in
Malaysia
Dato Ir.HajiAhmadHusainibinSulaiman
DirectorGeneral
DepartmentofIrrigationandDrainage
Malaysia

Outline
Background
NationalPolicy
StrategicDirection
Projects
Conclusions

BACKGROUND

PENINSULAR
MALAYSIA
11 States
87 Districts
City Councils

Municipal Councils 11
District Council

34

POPULATIONDISTRIBUTION

BasedonCensus2000byDeptof
Statistics

Theproportionofurbanpopulationhad
increasedto62.0%inCensus2000from
50.7%in1991.

Rural

Urban

(38%)

(62%)

water supply disruptions

do occur due to tight
water supply demand
situation aggravated by
a lack of rainfall over
catchment areas coupled
with
river
pollution
problems at the water
intakes

1998 drought brought

unpleasant
water
rationing
for
1.8
million residents of
Kuala Lumpur

TheStar23/3/05

5000

KlauDam

5500

SgSelangorDam

Total Water Demand (Mld)

TotalWaterDemand(Mld)

DelayedDam
Construction

6000

TelemongDamand
BentongWeir

6500

InterstateWaterTransfer

7000

LiangDam

WaterDemandandProjectedWaterSupplyforSelangorandKlang
Valley
LipisDam

WATERDEMAND

4500

4000

NETTTREATEDWATER
DEMAND

Water Demand
Water Supply
Nett Water Demand

3500

3000
2000

2005

2010

2015
Year

Year

2020

2025

NationalWaterResourcesStudy20002010(PeninsularMalaysia)
WaterDemandandProjectedSupplyforSelangor
National Water Resources Study 2000-2010 (Peninsular Malaysia) Water Demand and Projected Supply for Selangor

7000

WATER SUPPLY

BUILDING OF NEW
DAM DELAYED

5000

TotalWaterDemand(Mld)

Total Water Demand (Mld)

6000

4000

1998 DROUGHT

3000
RAINWATER HARVESTING & UTILISATION
REDUCES THE NETT TREATED WATER
DEMAND
2000

WATER
DEMAND

1000

0
1990

1995

2000

2005

Year
Year

2010

2015

NATIONAL POLICY

Date

Chronology

Mac, 1998

Water supply crisis in Klang Valley

29 April, 1998

Cabinet encouraged the installation of gutters for collecting rainwater

23 Jun, 1998

Ministry of Housing and Local Government (MHLG) circulated letters the installation of
gutters for rainwater collection at new buildings in Peninsular Malaysia

9 Jun, 1999

Cabinet discussed on Rainwater Harvesting System (RWH) guideline and agreed to be

used by professional, developers, contractors and general public to encourage wider
use of RWH system

23 Jun, 1999

Cabinet discussed on RWH guideline and agreed RWH system to be installed at new
buildings

1 Jan, 2001

Cabinet directed full utilisation of Urban Stormwater Management Manual for Malaysia
(MSMA)

16 July, 2003

Cabinet discussed on status report from MHLG on RWH and instructed deeper efforts
on RWH promotions in the country

29 October,
2004

Cabinet Committee for National Health and Hygiene proposed the elimination of roof
gutters on buildings to decrease the spreading of dengue deseases

1 Mac, 2005

Building Policy meeting organised a working group to evaluate and find win-win
methods to ensure national RWH programs not affected

2006

MHLG agreed to take necessary actions to increase implementation of RWH system and
programs to reduce mosquitoes nesting

2007

Outline for MHLG guidelines for rainwater catchment system on mosquitoes spreading

Jun, 2009

Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) through Department of Irrigation

and Drainage (DID ) published Rainwater Harvesting Guidebook - Planning and Design

 2000 by JPS Malaysia

 2009 by JPS Malaysia

RWHSignage

MinimumDesignCriteria
No

Design

Depth/Size/
Height/Length

Gradient

2%

300mm

2m

500mm (max.)

1:4 (max.)

6m (max.)

40mm (max.)

Impervious Layer
(Sidewalks, Terrace, Driveways, Parking)

Berm

Extended Holding Area (drip line to edge

of Berm)

Depression Slope

Tree height for Rooftop

Rainfall depth for Rooftop Garden

First Flush

50 liter per 100m2 of

collection area

Downpipes

100mm (min.)

4%

Storage Tank

900mm (min. height)

10

Pipe Storage

900mm (min. diameter)

2%

11

Storage Volume

2 weeks (min.)

12

Proximity to water supply pipe line

100mm above ground

300mm below ground

STRATEGIC
DIRECTION

STRATEGICDIRECTION
Kuala
Lumpur to
be World
Class City

VISION 2020
Malaysia to be Developed
Nation

NATIONAL SWM GOAL

Stormwater shall be
managed so that it
contributes towards
sustainable development
of the country

STRATEGICDIRECTION
2. Stormwater
and related
eco-system as
a resource
1. SWM
Infrastructure
Asset

RWH

3. Stakeholders
and users of the
resource and
the SWM infra
asset

1st STRATEGICDIRECTION
1.SWMInfrastructureAsset
ManagementComponent
Develop,operate,maintainandupgrade
infrastructure

Goal
Worldclassfacilitiesandpractices

Objective
ImproveperformanceofSWM

SWMINFRASTRUCTUREASSET
SWM Infrastructure
Asset

Short term
(2010)

Long term
(2020)

Solve

localized flash
flood

flash flooding

Reduce non-point
pollution

by minimum
30%

by minimum
70%

Reduce sediments
from construction
sites

by 70%

by 90%

Reduce DWF PS
pollution

by minimum
15%

by minimum
30%

2nd STRATEGICDIRECTION
2.Stormwaterandrelatedecosystemasaresource
ManagementComponent
Regulatetheresource(waterandecosystem)utilization

Goal
Conservationandsustainableutilization

Objective
Promoteasalternativewatersource
Conserveandrehabilitateecosystem
Upgradeaestheticfeatures

STORMWATERASARESOURCE
RWH
Stormwater and
related ecosystem
as a resource

Short term
(2010)

Water demand for 1%

major towns facing contribution
water stress

Long term
(2020)

5% contribution

Introduce natural
Towns with City Other towns
stream eco-system status
restoration &
conservation
Incorporate
aesthetic feature

All new
projects and
1% of existing
facilities

All new projects

and 3% of
existing
facilities

3rd STRATEGICDIRECTION
3.Stakeholdersandusersoftheresourceandthe
SWMinfraasset
ManagementComponent
Enhancestakeholderparticipation

Goal
Effectiveroleandfirstworldmentalitybystakeholders

Objective
Increasethepublicawarenessandattitudeand
participation

STAKEHOLDERANDUSERS
Stakeholders and
users of the
resource and the
SWM infra asset

Short term
(2010)

Long term
(2020)

Implement Local
Agenda 21 SW
sector

at 30% of the
towns
(comprising
the bigger
towns first)

at 60% of the
towns

ACTIONPLANS
1.Inculcateculture
1.Inculcateculture
forworldclass
forworldclass
facilitiesand
facilitiesand
practices
practices

2.Createeffective
2.Createeffective
stakeholders
stakeholders
engagement
engagement
3.Sourceforadditional
3.Sourceforadditional
fundingfrom
fundingfrom
governmentand
governmentand
developers
developers
4.Consolidateand
4.Consolidateand
focuscapacity
focuscapacity
buildingefforts
buildingefforts

PROJECTS

Projects
No

Location

Type

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18

DID Office
DID District Office, Bera, Pahang
DID District Office, Raub, Pahang
DID District Office, Balik Pulau, P. Pinang
DID District Office, Seberang Perai, P. Pinang
DID District Office, Langkawi, Kedah
DID District Office, Pasir Putih, Kelantan
DID District Office, Kuala Berang, Terengganu
DID District Office, Miri, Sarawak
DID Mechanical Office, Ipoh, Perak
University Tun Hussein Onn Hostel
MARDI Office, Cameron Highlands, Pahang
State Mosque, P. Pinang
Bukit Indah Mosque, Ampang, Selangor
Building Complex, Tioman, Pahang
Buffalo Park, Langkawi, Kedah
Bangalow House, Bangi, Selangor
Terrace House, Gombak, Selangor

Underground Tank
Underground Pipe Package
Underground Pipe Package
Underground Pipe Package
Underground Tank
Above ground HDPE Tank
Above ground HDPE Tank
Above ground HDPE Tank
Underground Pipe Package
Above ground HDPE Tank
Underground Tank
Above ground HDPE Tank
Underground Tank
Underground Tank
Above ground HDPE Tank
Above ground HDPE Tank
Underground Pipe Package
Above ground HDPE Tank

200,000.00
48,000.00
185,000.00
48,000.00
180,000.00
200,000.00
200,000.00
200,000.00
145,000.00
200,000.00
350,000.00
40,000.00
125,000.00
200,000.00
200,000.00
100,000.00
20,000.00
20,000.00

19

National Zoo, Ampang, Selangor

Above ground Concrete Tank &

Underground HDPE Tank

400,000.00

Total

Cost (RM)

3,061,000.00

Way Forward
CapacityBuilding
Trainingonplanninganddesigntostakeholders

AssetManagement
Operateandmaintain

R&D
Workwithvariousagenciesoninnovativeventures
Monitoreffectivenessofcompletedprojects
PilotProjects
Expandprogramasstormwaterutilisation
Incentives
Taxbreakforowners,developers,suppliersand
manufacturers

CONCLUSIONS
RWHispartofstormwatermanagementprogram
RWHhelpsthenationsintermsof
Waterquantitycontrol
Waterdemandmanagement

DIDwillcontinueto
HelpsettingRWHpolicyinMalaysia
PromoteRWHutilisationsamongpublicandprivate
sectors
Implementprojects

Thank You