PUTRAJAYA, Jan 31 (Bernama) -- The anticipated 2014 water crisis in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya is feared will jeopardise upcoming development projects, Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui said today.

"We know that the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) and Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas) will not approve applications from new development projects should the crisis prolong.

"In the end, this will pose a problem for the country in terms of economic growth and progress," he said in his Chinese New Year message in conjunction with the celebration at his ministry, here.

Chin said that though the federal government has approved the implementation of mitigation projects to minimise the crisis, it will be unable to fully resolve the problem.

He said the construction of the Air Langat 2 water treatment plant has been deferred because the Selangor government is not cooperating to resolve the issue.

The latest SPAN report shows that the water supply capacity reserve in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya has dropped drastically to 1.43 per cent compared to 3.4 per cent last month, he said.

Unless the issue is addressed immediately, consumers particularly in southern Selangor will face more frequent water supply disruptions, he said.

"Although the Sungai Semenyih and Sungai Langat water treatment plants have been directed to operate at above capacity, this cannot meet the rising demand for water in the areas," he said.

As such, Chin said, the federal government, through the ministry, intends to put into operation the Sungai Labu water treatment plant which was completed last month and is expected to meet the demand for water at the KL International Airport and southern Selangor.

However, the plant cannot yet operate because it has to await the approval of the abstraction licence by the Selangor Water Management Authority (LUAS) to the operator, he said.

-- BERNAMA