PAAB Calls For Zero-Waste Water Treatment For Sustainable Water Services Industry

KUCHING, Oct 5 (Bernama) -- Malaysia’s water treatment plants (WTPs) currently discharge an estimated 976.8 million litres of treated water per day (MLD) and generate approximately 5,500 metric tonnes of water treatment residue daily.  

Against this backdrop, chairman of Pengurusan Aset Air Berhad (PAAB) Datuk Seri Jaseni Maidinsa is calling on state water operators nationwide to adopt a comprehensive zero waste management approach to turn these outputs into valuable resources while strengthening the sustainability of Malaysia’s water services industry.

 “It is our aspiration in PAAB to establish a nationwide zero waste management ecosystem by recovering and reusing treated water currently discharged from water treatment plants, while converting water treatment residue into commercially valuable products.

“Rather than treating these as waste, they should be recovered, reused and transformed into valuable resources, including clay bricks, construction materials, cement-based products and land reclamation materials.

“This will not only reduce waste but also create economic value and strengthen the sustainability of the water sector,” he said at the Zero Waste Management 2.0 Conference 2026 here today.

Jaseni said the water treatment plant residue management system at Sungai Dua WTP in Penang is a proven example of resource recovery in action.  

The initiative has demonstrated the potential to transform treatment residue into commercially beneficial products, reduce disposal costs and environmental impacts, while recovering treated water discharge for reuse in the treatment process to minimise water losses and improve operational efficiency, he said. 

To accelerate nationwide adoption, Jaseni said PAAB will champion zero waste management and Circular Economy practices in collaboration with ministries, regulators, state governments, water operators and industry stakeholders.  

As Malaysia’s water infrastructure financing arm and least-cost CAPEX funder, he said PAAB is prepared to provide financing support or, where required, undertake both financing and project delivery for initiatives such as treated water recycling systems and sludge dewatering facilities. 

“Our objective is to develop solutions that are environmentally sustainable, technically practical and financially viable.

“By recovering water and transforming treatment residue into useful resources, we can reduce water losses, lower disposal-related emissions, create new economic opportunities and strengthen long-term water security for Malaysia,” Jaseni concluded.

The two-day conference on waste management under the auspices of the Green and Geopark Excellence Awards (GAGA) series brought together prominent environmental advocates and leaders from the public and private sectors in Kuching to advance sustainable practices and zero-waste policies in response to climate change.

PAAB is a wholly owned company of the Minister of Finance (Incorporated) established under the Water Services Industry Act 2006.

As the national water asset financing entity, PAAB is responsible for financing, developing and managing water asset infrastructure to ensure the long-term sustainability, resilience and efficiency of Malaysia's water services industry.  

--BERNAMA