It’s Getting Hot In Here: Water Dam Levels At ‘’Cautionary’’ Stage Amid Record-Breaking El Nino
Low water dam levels in Malaysia prompt urgent calls to conserve water for the coming months.
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Other than watching our spending due to petrol and food price hikes, we may need to watch our water usage, too.
With the potentially record-breaking El Nino phenomenon hitting us in the coming months, reports indicate that nearly a quarter of Malaysia’s dams, especially those in the northern and southern states, are already reporting cautionary low water levels.
Water levels below 70% capacity are classified as ‘’cautionary.’’
According to Malay Mail, 10 of the country’s 43 dams are at this level now. Kedah’s Muda Dam has plunged to just 7.47% of its normal capacity, the lowest among all nations’ dams.
Charles Santiago, a water governance advocate and former MP, said the government must act quickly to communicate the risk to the public.
Dr Chong Kai Lin, an expert in disaster management at Universiti Utara Malaya, described the situation in Kedah as a ‘’canary in a coal mine’’ for the rest of Malaysia.
The Muda river basin, the nation’s rice bowl, is showing receding water lines and parched earth. The prolonged heatwave in states like Perlis, Kedah, and Perak does not improve things.
The real risk is not a single dry region, but the possibility of multiple regions experiencing reduced rainfall at the same time. This is how a manageable situation can escalate into a broader water security challenge.
Dr Chong Kai Lin, an expert in disaster management at Universiti Utara Malaya
Climate scientists warned that El Nino conditions are likely to develop between July and August, and 2026 could be the hottest year on record.
The dry weather is already showing severe consequences.
The Fire and Rescue Department has been responding to more than 400 open fires daily nationwide, four times the usual rate. Major fires have destroyed 400 hectares of forest and plantation land in Johor and Pahang.
On 11 February 2026, the Bukit Merah Dam reached Stage 3 Irrigation Critical Status with water at 17% capacity due to zero rainfall.
On 7 February 2026, residents in Kluang and Pontian in Johor had to deal with a scheduled water supply when the Machap dam water levels dropped.
What can we do in the meantime?
There are no fast solutions to this, but a concerted effort together to conserve water may help. This could mean reducing non-essential water use, such as car washing, which can consume up to 600 litres of water per vehicle. And of course, refrain from open burning!
We cannot tell people to drink less or wash less, but activities like washing cars can be limited to once a month.
Charles Santiago, a water governance advocate and former MP
Meanwhile, authorities can put in mitigation plans if the dry conditions persist.
S. Piarapakaran, Association of Water and Energy Research Malaysia (AWER) president and Centre for Water and Energy Sustainability (CWES) chief executive officer, said what the nation is facing now is not an act of God, but the result of decades of land-use changes and failure to plan.
He added that short-term measures such as cloud seeding only work if there is sufficient cloud formation.
He said the federal and state governments should work with water operators to take steps to manage the situation, such as monitoring and regulating treated water usage or rationing water supply for agricultural irrigation.
He emphasised the need for clear and consistent communication to ensure the public is well-informed and to prevent panic consumption, which will further strain water supplies.
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