Last week, millions of Klang Valley residents were treated to the all-too-familiar scenario of their taps running dry. This is usually followed by calls to family and friends in other parts of town to see who still has water, a frantic rush to get bottles of mineral water and then detailed attention to the schedules mapping out the resumption of regular services.

This time, a total of 1,292 areas in the Klang Valley, Petaling, Klang, Shah Alam, Kuala Selangor, Hulu Selangor, Gombak and Kuala Langat, involving nearly 1.2 million consumer accounts, were affected by the unscheduled supply cut after four water treatment plants ceased operation due to odour pollution at the raw water source of Sungai Gong.

It was far from the first time we’ve experienced it, and it’s unlikely to be the last...