On February 21, 2025, Water Watch Penang (WWP) was honoured to be invited by the Habitat Foundation to deliver a talk titled “Rising Challenge: Climate Change, Water, and Conservation Strategies” at Prince of Wales Island International School. The session, held from 1:15 pm to 2:45 pm, engaged 14 students in an informative discussion. The program commenced with a welcoming speech by Ms. Nadhirah, Education Program Executive of the Habitat Foundation. Following this, Dr. Hong Chern Wern, Executive Manager of WWP, provided an introduction to WWP, detailing its mission, vision, and various initiatives. He was accompanied by Ms. Rebecca, Assistant Manager, along with Education Officers Ms. Fatin Azahara and Ms. Nur Atiqah, who offered support throughout the session.
Dr. Hong proceeded to address the critical global, national, and local water crises, emphasizing water scarcity as a significant challenge. He highlighted Penang’s heavy reliance on Sungai Muda in Kedah as its primary water source, underscoring the state’s vulnerability to water shortages. Additionally, he compared local and international water tariffs, drawing attention to Malaysia’s notably high-water consumption rates. At the same time, he also clarified about World Water Day which a global initiative by the United Nation to raise awareness about freshwater conservation and promote sustainable water management. Other than that, he mentioned the theme is “Glacier Preservation”, focusing on the rapid melting of glaciers due to climate change and its profound impact on global water security for this year.
Furthermore, Dr. Hong discussed various community-driven water conservation strategies, introducing innovative water-saving technologies such as self-closing taps, Japanese toilet systems, and PBA water-saving kits, which were distributed to students. He also elaborated on the concept of the water footprint, explaining its three categories: the blue water footprint, which pertains to freshwater sourced from rivers and lakes for drinking and irrigation; the green water footprint, which accounts for rainwater stored in soil for plant growth; and the grey water footprint, which represents the volume of water required to dilute pollutants.
To foster an interactive learning experience, quizzes were conducted using the Genially application, encouraging student engagement and active participation. WWP extends its sincere appreciation to Prince of Wales Island International School for their collaboration in this educational initiative. For further inquiries, Dr. Hong Chern Wern can be reached at info.waterwatchpenang@gmail.com, or contact WWP at +6019-5751253.