Water Loss in Malaysia: Non-Revenue Water (NRW) Statistics
How much of Malaysia’s treated water is lost before it reaches a bill, which states lose the most, how Selangor compares, and what it costs to fix. Every figure links to its source.
Key Statistics: Water Loss in Malaysia
The headline figures from the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) and Air Selangor.
of Malaysia’s treated water is non-revenue water, up from 35% in 2017
NRW in Perlis, the highest of any state
NRW in Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan (mid-2025)
NRW in Selangor, among the lowest
Air Selangor’s NRW in 2025, down from 27%
Air Selangor’s NRW target for 2030
the upper estimate to cut national NRW by one percentage point
accounts lost supply in one river pollution incident in 2020
What Is Non-Revenue Water?
Non-revenue water (NRW) is treated water that is produced but never billed: water lost to leaks, theft or under-billing. At Malaysia’s national rate of 37.1%, more than 1 in 3 litres of treated water never reaches a bill, or 37 of every 100 litres (SPAN via The Star).
How Much Water Does Malaysia Lose?
Malaysia’s national NRW rate is 37.1%, up from 35% in 2017. In Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan the rate was 34.7% as of mid-2025 (SPAN via The Star).
| Area | Compared with national | Non-revenue water |
|---|---|---|
| Perlis | Above | 61.6% |
| Kelantan | Above | 55.1% |
| Pahang | Above | 51.2% |
| Kedah | Above | 50.0% |
| Malaysia (national) | National rate | 37.1% |
| Peninsular Malaysia & Labuan | Below | 34.7% |
| Selangor | Below | 27.3% |
Source: National Water Services Commission (SPAN), via The Star, 4 September 2025.
Which State Has the Highest Water Loss in Malaysia?
Perlis has the highest non-revenue water rate in Malaysia at 61.6%, meaning about 6 in 10 litres of its treated water is never billed. Kelantan (55.1%), Pahang (51.2%) and Kedah (50%) also lose half or more (SPAN via The Star).
What Is Selangor’s Non-Revenue Water Rate?
Air Selangor cut its NRW to 26.76% in 2025, from 27% in 2024, and is aiming for 25% by 2030 (Air Selangor via Bernama). SPAN puts Selangor’s rate at 27.3%, among the lowest in the country.
How Much Does It Cost to Reduce Water Loss?
SPAN estimates it costs between RM800 million and RM1 billion to bring national NRW down by one percentage point, and about RM20 billion across all states, through pipe replacement, smart meters and leak detection (SPAN via The Star).
How Big Can a Water Supply Disruption Get?
On 4 October 2020, odour pollution in Sungai Semenyih shut the Sungai Semenyih and Bukit Tampoi treatment plants, cutting supply to 309,687 accounts in 274 areas across four districts in Selangor (Air Selangor via The Sun). It shows how many homes depend on a handful of plants, and why a household storage tank and sound plumbing matter.
Fixing the Leaks You Can Control
NRW is lost on the utility’s side of the meter, but homes have leaks too: a running cistern, a dripping tap or a hidden pipe leak under the floor all show up on the water bill and can damage walls and ceilings.
A plumber can find and fix leaks inside the home, and a leak detection check finds the ones you cannot see.
Sources and How to Cite This Page
NRW figures come from the National Water Services Commission (SPAN), as reported by The Star, and from Air Selangor via Bernama. The 2020 disruption figures come from Air Selangor via The Sun. Restated shares, such as 6 in 10 litres, are calculated by Service Pro from those figures.
Cite this page: Service Pro, “Water Loss in Malaysia: Non-Revenue Water (NRW) Statistics”, https://servicepro.my/home-insights/water-loss-nrw-malaysia-statistics/. Journalists and bloggers are welcome to use these figures, tables and charts with a link to this page.
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