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KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 28 — The local authorities should step up enforcement and monitoring activities to prevent contamination of raw water sources which will eventually affect the quality of water and its supply to consumers.
Water quality specialist Dr Mohd Yusoff Ishak in making the call said this proactive step is necessary following several cases of odour pollution which of late, had resulted in sudden water cuts in Selangor.
"This is the third time (water pollution) has occurred leaving thousands affected," the Universiti Putra Malaysia Environmental Studies senior lecturer told Bernama.
On Dec 21, the Sungai Semenyih Water Treatment Plant (LRA) was forced to shut down after an unpleasant odour was detected in Sungai Semenyih due to irresponsible acts of illegally discharging chemical wastes into an Indah Water Konsortium sewage plant.
Following the shutdown 366 areas with 328,957 consumer accounts in Petaling, Hulu Langat, Kuala Langat and Sepang areas were affected.
"Just this year, earlier to this incident, the Sungai Semenyh LRA was forced to cease operations due to pollution and in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan the pollution was believed to have originated from the Nilai industrial area," he said.
Meanwhile, Mohd Yusoff said it was crucial that advanced technology is utilised in preventing river pollution.
"We need to use drones and monitorings should be data-driven because to me closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs) are no longer practical.
"We will have to pay more attention to the water treatment plants where the raw water sources are most likely to be contaminated," he said.
Meanwhile, Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Air Selangor) Corporate Communications head Abdul Halem Mat Som said the company which is responsible for the treatment plant operations in terms of production and distribution of water supply, has a team of experts to monitor river water quality.
"The team will search the areas nearby the river, first at the intake section then the upstream areas to monitor pollution and to prevent contaminated water from entering the treatment plant.
"They will notify (if the water is polluted) in advance and this will allow us to identify and detect the contaminants much earlier," he said.
In addition, Abdul Halem said Air Selangor had also taken steps to educate the public to value and be more caring towards the environment and rivers.
"A majority of the people may not realise that the river is our main source of raw water. Sometimes, those irresponsible dump wastes into the drain as they are unaware that whatever they throw into the drains will finally end up in the river," he said.
As such he said, through its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, Air Selangor would implement more campaigns to create public awareness on the importance of maintaining and conserving clean rivers.
— Bernama
