KUALA LUMPUR: With three contamination cases having struck water treatment plants in the Klang Valley this year, questions have been raised over whether adequate security measures are in place to protect the country’s water sources.
Experts and environmentalists believe that answers, and especially action, are needed to curb any more of such cases, which are preventable.
Water quality expert Dr Praveena Nair said the public must be educated on the importance of not disposing any waste into the river.
She said there still existed the misguided perception that anything liquid-based dumped into rivers would automatically be treated.
The public must be made aware that there was a difference between waste water treatment plants and sewage treatment plants.
Praveena underscored the importance of implementing the integrated water billing system in more states - introduced by the Water, Land and Natural Resources Ministry - as a key move to educating the public on the issue.
On Dec 20, Terengganu became the first state in Peninsular Malaysia to implement the integrated water billing system with IWK for premises using connected sewerage service.
‘This is not the first time that illegal dumping has affected Sungai Semenyih or any other rivers.’
The illegal dumping of chemicals, which affected the Sungai Semenyih water treatment plant on Saturday, left 1.5 million people in several districts without water supply as the plant operations had to be shut down to ensure safety.
The National Water Services Commission (SPAN) yesterday confirmed that the illegal toxic disposal into the Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) sewage manhole at Bandar Bukit Mahkota was the cause of the odour pollution.
Praveena said SPAN and the Department of Environment should by right have a record of all chemical components from the companies that carry pollutants.
‘If this is done, culprits will be less inclined to carry out such acts as they know the authorities would be able to track their activities,’ she said.
A water and sewerage industry expert, who wanted to remain anonymous,said the authorities should have taken better preventive measures.
‘The authorities have pinpointed the location of the pollution to sewage manholes in Bandar Bukit Mahkota.
‘These could have been sealed a long time ago, cutting off a potential outlet for unscrupulous parties to pollute. This should have been thought of well before.
‘While it is fine and well to act now and seal them,it’s akin to locking the stable after the horses have bolted,’ said the expert.
Dr Zaki Zainudin, a water quality and modelling specialist, said it was disturbing to note that water disruptions due to pollution continued to plague consumers in Malaysia.
‘What is even more disturbing is that this is not the first time it has happened in Sungai Semenyih,” he said.
He said the authorities had previously mooted the idea of tapping water from the Putrajaya Lake for the Semenyih water treatment plant as a contingency plan during emergencies of this nature.
‘Maybe it’s time for the government to revive that idea,’ he said.
He suggested that effluent from sewage and waste water treatment plants be released to an effluent holding tank (EHT) before being channelled into the river.
‘This EHT must come with continuous and online real-time data transmission. This way, any failures or anomalies can be contained.
‘Priority should be given to plants upstream of intakes, especially critical ones. It is imperative that such disruptions be avoided as consumer patience is wearing thin, even more so in view of the rise in water tariffs next year,’ he said.
Environmental Protection Society of Malaysia vice-president Randolph Jeremiah said it was important to find the culprits and impose severe fines and punishment as a deterrent.
‘Monitoring and enforcement can be difficult due to the size of water catchment areas.However, we have adequate laws.
‘It must be used to the full extent for such crimes. It’s time to get serious with zero tolerance for any individuals and parties responsible,’ he said.