State govts urged to list industries posing risk to water sources

All state governments have been told to come up with a list of industries that are of high risk and should not be situated near the surface of water intakes to serve as a reference to all agencies involved to prevent the pollution of water sources.

Water quality expert Zaki Zainudin (above) said state governments, which are responsible for water management, should create the list so that it can be used as a 'state directive' for state and federal agencies.

"The main objective of the list is to ensure that no new (risky) industries are set up (near the vulnerable areas).

"Secondly, for the existing industries, they will definitely request for expansion, but if they fall into the list, they will not be allowed to do so," Zaki told Bernama after appearing as a guest on the 'Ruang Bicara' programme on Bernama TV last night.

He also explained that the state governments should plan on zoning such industrial areas in the downstream and low-risk areas.

Meanwhile, the Association of Water and Energy Research Malaysia (AWER) president S Piarapakaran said the association had sent a letter to the government, providing a couple of suggestions to prevent recurring water pollution issues.

"First, we request to add a Section (in pollution-related legislation) so that we can claim damages easily. If for consumers, commercial industries and so on, when they try to claim damages, if it’s done through the normal legal process, it is difficult to prove (in court) as it (the investigation) has to be done individually.

"Secondly, the investigation process, maybe one of them has committed the offence, but behind the person may be a bigger mastermind. That is why maybe we see now that the government has set up a special unit for investigation with the cooperation of the military and police, which can help further strengthen the environmental investigation," Piarapakaran said.

Residents in the Klang Valley have been facing water supply disruptions since last Thursday as the Sungai Selangor Phase 1, 2, 3 and Rantau Panjang water treatment plants were shut down due to pollution of the raw water source and is currently recovering in stages.

Environment and Water Minister Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said on Monday that his ministry would set up an Environmental Crime Unit in the near future to address the issue of pollution.

- Bernama