Swift action prevents water disruption as Selangor river turns blue

Swift action prevented another round of water disruption in the Klang Valley this morning after the waters of Sungai Gong near Rawang turned blue.

In a statement today, Selangor Tourism and Environment state executive councillor Hee Loy Sian said the Selangor Water Management Board (Luas)’s monitoring detected the blue-coloured contamination at 1am this morning.

The pollution had the potential to disrupt operations at the Sungai Selangor Water Treatment Plant Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3, as well as the Rantau Panjang Water Treatment Plant, which are all located downstream.

The source of the pollution was quickly traced to the drains of a factory at the Integrated Industrial Park in Rawang.

The same blue-coloured contaminant was found in its discharge tanks and machinery, and the factory was ordered to cease discharging its effluents and start clean-up operations.

Luas has also opened investigations against the factory under Section 79(1)(c) of the Luas Enactment 1999, which provides for fines between RM200,000 and RM1 million, and at least three years imprisonment, upon conviction.

Lembaga Urus Air Selangor (Luas) quick reaction squad responds to blue water pollution at Sungai Gong due to industrial discharge.

Hee said the water quality was fully restored by 6am, with the water quality about 500m downstream from the factory returning to normal and colourless.

He also attributed the success in containing the pollution to the RM200 million Selangor Raw Water Guarantee Scheme (SJAM).

“It (the restored water quality) is the outcome of a biological reaction through the bioremediation project that is now being implemented in Sungai Gong and Sungai Sembah since July 2022.

“It is one of the Selangor government’s initiatives in tackling water supply quality and quantity issues in the state.

“The SJAM initiative proves it can help control and prevent water supply quality problems in Selangor,” he said.

SJAM to ensure water supply

Previously, it was reported that the SJAM initiative was launched in 2020. Among others, it would direct polluted water away from water treatment plants and channel water from storage ponds instead.

The stored raw water supply is to last between five days to two weeks.

The initiative also includes a quick reaction team to constantly monitor water quality in sensitive areas of the Sungai Selangor and Sungai Langat river basins.

On Feb 16, The Star quoted Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari saying that the project was 40 percent complete and was expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year. - Mkini