Selangor to table zero discharge policy to deter water pollution

 

The Selangor Water Management Authority (Luas) has prepared a proposed Zero Discharge Policy to deter river pollution and ensure no waste is discharged into water sources.

According to Luas director Hasrolnizam Shaari, once it is approved by the Selangor Economic Action Council, the policy is expected to come into effect next year.

“The policy is needed since there are many socio-economic activities taking place along waterways.

“While these economic activities are important for the state’s development, they should not come at the expense of the quality of our rivers,” he said as quoted by The Star.

Hasrolnizam was speaking at a World Rivers Day and plogging (picking up rubbish while jogging) event in Kampung Muhibah, Ampang Jaya, Selangor, today.

He said the policy will make it mandatory to recycle effluents instead of releasing them into the drains and rivers.

He noted that Luas manages 1,025 rivers and tributaries totalling some 4,000km.

The policy would be enforced along with the Polluters Pay Policy where those who discharge effluents into rivers would have to pay for any amount discharged beyond a regulated limit.

Improving river quality

Hasrolnizam said rivers are generally classified into five categories based on water quality - with Class 1 being the best and Class V being the most degraded.

On average, the rivers in Selangor fall under Class III (extensive treatment needed), he pointed out.

“As most of Selangor rivers are used as a raw water source, we want to upgrade them to Class II,” he said.

Also present at the event were Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) president Ani Ahmad and Ampang MP Rodziah Ismail.

According to Ani, about a tonne of rubbish was fished out of the Sungai Ampang tributary during the plogging programme.

She said disposing of rubbish in the river was a common problem because people believed someone would collect it. In addition, there is also wastewater discharge from businesses and residential properties.

Thousands of households are affected by unexpected water cuts multiple times a year in Selangor due to river pollution, usually due to wastewater discharge.

Under Environmental Quality (Industrial Effluent) Regulations 2009, permissible levels of chemicals, industrial wastewater, and other effluents can be discharged into rivers.

However, experts say this is a problem because when there are multiple factories discharging effluents, the river may be oversaturated with wastewater, breaching water quality standards at water treatment plant intake points.

Some also do not treat their wastewater to meet those standards and release them at times when they know they can evade enforcement.

Further, experts say the standards set for wastewater treatment are lower compared to water quality standards for rivers. - Mkini