Span Probing Odour Pollution That Shut Down Semenyih Water Treatment Plant

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Lembaga Urus Air Selangor officers checking the water near the Jenderam Hilir water intake point following odour pollution. (LUAS Facebook pic)PUTRAJAYA: The National Water Services Commission (SPAN) is investigating the dumping of banned effluents believed to have led to odour pollution in Negeri Sembilan and Selangor last Thursday and Friday.
The commission said in a statement today that they, together with other enforcement agencies, would conduct site visits to nearby industrial areas and conduct further investigation to identify the substance and perpetrators.
SPAN said the incident was being investigated under Section 121(1)(c) of the Water Services Industry Act 2006 (Act 655), relating to pollution of water supply systems. Offenders can be fined up to RM100,000 or no more than a year’s jail, or both, if convicted.
“SPAN would like to remind the public to take care of water resources. We view any dumping of banned effluents into water sources, deliberately or otherwise, seriously.
“Such irresponsible acts will cause many problems to the community and affect the economy if not stopped,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, Selangor tourism, environment, green technology and Orang Asli affairs committee chairman Hee Loy Sian said that Lembaga Urus Air Selangor (LUAS) and other related agencies would monitor the Jenderam Hilir water intake point in Dengkil as the pollution might recur.
He said monitoring was required as the source of the pollution was beyond Selangor and was still being investigated.
“LUAS and other Selangor agencies are communicating with related agencies in Negeri Sembilan to try and solve this pollution issue as quickly as possible,” he said in a statement today.
Heavy rain in the vicinity of Sungai Semenyih and its surrounding areas has aided in diluting the water and eased the problem, he added.
“As of 6am today, no pollution was detected in sampled areas by LUAS, including the Jenderam Hilir water intake point.
Ads by Kiosked“The monitoring began at 6.30pm yesterday and ended at 6am today. There is no risk of shutting down the water treatment plants again,” he said.
The Semenyih and Bukit Tampoi water treatment plants were temporarily shut down after odour pollution was detected at the Jenderam Hilir water intake point. - FMT

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