bisikan alam

EDITORIAL BOARD

Advisors

Prof. Datuk Dr. Marimuthu Nadason

Presiden, Federation of Malaysian Consumers

Association (FOMCA)

Dato’ Indrani Thuraisingham

President, Forum Air Malaysia

Mohd Yusof bin Abdul Rahman

Deputy President, Forum Air Malaysia

Chief Editor

Ratna Devi Nadarajan

Editorial Staff

Foon Weng Lian

Jesslyn Pek Yen Lee

Nuraini Binti Khalil

Nah Kok Wai

Calidya Idem

Contributors

Nuraini Binti Khalil

Hj. Adam Malik Najri

Published by:

Forum Air Malaysia

No 4, Jalan SS1/22A,

47300 Petaling Jaya,

Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Printed by:

Percetakan Asas Jaya (M) Sdn Bhd

No 5B, 2nd Floor, Jalan Pipit 2, Bandar Puchong

Jaya,

Selangor Darul Ehsan.

ISSN 2289-652X

contents FROM EDITORIAL DESK

FORUM AIR IN THE NEWS

HIGHLIGHT

CATCHMENT TO CONSUMER

Water Pollution :

Transparent standards for

the quality and reliability of

water supplies

State of Rivers in Malaysia

and Rate of Deforestation

Flood Mitigation

A DAY AT WORK

BISIKAN ALAM

A-Z WATER CONSERVATION

TIPS

RENCANA

4

5

6

11

13

18

21

24

26

28

9 12

4

3

21

27 17

“Let’s start to think

and conserve water

before it’s too late!

Happy World

Water Day 2015!”

4 THIRSTY? MAGAZINE MAC 2015

FROM THE EDITORIAL DESK


IN THE NEWS

Every day, each person needs access

to water for drinking, cooking and

personal hygiene included sanitation

facilities. World Water Day has been

observed on 22 March since 1993

when the United Nation General

Assembly declared 22 March as

“World Day for Water”. Each year

World Water Day will specify or

highlighted specify issue regarding

freshwater or water supply. World

Water Day 2015 with the theme,

“Water and Sustainable Development’

will provide a great platform to

address the water roles in sustainable

development agenda.

Throwing back to World Water Day 2005- Water

for Life 2005-2015, the UN General Assembly

actually proclaimed that starting year 2005 until

2015 as a decade for action for water related

issues in term of sustainable development. UN

Water derived it into 7 focuses that we need to

make a difference started 2005 until 2015 to

achieve sustainable development which are

interlinked within water issue in health, nature,

urbanization, industry, energy, food and

equality. Continuous water supply and sanitation

services are two important and basic needs for all

human beings. Water is at the core of sustainable

development by providing economic growth;

underpin poverty education and environmental

sustainability.

Water is essential for human health. The World

Health Organisation recommends 7.5 litres per

capita per 2.5 billion do not use an improved

sanitation day will meet the requirements of most

people under most conditions. According to UN

Water, 748 million people do not have access to an

improved source of drinking water and facility.

Treated water supply system provides continuous

clean water could actually prevent infection of

water borne diseases that could kill people life.

Water is nature which included the mean of

ecosystems in the other word. Ecosystems

including forests, wetlands and grassland, act as

important role in maintaining global water cycle.

Water cycle is essential to achieving sustainable

water management.

There is a need to shift the economic policies into

environmentally economic policies to protect our

water catchment areas especially surrounding

dams to ensure adequate buffer zone for

sustainable water management. Besides,

protection or gazetting alternative water resources

such as mining ponds is needed to maintain as

storage for

surface runoff. In addition, serious water pollution

in rivers which are main water resource for

treated water will affect our normal life as we

extracted 13,168 Million Litres per Day (MLD)

during 2012 and is believed to be increase year

by year by increasing of human population in

Malaysia.

One of the 7 focuses to achieve sustainable

development is urbanisation. It is very important

development challenges to manage urban areas

and change it into sustainable cities with

complete water infrastructure.

Every manufactured product requires water, as

example 10 litres of water are used to make one

sheet of paper


and 91 litres are used to make 500 grams of plastic.

Water is industry as industrialization can drive

development by increasing productivity, jobs and

income. According to UN Water, they believe that

global water demand for productivity, jobs and

income. According to UN Water, they believe that

global water demand for X changing. There is the

realisation that security of water supply, drought,

scarcity of water and increased costs for potable

water and sewer discharge are forcing some

companies to rethink this minimalist strategy.

To be able to effectively carry out these services,

energy plays an indispensable role in operations

such as water extraction as well as water and

wastewater treatment. High water demand means

high energy demand which eventually could affect

consumers through tariff hike and such. Energy

contributes to around 30% to 50% of current

operational cost in the water and wastewater

treatment plants. This percentage may further

increase. Last year theme for World Water Day is

Water and Energy which to show the interlinkages

between water and energy should be given

adequate attention in the new and emerging agenda

around the so-called Sustainable Development

Goals and the post-2015 development dialogue.

Water is food. Each American uses 7.500 litres of

water per day-mostly for food. UN study shows

people having better access to water have a lower

tendency of undernourishment. Erratic rainfall and

seasonal differences in water availability can cause

temporary food shortages especially with floods and

droughts disaster.

Water is very essential fundamental for everything

in our life, it’s time for all of us to think and change

of behaviour to save the water for our future. Let’s

celebrate World Water Day by writing what water

mean to you on a blank paper, hashtag #WaterIS

and upload your photo on Instagram or any media

social.

“Water is driving force of

all nature.”- Leonardo Da

Vinci 8 THIRSTY? MAGAZINE MAC 2015

WATER

POLLUTION Transparent standards for the quality and reliability of water

supplies

Virtually all goods-producing activities generate

pollutants as unwanted by-products.

The most important water contaminants created

by human activities are microbial pathogens,

nutrients, oxygen-consuming materials,

heavy metals and persistent organic matter,

as well as suspended sediments, pesticides and

much of it from non-point sources. Heat, which

raises the temperature of the receiving water,

can also be a pollutant. Pollutants are typically

the cause of major water quality degradation

around the world.

Globally, the most prevalent water quality

problem is eutrophication, a result of high-

nutrient loads (mainly phosphorus and nitrogen),

which substantially impairs beneficial uses of

water.

Projected food production needs and increasing

wastewater effluents associated with an

increasing population over the next three

decades suggest a 10%-15% increase in the

river input of nitrogen loads into coastal

ecosystems, continuing the trend observed

during 1970-95.

More than 80% of sewage in developing countries is discharged untreated, polluting rivers, lakes and coastal areas.

Many industries – some of them known to be heavily polluting (such as leather and chemicals) – are moving from

high-income countries to emerging

market economies.

Despite improvements in some regions, water

pollution is on the rise globally.

Some Best Practices:

The International Water Association or IWA

developed the Bonn Charter in 2004 on Safe

Drinking Water. The key principles outlined by

the charter which are imperative to safe drinking

water supply are as follows:

3. Management of the whole water supply chain should always be set in the context of management of the whole water cycle,

including, but not limited to:

a. Management of water resource provision, including, where necessary resource augmentation.

b. Management of water and land interactions, taking into account agricultural practices and urban

development; and c. The collection and treatment of

wastewater.

1. Systems to ensure drinking water quality should not be based solely on end-of-

pipe verification (testing against predetermined standards). Rather,

management control systems should be implemented to assess risks at all points throughout water supply systems and to manage such risks.

2. Such an integrated approach requires close co-operation and partnership between

all stakeholders including governments, independent regulatory authorities, water suppliers, local public authorities, health agencies, environmental agencies, land users, contractors, plumbers and manufacturers of relevant materials and products, and consumers themselves.


4. Open, transparent and honest

communication between all

stakeholders is essential to

developing trust. It contributes to the

development of effective water supply

systems.

5. The roles and responsibilities of the

different institutions contributing to

the delivery of safe and reliable

drinking water need to be clearly

defined and ensure complete

coverage of the system from

catchment to consumer. Governments

should establish the legal and

institutional arrangements necessary to

assign appropriate responsibilities among

the various parties.

6. The way in which decisions are made

relating to standards for the quality

and reliability of water supplies

should be transparent.

7. Water should be safe, reliable and

aesthetically acceptable. In

progressively realising the goals,

however, the standards applied may

legitimately vary from location to

location and over time

8. The price of water should be set so

that it does not prevent consumers

from obtaining water of sufficient

quantity and quality to meet

fundamental domestic needs

9. Any system for assuring drinking water

quality should:

a. Be based on the best available

scientific evidence; and

b. Be sufficiently flexible to take

account of the different legal,

institutional, cultural and socio-

economic situations of different

countries;


Ammoniacal Nitrogen (NH-N) is a component of

nitrogen which is adopted as an indicator to determine

pollution by sewage. It is formed from microbiology

activity and usually exists inside surface water and

groundwater. The main sources of NH-N were domestic

sewage and livestock farming.

Malaysia is blessed with abundant amount of

water. The annual surface runoff of Malaysia

amount to around 566 billion m3 and some 64

billion m3 are being recharged as groundwater.

The surface runoffs or rivers are the major

source of water in Malaysia (97%) with around

100 river systems running in Peninsular and 50

in Sabah and Sarawak.

As discussed earlier, population growth along

with agricultural and industrial development is

putting a strain on the water supply system.

Furthermore, the weak policy and

implementation of programmes and activities to

protect river basins in the country further

threatens the raw water (source) security of the

nation.

There is nowhere in any Malaysian law that the

provides clear definition of a river basin allowing

developers and other parties (both government

and non-government) having a field day in

opening up catchment areas for development,

thus jeopardising raw water security.

Current water resource management often

neglects river basin management and its

protection. There are however some

(commendable) efforts undertaken by the

Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID).

About 41 rivers basin were identified throughout

Peninsular Malaysia. DID's management

information system (MIS) was created for all

water-resources related activities in these major

river basins. But this is a far cry from the

integrated river basin management often cited to

help protect raw water sources and river basins.

Figure 1: Status of river water quality based on Ammoniacal Nitrogen pollutant, Malaysia, 2008-2012


Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)

refers to the amount of dissolved oxygen

required for the bacterial decomposition of

organic waste in water samples. The increase

in BOD in river basins is due to untreated or

partially treated sewage, discharge from agro-

based and manufacturing industries.

According to DOE’s Environmental Quality Report 2012, out of 473 rivers monitored under the river water

quality monitoring programme, only 278 (59%) of river were found to be clean. The rest were either

categorised as slightly polluted (34%) or polluted (7%).

The sources for suspended solids are from improper earthworks and land clearing. Out of the 34 polluted

river identified in the report, 19 were classified as Class III, 14 as Class IV, and 1 as Class V.

Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), Ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N) and suspended solids are three of the

most common pollutants. Ammoniacal nitrogen mainly originates from livestock farming and domestic

sewage whilst high BOD indicates inadequately treated sewage effluent as well as run-offs from agro-

based and manufacturing industries.

The percentage of clean river basins water that is free from NH-N decreased to 25.0 per cent in 2012 as

compared to 29.3 per cent in 2011. The decrease in the percentage of clean river basins indirectly increases

the percentage of slightly polluted river basins (47.9%) and polluted river basins (27.1%) in 2012.

Figure 2 : Status of river water quality based on Biochemical Oxygen Demand pollutant, Malaysia, 2008-2012

The percentage of clean river basins water that is

free from BOD increased to 8.6 per cent in 2012 as

compared to 2.2 per cent in 2011. The number of

slightly polluted basins decreased to 49.3 per cent

while the polluted river basins increased 1.4 per

cent to 42.1per cent during the same period.


The increasing number of polluted rivers

indicates that the river protection works in

Malaysia are moving at a painfully slow pace,

lacks public engagement and education, strict

and more coordinated approach towards

implementing tighter laws.

Monitoring alone, without proper guidelines,

policies, and laws are futile. River catchments

should be defined properly, gazetted, and

protected under the law permanently.

Any form of land use and development in water

catchment areas or river basins should be

curtailed.

The classifications of river pollution areas below:

Class Description

I Conservation of natural environment. Water supply I – Practically no treatment necessary Fishery I – Very sensitive aquatic species

IIA Water supply II – Conventional treatment required. Fishery II – Sensitive aquatic species

IIB Recreational use with body contact

III Water supply III – Extensive treatment required Fishery III – Common, of economic value and tolerant species; livestock drinking.

IV Irrigation

V None of the above


Malaysia is blessed with rich natural resources

and ample amount of rainwater throughout the

year. However, Malaysia is not free from any

natural disaster. According to studies, the most

significant natural disaster in Malaysia is flood

(JPS, 2001). Floods are common hydrological

phenomena in Malaysia, on average affecting an

area of 29,000 km2, more than 4.82 million

people (22% of the population) and inflicting

annual damage of RM 915 million since year 2000

(Asian Disaster Reduction Center, 2003).

The global climate is indeed changing and the

evidences are mounting. Water is the primary

medium through which climate change impacts

the earth’s ecosystem and people. However,

water scarcity and extreme flooding are expected

to become an ever-increasing problem in the

future, for various reasons.

Malaysia and the South East Asia region is not

spared the brunt of climate change having

experienced severe flooding and depletion of

aquatic food sources. Unsustainable land use

further aggravates the negative impact of climate

change and even contributes to climate change

due to loss of natural resources or increased

pollution.

The effects of climate change are already being

felt in Malaysia. Erratic weather results in

unpredictable rainfall patterns and Malaysia has

experienced unexpected prolonged droughts –

recently in Sarawak and Sabah in year 2011. This

has caused water stress in these states.

Flood risk area in Malaysia

(Source: NAHRIM, 2006)


Flash floods and big floods have caused billions

of Ringgit of losses both economy wise and

human lives. With no holistic water demand

and resources management in place in

Malaysia, the increase in flood intensity and

frequency would incur additional costs on

water resources management due to the need

to adjust future flood mitigation plans as well

as the existing flood mitigation schemes and

drainage systems (Low and Ahmad

Jamaluddin, 2001).

Factors Leading to Excess Run-Off

(Flood)

Several factors contribute to intense rain

and flooding in both urban and rural areas

in Malaysia. Among the major factors are:

Loss of forest cover

Pollution of waterways

(rivers/lakes/ streams/ monsoon

drains)

Unsustainable / unplanned land

use and development

Unscheduled cleaning and

upgrading of the drainage system

Loss of Forest Cover

According to the Department of Forestry

Malaysia, the forest cover in Malaysia has

been in a declining rate since 1990 from

22,376,000 ha to 20,456,000 ha in 2010.

land.

This shows that in 20 years, most of the

primary forests in Malaysia have been

chopped down for logging business and also

being transformed into agriculture

Pollution of Rivers:

Recent year we have encountered several

severe river pollution cases that caused

water treatment plant to close and affected

millions of consumer. More than 85% of our

drinking water is sourced from rivers.

According to the Environmental Quality

Report 2010 prepared by the Department of

Environmental Malaysia, in 2010, a total of

1,055 water quality monitoring stations

located at 570 rivers were monitored. Out

of these 1,055 monitoring stations, 527

(50%) were found to be clean, 417 (40%)

slightly polluted and 111 (10%) polluted.

The number of clean rivers decreased from

306 rivers in 2009 to 293, slightly polluted

rivers decreased from 217 in 2009 to 203

while the number of polluted rivers

increased to 74 from 54 (2009).

rivers decreased from 217 in 2009 to 203 while

the number of polluted rivers increased to 74

from 54 (2009). Irresponsible people treat rivers

as the open garbage bin and cause clogging of

the riverway. Moreover, poorly planned

constructions have diverted some of the river

channels and cause the carrying capacity of the

rivers to reduce due to excessive sedimentation

and obstruct the flow.

Waste

Malaysia currently produces more than 23,000

tonnes of solid waste per day, with less than five

per cent of the waste being recycled and 19% of

them ended up in the rivers. Therefore it is an

utmost importance that waste to be segregated

at source and then to be recycled or disposed.

Industrial Effluent and Sewerage

By referring to the findings in the Auditor

General Report’s 2011, it stated that IWK has

shown weaknesses in its operations and

maintenance of sewerage systems, such as cases

of theft at the treatment plant involving an

estimated loss of RM25.4 million. In terms of

operation, the report claimed that the sewarage

water was not treated according to

environmental standards. There were also

damages to the structures of treatment plants

and violations of effluent standard that resulted

in a charge in the form of penalty or compound

amounting to RM1.55 billion. According

to the Environmental Quality Report 2010, one of

the main contaminations found in the river was

partially treated sewerage.

in the river was partially treated sewerage.

Unsustainable land use and development

We have been experiencing rapid urbanization

since the early 1990s and the trend seems to

increase its momentum towards the direction of

a developed nation by 2020. Without proper and

upgrade of current drainage system in the urban

areas, flash floods are more likely to occur after

every heavy downfall. Since 1985, academicians

have identified that flash floods will be in an

increasing trend due to high rainfall intensities,

inadequate drainage, blocked and silted drainage

system due to the rapid development and

improper garbage disposal. The flash flood

hazard comprises many aspects including

structural and erosion damage, loss of life and

property, contamination of food, water and other

materials; disruption of socio-economic activity

including transport and communications, and in

some cases the spoiling of agricultural land.

By end of the century, a more significant change

in the annual rainfall may be expected in the

western regions of Sabah and Sarawak (Wan Azli

et al., 2008). Simulations of future river flows in

several watersheds in East Coast of Peninsular

Malaysia indicate an increase in hydrologic

extremes, that is, higher high flows and lower

low flows when compared with historical levels

(NAHRIM, 2006).

Flash floods are expected to be more frequent

and more intense in major cities like Kuala

Lumpur and as witnessed in the disastrous

flooding in the northern states of Peninsular

Malaysia in the 2000s.

Records indicate that flooding is the most

significant climatic event in the


Workers picking up wastes from river.

Workers picking up wastes from river.

country, affecting the greatest number of

people over the last century (Liew et al,

2009). There is an increasing trend of total

number of deaths and monetary loss due to

floods within the past decade (EM-DAT,

2011). In the advent of climate change, the

number of disasters and people affected is

expected to increase.

Climate Change Mitigation and

Adaptation - Flood

In order to deal with the looming problem of

flooding, the government have drafted and

implemented the Urban Stormwater

Management Manual. However, to be able

to mitigate and adapt to climate change,

what Malaysia needs is a concrete climate

change policy, implementation strategy and

the will to implement these strategies

supported by laws and public education and

communication plan.

As flood risk evolves over time, policy

makers also need to explore how decisions

change in the light of changing climates.

Information about the existing models used

to account for climate change at different

scales and an understanding of the

uncertainties regarding those results need

to be at the core of any decision making

process.

Construction of railway tracks right in the middle of a river channel

with heavy sedimentation.


Flash flood in Damansara-Puchong Highway, 2013

As consumers we must:

1. Throw our rubbish into the

designated bin or place. If not, the

drainage system will be clogged up

and flash flood will occur.

2. Gain more knowledge on flood

emergency response by joining the

awareness programs organized by

authorities and NGOs.

Construction of railway tracks right in the middle of a river channel

with heavy sedimentation.

A DAY AT WORK

NURAINI BINTI

KHALIL

07:15 Invited as a panel in

the Selamat Pagi 1 Malaysia

di TV1. Discussing about

water conservation and

responsibility of consumers

in water and sewerage

services

07:45 Arriving at the

office. As the first person

into the office, I opened

office and will ensure that

the office is in good shape

for the start of operations.

08:00 Update news related

to water and sanitation

through the newspapers.

Take note of the latest

issues and make copies of

newspaper to be

communicated to colleagues

and circulated for

information to the relevant

agencies. I will also write an

article or letter to the editor

if the issue involves water

consumer.

08:30 At this time, usually

calls will start coming in and

most of the calls received

are to lodge a complaint. As

a consumer association,

advisory session will be

given to the complainant and

any complaint will be

recorded. I will then help the

complainant to launch their

complaint to related parties

and sometimes come down

to visit and meet with the

complainant with fellow FAM

colleague

10:00 Doing analysis for

water saving campaign , My

Water which is held each

year in conjunction with the

Malaysia Consumer Day

(HPM). Improve the content

of this competition and write

proposals for next year's

activities. In addition, I will

also make desktop research

to find new information that

could be included in the

bulletin and magazine Forum

Air Malaysia because I was

among one of the columnists

and editorial crew of

publications issued by FAM.

10:30 Review proposals on

the planning to conduct

nationwide survey for

Peninsular Malaysia and

Labuan. Discussion in

terms of detail activity, budget

and timeline will be done in

regular meetings with the

National Water Services

Commission (SPAN) and the

Department of Statistics was

held to discuss the project in

more detail.

11:30 Staff meetings with

other staff to discuss current

issues. Staff meetings also

serve to obtain updates or

matters arising for program

that is running.

14:00 Attending the UN

Consultation on the Post-2015

Development Agenda

"The Malaysian We Want: How

can Our Institutions Help us

Deliver This?". During this

session, I had the opportunity

to meet and talk with

representatives from other

countries and learn the best

practices adopted by the State

in managing water and better

sanitation. Additionally I can

also build a network and

introduce FAM to them

16:30 Invited as a panel at

the National FM radio stations

and MobTV to share

information about the roles

and responsibilities of

consumer in water and

sewerage services

17:00 Finish work and drive to

UiTM Shah Alam to attend

class. Drive from Petaling Jaya

to Shah Alam took an hour

because of heavy traffic.

18:00 Class begins

21:00 End of class and drive

home

Nuraini binti Khalil joined Forum

Air Malaysia in 2012 and currently she is the Deputy Secretary

General of Forum Air Malaysia. With vast interest to strengthen her knowledge in water and sanitation sector, she is currently pursuing her Masters Degree in Environmental Engineering at UiTM, Shah Alam through part

time basis. She believes that worl-study-life balance is achieveable through good time management.


Sejak kecil lagi kita telah diberitahu bahawa Malaysia

merupakan negara yang bebas daripada bencana-bencana alam

kecuali banjir.

Namun, episode puting beliung baru-baru ini ataupun land/water

spouts sebagaimana yang ditakrifkan oleh Jabatan

Meteorologi Malaysia mencadangkan bahawa kita perlu serius dalam perubahan dramtik

yang sedang berlaku dalam sistem cuaca kita.

Di Pendang, ia telah mengoyakkan bumbung off kira-kira lapan rumah dan menumbangkan pokok-pokok,

tiang lampu dan kabel elektrik manakala di Pandamaran, 30

rumah rusak, membongkar atap enam pangsapuri, menumbangkan

pokok-pokok, papan tanda rosak dan tenggelam beberapa perahu. Seminggu kemudian, satu lagi

putting beliung dilaporkan di Kota Setar di mana ia telah merosakkan

30 buah rumah.

Walaupun puting beliung yang kita lihat di Malaysia tidak seperti

puting beliung yang kita lihat di bahagian-bahagian lain di dunia,

ia perlu dijadikan sebagai iktibar untuk semua rakyat Malaysia tentang kepentingan adaptasi

kepada perubahan iklim.

Menurut laporan penyelidikan

yang baru diterbitkan oleh satu

agensi penyelidiakan Climate

Central, Malaysia merupakan salah

satu 20 buah negara yang paling

berisiko terdedah kepada

perubahan iklim .akibat

peningkatan aras laut dan banjir

pantai.

BISIKAN

ALAM OLEH : FOON WENG LIAN

Dalam laporan tersebut, ia

melaporkan bahawa Malaysia

telah membelanjakan hampir AS

$ 2.6 bilion (RM8.5 bilion) dalam

dekad terakhir untuk menghadapi

ancaman banjir yang lebih kerap.

Ia terbukti seperti banjir yang

kita lihat di Pantai Timur

Semenanjung yang telah menjadi

kebiasaan tahunan.

Bencana-bencana yang berlaku,

fakta dan angka adalah

mukadimah kepada apa yang

disediakan untuk rakyat yang

duduk di pesisiran di Malaysia

terutamanya di Pantai timur

Semenanjung dan Sabah jika kita

tidak serius dalam mencari jalan

untuk menyesuaikan diri dengan

kesan perubahan iklim.

Sehingga kini, masih tidak

terdapat apa-apa tindakan

khusus dari segi dasar, undang-

undang atau pendidikan

masyarakat untuk menyesuaikan

diri dengan kesan perubahan

iklim walaupun Perdana Menteri

ini telah membuat janji yang

pada tahun 2009 untuk

mengurangkan pelepasan karbon

dioksida sehingga 40%

menjelang tahun 2020

berbanding paras 2005 yang

tertakluk kepada bantuan

daripada negara-negara maju.

Sehingga kini, masih tidak

terdapat apa-apa tindakan

khusus dari segi dasar, undang-

undang atau pendidikan

masyarakat untuk menyesuaikan

diri dengan kesan perubahan

iklim walaupun Perdana Menteri

ini telah membuat janji yang

pada tahun 2009 untuk

mengurangkan pelepasan karbon

dioksida sehingga 40%


Menurut laporan IPCC 2013 Perubahan

Iklim, kejadian hujan lebat yang luar biasa

adalah “kemungkinan besar” untuk menjadi

lebih kuat dan lebih kerap di negara-negara

yang terletak berdekatan dengan garisan

khatulistiwa dan kawasan tropika basah.

Kawasan yang dipengaruhi oleh sistem

monsun dijangka meningkat menjelang

abad yang ke-21, dan hujan monsun bakal

meningkat. Musim hujan mungkin akan

berpanjangan di berbagai daerah.

Menurut laporan IPCC 2013 Perubahan

Iklim, kejadian hujan lebat yang luar biasa

adalah “kemungkinan besar” untuk menjadi

lebih kuat dan lebih kerap di negara-negara

yang terletak berdekatan dengan garisan

khatulistiwa dan kawasan tropika basah.

Kawasan yang dipengaruhi oleh sistem

monsun dijangka meningkat menjelang

abad yang ke-21, dan hujan monsun bakal

meningkat. Musim hujan mungkin akan

berpanjangan di berbagai daerah.

Episod puting beliung dan banjir yang lebih

kerap di Malaysia telah memberi kami

amaran yang keras bahawa kita benar-

benar kesuntukan masa dan tidak

sepatutnya menuding jari antara satu sama

lain dalam semua rundingan iklim

antarabangsa.

Pelan tindakan kecemasan perlu direka dan

latihan perlu diberikan kepada semua

peringkat masyarakat dalam menghadapi

bencana-bencana alam yang disebabkan

oleh cuaca yang tidak menentu pada masa

kini agar kerosakan tersebut dapat

dikurangkan.

Sistem ramalan cuaca perlu diperbaiki dan

dinaik taraf agar dapat memberikan

maklumat yang tepat kepada rakyat

walaupun semasa cuaca yang paling teruk.

Kami berharap langkah-langkah

pencegahan dan persetujuan dalam

diteljemahkan kepada tindakan yang

konkrit. Tanpa pelan tindakan yang khusus

dan berkesan, pertemuan kerajaan dunia

setiap tahun hanya akan menggadaikan

masa hadapan generasi muda dan yang

akan datang.

Bencana-bencana seperti banjir besar dan banjir

kilat yang berlaku di seluruh Malaysia jelas

menunjukkan sistem cuaca kita sangat

dipengaruhi oleh musim tengkujuh.

Banjir besar di kawasan utara dan selatan

Semenanjung pada tahun-tahun kebelakangan

ini telah meninggalkan kerosakan yang

mendalam kepada kehidupan rakyat tempatan

dan trend tersebut dijangka akan berterusan.


P E M A N T A U A N

K U A L I T I O L E H

O P E R A T O R A I R

Sebagai rakyat Malaysia, kita patut berbangga

dan bersyukur kerana sentiasa mempunyai

akses kepada bekalan air yang bersih dan

selamat. Mengikut Laporan Progress on

Drinking Water and Sanitation 2012 Update

oleh UNICEF dan WHO, peratusan penduduk

negara ini yang mempunyai akses kepada

bekalan air yang bersih dan selamat adalah

merupakan antara yang tertinggi di dunia.

Sehingga tahun 2012, sejumlah 94.4%

daripada penduduk Malaysia telah menikmati

bekalan air paip seperti yang dilaporkan oleh

Malaysia Water Industry Guide (MWIG) 2012.

Sejak akhir-akhir ini, banyak berita yang

tersiar dalam media massa mengenai

penularan wabak pelbagai penyakit yang

mengancam kesihatan penduduk di negara ini.

Pernahkah anda terfikir bagaimanakah kualiti

bekalan air awam dipantau dan dijamin agar

ianya sentiasa selamat?

PROSES RAWATAN AIR

Secara amnya, air mempunyai sifat-sifat yang

terdiri daripada unsur fizikal (contoh

kekeruhan dan warna), unsur kimia (contoh

pH, aluminium, ferum, mangan dan ammonia)

serta kandungan bakterialogi (Total Coliform,

Fecal Coliform dan E. Coli)

Air yang dibekalkan kepada pengguna perlu

dirawat terlebih dahulu melalui sistem yang

teratur agar dapat mencapai tahap kuantiti

dan kualiti yang diperlukan. Sistem bekalan

air terdiri dari beberapa komponen utama

iaitu muka sauk air mentah (raw water

intake), loji rawatan air dan sistem agihan air.

Di muka sauk, air mentah akan diabstrak dan

dipam ke loji rawatan air untuk proses

rawatan fizikal dan kimia. Air mentah akan

melalui pelbagai proses rawatan seperti

saringan, pengudaraan, pembauran kimia,

koagulasi, flokulasi, pemendapan, penapisan,

pembasmian kuman, pemfloridaan dan

pengedosan kapur. Air yang


RENCANA

Hj. Adam Malik Najri adalah Eksekutif

Kanan di Jabatan Kawalselia Air

Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Air Negara

(SPAN). Beliau mempunyai 18 tahun

pengalaman dalam industri air Negara

dan telah bekerjasama dengan Jabatan

Kimia Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia

untuk mengawal selia dan memantau

kualiti air dirawat yang dihasilkan oleh

syarikat utiliti air di Malaysia. Beliau

juga terlibat dalam perangkaan

peraturan kualiti air di bawah Akta

Industri Perkhidmatan Air (WSIA) 2006

dan Rang Undang-Undang Safe

Drinking Water Bill oleh Kementerian

Kesihatan Malaysia.

telah siap dirawat akan diagihkan kepada

pengguna samada secara graviti atau sistem pam

melalui sistem agihan yang terdiri daripada

rangkaian paip, stesen pam penggalak dan tangki

simpanan air.

Di Malaysia, air yang dirawat dan dibekalkan

kepada orang ramai perlu mematuhi standard

kualiti minimum iaitu Garis Panduan Mutu Air

Minum Kebangsaan Edisi 2004 yang diterbitkan

oleh pihak Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia. Garis

panduan ini menjadi asas kepada penerbitan MS

2320:2010 Malaysian Standard: Drinking Water –

Quality Requirements oleh Jabatan Standard

Malaysia yang dijadikan sebagai Standard Kualiti

Air Minum Kebangsaan. Kebanyakan nilai

parameter yang ditetapkan dalam standard

tersebut adalah berdasarkan kepada Garis

Panduan Kualiti Air yang dikeluarkan oleh World

Health Organization (WHO).

adalah selamat dan boleh diterima oleh

pengguna. Kekerapan analisa air bergantung

kepada jenis parameter tertentu misalnya

parameter fizikal, kimia dan bakteria (kumpulan

I) dianalisa secara mingguan, parameter kimia

bukan organik (kumpulan II) secara bulanan,

parameter kimia organik, logam berat dan

Pemantauan kualiti air melibatkan parameter

fizikal, kimia dan bakteria dilakukan bermula

dari muka sauk loji rawatan air hingga ke

sistem agihan. KKM melakukan kerja-kerja

persampelan dan analisa air ‘insitu’ manakala

analisa air di makmal dilakukan oleh Jabatan

Kimia Malaysia.

pestisid (kumpulan III & IV) setiap 3 bulan

manakala parameter radioaktif (kumpulan V)

secara tahunan.

Pada masa ini, jumlah loji rawatan air yang

dipantau oleh KKM adalah sebanyak 380 buah

(tidak termasuk Sabah dan Sarawak) manakala

stesen persampelan air yang terdapat di loji

serta sistem agihan adalah sebanyak 5,136

buah. Pada tahun 2012, jumlah sampel yang

dianalisa adalah sebanyak 179,266 sampel.


Bagi memastikan kualiti air sentiasa selamat

dan terjamin dari segi kesihatan, air dianalisa

secara berkala di loji rawatan air serta sistem

agihan oleh Operator Air yang melibatkan

parameter fizikal, kimia dan bakteriologi.

Di loji rawatan air, kualiti air dianalisa secara

manual di makmal dengan kekerapan

sekurang-kurangnya setiap 2 jam bagi

parameter asas seperti kekeruhan, pH, warna,

baki klorin dan aluminium. Analisa air juga

dilakukan secara bulanan dan setiap 3 bulan

serta tahunan bagi parameter kimia organik,

bukan organik, logam berat dan pestisid.

Selaras dengan penggunaan teknologi masa

kini, kebanyakan loji rawatan air kini

khususnya loji-loji baru mempunyai peralatan

online analyzer yang boleh menganalisa kualiti

secara on-line tanpa menggunakan tenaga

manusia. Peralatan ini kini menjadi ciri

standard bagi loji-loji baru yang boleh

menjimatkan penggunaan tenaga manusia di

samping membolehkan pemantauan kualiti

dibuat secara lebih rapi.

Bagi memastikan keputusan analisa air adalah

tepat, telus dan berintegriti, kebanyakan

Operator Air telah mula mewujudkan makmal

analisa air yang ditauliahkan oleh Jabatan

Standard Malaysia di bawah Skim Akreditasi

Makmal Malaysia - ISO/IEC 17025:2005.

Selain di loji rawatan air, Operator Air turut

melakukan pemantauan ke atas kualiti air di

sistem agihan secara berkala.

Pemantauan oleh Kementerian Kesihatan

Malaysia

Selain Operator Air, pihak Kementerian

Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM) turut melakukan

pemantauan kualiti air bagi memastikan air

yang dibekalkan oleh Operator Air mematuhi

had piawaian yang ditetapkan berdasarkan

Standard Kualiti Air Minum Kebangsaan.

Program Kebangsaan Kawalan Mutu Air Minum

(PKKMAM) telah dimulakan pada tahun 1983

untuk meningkatkan taraf kesihatan orang

ramai dengan memastikan air minum yang

dibekalkan

Pada tahun 1993, KKM telah

memperkenalkan Quality Assurance

Programme (QAP) di bawah PKKMAM kearah

pelanggaran sifar kualiti air (zero violation).

Parameter utama yang ditetapkan ialah

bakteria E. Coli, Baki Klorin Bebas, Gabungan

E. Coli dan Baki Klorin Bebas, Kekeruhan dan

Aluminium.

Di bawah PKKMAM, terdapat prosedur yang

telah ditetapkan dan perlu dijalankan

sekiranya berlaku sebarang pelanggaran

kualiti air. Dalam situasi tersebut, pihak KKM

akan menghantar borang tindakan

pembetulan (CR - corrective action report)

kepada Operator Air bagi mendapatkan

maklumbalas serta memastikan tindakan

pembetulan seperti scouring dan flushing

dilakukan. Hasil dari pemantauan yang

dijalankan, pihak KKM akan mengeluarkan

laporan kualiti air secara berkala secara

bulanan dan tahunan.

Daripada pemantauan secara kerap dan rapi oleh

Operator Air dan KKM, bekalan air yang dibekalkan

kepada pengguna di negara ini secara amnya

mematuhi standard kualiti minimum yang

ditetapkan dan adalah bersih dan selamat.

Audit oleh SPAN

Selaras dengan Seksyen 41 (1) Akta Industri

Perkhidmatan Air 2006, Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan

Air Negara (SPAN) juga memantau kualiti air yang

dibekalkan supaya mematuhi standard kualiti

minimum yang ditetapkan pada masa pembekalan.

Untuk tujuan itu, SPAN bekerjasama dengan KKM

dalam menjayakan Program Kebangsaan Kawalan

Mutu Air Minum dan bersama-sama memastikan

tindakan susulan diambil oleh semua operator

keatas hasil dapatan KKM.

Selain itu, pihak SPAN turut melakukan audit

teknikal secara berkala termasuk aspek kualiti air

di loji-loji rawatan air dan sistem agihan di

Semenanjung Malaysia dan Labuan. Audit teknikal

dijalankan oleh pegawai-pegawai SPAN dari

operator keatas hasil dapatan KKM.

Selain itu, pihak SPAN turut melakukan audit

teknikal secara berkala termasuk aspek kualiti air di

loji-loji rawatan air dan sistem agihan di

Semenanjung Malaysia dan Labuan. Audit teknikal

dijalankan oleh pegawai-pegawai SPAN dari Ibu

Pejabat dan pejabat-pejabat Wilayah dengan fokus

kepada loji-loji rawatan air yang tidak dapat

merawat air dengan lebih berkesan.

Pada masa ini, SPAN juga bekerjasama dengan KKM

dan Operator Air bagi melaksanakan Water Safety

Plan iaitu satu kaedah yang diperkenalkan oleh

WHO untuk mengenalpasti dan menangani risiko-

risiko yang boleh menjejaskan kualiti air dari sumber

hingga rumah pengguna.

Secara rumusannya, melalui pemantauan rapi

yang dijalankan oleh Operator Air, KKM serta

SPAN, bekalan air yang dibekalkan kepada

pengguna daripada sistem bekalan air awam

adalah dijamin sentiasa bersih dan selamat.


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