Malaysia: Industrial and farming waste tainting Johor rivers

The Star 28 Sep 14;

PONTIAN: Industrial and agricultural wastes are the main polluters of three main rivers supplying water to thousands of households in the state.

The three rivers are Sungai Sembrong, Sungai Muar and Sungai Kota Tinggi.

With the amendments that had been made to the Water ­ Enactment 1921 (Amendment 2014), the Johor government along with its water regulatory bodies would now be able to help stop the pollution of the state’s rivers, according to Johor Public Works, Rural and Regional Development Commit­tee chairman Datuk Hasni Mohammad (pic).

“For water coming from either rivers or underground, the state government – through the Johor Water Regulatory Authority – will be able to conduct proper checks to ensure the quality is safe,” he added.

Hasni said this after officiating the Syarikat Air Johor Holdings (SAJ) workers association annual general meeting held here yesterday.

Hasni also said that there had been a 60% increase in SAJ’s operational costs because the company had to use chemicals to treat water coming from polluted sources.

He added that the treated water was safe as SAJ followed the international standard for public usage.