Phuah Ken Lin, New Straits Times 9 Aug 09;
GEORGE TOWN: Penang took a giant leap in the rehabilitation of polluted rivers and beaches with the launch of a campaign using 1.2 million environment-friendly mud balls yesterday.
Known as effective microorganism (EM), the material will improve the water quality and revive aquatic life.
State Drainage and Irrigation Department director Hanapi Mohamad Noor said the priority was to resuscitate Sungai Pinang and Sungai Juru, the two most polluted rivers here.
"Our aim is to make the rivers clean enough for people to use the water.
"We will throw mud balls into the rivers in stages over a six-month period," Hanapi said yesterday.
He said this would be done until the water quality of Sungai Pinang and Sungai Juru improved to Class 2 from Class 3.
Hanapi said EM would also be deployed in Sungai Bayan Lepas and two highly polluted drains in Seberang Prai Utara and Selatan.
Hanapi said the department would throw mud balls into the rivers and selected sewage on a weekly basis.
Among the benefits of the mud balls are a stimulation of mangrove growth and breaking down the sludge deposited in the rivers and seabed.
He said the bacteria and yeast content in EM would stop algae growth which made the water murky.
Thousands of people flocked to Gurney Drive and hurled about 100,000 mud balls into the filthy promenade's beach front during the launching ceremony.
The EM is widely used to enhance water quality and solve sanitary problems in agriculture and food industries.
