Malaysia: Johor converting sewage treatment plants into water reclamation facilities

Ahmad Fairuz Othman New Straits Times 30 Apr 17;

PASIR GUDANG: Plans are underway to convert 158 sewage treatment plants in the Pasir Gudang and Tebrau areas into water reclamation plants which can produce potable water for industrial use here.

Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Zaini Ujang said the ministry will soon hold discussions on the plan with the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (Irda) at the authority's next meeting, to be chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

"Such a move has been (carried out) in Kuala Lumpur.

"Discharge from (sewage) treatment plants can produce potable water for industrial use. The 158 sewage treatment plants in the Pasir Gudang and Tebrau areas have a catchment area of 1.5 million people, which means (they) can supply up to 260 MLD (million litres per day) of water.

"This will be used for Pasir Gudang's industries," said Zaini after the My River, My Property programme launched by Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin at Pasar Nelayan, Kampung Pasir Gudang Baru, today.

Khaled urged the federal government to give priority to such a project, because Iskandar Malaysia is a big contributor to the country's economy.


Govt to replace 158 sewerage treatment plants in Johor
NELSON BENJAMIN The Star 1 May 17;

JOHOR BARU: All 158 sewerage treatment plants, which are treating waste water from 1.2 million people living in Pasir Gudang and Tebrau, will be replaced under a Federal Government plan.

The proposal is to replace all these aging sewerage treatment plants with one centralised system known as water reclamation plant (WRP), which not only treats the water but also can produce about 260 million litres of water per day for industries.

Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the project was vital for the growth of Iskandar Malaysia.

“Phase 1 of the project itself will cost more than RM1bil. We hope this treated water can be channel­led to industries in Pasir Gudang,” he said, adding that the Energy, Green Technology and Water Minis­try would undertake this project.

“This will be good for Iskandar. WRP can help to supply water to industries instead of them relying on treated water from Syarikat Air Johor,” he said at the launch of the Sungaiku Hartaku programme along Sungai Masai here.

Mohamed Khaled said the WRP was not cheap as the Government spent RM250mil to build a plant to treat Sungai Segget in Johor Baru.

Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Zaini Ujang said he would discuss the matter with the Iskandar Regional Development Authority soon.

Many of the sewerage treatment plants were between 20 and 30 years old, he said.

“They are not able to process all the sewerage and this is channelled into our waterways,” he added.

On another matter, Mohamed Khaled reminded the public not to discard rubbish into waterways as 229 rivers out of the 473 rivers nationwide are polluted.