(Back row, from right) Tan, Prof Chan and Sangga along with several pupils showing the rainwater harvesting system at SJK (T) Bayan Lepas, Penang. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star
A SCHOOL in Penang is reaping the benefits of rainwater harvesting.
Not only are the staff and pupils conserving resources to help the planet but the school has reduced its water bill too.
SJK (T) Bayan Lepas is touted as the first in the state to carry out a rainwater harvesting project, which began in July 2021 and was completed at the end of March.
At the school, rainwater is collected in tanks and diverted to taps and toilets.
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) school of humanities lecturer and Penang Water Watch president Prof Dr Chan Ngai Weng said rainwater harvesting might be implemented in other schools in Penang.
“SJK (T) Bayan Lepas is already seeing results with its monthly water bill reduced by RM130 to RM150 or almost RM1,600 a year,” he said at a briefing at the school.
The pilot project costing RM20,000 was funded by USM, Penang Water Watch and the school.
“We will present the findings to the authorities so this project can be adopted by other schools,” said Prof Chan.
USM School of Humanities senior lecturer and Penang Water Watch vice-president Dr Tan Mou Leong said four tanks, which could hold a total of 150,600 litres of water, were built to harvest the rainwater to be used in the school’s canteen, garden and washing areas.
SJK (T) headmaster Sangga Sinnayah, a Star Foundation Golden Heart winner, was proud that the school was chosen for the project as he believed in using alternative sources to save water.
SJK (T) Bayan Lepas won the 2021 SEAMEO-Japan ESD Award for another environmental project to make cotton bags. It was funded by the RM5,000 award given to Sangga by Star Foundation in 2020.
