MORE than RM3mil is spent annually on improving and restoring water quality at rivers in Selangor.
Selangor Water Management Authority (Luas) chief assistant director Haslina Amer said some 60 water bodies have been treated in the state.
“Most of these were tributaries and monsoon drains located near industrial and commercial areas.
“We target water within these areas before they reach rivers and cause wider scale pollution,” Haslina said during a presentation at Selangor Industrial Park Expo 2025 in Kuala Lumpur to explain initiatives under the state’s Zero Discharge Policy (ZDP).
The works by Luas, she said, involved transforming rivers and tributaries from Class IV to classes III and II.
Class IV water is only suitable for irrigation, Class III requires extensive treatment while Class II requires only conventional treatment and is suitable for recreational activities.
Haslina said Luas also conducted sampling four times a year to detect pollution at selected locations.
She said remedial works costing RM2.4mil was undertaken in 2021 involving a 5.4km stretch of Sungai Gong to mitigate the impact of pollution.
She added that Luas worked closely with the Environment Department and local authorities to monitor the river quality.
ZDP is aimed at ensuring industries recycle their effluents instead of dumping waste into drains and rivers, among other water sources.
It was reported that some 30,000 businesses from 13 sectors were required to register for the ZDP licence.
Among sectors it covers are aquaculture, development or land work, animal farms, sand mining, slaughterhouses, recreational activity, solid waste management, and water services.
Those who fail to register face fines of up to RM50,000 or jailed not more than two years.
The policy was gazetted in June last year.
