A RM5.9mil rehabilitation project for the monsoon canal and pond at Taman Upcycle in Bandar Perda is being undertaken as part of a water restoration initiative.
The works are expected to improve water conditions at both sites, with an estimated post-restoration output of 3.3 million cubic metres annually.
The appointment of contractors is expected in July or August.
The project by the Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) is sponsored by Micron Memory Malaysia Sdn Bhd and supported by Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).
Penang local government, town and country planning committee chairman Jason H’ng Mooi Lye said the initiative reflected a strategic public-private partnership to address urban environmental challenges.
“This project demonstrates how collaboration between local authorities, industry and academia can deliver tangible environmental benefits for the community,” he said at the launch of the CSR Water Restoration programme at MBSP headquarters in Bukit Mertajam, Penang.
The initiative will include construction works, continuous monitoring and water-quality control measures to ensure treated effluent meets or exceeds the Department of Environment’s Water-Quality Index (WQI) standards.
Micron Memory Malaysia vice-president and managing director Ramu Iyer said the initiative underscored the company’s commitment to sustainability and long-term community well-being through environmental stewardship.
The project forms part of MBSP’s broader agenda to promote a liveable, low-carbon and smart city in Seberang Perai.
“This project demonstrates the power of collaboration between industry and local authorities.
“By restoring vital water resources, we are not only supporting communities today but also safeguarding their future,” Ramu said.
He added water was a critical resource not just for industry, but for communities, biodiversity and future generations.
River ecosystems, in particular, played a crucial role in urban resilience, climate-change mitigation and public well-being, he said.
Seberang Perai mayor Datuk Baderul Amin Abdul Hamid said the primary objective was to restore and enhance water quality at both sites.
USM River Engineering and Urban Drainage Research Centre senior lecturer Prof Dr Mohd Remy Rozainy Mohd Arif Zainol said a nature-based solution has been proposed for the project.
He said the solution with an estimated implementation period of about 15 months, was aimed at delivering measurable environmental improvements upon completion.
The initiative, he said, would involve system-based construction works, including dredging in sediment-prone bay areas to improve water flow and enhance overall ecological conditions.
The treatment and rehabilitation approach will incorporate the Bio-Ecological Drainage System (Bioecods), used in water restoration projects in Malaysia, he added.
The system, developed by USM’s engineering campus, is a drainage system that restores the natural environment while maintaining river flow and controlling ground subsidence, using an innovative, sustainable method.
“Treatment works are expected to cover water depths ranging between 1.5m and 2.5m, depending on site conditions and the level of sediment accumulation at the respective locations.”
He added that the integration of nature-based solutions with engineered systems such as Bioecods represented a balanced approach to restoring degraded water bodies while maintaining ecological stability.
