Pollution suspected in Sungai Kayu Ara mass fish deaths

SHAH ALAM (Bernama): Sewage waste water from the Indah Water Konsortium Sdn Bhd (IWK) plant is believed to be the source of contamination behind the discovery of hundreds of dead fish in Sungai Kayu Ara, Petaling Jaya near here on Saturday (July 13).

Selangor Environment, Green Technology, Science, Technology and Innovation and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Hee Loy Sian said this was based on higher reading of Ammoniacal Nitrogen (AN) from water samples collected from the location.

"On Saturday, I received complaints of pollution and hundreds of fishes were found dead in Sungai Kayu Ara near Kampung Cempaka, Petaling Jaya, and I have instructed the Selangor Water Management Authority (Luas) to take immediate action.

"Luas has conducted an investigation and collected water samples from both the upstream and downstream of the river.

Based on the results of water samples, it was found that the AN level around the area of Taman Mayang was high and possibly it was due to sewage treatment plant effluents, he said in a statement here on Monday (July 15).

Hee added that river water samples were also sent to the Chemistry Department to determine the level of metal and heavy metal concentrations.

Legal action would be taken under the Environmental Quality (Sewage) Regulations 2009, a regulation stipulated under the Environmental Quality Act 1974, he said.

Hee said he had ordered river cleaning works to be carried out by contractors and estimated that there were six IWK plants along Sungai Kayu Ara. - Bernama