SPAN: Investigations will be conducted into pollution that shut down Sg Semenyih water treatment plant

PETALING JAYA: An investigation will be conducted after the Sungai Semenyih water treatment plant was shut down due to odour pollution in the raw water source, says the National Water Services Commission (SPAN).

SPAN said if it is found that the pollution is caused by an action of any person who had released contaminants or had allowed it to be released into public sewers or any public sewage treatment facility, stern action will be taken against the person under Section 61(1) of the National Water Services Industry Act 2006 (Act 655).

It added that if found guilty, the accused can be fined not more than RM100,000 or imprisoned not more than a year or both under Section 61(2) of the same Act.

SPAN also clarified that the source of the odour pollution in the raw water source is not from the sewage treatment operations conducted by Indah Water Konsortium Sdn Bhd (IWK).

"The cause of the pollution is suspected to be from illegal waste disposal near the Bandar Mahkota sewage treatment plant.

"We have also told IWK to take immediate action to reduce the odour pollution at the plant," it said in a statement Monday (Sept 30).

SPAN noted that IWK had also been told to closely monitor its plants so that there would not be illegal waste disposal activity near its plants.

On Saturday (Sept 28), water supply cuts affected 372,031 households in the Petaling district, Hulu Langat, Kuala Langat and Sepang in Selangor as the Semenyih river treatment plant had shut down due to odour pollution.

The following day, the Sungai Semenyih water treatment plant fully resumed operations.

IWK had also denied allegations that the odour pollution had originated from its sewage treatment plant in Bandar Mahkota.

It had said that the pollution was due to the illegal disposal of waste near the IWK plant.

Meanwhile, Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Air Selangor) said water supply in Hulu Langat has been fully restored while full restoration was still in progress in Petaling, Kuala Langat and Sepang.