PETALING JAYA: Not once, but twice.
The factory which released the contaminants into Sungai Gong, which then caused a massive water cut in the Klang Valley, is a repeat offender.
About six months after the first offence, the same factory was found to be the culprit behind the pollution.
“The first time was in March, during the first phase of the movement control order (MCO).
“The Department of Environment (DOE) compounded the factory RM60,000,” Selangor environment, green technology, science, technology and innovation and consumer affairs committee chairman Hee Loy Sian said yesterday.
Hee said based on the investigations by the Selangor Water Management Authority (Luas), DOE and Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd, it was found that the factory in Rawang, which repairs and maintains heavy machinery, was the source of the odour pollution in Sungai Selangor.
“It was likely that the discarded oil was dispensed straight into the drain which flowed into the river.
“This had caused the odour pollution at Sungai Selangor’s Rantau Panjang, Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 water treatment plants, ” he added.
Hee said they had decided to seal the factory until the operator complied with the DOE’s standard operating procedure.
“We hope the people will be patient as we have also blocked the flow of discarded oil from the factory with activated carbon,” he noted.
Attempts to reach the company’s top officials for comment were unsuccessful.
Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari also said that the factory had been sealed.
“Work to remove pollutants from the water source continues today (Sept 4) and it is being done round the clock to ensure that the water is clean and safe,” he said on Twitter.
Amirudin said activated carbon was also being added to lessen the smell of the pollutants and about 400 million litres of water a day had been pumped out of the Bestari Jaya pond to flush out and dilute the effluents.
In addition, about 500 million litres of water a day from the Sungai Tinggi dam were being used to aid efforts to clear out the pollutants.
Amirudin said water was also being supplied to residents affected by the cuts.
“Currently, 78 water trucks, 22 jumbo water trucks, 54 static water tanks, 18 local service centres, eight public taps and 23,000 five-litre water bottles have been deployed and distributed to those affected, and Air Selangor is constantly monitoring the situation,” he added.
On Thursday, Luas said an unidentified solvent had made the water source in Sungai Selangor odorous.
Sampling was then conducted near the Sungai Gong industrial area.
Sungai Gong is a tributary of Sungai Sembah, which is the main tributary of Sungai Selangor located about 17km from the Rantau Panjang water treatment plant.
The pollution caused unscheduled water disruptions to 1,292 areas in Kuala Lumpur, Petaling, Klang, Shah Alam, Kuala Selangor, Hulu Selangor, Gombak and Kuala Langat.
The factory which released the contaminants into Sungai Gong, which then caused a massive water cut in the Klang Valley, is a repeat offender.
About six months after the first offence, the same factory was found to be the culprit behind the pollution.
“The first time was in March, during the first phase of the movement control order (MCO).
“The Department of Environment (DOE) compounded the factory RM60,000,” Selangor environment, green technology, science, technology and innovation and consumer affairs committee chairman Hee Loy Sian said yesterday.
Hee said based on the investigations by the Selangor Water Management Authority (Luas), DOE and Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd, it was found that the factory in Rawang, which repairs and maintains heavy machinery, was the source of the odour pollution in Sungai Selangor.
“It was likely that the discarded oil was dispensed straight into the drain which flowed into the river.
“This had caused the odour pollution at Sungai Selangor’s Rantau Panjang, Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 water treatment plants, ” he added.
Hee said they had decided to seal the factory until the operator complied with the DOE’s standard operating procedure.
“We hope the people will be patient as we have also blocked the flow of discarded oil from the factory with activated carbon,” he noted.
Attempts to reach the company’s top officials for comment were unsuccessful.
Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari also said that the factory had been sealed.
“Work to remove pollutants from the water source continues today (Sept 4) and it is being done round the clock to ensure that the water is clean and safe,” he said on Twitter.
Amirudin said activated carbon was also being added to lessen the smell of the pollutants and about 400 million litres of water a day had been pumped out of the Bestari Jaya pond to flush out and dilute the effluents.
In addition, about 500 million litres of water a day from the Sungai Tinggi dam were being used to aid efforts to clear out the pollutants.
Amirudin said water was also being supplied to residents affected by the cuts.
“Currently, 78 water trucks, 22 jumbo water trucks, 54 static water tanks, 18 local service centres, eight public taps and 23,000 five-litre water bottles have been deployed and distributed to those affected, and Air Selangor is constantly monitoring the situation,” he added.
On Thursday, Luas said an unidentified solvent had made the water source in Sungai Selangor odorous.
Sampling was then conducted near the Sungai Gong industrial area.
Sungai Gong is a tributary of Sungai Sembah, which is the main tributary of Sungai Selangor located about 17km from the Rantau Panjang water treatment plant.
The pollution caused unscheduled water disruptions to 1,292 areas in Kuala Lumpur, Petaling, Klang, Shah Alam, Kuala Selangor, Hulu Selangor, Gombak and Kuala Langat.
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