Bukit Tagar Landfill Blamed For Pollution Of Sungai Selangor

PADANG BESAR, March 4 (Bernama) -- Water flowing from a catchment pond at the Bukit Tagar landfill has been identified as the cause of excessive content of ammonia in Sungai Selangor.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid said water from a landfill should be treatment before being released into the river but the landfill there did not have any water treatment pond.
It only had an ordinary catchment pond, he told reporters after a communication programme at Felcra Lubok Sireh, here Saturday.
"The extraordinary rainfall in Shah Alam recently had caused the catchment pond to overflow into the river, raising the ammonia content," he said.
The Selangor Department of Environment (DOE) had found that the ammonia level in Sungai Selangor had reached the danger level at 9.2 mg per litre compared to the safe level of 1.5 mg per litre.
According to Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas), the operators of three water treatment plants along the river had increased the chlorine content in the contaminated raw water during the treatment process to reduce the ammonia content.
The chemical reaction had resulted in the foul smell of piped water in several areas in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur last Sunday.
Azmi said a study by the DOE had shown that the piped water was safe for drinking.
However, he expressed disappointment with Syabas which he said had failed to treat the water by supposing it was not its responsibility to do so.