The Malaysian Water Association Quarterly

RM12 EM RM10 WM
ISSN: 1675-2392 KDN No. PP 6646/03/2013(032826) Issue No. 29
 Water Malaysia
The Malaysian Water Association (MWA)
MWA Council for 2015/2017 Session
No. 24 Second Floor, Jalan Sri Hartamas 8, Taman Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA.
Tel: +603 6201 2250/9521 Fax: +603 6201 5801 Website: www.mwa.org.my
President
Ir. Syed Mohamed Adnan Alhabshi
Deputy President
YBhg. Ir. Datuk Abdul Kadir bin Mohd Din
Vice Presidents
Ir. Hj. Mohmad Asari bin Daud
Ir. Zulkiflee bin Ab Hamid
Immediate Past President REGULAR
Mr. Ahmad Zahdi bin Jamil
Hon. Secretary General 2 President’s Desk
Mr. Mohamad Hairi bin Basri
Hon. Treasurer General
Mdm. Amy Yew Sze Kiat

Ordinary Council Members

COVER FEATURE
3 Planning For A Water Blueprint For Malaysia
Prof. Ir. Hj Mohamed Haniffa bin Hj Abdul Hamid
Ir. Hj. Noor Azahari bin Zainal Abidin
Ir. Beh Hong Lin
Ir. Ong Guan Hock
Ir. Tham Yee Kiong MWA ACTIVITIES
Mr. Mansor bin Abdul Ghani 8 Water Malaysia 2015 Conference & Exhibition
Mr. Mohammad Sabari bin Shakeran
Mr. Shamsul Fahmi bin Mohamad Padzli 13 MWA 27th AGM
Mr. Desmond Lim Meng Kiat
14 Celebrating World Water Day in Muar, Johor
Dr. Norhayati binti Abdullah
Ms. Hjh. Fadzilah binti Abdul Kadir 15 Briefing on Progress of Langat 2 WTP
Technical Visit to Sg Labu Off-river Storage Scheme and WTP
Editorial Committee Members
16 Visit from Korea Water and Wastewater Works Association
Ir. Syed Mohamed Adnan Alhabshi
Ir. Ong Guan Hock
MyWA Basic WTP Design and Analysis of Pumping System
Mr. Lee Koon Yew
Ms. Rubby Mahmod

Cover Picture FEATURED ARTICLES

The Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs), also called Agenda 2030 are an inter- 17 Ammonia oh Ammonia
governmentally agreed set of targets relating to
19 The Colour Units Used in Drinking Water
international development. They will follow on
from the Millennium Development Goals once 20 Reduce Costs and Increase Efficiency: Discover the Power of
those expire at the end of 2015. Each goal has
Electronic Controls
specific targets to be achieved over the next
15 years. 22 Wastewater You Can Drink
24 Water Desalination Fundamentals
Disclaimer 27 Worldwide Advances in Water Reuse
The Malaysian Water Association (MWA) quarterly
bulletin (“Water Malaysia”) is provided as a 31 UV Disinfection for Municipal Wastewater – A Growing Trend
service to our members. The articles written by
various authors and news from external sources
are published in good faith for the benefit of
our readers and do not necessarily reflect the
34 NEWS HEADLINES SUMMARY
views of MWA. Further, we give no assurance
or warranty that the published information is
current or accurate and take no responsibility
for any losses or consequences arising from its
transmittal through the bulletin. 38 POLICY AND REGULATION

Published on behalf of MWA by:

Asian Water Magazine, SHP Media Sdn Bhd
1203, 12th Floor, Block E, Phileo Damansara 1,
No. 9, Jalan 16/11, 46350 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
Tel: +603-7960 1148 Fax: +603-7960 1152

Printed by
Percetakan Osacar Sdn Bhd
Lot 37659, No. 11, Jalan 4/37A,
Taman Bukit Maluri Industrial Area,
Kepong, 52100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

WaterMalaysia 1
President’s Desk

Dear Members of MWA,

T he Water Malaysia Conference and Exhibition 2015 held on 22 to 24

April with the theme “Water Security and The Environment: A National
Agenda” was viewed by many as one of the best in terms of content and
there were altogether 49 papers presented plus a modest exhibition of water
products and services. All the papers addressed the water problems that are
currently being faced by the water and wastewater operators and also the
environment. A one day NRW Workshop was held in conjunction with Water
Malaysia 2015.

On behalf of MWA, I would like to extend my heartiest congratulations to the

Conference Chairman, Ir. V. Subramaniam and the Technical Committee Chairman, Prof. Dr. Zulkifli
Yusop and all committee members for their hard work in making the Water Malaysia Conference and
Exhibition 2015 a very successful one.

MWA also held its 27th Annual General Meeting on 25 April 2015 at the Kota Permai Golf & Country
Club, Kota Kemuning, Shah Alam. The new MWA Council for 2015/2017 Session was announced at
the AGM and I would again like to congratulate the new incoming Council (see report on page 7).
It is my hope that the new Council will continue to contribute their ideas and experience and work
hard to position MWA as the leading water association that serves brings greater benefits to MWA
members in particular and the water sector in general.

Among other matters discussed and approved at the AGM were two Constitution amendments
i.e. the additional clause on “Financial Provision” and the other on the changes in the election process
of MWA office bearers (see report on page 12).

Water continue to receive much media attention over the last few months, from the restructuring
and takeover of water companies in Selangor, to issues on pollution, water interruptions, water tariff
adjustments, flooding, drought and cloud seeding, and impending water rationing to be implemented
in some states if the drought continues.

However, MWA is glad that the Selangor water restructuring had made a good turn for the better
when both the Federal and Selangor state government signed the Supplementary Agreement
to the Master Agreement in July. Subsequently on 8th September 2015, the Federal and Selangor
state governments eventually concluded the signing of the final four agreements i.e. the Facilities
Agreement, Lease Agreement, Settlement Agreement and Rights of Use Agreement. The final date for
takeover by Selangor state government of the concessionaires is set for 15 October 2015. It is hoped
that this new agreement will pave the way for the successful conclusion of the water restructuring
and consumers can look forward to a new management that will provide immediate and long term
solution to the fears of water shortages in the Selangor, F.T. Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.

Lastly, MWA is also organising a BWWE 2015 in collaboration with the Water District Engineers
Committee (JTJAD) in Kuching, Sarawak on 14 to 16 December 2015 and we invite all MWA members
to support this event. MWA had organised a delegation to the 6th IWA-ASPIRE Conference & Exhibition,
Beijing, China from 19 to 24 September 2015. The delegation was headed by the Deputy Secretary
General of KeTTHA. Malaysia will be the next host for the 7th IWA-ASPIRE Conference & Exhibition
2017 in Kuala Lumpur. Lastly, MWA is organising a BWWE 2015 in collaboration with the Water District
Engineers Committee (JTJAD) in Kuching, Sarawak on 14 to 16 December 2015 and we invite all MWA
members to support this event.

SYED MOHAMED ADNAN ALHABSHI

President

2 WaterMalaysia

The bigger picture – Looking at Water Issues in their Context
Planning For A Water Blueprint For
Malaysia
Keynote Address by Dato’ Loo Took Gee, Secretary General Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water (KeTTHA) at
Water Malaysia Conference & Exhibition, April 2015, Kuala Lumpur
F irst of all, I would like to take this opportunity to thank
the Malaysian Water Association for inviting me to
deliver the keynote address at this water conference and
exhibition. I am indeed pleased to be present among the
water professionals and experts, both from Malaysia and
abroad. In fact, I was informed that this conference and
exhibition has grown tremendously to be recognised as
one of the premier water conference and exhibition in
the region. Congratulations to all of you for your efforts to
raise the profile of this water conference and exhibition.
The Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water
has always been supportive of the initiatives undertaken
by the Malaysian Water Association in relation to the
development of the water sector. I have been asked
to speak on the National Water Blueprint – a policy
Cover Feature
document that will encapsulate the Ministry’s objectives
in putting the water sector to where it should be moving
to. In a nutshell, we will be discussing areas like what are
the features of the blueprint and, most importantly, how
can we translate the strategies into a concrete action
plan. Before I elaborate further into this topic, let me first
put things into perspective.
1. WATER SECTOR CHALLENGES IN PERSPECTIVE
The water supply and sewerage services as well as water
resource and environmental management in Malaysia
face a number of challenges. The public are increasingly
demanding that the water services and resource-based
activities be managed sustainably in order to ensure the
future viability of the resources to cater for the demand
of all who depend on it. This means resolving issues such
as increasing demand and wastages, declining and
uncertain supply in some areas due to climate change
and poor pricing policies, etc.
i. Effective Water Planning
Effective water planning needs to provide certainty
about the terms of access for users and its impact on the
environment through a participatory and transparent
process. Water planning is central to dealing with (or
preventing) the challenges of stressed water systems
through both maintaining the viability of the resource and
managing access to the resource through proper pricing.
ii. Water Sector Transformation Initiatives
As we are all aware, the Government had embarked on
the water services transformation initiatives since 2006 and
conducted the review of the National Water Resources
Master Plan as well as proposed a National Water Policy a
couple of years ago. The objective was to raise efficiency,
effectiveness and enhance the governance of water
supply and sewerage services as well as to safeguard
our water resources. Such initiatives, to some extent,
had showed some progress. But it had also showed us
that there is still a lot of work ahead if we want to reach
our objectives. These initiatives alone cannot address all
the challenges which are still faced by our water sector.
However, they do provide a platform to support and
induce change in the water sector.
iii. Sustainability And Efficient Management Of Water
System
We all know sustainability is extremely important for the
water sector. This is because, in Malaysia, we believe that
continuous maintenance and investment to safeguard
WaterMalaysia 3
Cover Feature
the high standard of services offered are an important
element of sustainable management in the water
sector. Next to the high standards imposed on the water
and waste water services as well as the high level of
environmental protection, economic efficiency must
also be taken into consideration. This is something that
the Malaysian water sector has not been able to address
very well. As a result, water loss through leakages due to
aging assets and underinvestment in operational matters
has become a bane to the efficiency and sustainability
of the water sector.
iv. Raising Awareness Of Value Of Water
Low water tariffs and wastewater charges have mostly
remained below the cost of supply for many years. In
moving forward, cost recovery and the “polluter pays
principle” need to be integrated into the drinking water
tariffs and wastewater charges. The application of these
principles will then heighten awareness of the value of
water as a resource, thus minimizing unnecessary water
use.
v. What Has Been Done To Date
Let us take a few seconds to reflect upon what we
had done thus far. We can recall how all stakeholders
had worked diligently in the past with regards to the
formulation of our national water policy, promulgation of
rules and regulations and coordination in management
and enforcement activities. We at the Ministry had
worked tirelessly with other counterparts such as the
Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, the
Ministry of Health and all the State Governments and
4 WaterMalaysia
together with a wide variety of stakeholders in charting
the direction of the water sector.
2. THE NATIONAL WATER BLUEPRINT
As you can see, we have already done quite a fair bit. But
what can you expect in the future? The Right Honourable
Prime Minister, during the tabling of the 2015 Budget, had
called for the formulation of the National Water Blueprint.
In his speech, the Prime Minister had said that, “Water
supply is important for our daily life as well as for industries.
In this regard, the Government will formulate a National
Water Blueprint to ensure sustainable long-term water
supply nationwide. These include holistic management
of rivers, construction and improving water treatment
plants. Water supply sources will be diversified through
groundwater exploration, and reuse of treated water for
industries and agriculture as well as expanding the use of
storm water retainer system.”
Following The Right Honourable Prime Minister’s
announcement, the Ministry together with other
water-related agencies such as the Ministry of Natural
Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture
and other major stakeholders had initiated a preliminary
engagement to determine, among others, the scope and
boundary of the blueprint. This will be further discussed
during a 2-day workshop scheduled in May 2015.
Let me pose these questions to all of you:
• What do we want from this blueprint?
• What can this blueprint address?
• What are the ingredients of a good blueprint?
• How does this blueprint differ from the existing one?
• What have not been addressed in the existing
document?
Your feedback will be most welcome for the Ministry
to have an overall feel from the stakeholders.
3. WHAT THE BLUEPRINT WILL HOPE TO ADDRESS
Let me share some of my thoughts on this matter.
Principle 1: Water Security
Promoting the fundamental principle of ensuring Water
Security must be the guiding light of a good water policy.
• The mentality of working ‘in silo’ is no longer
tenable as water is a shared resources. The growing
competing use of water resources among sectors,
rapid urbanization and population growth, wasteful
consumption due to low tariffs etc. have put
tremendous pressure on the existing water resources
to meet the future demand. As such, policy makers
and water managers must take in account the ‘water
sensitive’ element when deciding or formulating the
national development plan. This includes the need to
carefully consider implementing such plan as part of
the bigger picture of land and water uses.
• We cannot claim that we have managed our water
resources well if we still face the problem of more
than 36% of treated water being unaccounted
 Cover Feature

for. This situation needs immediate remedy. It has

been a nagging problem for developing countries,
including Malaysia, in tackling this issue. Tackling Non-
Revenue Water (NRW) or water losses require both
the technical know-how and the management skills.
The technological advancement we have today will
be of less significance if water utilities are still trapped
in the old mentality. We must also examine why we
have been unable to find a permanent solution to
this problem for so long. In this regard, I hope the
blueprint will instil a new culture, especially in the
area of asset management. For instance, we must
regard the NRW programme as an on-going venture
rather than as project based – that results of it can
only been achieved with constant monitoring and
implementation.

Principle 2: Right And Affordable Pricing For Water

The second principle that the blueprint must address is

the issue of water pricing.

• We always argue that water must be regarded as

both a social and an economic good. The proponent
of the latter argues that it is the responsibility of the
State to ensure the right to water for all. Hence,
the discourse that water must remain in the public

Follow up of MWA Water Leadership Forum held in 1) Do you think our fresh water is well protected by
December 2014 on ‘How to Avoid Water Crisis in various laws and regulations?
Malaysia’

Survey Results from MWA members and the

public on their perception of water policy and
implementation in Malaysia.

2) Do you believe that climate change will have

a negative impact on Malaysia’s supply of fresh
clean water?
3) Do you agree that if a right price is not placed on
water, people will waste it?

4) Do you believe that access to water is a human 5) How confident are you that Malaysia has enough
right and should be free, not be bought and sold fresh water that is able to meet our long-term needs
like any other commodity? for clean and affordable drinking water?

WaterMalaysia 5
Cover Feature

domain takes centre stage and any

attempt to ‘commoditize’ water can be
construed as an infringement of human
right. Thus, states are pressured to keep
water prices low so as to promote
greater access to all, sometimes at the
expense of public funding. However,
the policy of subsidising water tariffs has
detrimental effects on the environment.
Cheap water encourages wasteful
consumption, which later will result in
more waste water being produced.
In addition, it contradicts the pricing
mechanism policy in promoting water
conservation among users.

• Water as an economic good attaches

a value to water. It works on the basis
that water tariffs must take in account
the various cost components – the
raw water, treatment and distribution,
billing and collection, customer service,
the financial cost etc. – to bring water
to the homes. To fulfil this role, many
governments have resorted to private
companies in the various forms of
privatization, from short-term lease or
management contracts to long-term
full fledge build, operate and transfer
(BOT) or build, own, operate and
transfer (BOOT). Inadequate regulatory
oversight from the government
sometimes resulted in private
companies only being interested in
serving the urban areas, thus neglecting
the non-profitable rural areas. In certain
instances, water has become the ‘right’
of those who can afford to pay, leaving
the bigger population to having to resort
to unregulated services from water
vendors, stand poles etc. This exposes
them to the potential outbreak of the
water-borne diseases.
the case of the on-going saga on Selangor water
• Thus, a good water blueprint must strike the balance restructuring.
between these two extreme. It must advocate the
right pricing mechanism for water, acknowledges • This is the challenge when the notion of integrated
the individual right to this commodity as well as water resources development is to be adopted.
the importance of water for the protection of the Having to deal with the conflicting interest of the
environment. Federal agencies is alone a painstaking exercise,
let alone having to get the buy-in from the state
Principle 3: Effective Working Together Within The politicians. We have no choice but to work within the
Federal-State Arrangement Federal-State arrangement. We acknowledge that
federal ministries and state agencies must continue
Now I will touch on the third principle. to work closely to ensure the protection of water
resources and it must constitute an important part
• Solving water issues hinges upon us having duly and parcel of the blueprint that we want to develop.
considered the influence of the socio-political
dimension of the water sector. As I have said earlier, Principle 4: Holistic Perspective Of Water
it is not so much the technological advancement. Management And Its Relation To Other Sectors
We have seen in the recent development on
issues pertaining to tariff revision, water resources Fourthly, integrated water resources management
development etc. are ‘politically sensitive’ and (IWRM) will promote better optimization.
must be dealt with carefully. We have witnessed
the increased awareness of the State governments • The IWRM concept is not new to all of us. But what is
in exercising their sovereign rights on water, as in

6 WaterMalaysia
 Cover Feature

lacking is the desire to implement it. I envisage that The elected Council Members for 2015/2017
this concept will be re-visited and represents the
major chapter in the blueprint. Resource optimization
Session:
acknowledges that water, as a shared resource, will
have to be used efficiently among all competing President
uses – water supply, energy, agriculture, irrigation,
tourism, environment protection. A water audit could
Ir. Syed Mohd Adnan Mansor Alhabshi
be conducted to examine the share of water usage
between sectors. Deputy President
• I am certain that, to a certain extent, this will lead to
YBhg. Ir. Datuk Abdul Kadir bin Mohd Din
a reduction of wastage. As a result, we can delay the
water infrastructure development, hence allowing Vice Presidents
us to channel the un-used allocations to the other
sectors. Less physical development would also mean
Ir. Hj. Mohmad Asari bin Daud
less destruction to the environment and, therefore, a Ir. Zulkiflee Ab Hamid
smaller carbon footprint. With regard to water supply,
it is crucial that we subscribe to managing ‘source to
source’ as contrary to ‘source to tap’. This requires
Hon. Secretary General
us to embrace the holistic perspective of water Mr. Mohamad Hairi bin Basri
management and its relation to other sectors, vice
versa.
Hon. Treasurer General
Principle 5: Re-examine The Existing Institutional Mdm. Amy Yew Sze Kiat
Arrangement To Facilitate Good Governance
Ordinary Council
Finally, the time has come for us to re-examine the
existing institutional arrangement with regard to water Prof. Ir. Hj Mohamed Haniffa Hj Abdul Hamid
management. Ir. Hj. Noor Azahari bin Zainal Abidin
Ir. Beh Hong Lin
• The present set-up has somehow contributed to
the working ‘in silo’ culture among water-related Ir. Ong Guan Hock
agencies, both at Federal and state level. The Ir. Tham Yee Kiong
existence of multiple players, with conflicting roles Mr. Mansor Abdul Ghani
and interests, is often seen as counter-productive
to the efforts to consolidate water management. It Mr. Mohammad Sabari bin Shakeran
has, to a certain extent, hindered the notion of good Mr. Shamsul Fahmi Mohamad Padzli
governance to function effectively. Clear separation Mr. Desmond Lim Meng Kiat
of power between policy making, regulation oversight
and service provision have been difficult to enforce.
The two appointed Council Members were:
• I take cognisance of the call from industry players for Dr. Norhayati binti Abdullah
the Government to consider setting-up a dedicated
water Ministry – a single entity that regulates the water Ms. Hjh. Fadzilah binti Abdul Kadir
sector in the country. I am of the opinion that it is
possible to consolidate water players under one roof, Immediate Past President
and this can be done through re-evaluating of the
existing policy and legal framework. At the end, what Mr. Ahmad Zahdi Jamil
we want to see is a water framework that is sustainable
and climate resilient, technologically appropriate,
environmental sound and socially acceptable.

CONCLUSION

I have highlighted some of the key success factors which

represent the major elements of the water blueprint. Its
overall objective will be to put in place a policy that will
ensure good quality water, in sufficient quantities, for all
legitimate uses. This is closely aligned to the objective of
turning Malaysia into high income nation by 2020.

I urge all of you to work closely with the Ministry in

formulating the national water blueprint for the betterment
of the water sector in Malaysia. I am confident that with
your help and with our joint desire to get the job done, we
will achieve our objectives.

WaterMalaysia 7
MWA Activities

WATER MALAYSIA 2015 CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION

REGISTRATION & ARRIVAL OF DEPUTY MINISTER OF KeTTHA
22-24 APRIL 2015

8 WaterMalaysia
 MWA Activities

WATER MALAYSIA 2015 CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION

KEYNOTE ADDRESS & OPENING CEREMONY
22-24 APRIL 2015

WaterMalaysia 9
MWA Activities

WATER MALAYSIA 2015 CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION

CONFERENCE SESSION – SPEAKERS & DELEGATES
22-24 APRIL 2015

10 WaterMalaysia
 MWA Activities

WATER MALAYSIA 2015 CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION

EXHIBTION BOOTHS & NRW WORKSHOP DAY
22-24 APRIL 2015

WaterMalaysia 11
MWA Activities
Highlights of the Constitution Amendments Tabled at AGM on 28
April 2012 and 24 April 2015
Approved by Registrar of Society (ROS) on 24 August 2015
Article V – Membership
Clause 2: Membership in the Association shall be
of five grades: Honorary, Ordinary, Institutional, As-
sociate and Student.
Article VI – Membership Qualification
Student Membership – any student of a higher
learning institution as defined by relevant laws; a
Malaysian citizen; above 18 years of age.
Article VIII – Rights and Privileges year shall invite nominations for two Vice Presi-
Clause 4: Honorary, Associate & Student Mem-
bers shall be entitled to all rights and privileges of
members in the Association except the right to vote
and hold office in the Association.
Article XIV – Management
Clause 4: The five (5) Ordinary Council Members
shall be selected by the President for purposes as
he deems fit and shall take office from the date of
appointment. At least three (3) of the above five (5)
Ordinary Council Members shall be from retiring
Council.
Article XIV – Management
Clause 12: The Council may appoint an Execu-
tive Director. The day to day management of the
Association shall be carried out by an Executive
Director as authorised by the Council.
Article XV – Duty of Officials
Clause 10: The Office Bearers of the Association
shall not engage in any activity of any organisation
which goes against the objects of the Association
without the approval of the Council.
Clause 11: The Office Bearers in their personal
capacity as a staff member of any organisation in
collaboration without other association or organi-
sation shall not use the name of the Association
without the Council approval.
Article XIV – Management
Clause 2: The appointment of Office Bearers shall
be as follows:
a) President: The office of the President shall auto-
matically be filled by the Deputy President
b) Deputy President: Shall be elected by the Coun-
12 WaterMalaysia
cil from serving Office Bearers elected by postal
balloting.
c) Vice Presidents, Hon. Secretary General, Hon.
Treasurer General and Nine (9) Council Members:
Shall be proposed and seconded by eligible voting
members by postal ballot.
Article XVI – Nomination and Election of Office
Clause 2: The Council not less than sixty (60)
days prior to next scheduled AGM of an election
dents, Hon. Secretary General, Hon. Treasurer
General and nine (9) Council Members. The outgo-
ing Council shall elect a President and a Deputy
President in accordance to Article XIV (2).
Office Bearers may be re-elected but office bear-
ers other than Ordinary Council Members shall not
serve in the same elected capacity for more than
two (2) consecutive terms.
Clause 5: In the event that any office of the Coun-
cil becomes vacant during a Council term, the
vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term as
follows:
a) President: By the Deputy President
b) Deputy President, Vice President, Hon. Secre-
tary General, Hon. Treasurer General and Ordinary
Council Member: by election of Council. Such post
shall be filled only when the unexpired term ex-
ceeds six (6) months.
First Schedule
The entrance fees and annual subscriptions shall be as
follows:
Entrance Fees
Ordinary & Associate Members RM150
Institutional Members RM1,500
Student Members -
Annual Subscriptions
Ordinary & Associate Members RM80
Institutional Members RM750
Student Members RM20
Honorary Members shall not be required to pay en-
trance fees or annual subscriptions.
 MWA Activities

THE MALAYSIAN WATER ASSOCIATION

27TH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - 25 APRIL 2015

WaterMalaysia 13
MWA Activities

MWA CELEBRATING WORLD WATER DAY IN MUAR, JOHOR - 14 MAY 2015

14 WaterMalaysia
 MWA Activities

BRIEFING ON PROGRESS OF LANGAT 2 WTP - 16 FEBRUARY 2015

TECHNICAL VISIT TO SG LABU OFF-RIVER STORAGE SCHEME AND WTP

20 JANUARY 2015

WaterMalaysia 15
MWA Activities

VISIT FROM KOREA WATER AND WASTEWATER WORKS ASSOCIATION

(KWWA) - 19 JANUARY 2015

MyWA BASIC WTP DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF PUMPING SYSTEM

27-28 MAY 2015

16 WaterMalaysia
 Featured Article

Ammonia oh Ammonia

A mmonia (NH3) is a common substance released as

a byproduct of any organic matter going through
decomposition. As the symbol NH3 suggests, Ammonia
composed of one nitrogen (N) and three hydrogen (H)
molecules. In gaseous form it is colorless and is known for
its pungent odor. The high amount of ammonia in rivers
can be due to various sources such as discharges from
markets and food processing establishments, industries,
solid waste processing and disposal sites as well as sewage
treatment facilities. Ammonia can also come from the
naturally occurring decomposition of organic matter
which is available in the rivers themselves. These will
include the decomposition of leaves and other organic
matter which flows with the river.
Ammonia pollution is a matter of increasing concern
for regulatory authorities because of the serious threat
it poses to the balance of sensitive habitats and to flora
and fauna. Controlling ammonia discharges from sewage
treatment facilities can make a significant contribution to
reducing its environmental impact. Throughout the years,
a number of cases have been reported in Sungai Langat sewage treatment system alone.
catchments. The circumstances and source may vary, but It must be noted that the main cause of the Ammonia
in either case, it boils down to the same issue of pollution. pollution in the Langat river basin is the low river flow
There are more than 1,000 public and private sewage in Sungai Langat due to the current drought condition
treatment plants within the Langat river catchment. that cannot dilute the amount of ammonia generated
Many of the treatment facilities were constructed before throughout the basin. Sufficient dilution can only occur
2009 where ammonia was not a treatment parameter. when the basin receives enough rainfall over a period of
Nevertheless the facilities are meeting the standards on time. Flow augmentation to the Langat River during dry
all other parameters such as BOD, COD and SS. Thus the season seems the best option to help resolve the ammonia
ammonia pollution issue should not be confined to the issue in the future. If indeed ammonia treatment facilities

WaterMalaysia 17
Featured Article

are needed, the most economical and logical solution made pollution except the decomposition of organic
to address the issue is to provide ammonia processing matter present in the river itself.
facilities at the water treatment plants
rather than at hundreds of existing
sewerage treatment facilities which
are not able to treat ammonia.
Rationalization of the multiple
sewage facilities to one regional
plant can also assist in reducing the
discharge of ammonia to the Langat
River. This initiative is already being
undertaken by the Ministry of Energy,
Green Technology and Water when
proposal to decommission about 97
sewage treatment plants in Langat
catchment and divert the flow to just
1 regional facility.
Ammonia will always be released to
the environment as decomposition
of organic matter is continuously
occurring. We can limit the amount
by controlling unnecessary release
through proper handling of wastes
(solid and liquid) and providing
treatment facilities where needed.
The best option however is to have
our water sources free from any man

18 WaterMalaysia

The Colour Units Used in Drinking
Water By: Addie Wong Wai Meng
1.0 Introduction
Colour is one of the most important parameters for water
and wastewater. Currently, there are several colour units
used in the water industry and somehow confusing for
water operators. The colour units used are:
(a) Hazen Unit (HU)
(b) True Colour Units (TCU)
(c) Apparent Colour Unit (ACU)
(d) Platinum Cobalt Unit (PtCo) and
(e) American Dye Manufacturing Institute (ADMI)
Are they the same? If not the same, what are their differ-
ences? Why are there so many? Most importantly, which
one should be recommended to be used for official re-
porting in Malaysia?
2.0 Background
The many colour units used in the water industry in Malay-
sia, was due the colour test methods that were adopted,
or originated from different countries or continents which
vary from one another. We shall discuss the origin of the
colour units one by one.
2.1 Hazen Unit
The Hazen Unit was introduced earliest since the British
Colonial time and was most commonly practiced through
the Public Works Department (JKR) until today. The Ha-
zen unit is based on the British colour test method (HMSO
1981). The unit “Hazen” was the name of the scientist who
first invented the colour test method, Dr. Hazen. He used
Platinum Cobalt as colour standard to compare the col-
our of the water with glass column or test tube (Hazen,
1892).
In the test method, a series of platinum cobalt stand-
ard (from 10 to 70 mg/L PtCo) were prepared for the
comparison purpose. The colour of a water sample that
matches the concentration of the Platinum Cobalt is giv-
en the test result of the standard in Hazen unit. For exam-
ple, the water sample with colour that matches the 30
mg/L PtCo is reported as 30 Hazen Unit. In fact, Hazen Unit
is equal to PtCo unit.
2.2 True Colour Unit (TCU) and Apparent Colour Unit
(ACU)
The TCU and ACU units are both from the
Standard Method (2012) or APHA Test Meth-
od 2120B (comparison) and 2120C (reading
in single wavelength). The method explic-
itly indicated that if a test was conducted
without prior removal of turbidity by filter
paper (0.45 micron), the unit reported shall
be ACU. Whereas if the test was conduct-
ed with prior removal of turbidity (with filter
paper), then the unit reported should be
TCU. The recommended single wavelength
reading was between 450nm to 465nm the best at 456nm.
In fact, the standard used for this APHA method (2120B&C)
is also Platinum Cobalt. Compared to Hazen unit and
Featured Article
PtCo unit, these TCU and ACU units also clearly indicate
whether the test was conducted after turbidity removal
(TCU) or without turbidity removal (ACU). The TCU is the
unit adopted by Ministry of Health (MOH) Malaysia (2004)
which is based on the World Health Organization (WHO)
Water Quality Standard (2003)
2.3 Platinum Cobalt Unit (PtCo)
In Malaysia, one of the most popular colour test method
is HACH method (Hach2014) using HACH spectrophotom-
eter. The HACH Method 8025 was adopted from Stand-
ard Method, National Council for Air and Stream Improve-
ment (NCASI) Method 253 approved at 40 CFR part 136,
and Hongve&Akesson (1996). The title of the test method
is “Colour, True and Apparent – Platinum Cobalt Stand-
ard Method”. In fact, the method also indicates that the
sample which was conducted without turbidity removal
should be reported as Apparent Colour while True Colour
is for sample conducted after removal of turbidity. The sin-
gle wavelength reading is at 455nm for water.
The unit provided by the HACH instrument is always
mg/L PtCo. This is likely due to the instrument which could
not identify whether the sample was pre-filtered (TCU) or
not (ACU). The PtCo unit which is the standard used for
the colour then appears as a unit for some reports that
are using the HACH instrument.
2.4 American Dye Manufacturing Institute (ADMI)
The ADMI colour unit is the Standard Method (2012) unit
that was recently enforced by Department of Environ-
ment (DOE) Malaysia for wastewater monitoring. The
method requires scanning of the colour intensity from
400nm thru 700nm of a filtered sample and summation
of the colour contributed from the range of light wave-
length. This colour method will specifically capture most of
the non-natural colouring colloidal materials in the waste-
water.
In actual application, the water operator will have to
test the discharge water from water treatment plant at a
designated DOE discharge point with this method.
3.0 Discussion
The colour methods and units can be summarized in Table
1 below:
*Note: Need to specify True Colour or Apparent colour.
In actual fact, all the colour test methods in Table 1
WaterMalaysia 19
Featured Article

above are using PtCo as standard. The differences are
depending on the test method and removal of turbidity
(filter with 0.45 micron filter).
Without removal of turbidity by filtration, the ACU read-
ing is always interfered by turbidity (particles in water). A
raw water sample with turbidity 70 NTU could cause the
ACU escalating to several hundreds (in Hazen, ACU or
PtCo). Hence, the reading does not indicate the con-
centration of natural dissolved organic matter in the raw
water compared to TCU. Indeed, raw water with 80TCU is
normally having very high coagulant demand compared
to 30TCU. This phenomenon could not differentiate by
ACU (test method without turbidity removal by filtration).
Therefore, water operator should do TCU only for raw wa-
ter in order to indicate natural organic matter and co-
agulant demand.
4.0 Recommendation
With the above analysis and discussion, it is clear that all
colour test methods are using the same standard and
same magnitude application (1 mg/L PtCo as 1 colour
unit). Thus, the units are actually the same except for the
method and the removal of turbidity.
Since TCU is the unit recommended by MOH and the test
is not interfered by turbidity, the operator should use TCU
for water and ADMI for wastewater as required by DOE.
In fact the WHO standard (2011) 4th edition is still using
TCU. Therefore, for drinking water, the test conducted by
HACH method or comparator (Hazen) after turbidity re-
moval is the same as TCU unit and should be reported as
TCU unit similar to the unit of APHA 2120B&C method.
5.0 Reference
• HACH Company (2014) “Colour, True and Apparent-
Platinum Cobalt Standard Method. Edition 4, 11/2014.
HACH Worldwide Head Quarter. USA.
• Hazen, A. (1892) “A New Color-Standard for Natural
Waters. Am. Chem. J. 14, 300-310. (Cited from Stand-
ard Method, 2012).
• HMSO (1981) “Determination of Colour” Method for
the examination of Waters and Associated Material.
London: HMSO.
• Hongve,D. andAkesson, G (1996) “Spectrophotomet-
ric Determination of Water Colour in Hazen Unit.Wat.
Res. Vol. 30, No. 11, pp. 2771–2775, 1996.
• MOH (2004) “National Standard For Drinking Wa-
ter Quality” Engineering Services Division, Ministry of
Health Malaysia.
• Standard Method (2012) “Standard Methods for the
Examination of Water and Wastewater”. Washington,
D.C. Jointly prepared and published by: American
Public Health Association, American Water Works As-
sociation and Water Environment Federation.
• WHO (2011) “Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality.
Fourth Edition. WHO.

Reduce Costs and Increase

Efficiency: Discover the Power of
Electronic Controls
http://www.singervalve.com/

Discover How 3 Municipalities Revolutionized their Water Systems with Electronic Controls

W hen it comes to water management, new technology

can help you solve some of your most pressing
challenges and garner substantial savings. From offsite
measurements to remote controls, new electronic
technology is helping communities, all across the world,
increase efficiency and reduce water loss. Fast.
Th i s si mple g uide of fe r s eng i nee r s and wate r
professionals helpful tips for thorough, quarterly control
valve check-ups. Discover easy ways to avoid water
management emergencies and optimize your valves for
a long, healthy life.
In this eBook, we’re going to show you how three
communities were able to:

• Solve water management needs using customized

electronic solutions
• Future-proof local water systems with leading edge
technology
• Seamlessly integrate electronic control solutions with
SCADA

Learn how to achieve similar results in your own water

system. Get your guide to electronic controls today!

20 WaterMalaysia
Featured Article

WaterMalaysia 21
Featured Article
Wastewater You Can Drink
Recycling is key to averting a global water crisis
A s the world celebrates Water Day (March 22nd),
projected water trends make for grim reading. With
almost 60% of the world’s population moving into the
middle class by 2030, water demand is expected to
outstrip supply by 40%.
One response will be to lower consumption. Desalination
also holds promise. Last, but not least, scaling up water
recycling will be critical to ensure access to supplies of
clean water.
By far, the highest purification standards are required
for domestic water recycling. Today advanced treatment
plants use a combination of ultrafiltration or microfiltration
membranes and reverse osmosis membranes coupled
with ultraviolet lamps and hydrogen peroxide to filter out
and oxidize wastewater contaminants.
Ac c o r d i n g to G i u l i o B o c ca l et t i , t h e N a t u r e
Conservancy’s global managing director for water,
with recycling technologies well established, most
innovation now focuses on lowering energy
costs and extending the life of filters by using
nanotechnology, among other methods. MIT and
Lockheed Martin, for example, have separately
been working on the use of ultra-thin graphene-
based molecular filters for the removal of selected
water impurities and the reduction of energy
consumption in water desalination. While patents
have been filed, there is still some way to go before
commercial deployment.
Attention is also turning to direct potable
reuse, which returns recycled water directly to the
drinking-water supply instead of putting it through
an aquifer or storing it in a reservoir. “People are
getting more serious about direct potable-water
recycling,” says David Sedlak, co-director of
the Berkeley Water Center at the University of
California, Berkeley. This, he says, has less to do
22 WaterMalaysia
with technology than changing public perceptions and
research validating its safety.
Water for domestic consumption is essential, as is the
water needed for industrial use. This is particularly true
of the energy sector, where increasing competition for
water and climate change are leading large utilities to
assess their exposure to water risk and look for ways to
optimize water use. US utility Exelon, for example, has been
mapping the exposure of its power fleet water risks to since
2012. The main driver of water demand growth, however,
will be the manufacturing sector. According to the UN, its
need for water will rise by 400% by 2050, versus 140% for
thermal electricity generation and 130% for domestic use.
This is putting waste-water treatment at the centre
stage of water- recycling and water- reuse effor ts.
Saudi Arabia, for example, is expected to triple its
investments in waste-water treatment over the next
five years, reaching $35bn by 2020, according to a
GE report published last month. The goal, says the
report, is to reach 90% of industrial water reuse by
2020—from just 10% in 2010.
Overall, the market for industrial water-treatment
technologies is predicted to grow by more than 50%
to reach $11bn by 2020, according to new research
by Global Water Intelligence (GWI).
GWI predicts that micro-filtration and ultra-
filtration will be the segments growing fastest, at
7% a year. Companies will have more than one
technology to choose from. Massachusetts-based
ThermoEnergy’s flash-vacuum distillation process, for
example, uses temperature and reduced pressure
to separate chemicals, metals and nutrients from
waste water.
As the industrialised world expands to include
ever-greater numbers of wealthy consumers, the
ability of companies to use water more than once
will become critical, not only to business success but
also to global water security.
For more information: http://www.gewater.com/
index.html
 Featured Article

BWWE 2015 Preview

In the global context, water security has been defined as Sarawak.
“the reliable availability of an acceptable quantity and Members: Ministry of Public Utilities Sarawak, JKR
quality of water for health, livelihoods and production, Sarawak, JPP Sarawak, Sibu Water Board, LAKU, UNIMAS
coupled with an acceptable level of water-related risks”. and MWA HQ.
Sustainable development is also not possible without a
water secure world. A water secure world would also VISITORS PROFILE
mean ending fragment responsibility for water and • Government officials & policymakers
integrating water resources management across all • Engineers
sectors namely finance, planning, agriculture, energy, • Water & waste water managers and contractors
tourism, industry, education and health. • Manufacturers
The third (3rd) edition of Borneo Water and Wastewater • Researchers
Exhibition and Conference 2015 (BWWE 2015) is set to • Consultants
create greater awareness of this all important subject of • Property developers and owners
water resources and water supply and the preparedness • Policy makers
to face the challenges therein. The scientific and technical • Water companies / operators
programmes will focus on finding solutions that will • Regulators
balance the already stressed water supply with increasing • Importers / Exporters
demand, innovative and sustainable partnerships in • Water resource management officials
financing and managing water and wastewater and • Construction & engineering companies
solid waste management, protecting our ecosystems • Investment & financing organisations
and water catchments, coping with climate change and • Academics / institutes / universities
sustaining water resources including green technology.
WHY PARTICIPATE
VIPs, SPEAKERS & DELEGATES • Update yourself on the latest state-of-the- art water
BWWE/JTJAD Conference 2015 will be graced by the technology
Right Honourable Chief Minister of Sarawak, and the • Network with the key water professionals in the country
Honourable Minister of Public Utilities Sarawak. Among the and from abroad
eminent Keynote Speakers is the Permanent Secretary of • Seek global opportunities and partnership • Learn from
the Ministry of Public Utilities Sarawak. the experience of others in the water sector
Others distinguished personalities you will meet • Showcase your products and services • Increase
at BWWE/JTJAD Conference will be 120 District Water exposure for your company and extend your market
Engineers representing all the States from all over Malaysia, reach
esteemed speakers and delegates from MWA members,
from regional countries like Indonesia and Kalimantan, AMONG THE TOPICS COVERED
Brunei, Thailand, Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, • Water Supply / Treatment
Philippines, China , Japan and Korea. • Water Resources Management
• Water Conservation
MAIN ORGANISING COMMITTEE • Wastewater Management
Advisor: Tn. Hj. Ubaidillah bin Haji Abdul Latip • NRW
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Public Utilities, Sarawak. • Customer Services
Joint Chairmen: Kuching Water Board and JTJAD

WaterMalaysia 23
Featured Article

Water Desalination Fundamentals

Desalination Expands as Technology Becomes More Affordable

when chlorine is used to treat

the bacteria. Other setbacks
a re the a rguable wate r
qualities that reverse osmosis
p roduces, along w ith the
considerable pre-treatment
that the salt water requires.

Forward Osmosis
Forward osmosis utilises the
natural osmotic process; a
substance moving from an
area of low concentration to
an area of high concentration.
It generally requires about
half of the cost of reverse
osmosis, due to less energy
being used to complete the
process. Instead of forcing the
solution through a pressure
g rad i ent, th i s p roces s
allows it to naturally occur.
When desalinating water, a
solution of seawater moves
D esalination is the process of creating fresh water by
removing saline (salt) from bodies of salt water. There
are varying degrees of salinity in water, which affects the
across a semi - per meable memb rane to a highly
concentrated solution of ammonia salts, leaving the sea
salts on the other side of the membrane. Afterwards, the
difficulty and expense of treatment, and the level of saline
solution is heated to evaporate the ammonia salt, and
is typically measured in parts per million (ppm). The U.S.
that salt is reusable.
Geological Survey provides an outline of what constitutes
The main setback to forward osmosis is that it has great
saline water: 1,000 ppm – 3,000 ppm is low salinity, 3,000
potential, but is still fairly new to large-scale desalination
ppm – 10,000 ppm is moderate salinity, and 10,000 ppm
and therefore needs funding and research to explore the
– 35,000 ppm is high salinity.
possibilities that could improve it and reduce energy costs.
Water that contains saline levels less than 1,000 ppm
is generally considered fresh water, and is safe to drink
Electrodialysis
and use for household and agricultural purposes. For
Electrodialysis reversal utilizes a membrane, like that in
a reference point, typical ocean water contains about
reverse osmosis, but sends an electric charge through the
35,000 ppm, the Great Salt Lake contains variations of
solution to draw metal ions to the positive plate on one
50,000 – 270,000 ppm, and the Caspian Sea contains an
side, and other ions (like salt) to the negative plate on the
average of about 12,000 ppm. The more concentrated
other. The charges are periodically reversed to prevent the
saline is in a body of water, the more energy and effort it
membrane from becoming too contaminated, as typically
takes to desalinise it.
found in regular electrodialysis. The ions located on both
plates can be removed, leaving pure water behind.
Desalination Processes
Recently developed membranes reportedly have been
There are numerous methods of desalination described
chlorine resistant, and generally remove more harmful ions
below. Reverse osmosis is currently the most commonly
(not just salt) than reverse osmosis. The primary setback
found type of desalination, and multistage flash distillation
to electrodialysis reversal is the upfront cost to create the
is the method that currently produces the most amount of
facility, as well as the energy costs.
desalinated water. (There are several other less frequent
types of desalination methods and energy sources not
Thermal Desalination
discussed here.)
Thermal desalination is a method of cleaning water
that can occur through many different processes, and
Reverse Osmosis
includes removing salt as well as other contaminants. All
Reverse osmosis is a process where pressure is used to
thermal desalination is the process of heating the water
push the water solution through a membrane, with the
solution and gathering pure water when the vapour cools
membrane preventing the larger solutes (the salt) to pass
and condensation occurs. Two types frequently used to
through. Reverse osmosis is generally considered to be the
desalinate water are:
least energy consuming of all the large-scale processes.
There are several setbacks of reverse osmosis. The
Multistage Flash Distillation
membranes are currently prone to gather too much
Multistage flash distillation occurs when the product of
bacteria and “clog up,” although they have improved
the heated water is reheated multiple times, each time
since they were first used. The membranes deteriorate

24 WaterMalaysia

functioning on lower pressure than the last. Multistage
flash distillation plants are built alongside power plants in
order to use the wasted heat. It requires much less energy
than reverse osmosis plants. Several large facilities in Saudi
Arabia use multistage flash distillation, accounting for
around 85% of all desalinated water, though there are
more reverse osmosis plants than there are multistage flash
distillation plants. The main disadvantages of multistage
flash distillation are that it requires more intake of salt water
than reverse osmosis and the upfront and maintenance
costs are considerably high.
Multiple-Effect Distillation
Multiple-effect distillation is a simple process similar to
multistage flash distillation. The salt water solution is heated
and the pure water that is produced flows into the next
chamber. The heat energy that it carries is used to boil it
again, producing more vapour. The main setback is that
it is best used for smaller-scale desalination. The costs are
very high for large facilities.
Negatives of Desalination
A few general setbacks for the processes of desalination
also exist. Dumping the wasted salt solution back into
the ocean makes the process more difficult and has the
potential to harms ocean life. The energy required to start
up and power desalination plants is a huge expense and
because most current power sources are derived from
burning  fossil fuels, it is generally looked upon as just a
matter of choosing one environmental crisis over another.
Within the energy issue, nuclear energy is potentially the
most cost-effective energy source, but remains largely
untapped due to public opinion on having a local nuclear
power plant or waste facility. If regions situated away from
the coast or in a high altitude try to use desalinated water,
it is an even more expensive process. Higher altitudes and
far distances require great resources to transport the water
from the ocean or body of salt water.
Featured Article
Geography of Desalination
Geography of Desalination is currently used by countries
that have an extreme need for fresh water, have enough
money to fund it, and possess the amount of energy
required to produce it. The Middle East holds the top
spot for desalinated water, due to several countries’
large facilities, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab
Emirates, and Israel. Also large producers of desalinated
water are: Spain, the United States, Algeria, China, India,
Australia, and Aruba. The technology is expected to
spread increasingly, particularly in the United States, Libya,
China, and India.
Saudi Arabia is currently the world’s number one
producer of desalinated water. They use multi-flash
distillation in several large plants, providing water for many
large cities, including the largest city, Riyadh, situated
hundreds of miles from the coast.
In the United States, the largest desalination plant
is located in Tampa Bay, Florida, though it has a very
small output compared to most facilities in the Middle
East. Other states that are developing plans for large
desalination plants include California and Texas. The
United States need for desalination plants is not as severe
as many other countries, but as the population continues
to explode in dry, coastal areas, the need increases.
Future Options of Desalination
Desalination is process primarily done in developed
countries with enough money and resources. If technology
continues to produce new methods and better solutions
to the issues that exist today, there would be a whole new
water resource for more and more countries that are facing
drought, competition for water, and overpopulation.
Though there are concerns in the scientific world about
replacing our current overuse of water with complete
reliance on sea water, it would undoubtedly be at least an
option for many people struggling to survive or maintain
their standard of living.
WaterMalaysia 25

Worldwide advances in water
reuse
By Valentina Lazarova, Takashi Asano, Akica Bahri and John Anderson
The first part of this article looked at milestones in agricultural and urban water reuse. This second and concluding part
examines potable as well as industrial water reuse.
MILESTONES IN INDIRECT AND DIRECT POTABLE
WATER REUSE
T he success story of potable water reuse started in early
1960s with water augmentation by means of groundwater
(aquifer) recharge in Montebello Forebay, California (1962)
and direct potable reuse in Windhoek, Namibia (1968). The
more than 43-year operational experience direct “pipe-to-
pipe” reuse in Windhoek demonstrated the feasibility and
lack of adverse health effects of this practice. However,
public opposition and concerns of unknown micro pollut-
ants were the main constraints for the development of this
water reuse practice.
The most common practices of planned indirect potable
reuse include aquifer recharge and reservoir replenishment.
Indirect potable reuse occurs when some fraction of the
raw water used for drinking purposes is of wastewater origin.
Unplanned indirect potable reuse is a common situation in
which inherent water quality issues are not fully addressed
because of the divided responsibilities for wastewater dis-
charge and downstream water supplies.
Because of health concerns, a “multiple barriers” treat-
ment concept is applied in indirect potable reuse projects
in order to achieve degree of reliability higher than con-
Figure 1: Milestones in indirect potable water reuse with selected cornerstone projects (Source: Lazarova, 2011)
Featured Article
ventional wastewater treatment and reuse schemes. The
feedback from operation and research studies has demon-
strated that health safety and high level of treatment and
reliability of operation can be achieved using adequate
treatment, water quality control and good practices of
managed aquifer recharge.
The milestones in development of safe water reuse prac-
tices for indirect potable reuse are illustrated in Figure 1.
The proposed two categories are based on the advance in
wastewater treatment with the technological breakthrough
of membrane filtration. Two subcategories, covering both
aquifer recharge and reservoir replenishment are dissoci-
ated according to the water quality requirement:
1. Surface spreading in aquifers and surface reservoir re-
plenishment
2. Direct injection in aquifers, mostly as seawater intrusion
barriers
In fact, the operational experience demonstrated that
for all indirect water reuse applications, the advance in
membrane efficiency with decreasing cost favoured the
implementation of advanced multi-barrier treatment
WaterMalaysia 27
Featured Article
schemes, including the combination of micro- or ultra filtra-
tion, reverse osmosis and advanced oxidation by high UV
dose and hydrogen peroxide.
The significance and the lessons learned from the aquifer
recharge in the unconfined aquifer of Montebello Forebay
in the eastern Los Angeles County are of crucial importance
for the success of this practice. In fact, the first experience,
started in 1962 with the recharge of spreading basins with
disinfected secondary effluent from the Whittier Narrows
Water Recycling Plant, which demonstrated the economic
viability and health safety of this water reuse practice. The
five-year health effect epidemiological and toxicological
study (1978–1983) and a follow-up epidemiological study
(1996–1999) did not demonstrate any measurable adverse
effects on groundwater quality or the health of the popula-
tion drinking this water.
The major findings and lessons learned from the projects
of indirect potable reuse can be summarised as follows:
Keys to success:
• Pilot plant tests and selection of efficient and reliable
treatment technologies based on multiple-barriers ap-
proach
• Government and stakeholder collaboration on adopting
water reuse projects
• Continued demonstration of consistent water quality,
independent water quality monitoring, on-line process
and water quality control and further water quality im-
provement over project life
• Effective public outreach, community education, com-
munication and use of positive terminology (such as
“purified water”, NEWater, “eco-water”)
• Governmental grant funding, subsidies, phasing of ex-
pansions and public-private partnerships
Major challenges:
• Public support and regulatory approval
• High capital and operation costs and very high monitor-
ing costs for emerging micro pollutants
• Increased emphasis on controlling pollution from urban
runoff for both aquifers and surface reservoirs
• Management of the complex membrane facilities dur-
ing extreme conditions such as low production rates or
flooding
• Increased salinity and pollution of wastewater, in par-
ticular in coastal areas and aged wastewater treatment
plants
Innovation
• New membrane development, including low fouling and
low energy consumption, nano-membranes
• More efficient online water quality control devices
MILESTONES IN INDUSTRIAL WATER REUSE
One of the greatest potential for water reuse is to supple-
ment or replace the potable and/or freshwater demands
of industries. Industry is the second largest market for water
supply after agriculture with around 25 per cent of global
world demand. Industrial reuse and internal recycling are
becoming current practices in many countries and industries
with increasing water demand, closing loop cycles and
zero liquid discharge as a long-term goal. The inter-sector
water reuse, and in particular, the use of recycled urban
wastewater for industrial purposes is characterised by fast
growth in many countries.
The potential for industrial reuse of treated municipal
wastewater will increase in the future as raw potable water
supplies become more limited, the cost of potable water
increases due to more stringent standards and the discharge
regulations become more stringent.
28 WaterMalaysia
The major factors that influence the potential for indus-
trial water reuse include availability of water, the industry’s
discharge requirements, water quality, volume, economics
and reliability.
Although there is a wide range of industrial water uses,
the major uses are:
• Cooling system make-up water
• Boiler feedwater
• Process water
• Washdown water
Miscellaneous uses, including site irrigation, fire protec-
tion, road cleaning, and so on.
The first three categories are of particular interest
because they are high-volume and high-quality applica-
tions with excellent prospects for using recycled municipal
wastewater.
As a rule, the closing of industrial water cycle includes
three strategies of water saving and wastewater minimisa-
tion:
• Cascading reuse, involving direct reuse with no or little
treatment;
• Wastewater recycling after appropriate treatment;
• Source reduction by decreasing the need of water of a
given industrial process.
The water quality requirements and fields of application
of water recycling in industry differ by type of industry, par-
ticular industrial process, as well as their target performance.
For this reason, it is not possible to generalise water quality
requirements for industrial process water. The greatest con-
cern of the use of recycled water in cooling towers is the risk
posed by inhalation of pathogens entrained in the aerosols.
Moreover, corrosion, scaling and biofouling problems of
equipment and distribution systems are a common issue.
As a rule, for water to be suitable to be used as feedwater
for boiler or stream generators, it must be of a higher quality
than water used for cooling purposes. The quality require-
ments increase as operating pressure and temperature
increase. The control or removal of hardness is required.
Insoluble salts of calcium and magnesium are the main
contributors to scale formation in boilers and are removed
by processes such as ion exchange and reverse osmosis.
Successful water reuse practices are implemented in
petroleum industry, oil refineries, thermoelectric power
generation plants, pulp and paper facilities, textile industry
and even microprocessors, electronic and food industries.
The milestones in industrial water reuse can be catego-
rised in two groups, similarly to indirect potable reuse (see
Figure 3) with the cornerstone being the implementation of
membrane technologies, and in particular reverse osmosis.
The West Basin Municipal Water District in California is
a pioneer in the production of “designer” recycled water
from municipal wastewater, from which three qualities are
produced for industrial purposes. Since the first start-up in
1995 at this plant of the combined MF/RO treatment of mu-
nicipal wastewater, the long-term operational experience
has demonstrated that recycled water provides a reliable
source of water for industry when potable water supply is
uncertain, and this at lower cost. Several other similar recy-
cling facilities are constructed in Singapore, Mexico, India,
Northern California and Hawaii.
The German experience in industrial water recycling
has demonstrated that there are technical possibilities for
water recycling for almost any application. Key factors to
the success of industrial water recycling are treatment ef-
ficiency and reliability, as well as technical and economic
feasibility. As a result, water recycling schemes enabled
to reduce wastewater volume by 78–92 per cent in textile,
paper and food and beverage industries.

The major findings and lessons learned from the projects
of industrial reuse can be summarised as follows:
Keys to success:
• Consistent water quality, efficient water quality control
and reliable uninterrupted water supply
• Implementation of proven advanced technologies, in
particular membrane bioreactors, membrane filtration
(micro- and ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis), ozonation
• Availability of funding, economic success of the clients/
investors
• Cost efficiency and heat, energy and resource recovery
• Availability of an adjacent municipal wastewater plant
to avoid extensive and expensive reclaimed water dis-
tribution network
Major challenges :
• Fluctuations of raw water quality and quantity
• Control of water quality, in particular salinity, silica and
hardness
• Zero liquid discharge target in long-term
• Disposal and treatment of RO brines and other concen-
trates
Innovation
New treatment technologies such as advanced oxidation,
more efficient membranes systems, on-line water quality
and treatment process control
CHALLENGES FOR EXPANDING WATER REUSE
As demonstrated by the milestones in water reuse devel-
opment worldwide, with many regions or communities
approaching the limits of their available water supplies,
wastewater reclamation has become an attractive option
for conserving and extending available water supplies by
potentially:
• Using recycled water for applications that do not require
high-quality drinking water
• Augmenting water sources and providing an alternative
source of supply to assist in meeting both present and
future water needs
• Protecting aquatic ecosystems by decreasing the diver-
sion of freshwater, reducing the quantity of nutrients and
other toxic contaminants entering waterways
• Reducing the need for water control structures such as
dams and reservoirs,
• Complying with environmental regulations by better
managing water consumption and wastewater dis-
charges
Producing reclaimed water of a specified quality to fulfil
multiple water use objectives is now a reality due to the
progressive evolution of water reclamation technologies,
regulations, and environmental and health risk protection.
However, the ultimate decision to promote water reuse
is dependent on economic, regulatory, public policy, and,
more importantly, public acceptance factors reflecting the
water demand, safety, and need for reliable water supply
in local conditions.
Important issues related to the expanding water reuse
and some of the foreseeable impediments are summarised
below :
Economic and financial issues
Securing economic viability is an important challenge for
the majority of water reuse projects. Unfortunately, water
reuse is suffering from the competition with undervalued
and/or subsidised conventional water resources. Full-cost
recovery is a desirable objective but depends on ability
to pay. The cost-benefit analysis of water reuse projects
Featured Article
must include other management objectives and socio-
environmental criteria, based on a holistic approach and
catchment scale.
While water reclamation and reuse is a sustainable
approach and can be cost-effective in the long run, the
additional treatment of wastewater beyond secondary
treatment for reuse and the installation of reclaimed water
distribution systems can be costly compared to such water
supply alternatives as imported water or groundwater. Simi-
lar to the development of any other utilities, the implementa-
tion of wastewater facilities generally requires a substantial
capital expenditure. In the context of integrated water
resources management of the region, government grants
or subsidies may be required to implement water reuse. Un-
fortunately, institutional barriers, as well as varying agency/
communities priorities, can make it difficult to implement
water reuse projects in some cases.
Several options exist to demonstrate the economic vi-
ability of water reuse:
• Implement adequate pricing mechanisms: the price
should be a function of delivering water of the required
quality in a reliable manner. The competition from under-
valued and/or subsidised conventional water resources
can be avoided by“full-cost recovery” and “polluter-
pays” principles, which must be the basis for establishing
water rates.
• Take into account the entire (urban) water cycle and/or
catchment area: recent estimation of cost of droughts,
environmental impacts of wastewater discharge and
cost of replacing lost abstraction in UK demonstrated
that water reuse could be a cost competitive solution,
even when high-purity recycled water is produced. This
fact was confirmed by the cost evaluation of one the
most modern and complex advanced water recycling
facility for ground water recharge in Orange County,
California, where the overall annual cost of purified water
is US$0.39/m 3, which is equivalent to 60 per cent of the
cost of imported water.
• Need to move from supply-oriented to demand-oriented
water supply market and water efficient urban cycle
management, as demonstrated in several projects
where water reuse is a part of integrated resource man-
agement, such as the examples of California, Australia,
Singapore and the cities of Beijing and Tianjin in China.
Public and political support and communication
Independent of the type of reuse application and the
country, the public’s knowledge and understanding of
the safety and suitability of recycled water is a key factor
to the success of any water reuse programme. Consistent
communication and easy-to-understand messages need to
be developed for the public and politicians explaining the
benefits of water reuse for the long term water security and
sustainable urban water cycle management.
As demonstrated by all the successful case studies, the
public’s awareness of sustainable water resources man-
agement is essential; thus, planning should evolve through
a community value-based decision-making model. Thus,
water reuse is placed within the broader context of water
resources management and other options in the region to
address water supply and water quality problems. Commu-
nity values and priorities are then identified to guide plan-
ning from the beginning in the formulation and selection of
alternative solutions.
To date the major emphasis of water reclamation and
reuse has been on non-potable applications such as ag-
ricultural and landscape irrigation, industrial cooling, and
in-building applications such as toilet flushing in large com-
mercial buildings. Understandably, potable reuse raises
more public concern. In any case, the value of water re-
WaterMalaysia 29
Featured Article
use is weighed within a context of larger public issues. The
water reuse implementation continues to be influenced by
diverse debates such as drought and availability of water,
growth versus no growth, urban sprawl, traffic noise and air
pollution, perception of reclaimed water safety, and public
policy governing sustainable water resources management.
There are universal solutions available to convince the
public at large and the project stakeholders regarding the
safety and relevance of water reuse. Clearly, the use of a
clear and positive terminology and simple explanations
on water quality, treatment technology and water reuse
benefits are necessary to build-up credibility and trust in
water reuse. Existing experience and lessons learned are
very important to convince decision makers. Finally, the
most important recommendation is to inform and involve the
public, politicians and all stakeholders from the beginning
of any water reuse project. The increasing media impact
and the new communication tools via internet should also
be taken into account.
Innovating technology, improving reliability and energy
efficiency
The technical challenges facing water reuse are not yet
completely resolved. In particular for industrial, urban and
potable water reuse applications, it is extremely important
to improve performance, efficiency, reliability and cost-
effectiveness of treatment technologies. Water recycling
facilities are facing tremendous challenges of high varia-
tions of raw water quality, peaks in salinity due to salt intru-
sion in sewers, as well as variation in water quantity due to
extreme conditions of lower water demand, flooding or
needs of alternative disposal of recycled water.
Energy efficiency, carbon and environmental footprints
are becoming important issues. The ambitious goals of sus-
tainable development and achieving zero net carbon and
pollution emission footprint call for a new holistic approach
to the management of the water cycle with an increased
role for water reuse. With the further growth of mega cities
and increasing efforts to optimise energy efficiency, water
recycling is of growing interest and will take a leading role
in the future of sustainable water management. Decen-
tralised or semi-centralised water distribution systems are
more efficient for future cities when water reuse is inevitably
considered. Water supply can be tailored to match water
demand more closely in centralised water infrastructures,
adapting water quality to the given use. With substituting
freshwater with appropriately treated recycled water, it is
possible to save 30–50 per cent of domestic water demand
as demonstrated by the experience of Australia.
The energy consumption of water reclamation is sig-
nificantly lower than that of desalination, and represents
only a fraction of the energy intensities for water supply,
treatment, and distribution. Nevertheless, energy extensive
processes such as reverse osmosis should be limited to high
quality purposes whereas alternative solutions (such as
coagulation/flocculation) might be more energy efficient
for irrigation purposes.
More intensive water treatment has a higher environmen-
tal impact in terms of carbon footprint. For example the state
of the art advanced water reclamation based on high-tech,
energy intensive technologies has a carbon footprint five
times higher than that of the conventional water reclama-
tion processes. Although carbon footprint provides a valu-
able criterion to assess sustainability of industrial products
and processes, other environmental impact factors have to
be taken into consideration for the assessment of water reuse
30 WaterMalaysia
projects, such as freshwater depletion, reduced pollution,
preservation of biodiversity and lower toxicity.
Public water supply from polluted water sources
Due to land use practices and the increasing proportion of
treated wastewater discharged into receiving waters, fresh-
water sources of drinking water are containing many of the
same constituents of public health concern that are found
in reclaimed water. Much of the research that addresses
direct and indirect potable water reuse is becoming equally
relevant to unplanned indirect potable reuse or de facto
potable reuse that occurs naturally when drinking water
supply is withdrawn from polluted water sources. Because of
the research interest and public concerns, emerging patho-
gens and trace organic constituents including disinfection
by-products, pharmaceutically active compounds, and
personal care products have been reported extensively. The
ramifications of many of these constituents in trace quantity
are, unfortunately, not well understood with respect to long-
term health effects.
TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR
POTABLE REUSE
In the past, it has been standard practice that whenever
additional sources of water supply are necessary but not
readily available, non-potable water reuse options have
been explored using reclaimed water. However, most of the
economically viable non-potable reuse opportunities have
been exploited. For example, the typical cost for parallel
distribution of tertiary-treated recycled water is US$0.3 to
1.7 /m 3 whereas the typical cost for highly-treated purified
water, which could be added directly to the distribution
system, is US$0.6 to 1.0/m 3.
While there has been a clear preference for non-potable
and indirect potable reuse applications, a number of factors
are making it less feasible to further increase water reuse in
these applications. It is inevitable that purified water will be
used as a source of potable water supply in the future. Direct
potable reuse refers to the introduction of purified municipal
wastewater – after extensive advanced treatment beyond
conventional secondary and tertiary treatment – directly
into a water distribution system after extensive monitoring
to assure meeting the strict water quality requirements at all
times. This implies blending purified water with source water
for further water treatment or even pipe-to-pipe blending
of purified water and potable water.
Direct potable reuse offers the opportunity to signifi-
cantly reduce the distance at which reclaimed water would
need to be pumped and to significantly reduce the head
against which it must be pumped, thereby reducing costs.
The other significant advantage of direct potable reuse is
that it has the potential to allow for full reuse of available
purified water in metropolitan areas, using the existing water
distribution infrastructure. Implementation of direct potable
reuse will require a confidence in, and reliance on, the ap-
plied technology to always produce water that is safe and
acceptable to consume.
TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE WATER CYCLE MANAGEMENT
WITH WATER REUSE
Each water drop is precious: so using the water again safely
and for the right purpose is becoming a worldwide trend.
The future of our planet, our ecosystems and our children
depends on our ability to shift the paradigm of water re-
source management by the implementation of sustainable
water cycle management.

UV Disinfection for Municipal
Wastewater – A Growing Trend
By Wayne Lem and Jennifer Muller
Ultraviolet disinfection (UV) has been successfully applied for a range of wastewaters and shown that it confers many advantages
over chlorination. Today, it is estimated that over 10,000 municipal wastewater UV systems are in operation globally
M unicipal wastewater generally requires disinfection to
meet specific bacterial limits before discharge to sur-
face waters. The main objective of disinfection is to reduce
the number of waterborne pathogens to safe levels, thereby
lowering the risk of exposing the public to infectious disease.
The persistence of some pathogens in receiving waters and
soils indicates that disinfection of wastewater effluents pro-
vide the first line of defence for drinking water from surface
or ground sources.
To meet this objective, the disinfectant must inactivate a
wide range of bacteria and viruses in a variety of water and
wastewater qualities. Disinfection may be accomplished
by chemical or physical methods. However, an increased
awareness of the disadvantages of chemical disinfectants,
specifically chlorine, has resulted in the selection of UV as
an alternative with many attractive features and benefits.
Ultraviolet light provides a physical process for the disinfec-
tion of water and wastewater without the disadvantages
associated with chemical disinfection. In total, it is estimated
that over 10,000 municipal wastewater UV systems are in
operation globally.
Ultraviolet light is the portion of the electromagnetic spec-
trum with wavelengths between 100 and 400 nanometers
(nm). Germicidal wavelengths are located in the spectral
region of 200nm to 300nm (Figure 1). The low pressure mer-
cury lamp radiation is essentially monochromatic with >90%
Featured Article
of its output at 254 nm.
HOW DOES UV WORK?
Unlike chemical approaches to wastewater disinfection,
UV light provides rapid inactivation of potentially harmful
microbes through a physical process. Microorganisms are
inactivated by UV light as a result of photochemical damage
to nucleic acids. The high energy associated with short wave-
length UV radiation is absorbed by cellular RNA and DNA.
This absorption of UV energy creates dimers. The formation of
numerous dimers in the DNA of bacteria and viruses prevents
replication and results in cell death. The germicidal effective-
ness of low pressure lamps at wavelength 254 nm correlates
with the absorption spectrum for nucleic acid which peaks
at 260nm. Figure 2 illustrates the UV light penetrating the cell
wall of the microorganism and attacking the DNA. Through
this mechanism, UV disinfection is effective against bacteria,
viruses and chlorine-resistant protozoa such as Cryptospo-
ridium and Giardia.
FACTORS AFFECTING UV DISINFECTION
The germicidal effects of UV are directly related to the dose
of UV energy absorbed by a microorganism. UV dose in a dis-
infection system is related to flow rate/retention time and UV
intensity in the reactor. UV intensity is a function of wastewater
quality combined with UV equipment design optimisation.
WaterMalaysia 31
Featured Article
Exposure time is directly related to flow rate and retention time
which are controlled by optimizing reactor design and lamp
spacing to control the head loss (see Table 1). UV disinfection
is not affected by water temperature or pH.
UV EQUIPMENT DESIGN PARAMETERS
The UV intensity in a UV disinfection reactor is directly re-
lated to specific design parameters such as lamp type, total
number of lamps and lamp spacing. A proper UV reactor is
designed to optimise the number of UV lamps required for
32 WaterMalaysia
disinfection with the necessary hydraulic
capacity. The ideal hydraulic characteristic
is turbulent plug flow for mixing and minimal
headloss. Lamp spacing is designed to con-
trol the water layer around the quartz sleeve
and to provide the maximum average inten-
sity in the reactor. A water level controller is
included in the design to maintain the ap-
propriate water depth in the channel and
to keep UV lamps submerged.
Equipment maintenance factors af-
fecting UV intensity include lamp age and
sleeve fouling. The UV intensity gradually
decreases with use (as the lamps age) and
this is factored into the design to ensure the
required UV dose is delivered at the end of
lamp life. The recommended low pressure
(amalgam) lamp replacement varies be-
tween 9,000 to 12,000 hours depending on
the manufacturer.
An accumulation of inorganic and or-
ganic matter (fouling) on the quartz sleeves
that encase the UV lamps decreases the
intensity of UV light penetrating the water.
The fouling rate varies with process and ef-
fluent types and may be more rapid in the presence of high
concentrations of iron, calcium and magnesium. UV systems
without fully-automatic cleaning devices will require manual
cleaning and maintenance by plant operators on a regular
basis. However, through product innovation by Trojan Tech-
nologies, UV reactors like the TrojanUV3000PlusTM include an
automatic quartz sleeve wiping system combining chemical
and mechanical cleaning so it does not require operator
maintenance or equipment downtime for sleeve cleaning.
COMPARISON OF UV DISINFECTION
AND CHEMICAL DISINFECTION
The disadvantages associated
with chemical (chlorine) disinfec-
tion have resulted in the increased
selection of UV for wastewater
disinfection in many regions of the
world today. Table 2 summarises
the advantages and disadvantag-
es of UV and chlorine disinfection.
The UV disinfection process
takes place entirely within the
irradiation chamber (concrete
channel) and has no negative ef-
fect on downstream water sources,
environments or aquatic life. When
high doses of chlorine are used,
and depending on the quality of
the effluent, carcinogenic and
mutagenic chloro-organics such
as trihalomethanes (THMs such as
chloroform) and the less volatile
higher molecular weight byprod-
ucts can be produced. These by-
products persist in water and can
affect downstream environments.
Concerns for the safety of the
environment by the public and
plant operators result in additional
expenses for those who opt for
 Featured Article

nificantly reduce construction costs

relative to a chlorination system with
large contact tanks. Figure 3 illus-
trates a typical outdoor UV installa-
tion in a compact concrete channel.

SUMMARY
The wide-spread adoption of UV for
wastewater disinfection is the result
of the technology’s many benefits,
including ensuring community and
operator safety, providing public
health protection, highly-effective
treatment performance, minimal
environmental impact, and abil-
ity to address increasingly stringent
regulations. For these reasons, UV
has been successfully applied over
a wide range of applications from
low quality wastewaters (primary
effluent, blended effluent), typical
wastewater (secondar y effluent
discharging to streams and rivers)
as well as advanced wastewater
(filtered effluents being reused or
discharging to environmentally sen-
sitive areas).
Each UV installation will be suc-
cessful if the stakeholders proceed
through planning and design phases
with diligence. The UV Manufacturer
can contribute valuable experience
to the process by understanding
the science of UV disinfection, un-
derstanding the impact of effluent
quality on UV disinfection and by
properly designing and validating
their reactors over a range of operat-
ing conditions.

chlorine instead of UV disinfection.

Dechlorination to remove toxic chlo-
rine residuals can add at least 30%
to the cost of chlorination. UV disin-
fection does not require buildings,
whereas some of the new regulations
require specially designed buildings
for chlorine.
Further concerns are associated
with the transportation and storage
of the toxic chemicals used for chlo-
rination/dechlorination disinfection.
The risk of gas leaks at the WWTP or
chemical storage sites continue to re-
ceive high public visibility – especially
in densely populated areas.
UV has several advantages that
result in UV disinfection being the right
choice for new treatment plants con-
structed. The simple concrete gravity
flow-through channel, small overall
footprint and outdoor installation sig-

WaterMalaysia 33
 News Headlines Summary
Level of water supply in Klang Valley
worrying: Mahdzir
K UALA LUMPUR: 7 July 2015 - The level of water supply
in the Klang Valley is worrying as the water reserve
margin now stands at approximately two per cent, ac-
cording to Deputy Energy, Green Technology and Water
Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid.
He said the water supply level was indeed low com-
pared to the appropriate and suitable water reserve
margin of between 10 and 15 per cent suggested by the
National Water Service Commission (SPAN).
He went on to inform that this situation has caused
593 development projects in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur
and Putrajaya to be unapprovable by SPAN following
insufficient water supply.As a result, (the implementation
Low treated water reserves problem
will be addressed once state acquires
water concessionaires
P ETALING JAYA: 20 July 2015 - Selangor’s critically low
treated water reserves can be replenished by cutting
down high levels of Non-Revenue Water (NRW), a thing
which the Selangor state government aims to do when
it fully acquires the state’s four water concessionaires.
State executive councillor (exco) Zaidy Abdul Talib
said the water restructuring exercise is expected to be
completed in two to three months’ time and reducing
NRW will be the state administration’s priority when it is
done.
“The NRW is at 34%, this is too high. Syarikat Bekalan
Air Selangor (Syabas) was supposed to reduce it to 20%
by 2012 in accordance to its concession agreement but
they failed to do it.
“After we take over the concessionaires, that will be
Singapore to supply additional potable
water to Johor during its water rationing
Singapore PUB’s Press Release on 20 August 2015
P UB has begun supplying additional potable water to
Johor since 14 August 2015.The current dry weather
has severely affected water levels in Johor’s Sungei Lay-
ang dam, and BAKAJ has commenced water rationing in
parts of Johor Bahru from 16 August to 15 September 2015.
BAKAJ had requested PUB to provide an additional 5
to 6 million gallons per day (mgd). PUB has been injecting
the additional supply of potable water from the Johor
River Waterworks (JRWW) that PUB operates in Johor.
This arrangement is temporary and subject to regular
review. This will not affect the water supply in Singapore.
There has been some rain in Singapore and PUB has
increased its production of NEWater and desalinated
water to meet local demand, allowing water levels in
34 WaterMalaysia
of) these projects had to be postponed and it had also
affected all planned development, the Deputy Minister
said in reply at the Dewan Negara sitting .
He also said that the rivers, namely Sungai Selangor,
Sungai Tinggi, Klang Gate, TasikSubang, Sungai Lan-
gat and Sungai Semenyih, could no longer meet the
demands of approximately two million domestic and
industry users in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.
As such, he also urged the public to improve their
knowledge and awareness on the importance of pre-
serving the rivers, which are basic source of water supply.
– Bernama
out main focus, and we will also fix other problems in the
water distribution system,” Zaidy told theSun.
Although an accurate estimate can only be given
after the concessionaires are taken over, he said the
state government is targeting to reduce NRW to at least
15%, a realistic target that can be achieved.
Zaidy added the state government will also fix other
issues related to water distribution such as disruptions
and irregular water pressure.
Water level at the Sungai Selangor Dam, which sup-
plies about 60% of the water in the state, is currently at
76.92% according to the Selangor Water Management
Board (LUAS), far more than the 31% when the state was
forced to ration water. - Newsdesk@thesundaily.com
local reservoirs to remain healthy.
The dry weather has affected water levels in Linggiu
Reservoir in Johor, which has dipped slightly to 54.18%,
from 54.5% two weeks ago, and is at an all-time low.
Linggiu Reservoir, which is operated by PUB, improves
the yield of water from the Johor River from which Johor
and Singapore draw water.
Over the years, PUB has, at Johor’s request, supplied
about 16 million gallons of potable water per day to
Johor. This latest request will see Singapore temporarily
supplying up to 22 mgd of potable water to meet Johor’s
needs in the present dry weather situation. PUB remains
committed to working with BAKAJ and relevant agencies
to increase water resources in Johor.

Selangor Water Restructuring
Completed With 4 Deals Inked
S HAH ALAM, Sept 8 (Bernama) -- The water restructur-
ing exercise in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya
between the federal and Selangor state governments
was finalised today with the signing of four agreements,
said Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk
Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili.
The agreements -- comprising the Facilities Agree-
ment, Lease Agreement, Settlement Agreement and
Rights of Use Agreement -- are conditions precedent
to effect the master agreement for the restructuring
exercise.
Ongkili said with the sealing of the agreements,
Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Air Selangor) should
finalise the takeover of Puncak Niaga (M) Sdn Bhd (PNSB)
and Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (SYABAS) within two
weeks of the coming into force of the master agreement
on Sept 9.
“After the completion of the takeover of PNSB and
Syabas, Air Selangor should also finalise the takeover of
Konsortium ABASS within four months,” he told reporters
after attending the signing of the four agreements be-
tween Pengurusan Aset Air Bhd (PAAB) and Air Selangor
here today.
The agreements were signed by PAAB Chief Execu-
tive Officer (CEO) Datuk Ahmad Faizal Abdul Rahim and
Air Selangor CEO Suhaimi Kamaralzaman, witnessed by
Ongkili and Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali.
Under the Master Agreement inked on Sept 12, 2014
among the federal and Selangor state governments,
PAAB and Air Selangor, the federal government will
provide a RM2 billion allocation to enable the state
PAAB positive Selangor water assets
can complete ahead of time
K UALA LUMPUR: PengurusanAset Air Bhd (PAAB) is op-
timistic that the transfer of water assets in Selangor to
the company can be completed ahead of the 60-day
expiration deadline.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Datuk Ahmad Faizal
Abdul Rahman said cooperation from all parties were
good as there was mutual understanding that if they
did not move on from this successfully, the deal would
not go through.
“Negotiations are proceeding smoothly, and I believe
there is no problem to resolve the water crisis for Selangor
earliest by the end of August.
“We will do this as soon as possible...as long as this
issue is not resolved the Langat 2 project cannot carry
on smoothly,” he told reporters on the sidelines of PAAB’s
Aidilfitri Open House here, on Thursday.
The water restructuring Supplemental Agreement was
signed on July 10 by Ministry of Energy, Green Technology
News Headlines Summary
government to take over the equities of the conces-
sionaires involved and, via PAAB, their liabilities totalling
RM7.694 billion.
In return, the state government will hand over its water
assets to PAAB.
These assets will be re-leased by PAAB to Air Selangor
for a 40-year period, as practised in the restructuring of
the water industry in other states.
Meanwhile, Ongkili said the Facilities and Services
licences issued to Air Selangor will enable it to acquire
assets in Selangor and provide water supply services in
Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.
“However, these licences will only take effect on Feb
22, 2016 to enable the fulfilment of the conditions prec-
edent to the Facilities Agreement,” he said.
He said the state government had also given the
necessary approvals to enable PAAB to continue with
the construction of the Langat 2 water treatment plant
and its distribution system, expected to be fully opera-
tional in 2019.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Azmin in the same press
conference said negotiations between the Selangor
government and Splash on the offer to take over water
assets of the concessionaire are still ongoing.
He said the talks are still premature, with Splash given
until July next year to conclude the negotiations.
The Selangor government had made a net offer of
RM250.6 million in February last year to buy the water
assets owned by Gamuda Bhd.
Gamuda owns a 40 per cent stake in Splash.
and Water Secretary-General Datuk Loo Took Gee, Se-
langor State Secretary Datuk Mohamed KhusrinMunawi,
Pengurusan Air Selangor SdnBhd CEO SuhaimiKamaral
Zaman and Ahmad Faizal.
The signatories have 60 days to fulfill the Condition
Precedents in the principal agreement. 
On the Langat 2 project, Ahmad Faizal said the prog-
ress was at a 22% completion rate.
“We are waiting for the Selangor government to
release all permits and approvals, which are expected
after the completion of the water supply services restruc-
turing,” he said.
When asked whether water tariff would increase after
the water supply services restructuring was completed,
Ahmad Faizal said: “It is not PAAB’s responsibility to look
at water rate as it is the prerogative of the respective
state governments. But as far as I know, water rate is not
going to go up.”- Bernama
WaterMalaysia 35
 News Headlines Summary
State water company receives
RM315.87mil to improve water supply
M ALACCA: July 8, 2015 - Syarikat Air Melaka Bhd
(SAMB) has been given RM315.87mil to improve the
water supply network in the state.
SAMB received funds from the National Water Ser-
vices Commission (SPAN) to carry out the second phase
of multiple projects in the state and the money will be
fully-utilised by October this year.
SAMB’s chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Khalid
Nasir said work includes the construction of water treat-
ment plants and a new pipe networking system, upgrad-
ing and repairing of existing treatment plants, as well as
minimising wastage through non-revenue water.
He said the projects were a continuation of the first
phase operation, which encompasses expenditure of
RM380.35mil to implement six projects from Nov 1, 2010
to Oct 31, 2012.
“SAMB will work on projects to ensure a zero water
Salcon Bhd is bidding for RM2 billion
worth of contracts
S UBANG JAYA: SalconBhd is bidding for RM2 billion
worth of contracts, which are mostly water treatment
plants projects both locally and abroad. Executive di-
rector Datuk Eddy Leong Kok Wah said the tenderbook
Criticial water shortage by 2025, says
PBAHB man
G EORGE TOWN: 1 Jun 2015 - Penang will have to turn
seawater into tap water by 2020 if it can’t get Perak
to sell raw water to the state.
A source in PBA Holdings Bhd said PBAHB began
researching seawater conversion since 2013 and would
launch plans to build a desalination plant as a last resort.
“We are going to run out of water resources by 2020.
We have to be ready as there will be a critical water
shortage by 2025,” he said.
He compared the prospect of desalination in Penang
with Hong Kong’s latest seawater conversion project.
Hong Kong is building a 10ha desalination plant. The
first stage is expected to be ready in 2020 and will churn
out 135 million litres of tap water a day.
“Hong Kong is spending over RM4bil and the output
they will get is only 16% of Penang’s daily needs,” the
source said.
Last year, Penang’s daily demand was 813 million litres.
The current average domestic water price in Penang
is 32sen per 1,000 litres while the average trade tariff is
RM1.36 for the same amount.
The source said a desalination plant could send the
36 WaterMalaysia
crisis in Malacca,” he said after the state government’s
monthly assembly organised by SAMB.
Mohd Khalid said SAMB also spent RM14mil in operat-
ing costs to pump water from Sungai Gerisik in Muar to
supply treated water to the state in 2014.
He revealed that SAMB was also planning to build the
Jernih Dam in Alor Gajah to ensure water supply in the
state was sufficient.
Mohd Khalid said the rate of non-revenue water in the
state stood at 21.3% in 20l4 which was a drop compared
to 23.4% in 2013. This was achieved through prompt re-
placement of pipes and other gadgets.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron said
the state government was opening the tender for the
Jernih Dam construction project to contractors who were
interested. - By R.S.N. Murali, The Star Online
consists of eight local projects worth RM1.25 billion and
five foreign projects, principally in Sri Lanka, worth RM750
million. - By Ee Ann Nee,Sunbiz@thesundaily.com
overall average price to RM4 per 1,000 litres.
PBAHB chief executive officer Jaseni Maidinsa has
declined to comment.
However, in the corporation’s annual report last
year, Jaseni said while Singapore succeeded in using
desalination as one of its supply solutions, the republic’s
domestic water price was RM4.07 per 1,000 litres for the
first 35,000 litres.
Water Watch Penang president Prof Chan Ngai Weng
said he was aware that desalination would be Penang’s
last resort.
The Muda River supplies 80% of Penang’s water needs
and in 1998, it was reported that the Penang government
had to request Muda Dam to release water to raise the
river’s level during a drought.
Perak refuses to sell raw water to Penang and only
wants to supply treated water.The Penang government is
resisting the counter-deal for fear of paying a premium.
“If we take treated water from Perak, then our domes-
tic water price could be like Johor – up to RM1.05 per
1,000 litres,” Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said
recently. - By Arnold Loh, The Star Online

Johor to collect RM50mil annually from
raw water levy
J OHOR BARU: 23 Mar 2015 - Johor hopes to collect RM-
50mil annually from the levy imposed for sourcing raw
water from the sea, rivers, lakes or even underground in
the state.
State Public Works, Rural and Regional Development
Committee chairman Datuk Hasni Mohammad said even
power plants using seawater to cool their turbine would
be subjected to the new rates.
Hasni said the rate for those using water for commer-
cial purposes was 10 sen for each cubic metre of water
used while five sen for agriculture purposes such as for
oil palm.
“Even those sourcing water from underground for
bottled water are subjected to these new rates,” he said
Joint billing for IWK and water bill,
soon: Minister Ong-kili
K UALA LUMPUR: 11 August 2015 - The days of paying
water and Indah Water Konsortium bills separately
will soon be over in the Federal Territories as the Energy,
Green Technology and Water Ministry is in the middle of
developing a joint billing system. A work in progress where
its mechanism has been actively discussed in the cabi-
net since June, minister Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili said.
“Its aim was to make the payments more efficient. It
will first be carried out in Labuan by Jan next year. It is
expected to be then implemented in Kuala Lumpur and
Syabas: RM2.42bil needed to revamp
water sector
K UALA LUMPUR: 11 August 2015 - Syarikat Bekalan
Air Selangor SdnBhd (Syabas) would have to invest
RM2.42bil under a five-year master plan to revamp the
Klang Valley water industry.
It said on 11 August 2015 that based on its survey
this would be the amount it would have to invest if the
takeover by the state and federal governments do not
Pay water bills online, says Syabas
2 2 July 2015 - SYARIKAT Bekalan Air Selangor SdnBhd
(Syabas) is advising consumers to pay their bills online
and save time.
The company wants consumers to make full use of
their online payment system.
By choosing to pay via the Internet, residents do not
have to go to the counters to settle their bills, and can
do so within the comfort of their homes.
Issues such as parking and waiting-in-line are also
nonexistent via online payment.
News Headlines Summary
in an interview.
Hasni said the state was losing millions as there were
no proper laws governing the use of raw water at present.
He said the Johor Water Regulatory Body (Bakaj) had
issued about 100 permits.
These new levy was imposed following the implemen-
tation of the new Water Enactment in the state which
also governs the use of raw water.
On another issue, Hasni said the state was hoping for
RM7.674bil from the Federal Government for infrastructure
and rural development under his portfolio in the 11th
Malaysia Plan beginning next year. - By Nelson Benjamin,
The Star Online
Putrajaya,” he said. The effort, he added, followed the
footsteps of countries like Australia, New Zealand and
Singapore.
The move is expected to assist IWK which has been
facing poor collection problems from households. Maxi-
mus said this to reporters after officiating the two-day
Second Malaysian International Sewerage Conference
2015 themed Malaysian Sewerage Industry - Cutting
Edge Technology at Royale Chulan Hotel here today. 
- By Dawn Chan, NST
materialise on Sept 13.
Of the RM2.41bil, it would invest RM1.05bil to reduce
non-revenue water, RM25.40mil to enhance the billing
system and RM20.50mil to improve its customer service.
The plan will focus on reducing non-revenue water
losses with target savings of 300 million litres per day of
treated water. - By Leong Hung Yee, The Star Online
And unlike over-the-counter-payment, bills can be
paid 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The online service was only applicable to consumers
who have not had their supply cut due to unpaid bills.
For other matters like paying overdue bills, resuming
water supply after a cut and other similar issues, residents
are urged to head to the nearest Syabas counter to
settle their bills.
For details, visit syabas.com.my.
WaterMalaysia 37
Policy and Regulatory
Penang water tariffs up from April 1
T he Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBA) will raise water
tariffs up to 20 percent come Apr 1 to curb wastage. PBA
chief executive officer Jaseni Maidinsa said the tariff review,
announced last year, was needed to avoid a possible water
rationing and to reduce excess consumption.
“This review is in line with the Penang State Government
and PerbadananBekalan Air Pulau Pinang SdnBhd’s mission
to avoid water rationing at all cost. “We need Penang water
consumers to develop the “habit” of saving water to avoid
rationing in this age of climate change. “
New Water Rates For Labuan, Johor
From Aug 1
Malaysian Reserve : August 3, 2015
N ew water tariff adjustment is introduced in the Federal
Territory of Labuan as well as Johor, which took effect
on Aug 1, 2015, says National Water Services Commission
(SPAN).
According to SPAN, the new water tariff for domestic
consumers in the Federal Territory is divided into three
categories where consumers will be charged 70 sen per cubic
metre (m³) for the usage of 0m³-20m³ while the usage of more
than 20m³-35m³ will be charged RM1.20 per m³.
As for consumers using more than 35m³, they will be
charged RM1.70 per m³.
“As many as 45.5% of users (5,965 accounts) using
between 10m³ to 30m³ of water will experience a reduction in
water bills as the base rate has been reduced to 70 sen per
m³, as compared to 90 sen per m³ previously,” said SPAN in a
statement last Friday.
For non-domestic users, the tariff rate will be divided into
two categories where RM1.70 will be charged for the usage
of between 0m³-35m³ while the usage exceeding 35m³ will be
charged RM2.20 per m³.
“About 68% of users (1,384 commercial accounts) who use
water less than 35m³ will be experiencing a hike in water bill of
between RM8 to RM28 per month,” said SPAN.
Households, who make up some 80%
of consumers in N.S. not affected by
tariffs hikes
The Star 14 August 2015
S EREMBAN: Water tariffs for industries and businesses in
Negri Sembilan were raised because the cost to treat water
has more than doubled.
“We agreed to raise the tariffs for industries and businesses
because the cost to treat water and the maintenance of plants
have doubled over the years.
“The cost of utilities and chemicals has also surged and we
had no other option,” Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan
said, adding that the last time tariffs were increase was in 2001.
38 WaterMalaysia
“The message is simple: To prevent water rationing, use
less water and pay less. If you continue to use too much water,
be prepared to pay more.” he said in a statement.
Statistics by PBA showed that the latest Jan/Feb 2015 cycle
has saw an increase to 298 liters/capita/day (l/c/d), compared
to the overall average domestic per capita consumption in the
state at 293 l/c/d. The numbers recorded by Penang is the
highest in the country, compared to the the national average of
210 l/c/d in 2013. Comparatively, Singapore recorded 152 l/c/d
in the same year. 
The last time water tariff in the Federal Territory of Labuan
was reviewed and adjusted was on Jan 1, 1982.
SPAN said the water tariff in Johor is increased to between
RM2 and RM3 per m³ for domestic use in excess of 20m³ and
35m³ respectively per month.
For domestic users, the new water tariff for the usage of
0m³-20m³ is 80 sen per m³ while the usage that exceeds 20m³-
35m³ is RM2 per m³.
Water consumption in excess of 35m³ will be charged RM3
per m³.
Following the new tariff, SPAN said a total of 79.2% of users
(722,797 accounts) who utilise not more than 35m³ of water per
month will see their bills increase between RM2 to RM9.25 per
month.
For non-domestic users, the new water tariff for the usage
of 0m³-35m³ is RM2.80 while the usage of more than 35m³ is
RM3.30 per m³ respectively.
“A total of 78.3% users (108,920 accounts) who use not
more than 35m³ of water will experience a water bill increase of
between RM4 and RM7 per month,” said SPAN in a separate
statement.
The last time the water tariff in Johor was reviewed and
adjusted was on November 1, 2010.
Households, who make up some 80% of consumers in the
state, are not affected by the tariff hikes that took effect in June.
Under the new tariffs, those in this category will pay RM1.85
for the first 35 cubic meters of water consumed, against RM1.50
previously. Anything beyond that will cost RM2.70 per cubic
meter, compared to RM1.60 previously. With the increase,
consumers in this category will pay some RM4.2mil a month
for their water bills.
 Policy and Regulatory

NEW BOOK : Water Pricing

Experiences and Innovations
By Bettye Miller On June 1, 2015
UCR water and environmental economist co-edits new book that presents global practices, innovations in addressing
water scarcity

R IVERSIDE, Calif. – As water scarcity and quality issues

grow in California and around the world, a new book co-
edited by UC Riverside water economist Ariel Dinar and water
extreme climatic events, a highly informed and organized
consumer base, the sustainability of groundwater extraction,
and the deterioration of water-dependent ecosystems due
experts in Spain and Argentina examines the experience of to over-allocation of water rights.
15 countries where conservation has been achieved through • France in the last 20 years has shifted the focus of water
water-pricing incentive systems. pricing from budget balancing (cost recovery) to water
“Water Pricing Experiences and Innovations” (Springer, conservation and now to social protection.
2015) presents practices and implementation experiences • India has renewed its focus on water pricing and cost
from many countries that face water scarcity conditions similar recovery given public concern about water scarcity. Much
to those faced by California and elsewhere, and introduces of the debate has focused on irrigation of crops, which
a wide set of water-pricing methods that California agencies accounts for almost 80 percent of total water consumption
might consider as they address the state’s historic drought. but for which only a fraction of supply costs is recovered.
Dinar, professor of environmental economics and policy in the • Water pricing in  Israel  reflects the true scarcity value of
UCR School of Public Policy, edited the book with José Albiac water, with different pricing schemes based on water sources
Murillo of the Agrifood Research and Technology Centre in (treated wastewater, desalinated water, groundwater, storm
Zaragoza, Spain, and Victor Pochat, a consultant in Buenos water, surface water) and uses.
Aires, Argentina. • Mexico’s water price structure reflects water availability and
“Water Pricing Experiences and Innovations,” written by its economic value.
experts in water pricing from various countries, presents the • Spain, long known for its water-pricing strategies, is facing
latest water-pricing experiences in Australia, Brazil, Canada, more droughts, severe water pollution, and negative impacts
Chile, China, Colombia, France, India, Israel, Italy, Mexico, The of climate change. Controversial water-pricing policies
Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa and Spain. The book under consideration may significantly affect affordability for
also reviews innovations in water pricing, such as new reform all water uses.
mechanisms, achieving social objectives via water pricing,
achieving revenue recovery, water-use efficiency and customer
equity, and schemes for charging the poor.
Increasing water scarcity over time and across regions,
coupled with short- and long-term catastrophic droughts in
certain locations, have contributed to increasing interest in
water conservation in the various water-consuming sectors –
urban, rural, agricultural, and environmental, Dinar explained.
“While all agree that water is a resource/commodity that is
essential for life, there is less agreement on the appropriate
ways it should be regulated by society,” Dinar said.
One chapter of the book addresses the development and
implementation of water budget-based rates, using Western
Municipal Water District in Riverside County in Southern
California as an example. The utility implemented rate
structures that reflect the costs of water supply and delivery and
recognizes customers by their water-use efficiency. Revenue
that exceeds cost goes into conservation programs.
“There is no single best practice that can be recommended
to one country or sector,” Dinar said. “Water-using sectors
in various locations face different situations and needs for
pricing approaches. Future scarcity affected by climate change
will most likely lead to different water pricing needs than the
schemes we know from the past.”

Here is a sample of what the researchers found:

• Australia uses a common national water-pricing framework,
but different approaches to water pricing across states
and water sectors (urban, rural, environmental). There is
a shared commitment to recovering the full cost of water
provision.
• Pricing and decentralization reforms in Chile have improved
efficiency, but challenges remain, such as increasing

WaterMalaysia 39