KUALA LUMPUR – The Selangor Environment Department (DoE) has taken samples along Sg Damansara near Shah Alam for further testing after thousands of fish there turned up dead.
In a statement today, director Nor Aziah Jaafar said DoE personnel have traced the upstream and downstream parts of the river, focusing on potential sources of pollution within a 10km radius of the location where the dead fish were found.
“The categories of potential pollution sources examined involve several beverage and food-based factories, commercial centres, stormwater discharge from residential areas, and sewage treatment plants.
“During the investigation, two sewage treatment plants were inspected, and a total of six treated sewage discharge samples were taken and sent to the Chemistry Department for analysis.
“This is to ensure that the samples are in compliance with the treated sewage discharge standards set in the Environmental Quality (Sewage) Regulations 2009 under the Environmental Quality Act 1974.”
In situ testing at Sg Kayu Ara near the log boom structure found the water slightly foamy, with a dissolved oxygen reading of 4.5mg per litre, she said.
“Through a periodic monitoring programme by DoE, the water quality sampling at five locations along Sg Damansara, and based on readings in May, the river is classified as Class II and Class III under the National River Water Quality Standards.”
She said the department will continue to investigate to determine the reason behind the fish deaths.
“Members of the public are advised to come forward to assist in the investigations should they have any information related to the incident.
“I would also like to remind that DoE will always take firm and uncompromising action against environmental criminals.”
Complaints related to pollution can be directly reported to DoE’s toll-free line at 1-800-88-2727, email to [email protected], or via its complaints portal.
Meanwhile, national wastewater and sanitation company Indah Water Konsortium Sdn Bhd (IWK) has confirmed that effluent samples taken from several of its plants along the river are within the stipulated parameters.
“Following concerns raised on social media regarding the incident of hundreds of fish found dead in Sg Damansara on June 23, 2021, IWK immediately investigated the matter,” the firm told The Vibes in an email.
“An IWK team from the Shah Alam operations office conducted an immediate probe by analysing effluent samples from several IWK assets along the river.
“Despite the results, IWK will still closely monitor the situation.”
DoE and IWK’s responses come after a concerned resident reported thousands of fish turning up dead in the river yesterday afternoon.
Visithra Manikam, who shared several photographs on Twitter, said she was told that the species of freshwater fish affected were the common pleco, or ikan bandaraya, and tilapia.
She said other witnesses told her that dead fish were also spotted along the river near the sports stadium in Section 13, Shah Alam, and near the area’s Carlsberg brewery. – The Vibes, June 24, 2021
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