River pollution continues to pose a threat to our environment with the revelation by Science, Technology and Environment Minister that six of the 31 rivers monitored by the Department of Environmentfrom January to April in the year 2001 were polluted. Nine other rivers were classified as clean and the rest were only moderately polluted. The clean rivers were Sungai Sarawak, Sungai Perlis, sungai Batang Samarahan, Sungai Kurau, Sungai Muda, Sungai Anak Endau, Sungai Pahang, Sungai Kedah and Sungai Temerloh.
The main source of pollution of our rivers comes from organic waste from sewage and agro-based industries and the manufacturing sector. Rivers are also being polluted due to earthworks and land-clearing activities. When extensive areas are cleared, soil stability is affected and there will be landslides and flash floods. Eventually, the water with suspended solids will reach rivers and pollute them and seriously affect our source of fresh clean water supply.
The extensive expansion of industries has also resulted in another from of pollution. Tones of toxic waste become the end product of the various manufacturing sector. Since the correct disposal of such wastes is expensive, the poisonous waste is thrown into the rivers by unscrupulous factories.
We must not take precious resource for granted. We have to change the way Malaysians think about, use and manage water. We must learn how to appreciate and take care of the life-giving source.
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