THE Federal and state governments should focus on working together to resolve the river pollution problem rather than spend more money on new technology, said a water non-governmental organisation.

It was responding to a report, dated Nov 10, that Kuala Lumpur was being presented with a private sector proposal that drastically reduced its dependence on Selangor and Pahang for water.

The proposal from Air Simpanan Sdn Bhd (ASI) entails the construction of vertical shafts with diameters ranging from 4.5 to 6m, and depths ranging from 40m to 60m.

The patented system called Water Storage & Controlling System (WSCS) also promises to reduce the incidence of flash floods by capturing rainfall in low-lying areas.

Association of Water and Energy Research Malaysia (Awer) president S. Piarapakaran said if pollution was not controlled, people would not agree with the maintenance cost that would eventually come out of their pockets.

“Our current treatment facility is sufficient but it is the pollution that is the main concern,” he said when contacted.

On Nov 8, it was reported that 16 incidents of river pollution were recorded in Selangor for the year up until end of October, with eight in Sungai Langat forcing the Langat water treatment plant to shut down and consequently affecting more than a million consumers in Hulu Langat, Kuala Langat, Petaling Jaya and Sepang.

On the proposal, ASI said it hoped to make a difference by capturing a portion of the rainfall.

“This is not about tapping underground water, which can also be contaminated,” ASI managing director Datuk Wan Abd Halim Abd Majid was quoted as saying.

This company’s proposal is estimated to cost RM2.4bil when completed.

It was also reported that Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor had brought up water woes faced by residents in Kuala Lumpur resulting from what he called “the fiasco with Langat 2,” which was Selangor’s delayed Langat 2 water treatment plant project.

“Kuala Lumpur does not have its own water department and I have mentioned to the Cabinet that we need to manage our own water and look for our own source of water,” Tengku Adnan added.