continued - Board of Engineers Malaysia

LEMBAGA JURUTERA MALAYSIA
BOARD OF ENGINEERS MALAYSIA
KDN PP11720/04/2011(029445) ISSN 0128-4347 VOL.46 JUNE-AUG 2010 RM10.00
Facing a Wide SPAN
of Challenges
Rainwater Harvesting
Experience in Bandar Utama
Climate Change and the Global
Water Crisis: What Business
Need to Know and Do
Malacca River Rehabilitation:
A Class Above
2
contents
VOL 46 JUNE-AUGUST 2010
4
President’s Message
Editor’s Note
Green Technology
Resource Recovery in Sewage Via
Green Technology
Engineering Practice
Announcement
New Code of Practice for
Demolition of Buildings
– MS 2318 : 2010 (P)
CEO View
7
Facing a Wide SPAN of
Challenges
Spotlight
6
Health
19 Climate Change and the Global
Water Crisis: What Business Need
to Know and Do
22 Update on Laws to Protect Rivers
from Pollution
Engineering & Law
26 Differences Between
Assignments, Sub-Contracting
And Novation
21st Century Stress Management
Engineering RECOLLECTION
Penang Bridge Project : Planned, Investigated &
Designed In the 1970s
Engineering Nostalgia
42
FUTURE TRENDS
Efficient Management of
Water Resources: An Agenda
for the Future
17 Rainwater Harvesting Experience
in Bandar Utama
36
Special Report
Malacca River Rehabilitation : A Class Above
14 Ranhill Utilities: Gaining a Global
Foothold
Feature
32
Penang Harbour & Weld Quay, 1910
48
51
54
56
P r e s i d e n t ’ s m e s s ag e
The introduction of the Water Service Industry Act in 2008 and
the formation of SPAN have facilitated the integration of the two
main utilities; water supply and sewerage services into a holistic
water industry structure. Malaysia is fortunate to have an early
lead in the two service industries where quality has been regularly
monitored and players well regulated. However, expanding
population and the corresponding extension of human settlements do pose a challenge
to service providers to meet their demand and yet maintain the desired quality.
The 10MP has set a target of water supply coverage of the nation from 93%
in 2009 to 97% in 2015. RM1.1 billion has been allocated for Non-Revenue Water.
The development programmes related to water service industry should provide some
excitement to practicing engineers. However, engineers should be reminded of the
new economic development approach as detailed under the New Economic Model
to focus on innovative processes and cutting-edge technology for high value-added
goods and services.
Water, as a resource, has been targeted by the Government for more prudent
usage. Water efficiency such as rain harvesting, water recycling, water efficient
irrigation/landscaping, water efficient fittings and metering and leak detection system
dominate 10 out of 100 points under the Green Building Index. This should be an
attraction for the industrial sector to tap into this new opportunity in developing new
technologies and products to meet new demand. Engineers have an important role in
the design and production of these new products as the new area of growth.
It is my fervent hope that Malaysian engineers will continue to excel in the water
service industry, not just locally, but within the international arena.
KDN PP11720/04/2011(029445)
ISSN 0128-4347
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF ENGINEERS MALAYSIA
(BEM) 2009/2010
President
YBhg. Dato’ Sri Ir. Dr. Judin Abdul Karim
Secretary
Ir. Ruslan Abdul Aziz
Registrar
Ir. Hizamul-Din Ab. Rahman
Members
YBhg Tan Sri Prof. Ir. Dr. Mohd Zulkifli bin Tan Sri Mohd Ghazali
YBhg Dato’ Ir. Hj. Ahmad Husaini bin Sulaiman
YBhg. Dato’ Ir. Abdul Rashid Maidin
YBhg. Dato’ Ir. Dr. Johari bin Basri
YBhg. Datuk Dr. Ir. Abdul Rahim Hj. Hashim
YBhg. Dato’ Prof. Ir. Dr. Chuah Hean Teik
YBhg. Brig. Jen. Dato’ Pahlawan Ir. Abdul Nasser bin Ahmad
YBhg. Datuk Ar. Dr. Amer Hamzah Mohd Yunus
Ir. Mohd Rousdin bin Hassan
Ir. John Anthony
Ir. Wong Siu Hieng
Prof. Ir. Ishak Abdul Rahman
Ir. Tan Yean Chin
Ir. Chong Pick Eng
Ir. Dato’ Dr. Lee Teang Shui
Dato’ Jaafar bin Shahidan
EDITORIAL BOARD
Advisor
YBhg. Dato’ Sri Ir. Dr. Judin Abdul Karim
Dato’ Sri Ir. Dr Judin bin Abdul Karim
President
Board of Engineers Malaysia
e d i to r ’ s n ot e
Echoing the call from the President to re-brand the publication,
the Publication Committee took the first step to change the style
of The Ingeneiur for a start. The page has been resized to suit ease
of reading and storage. However, the number of pages remains
the same for the moment.
The special interview with CEO of SPAN personally by
Dato’ Ir. Abdul Rashid bin Maidin, chairman of Publication Committee sets the
stage for this issue with the theme of ‘water’. The feature articles cover a wide range
of policies and Government directions on the water and wastewater industries of the
nation. The success story of Malacca river rehabilitation provides a comprehensive
account on the administrative, procedural and technical considerations to rehabilitate
a polluted river.
On the global front, the UN Global Compact article offers numerous
opportunities for companies to partner with the UN to take action on both climate
and water. Companies that wish to advance practical solutions, share experiences,
inform public policy and shape public attitudes should find this article useful.
Happy reading!
Ir. Fong Tian Yong
Editor
Secretary
Ir. Ruslan Abdul Aziz
Chairman
YBhg. Dato’ Ir. Abdul Rashid bin Maidin
Editor
Ir. Fong Tian Yong
Members
Prof. Ir. Dr. K.S. Kannan
Ir. Chan Boon Teik
Ir. Prem Kumar
Ir. Ishak Abdul Rahman
Mr Zamani bin Zakariah
Ir. Mohd Rasid bin Osman
Ir. Dr. Zuhairi Abdul Hamid
Ir. Ali Askar bin Sher Mohamad
YBhg. Dato’ Prof. Ir. Dr. Eric Goh
Executive Director
Ir. Ashari Mohd Yakub
Publication Officer
Pn Nik Kamaliah Nik Abdul Rahman
Assistant Publication Officer
Pn Che Asiah Mohamad Ali
Design and Production
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The Ingenieur is published by the Board of Engineers Malaysia
(Lembaga Jurutera Malaysia) and is distributed free of charge to
registered Professional Engineers.
The statements and opinions expressed in this publication are
those of the writers.
BEM invites all registered engineers to contribute articles or
send their views and comments to the following address:
Communication & IT Dept.
Lembaga Jurutera Malaysia,
Tingkat 17, Ibu Pejabat JKR,
Jalan Sultan Salahuddin,
50580 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2698 0590 Fax: 03-2692 5017
E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]
Website: http://www.bem.org.my
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6
aFnEAT
n oUuRE
n c (CO
e mN TIeN UED)
nts
Event Calendar
Event:
Seminar on Malaysia’s Public Private Partnership
Date:
August 5, 2010
Venue:
Singgahsana Hotel, Petaling Jaya
Organiser:
International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) & Public Private Unit, PM’s
Department
Fees:
Professionals - RM485
Students – RM200
Enquiries:
03-61965271
Event:
3rd Biennial International Energy Conference 2010: Green &
Renewable Energy For Sustainable Development
Date:
October 30, 2010
Venue:
Renaissance Kuala Lumpur
Organiser:
ASEAN Academy of Engineering & Technology
Enquiries:
03-58826968
Event:
The MSSA International Convention & Exhibition : Steel Industry –
The Crest After The Crash
Date:
November 1-2, 2010
Venue:
PWTC Kuala Lumpur
Organiser:
Malaysian Structural Steel Association
Enquiries:
03-22728747 (www.mssa.org.my)
MOA and CoE for
Accredited Checkers
To All Registered Accredited Checkers and Professional
Engineers
Please be informed that MOA and CoE for Accredited Checkers
(BEM Form 2009) is currently available in BEM Web Site under
menu : Services/Application/Accredited Checkers; sub menu:
BEM Form 2009 (MOA & CoE).
Alternatively you may also visit URL http://www.bem.org.my/
v3/app_accreditedcheckers09.html to view or download.
Publication Calendar
Sept 2010
PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT
Dec 2010
TRANSPORTATION & SAFETY
7
CEO V i e w
Facing a Wide
Span of Challenges
Dato’ Teo Yen Hua, CEO, National Water Services Commission
(SPAN) talks about SPAN’s mission is to regulate the water
supply and sewerage services industry through the Water
Services Industry Act. So far, the pace of reform has been
slow with operators in only three states complying. But
corporatisation exercises in other states are on track. He
notes the challenges to restructure operators who fear losing
their assets and have different corporate culture, efficiency
level and financial standing.
Dato’ Teo Yen Hua was appointed
the first Chief Executive Officer of the
National Water Services Commission
or Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Air
Negara (SPAN) on March 1, 2007.
The veteran with 32 years experience in
the Malaysian civil service (in various
agencies and Ministries) is no stranger to
restructuring and reform of key sectors in
the local economy. He was involved in the
restructuring of the telecommunications
sector and the implementation of the
Communications and Multimedia Act
1998. He last held the position of Deputy
Secretary General of Ministry of Energy,
Water and Communications (now known
as Ministry of Energy, Green Technology
& Water) before joining SPAN.
Dato’ Teo is proud that Malaysia is one
of the few countries in the world that has
a well-defined plan to reform the water
sector. While the necessary law (Water
Services Industry Act 2006 or WSIA
2006) plus regulatory body are in the
place, implementation is another ball game.
He reveals that the pace has been slow with
only three water operators in Malacca,
Johor and Negri Sembilan embracing
reform. Other states are in various stages
of corporatisation and negotiations. The
situation in Selangor remains the most
challenging. On the whole, Dato’ Teo is
confident that the corporatization exercises
undertaken by both Federal and State
Governments can be completed by the end
of 2010 except for Labuan and Selangor.
Dato’ Teo indicates that the major obstacle
has been the perception that the Federal
Government is taking over the assets of
the states. ‘A lot of engagement is needed
to ensure that the concept of an asset
light model is clearly understood and that
their rights over assets are preserved,” he
explains. A ring fencing mechanism on the
water assets transferred to PAAB has been
put in place. This includes prohibition
of the use of the land for purposes other
than provision of water supply and that
the land is to be surrendered to the State
Government in the event that PAAB
ceases to be 100% owned by the Federal
Government.
8
CEO V i e w
(CO N TI N UED)
Many challenges have to be tackled such as
transforming the culture from a Government
to a more corporate structure…
Dato’ Teo elaborates that the water
sector in the various states is at different
stages of development. Some are more
advanced with privatized entities while
others depend heavily on Government
allocation to finance their operations.
Hence no one restructuring model fits
all. He adds, “Many challenges have to be
tackled such as transforming the culture
from a Government to a more corporate
structure, encouraging efficiencies and cost
effectiveness, improving accountability
as these entities are no longer part of the
Government budget. “
As with most reform exercises where
a
new regulatory body and new
regulations come into force, allegations
of over-regulation and bureaucracy have
surfaced. Dato’ Teo responds by noting
that regulation has its merits by singling
out the bad apples in the barrel. He
discloses that as of June 2, 2010, 93 cases
are under investigation and 16 cases
had sentences meted out. Most of the
offenders relate to problematic sewerage
and water supply systems that have been
abandoned by developers.
In addition, professionalism has
been a fillip with the registration of
2,150 Qualified Persons (engineering
consultants and architects) and 4,632
approved permits for contractors
involved in water supply works and
sewerage system works. Appointment
of Qualified Persons is defined under
Section 47 of WSIA 2006 for issuance
of certificate of compliance of water
supply and sewerage systems. SPAN has
also established a Committee to approve
products and equipment to be used in
the water supply and sewerage system.
There is also registration of suppliers
to ensure products used in water and
sewerage services are in compliance of
specifications and standard
How has water reforms affected
consumers? The voice of the Malaysian
consumer appears to be getting stronger,
judging from the jump in interruption
and service related complaints handled
by SPAN from 45 in 2008 to 141 in
2009. There were more complaints on
water services compared with sewerage
services.
Poor public perception on water quality
from residential taps remains as evidenced
by the increasing use of water filters by
consumers. Dato’ Teo highlights that it is
the onus of house owners to check water
pipes that run inside their residences.
These could be old and rusty contributing
to murky waters flowing out of kitchen
taps and bathroom showers.
Consumer complaints are expected
to decline in the long run as the water
industry is restructured and regulations
are enforced. In line with this, a water
tariff increase will be imminent. Dato’ Teo
explains that over the years, tariff has been
kept low resulting in consumers paying
prices that are not reflective of the true
cost of water production. He discloses
that between 1983 and 2008, water
operators in Malaysia were operating on a
total operating deficit of RM2.5 billion.
His long term view is a win-win situation
where operators who comply with SPAN’s
NEW WATER INDUSTRY MODEL UNDER WSIA 2006
To address the two fundamental challenges of efficiency and effectiveness as
well as securing sufficient funding at cheapest cost possible, a clear functional
responsibility and accountability structure for the water industry was outlined in
WSIA 2006. State Water Supply Departments or Water Boards will be corporatized
and migrate to the new licensing regime. These entities will be subject to licensing
by SPAN where operators are given a three-year licence under WSIA 2006. The
licence is renewable every three years subject to the compliance of the licensing
conditions.
At the same time a special purpose vehicle (SPV), Pengurusan Aset Air Berhad
(PAAB) was incorporated in 2006 to provide optimum capital expenditure funding
for water infrastructure. It will also extend its facilities to upgrade and refurbish
existing water assets. These water assets will then be leased to the water operators
at affordable rates but this will be slowly increased to reflect the actual cost when
the operators achieve better returns from efficiency improvements. The creation of
this SPV provides the framework for an asset light model to be adopted by operators
thus allowing them to focus on increasing efficiency as well as cost effectiveness
and providing quality service to consumers. With this model, the Government will
no longer provide funding for CAPEX development for water services and PAAB will
have to source its own funding from the capital markets. The licensing requirement
also applies to PAAB.
9
THE INGENIEUR VOL 46 JUNE-AUGUST 2010
KPIs will become efficient and effective,
and consumers will be willing to pay more
with gradual increases in water tariffs.
Here are excerpts from the interview with
Dato ‘ Teo Yen Hua:
What is the progress so far on
Malaysia’s water sector reforms?
To date, Johor, Malacca and Negeri
Sembilan water supply operators had
already executed the asset transfer and
lease agreements with PAAB and other
states are following suit. Malacca was
the first to execute the asset and liability
transfer agreement followed by Negeri
Sembilan at the end of 2008. Syarikat
Air Negeri Sembilan established as a
corporatized entity in January 2009
to manage the water supply services in
Negeri Sembilan was the first to be given
a licence under WSIA 2009 followed by
Syarikat Air Melaka Berhad established
as a corporatized entity in July 2006 and
SAJ Holdings. All three entities are now
operating as a licensee under WSIA 2006.
The Federal Government has given its
approval to the corporatization of Jabatan
Bekalan Air Kedah, Jabatan Kerja Raya
(Cawangan Bekalan Air) Perlis and
Jabatan Bekalan Air Pahang. The State
Government of Kedah has set up Syarikat
Air Darul Aman (SADA) as the state’s
corporatized water operator on January 1,
2010 while corporatization of the water
supply service in Perlis is in the process
of implementation. The implementation
of the corporatization of Jabatan Bekalan
Air Pahang is still in the planning stage.
All three states are in various stages of
negotiations with PAAB to transfer the
water related liabilities and assets to PAAB
to complete the restructuring process.
Discussions to corporatize water supply
services in other states such as Lembaga
Air Perak and Jabatan Bekalan Air
Labuan are still on-going. At the same
time, PAAB is also holding negotiations
with these agencies on the transfer of
water related assets and liabilities so as to
ensure that upgrading and refurbishment
works as well as development of new
Aeration tank at Botanic Garden Sewarage Treatment Plant, Klang, Selangor.
(Source: SPAN 2008 Annual Report)
State
Status
Air Kelantan Sdn Bhd (AKSB)
A privatized entity. Advance stage of negotiations
and awaiting final approval from the State Exco.
Agreements expected to be executed by third quarter
of 2010
Syarikat Air Terengganu Sdn
Bhd (SATU)
Corporatized in 1999. Negotiations on water related
assets and liabilities are on-going
Lembaga Air Perak (LAP)
Yet to be corporatized. On-going negotiations with
PAAB on transfer of water related assets and liabilities
to PAAB
Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau
Pinang (PBAPP)
Restructuring model and principles have been tabled
to the Board of PBAPP. Awaiting feedback from the
State Government.
Jabatan Bekalan Air Labuan
Yet to be corporatized
Table 1: Status of the corporatization of water supply services
water infrastructure are properly planned
and implemented.
Efforts to restructure the Selangor water
industry are still underway. The Federal
Government and State Government
are working closely together to ensure
that the restructuring can be completed
quickly. The water sector in its existing
structure is not sustainable and has to
be restructured quickly so that service
delivery to the consumers is not adversely
affected.
On Malaysia’s water infrastructure,
how do you rate our water quality
in comparison with Asean countries
and developed countries?
Like other countries in the world,
Malaysia, under the Ministry of Health
(MOH), has established its own national
treated water quality standards which
is adopted from the World Health
Organisation (WHO) standards. With
the WHO standards as a base reference,
Malaysia have fine-tuned some of the
10
CEO V i e w
(CO N TI N UED)
Hence, in the Malaysian national treated
water quality standards … are actually
higher or more stringent than those in the
WHO standards.
parameters in the WHO standards
to suit our local requirements to keep
pace with the nation’s development as a
modern, progressive and healthy nation
providing a high quality of life to all its
citizens. Hence, in the Malaysian national
treated water quality standards, one will
find that the compliance standards for
several parameters are actually higher or
more stringent than those in the WHO
standards
In terms of water quality output, Malaysia
carries out sampling and testing of
treated water at the treatment outlet,
storage reservoirs and along distribution
systems. The Ministry of Health sets
the compliance target for all parameters
annually for the operators. This is in line
with the best practices of the countries
around the world. Our national average
water quality compliance achievement for
the key parameters under MOH’s Quality
Assurance Programme (QAP) for 2007
to 2009 show that most parameters had
met their targets except for turbidity and
aluminium which could be attributed to
poor raw water quality.
To ensure compliances of the water quality
by water operators, we have instructed
water operators to practice water quality
checks at Water Treatment Plants every
two hourly, weekly and monthly with
additional independent party checking
done by MOH.
What benchmarks will SPAN adopt
to assess efficiency among water
utilities in the longer term?
To develop a culture of efficiency and
effectiveness amongst the operators,
SPAN has set up benchmarking exercise
to identify the best practice processes.
Current benchmarking of the water
operator
is
based on the
establishment of
Key Performance
Index (KPI) in
four main areas:
i. Water Service
Performance such
as coverage area
for water supply,
treated
water
quality, response
time for repair of
damaged pipes, Clarifier tank at Taman Sri Pristana, Sungai Buloh, Selangor.
m a i n t a i n i n g (Source: SPAN 2008 Annual Report)
minimum water
pressure
and
against the best practices in the industry
security of water supply
and other countries in order to raise the
water operators’ performance further
ii. Customer Service Performance such as
addressing customer billing issues and How do contractors, plumbers,
complaints and response time to customer
developers, engineering consultants
complaints
and material suppliers come into
iii. Economic and Operation Performance the big picture of a reformed water
such as reduction of non-revenue water sector?
(NRW), billing efficiency, operating unit Every year, the development of new water
cost, operating cost per 1000 household facilities and improving water assets
require huge financial outlay from both
account and operating efficiency
the Government and private developers.
iv. Environmental Performance such as In order to ensure that these water assets
and infrastructure are long lasting, safe
availability of treatment sludge facilities
and value for money, the WSIA 2006
Documenting performance of individual provides the regulatory oversight on the
water operators will promote not only whole value chain of development and
comparative awareness between water construction of water facilities. This is
operators but also indirect competition to ensure that all planning, design and
as water operators seek to improve their construction activities including supply
service delivery, their financial viability and use of materials pertaining to water
and achieve sustainable management of supply and sewerage system comply with
the required standards and are performed
their resources and infrastructure.
by fully qualified, competent and
For longer term, the performance of the permitted professionals, contractors and
water operators will be benchmarked suppliers. In the long term this will benefit
11
THE INGENIEUR VOL 46 JUNE-AUGUST 2010
both the industry and the consumers
and completed systems and facilities will
be able to function as planned and to
specifications.
SPAN will regulate the standard and
quality of construction works of water
supply and sewerage systems through
the issuance of permits. This regulation
requires all plumbers, water supply
contractors, operation and maintenance
constractors, and sewerage contractors to
apply for permits. SPAN will delegate its
power to issue certificates of compliance
of the water supply or sewerage systems to
Qualified Persons. The Qualified Persons
are recognized and appointed by SPAN.
The developers will make application
for planning and design to the Certified
Agents (CA) appointed by SPAN who
will ensure all design and specifications,
including use of standard materials are
complied with. This would include
handing over of completed projects to the
operators to be certified by the CA.
Materials represent a major expense in
water and sewerage assets infrastructure.
SPAN is also responsible for the
determination of the standardization of
equipment, devices and materials used for
the water supply and sewerage systems and
for the purposes of providing water supply
services and sewerage services.
SPAN has established a Committee to
approve the products and equipment to
be used in the water supply and sewerage
systems. Some of the criteria being
adopted by the Committee include the
certification from SIRIM (Standards
Organisation) or IKRAM (Public
Works Institute Malaysia) or any other
accredited certification that has approved
the suitability and safety of the product.
The total number of Qualified Persons
recognized by SPAN to date is 2,150
whereas the new permits approved by
SPAN as at end of 2009 stands at 4,632.
What are the major consumers’
complaints on water supply?
Since the coming into operation of the
TYPE
OF
PERMIT
NEW
2008
2009
Water
Supply
System
Sewerage
System
Total
Water
Supply
System
Sewerage
System
Total
A1
870
-
870
885
-
885
A2
1,765
-
1,765
2,426
-
2,426
B
-
75
75
-
67
67
C1
33
83
116
34
24
58
C2
36
58
94
52
28
80
C3
74
131
205
156
89
245
C4
98
52
150
336
39
375
D
197
457
654
289
189
478
E
-
49
49
-
18
18
TOTAL
3,073
905
3,978
4,178
454
4,632
Table 2: Approved Permits by Type and Category of Works
WATER
SEWERAGE
TOTAL
2008
157
99
256
2009
308
106
414
2010 (until May)
304
74
378
Table 3: Complaints handled by SPAN
WSIA 2006 on January 1, 2008, SPAN
has been active in resolving consumer
complaints. Not only complaints received
directly from consumers, SPAN proactively identifies and picks up complaints
reported in the media as well. Since
2008, SPAN has received a total of 1,048
complaints of which 769 are related to
water services and 279 complaints are
related to sewerage services. These are
the complaints which cannot be resolved
at the operators’ level and consumers
escalated them to SPAN. To date, SPAN
has resolved 899 complaints whilst 149
are still being handled.
In general, the consumers are more
aware of the services provided by water
operators and constantly monitor the
services provided to them. Furthermore,
consumers are more sensitive should there
be a slight service interruption since water
is an important necessity.
With regards to water services, majority of
the complaints received relates to service
interruption like supply interruption and
low pressure. These are caused by pipe
burst, drought, equipment damage at the
treatment plants and old infrastructure.
High numbers of complaints are recorded
12
CEO V i e w
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Improving the reliability and security
of water supply … requires substantial
increases in expenditure by the water
operators.
for these two areas. These complaints
come mainly from states other than
Johor, Penang, Selangor and the Federal
Territory where the infrastructure needs
major replacement.
the high operating expenditures, water
operators’ revenues have been critically
affected by the high level in Non- Revenue
water (NRW). This is due to more than
one-third of water pipes in Malaysia are of
asbestos cement type which have reached
the end of their useful life-span.
Unlike energy and telecommunications,
it is quite difficult to quickly restore
normal supply to an affected area but
nevertheless, through KPIs imposed by
SPAN, operators work as hard as they can
to restore service.
As part of our role as the regulator of the
water industry, we are also entrusted with
enforcement powers to investigate and
prosecute offenders who flout laws under
the WSIA 2006.
As of June 2, 2010, the prosecution of
cases headed by SPAN are as follows :
Number of Investigation
Papers
153
Cases currently under
investigation
93
Cases currently fixed for
mention / trial in court
13
Cases where sentencing
meted out by the court
16
Cases closed due to lack of
evidence
31
Is a water tariff increase imminent?
What can consumers expect in
return?
In the past before WSIA 2006, water
services were under the state Governments.
Over the years, the tariff has been kept
low and some states did not have any
tariff revision for many years resulting in
consumers paying very little, at a price that
is not reflective of the true cost of water
production.
At the same time, water infrastructure is
heavily capital-intensive and huge financial
outlay is required for upgrading, extension
and development of new water supplies.
This is primarily caused by rising water
demand from the growing population and
rapid economic activities. In addition,
the ageing water supply infrastructures
require consistent replacement and
upgrading works as the leakages of old
pipes and meters would reduce the
amount of water reaching the consumers
which in turn affect the water operators’
bottom line. Improving the reliability
and security of water supply, and ensuring
compliance with environmental and
other regulatory requirements requires
substantial increases in expenditure by
the water operators. Consequently, prices
must increase to recover the operators’
higher expenditures.
As a result, the water services industry
in Malaysia were facing several problems
including poor management and more
importantly, not financially sustainable.
In the span of 25 years, between 1983
and 2008, the water operators in Malaysia
were operating on a total operating deficit
of RM 2.5 billion, with RM40.9 billion
revenue as against RM 43.4 billion
expenditure. The rising operational
expenses were due to, among others, rising
electricity rates, high maintenance and
repairs cost, chemical prices and as well
as staff emolument and benefits. Besides
Hence, there is a real need to review the
water tariff. Under SPAN, any tariff review
will be processed in a transparent manner.
By allowing a reasonable revision in tariff
and under SPAN’s regulatory oversight,
consumers can expect to see improvements
in the level of services for consumers
– better access and reliable supply,
improved water quality and responsive
customer service and less wastage. The
operators will be imposed a set of KPIs by
SPAN and this will lead to improvement
in efficiency and effectiveness of the water
supply services. - Inforeach
Transformation of the sewarage plant
at Taman Mutiara, Kulim, Kedah, after
stern actions by SPAN. Before (top) and
after (bottom). (Source: SPAN 2008
Annual Report)
14
SPOTLIGHT
Ranhill Utilities
Gaining a
Global Foothold
(All photos courtesy of Ranhill Berhad)
Going global has become a reality for Malaysian engineering and
construction companies. Ranhill is one that has secured BOT concessions
in China, Thailand and India for water and waste water plants. It is also
poised to expand its foothold in the Middle East market.
Ranhill Utilities, subsidiary of listed
engineering and construction group,
Ranhill Bhd, has leveraged its good track
record in Malaysia to establish a foothold
in water, wastewater, recycling projects
in China, Thailand, Middle East and
India. Its hallmark of success locally is the
turnaround of water supply services in
Johor, through subsidiary SAJ Holdings
Sdn Bhd (SAJ). The privatized water
company supplies 16Mld of water from
42 treatment plants in the state. Currently,
SAJ has close to 903,000 customers.
Encik Faizal Othman, Senior Vice
President of Ranhill Berhad, an engineer
by training, tells The Ingenieur that SAJ’s
good track record is a showcase that has
helped to market Ranhill’s water-related
engineering services abroad. Ranhill’s
global foray has led to long-term buildoperate-transfer (BOT) projects as well
as NRW services in various parts of the
world. At the time of interview, the group’s
major water-related projects included:
• 20-year BOT concession for water,
wastewater and recycled water
projects at Amata Industrial Park,
Thailand with a combined capacity
of 46.5MLd.
A Ranhill project in Amata Industrial Estate, Thailand
•
•
•
29-year BOT concession for a 50Mld
water treatment plant in Yichun City,
Jiangzi Province, China
29-year concession
for 30Mld
wastewater treatment plant , Xia Lan
Economic Development Zone
25-year concession for 30Mld
wastewater treatment plant, Hefei
Chemical Industrial Park, China
•
•
•
25-year concession for 113.5Mld
wastewater treatment plant, Haidia,
India
Operational audit of water and
wastewater services, Madinah City,
Saudi Arabia,
Leakage detection and reduction
works, Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia
15
THE INGENIEUR VOL 46 JUNE-AUGUST 2010
Encik Faizal notes that Ranhill’s maiden
overseas project was in Yichun City,
China. It was a joint-venture among
three Malaysian companies with almost
equal share each. He highlights that the
client was looking for flexible design
and optimum whole life cost. The plant
commissioned in April 2006, has been
performing according to the terms of the
concession agreement. In this industrial
estate, the raw water normally has low
turbidity, with occasional spikes of poor
quality water. Under normal conditions,
the raw water is channelled directly to a
combined Dissolved Air Floatation (DAF)
and Sand Filter unit. Sedimentation tanks
handle the water with high turbidity.
Design Capacity – Amata Water
Recyling Plant
•
Feed volume to wastewater
treatment plant: 16,000 m3/day
•
Feed volume to RO system :
13,000 m3/day
•
Product output from RO :
10,400 m3/day
•
Rejected water from RO: 2,600
m3/day
In Thailand, Ranhill was able to design and
build an environment-friendly recycling
plant with reverse osmosis technology.
This project secured the Water Inno
Awards 2009 (given by Malaysian Water
Association) for 100% effluent recovery
in the Amata Nakorn Industrial Estate
in the eastern part of Thailand. Most of
factories here are in pharmaceuticals and
electro-plating. Construction works for
the project was completed in March 2008
and operation commenced in April.
Treated waste water effluent is fed to the
reclaim water plant which consists of two
main components, i.e. combined Dissolved
Air Floatation (DAF) clarifier and filter,
Ranhill Water Technologies’ own product
called RevoPlus; and Reverse osmosis
(RO) system. Going beyond regulatory
requirements, the recycled effluent water
is re-used for industrial purposes and is in
line with Amata’s vision of “a perfect city
in harmony with environment”.
In the Middle East, Ranhill adopted a
different strategy by offering specialized
engineering services, namely leakage
detection and reduction works to reduce
Non-Revenue Water (NRW). It started
with 36 skilled Malaysian NRW personnel.
Supported by other nationals, the team
grew to 122 for swift isolation and leak
detection activities. Every single house
connection had to be closed to prevent any
consumption flow, giving any flow readings
through the DMZ meters a measurement
of actual leakage value. Listening sticks
were used by sounding every household’s
Revoplus tank is a pre-treatment system
that utilizes chemicals to agglomerate
micro bubbles to adhere to the flocs
that rise to the tank surface, which are
later removed with a sludge handling
method
Encik Faizal Othman, Senior Vice
President of Ranhill Berhad
Water, waste water and recycled water projects, Amata Industrial Estate, Thailand
Reverse Osmosis system utilizes
membrane to purify water for industrial
process and remove dissolved solids,
mineral salts and contaminants such
as bacteria and pesticides by applied
pressure to drive the water through the
membrane.
16
SPOTLIGHT
(CO N TI N UED)
Over the years, Ranhill has trained and developed skills and talents of local personnel,
among whom are 236 engineers who are involved in specialized engineering, operation
and management services for water and wastewater sectors.
communication pipe. Sweeping thoroughly
through the DMZ meters gave early
identification of leaks. Confirmatory tests
followed to zero in on leak locations using
GROUND microphones that amplify leak
sounds. These techniques gave 80% positive
findings.
The high cost of water from desalination in
the Middle East heightens the importance
of reducing water loss in the pipe network.
Encik Faizal reveals that the authorities
in Saudi Arabia have planned a 3-phase
restructuring of their water sector, starting
from operational audit, followed by 5-7
year private sector management contracts
and later other forms of privatization.
The operational audit is a comprehensive
exercise looking at water and waste water
facilities, operations and maintenance,
NRW, capex planning and implementation, customer services, financial
management. After Ranhill’s track record
in Madinah city and Ridayh city, the
company is now in the bidding stage for
management contracts of water plants.
NRW team conducting network integrity test in Riyadh,
Saudi Arabia
What are the challenges that Ranhill faces
in the international market? Encik Faizal
relates that the biggest one is competing
with the big boys who have established
brand names, more years of experience, and
are able to slash prices. Ranhill persevered
and focused on innovative designs and the
application of green technology such as
energy-saving equipment.
the years, it has trained and developed
skills and talents of local personnel.
Among these are 236 engineers who
are involved in specialized engineering,
operation and management services for
water and wastewater sectors. Many local
engineers have gained exposure overseas
while managing Ranhill’s projects.
To lower cost, Ranhill reduced its
dependency on Western expatriates. Over
Now that Ranhill has carved niches in
several international markets, it is able
to pool its human capital as well as work
with local equity partners, contractors
and suppliers. Encik Faizal adds that
Ranhill is now flexible and better
positioned to inject equity for large
projects or offer specialized engineering
services for smaller projects, as and when
required. Both are channels where it can
capture larger slices of foreign markets
which contribute positively to its bottom
line. - Inforeach
17
F EAT U RE
Rainwater Harvesting
Experience in Bandar
Utama
By Dato’ CK Teo, Managing Director, Bandar Utama Development
Bandar Utama first experimented with
rain harvesting with the construction
of the 1 Utama New Wing. With a roof
spread of over 30,000sq m , it should have
the scale to collect adequate rainwater
to significantly make a difference to
the total water usage of the shopping
centre. Water usage by the shopping
centre is significantly higher than other
commercial buildings due to the large
number of visitors daily, especially during
the weekends.
Rainwater harvested is restricted for
toilet flushing, air-conditioning cooling
towers make-up water, car park washing
and landscape irrigation. After a study
of the rain records available, and based
on the records of rainfall intensity and
frequency it was determined that a
rainwater storage reservoir be sized to
contain 10 days of usage.
Figure 1: 1 Utama Shopping Centre (Expansion)
Rainwater Collection and Storage System
A syphonic rainwater downpiping system
was adopted to reduce the numbers
of downpipes. Divertor valves were
installed to discharge excessive rainwater
if the reservoir is filled to capacity.
In the event of drought and to ensure
adequate water supply , the intermediate
rainwater suction tank supply will be
augmented from potable water supply
mains automatically by motorised valve
and water level switch control.
Figure 2: Centrepoint Rainwater Collection and Storage System
18
F EAT U RE
(CO N TI N UED)
Figure 3: Bandar Utama 2½ Storey Terrace House Rainwater Harvest System
Stored rainwater is tapped and passes
through a centrifuge filtration device
to remove solids and sediments. On the
delivery side, a separate supply piping
system and high level storage tanks are
required.
The schematic design is shown in Figure 1
in the previous page.
Following the success of rainwater
harvesting at 1 Utama, rainwater
harvesting was adopted in all subsequent
buildings , from the extension of the
Centrepoint Neighbourhood Shopping
Centre, IBM Plaza, KPMG Tower, the
OneWorld Hotel , 1 First Avenue Tower
and link houses launched three years
ago.
The Centrepoint rainwater harvesting
system was more complicated as
rainwater had also to be tapped from the
existing wing in order to have adequate
quantity. A system of elevated aqua-ducts
were introduced to convey the rainwater
from the old wing to the storage tank
located in the new wing. Figure 2 (in
the previous page) illustrates the aquaducting and amalgamation of the two
roof collecting systems.
The link house rainwater harvest system
was constrained by the need to avoid
any pumping system for the tapping
for use of the rainwater stored. This
is important as the size of the system
is small and any pumping will negate
any green advantage of installing the
rainwater harvest system. In order to
satisfy this constraint, the tank is located
below the secondary lower roof and
only rain water from the upper roof can
be collected (see Figure 3 above)
Our records show that generally (except
for link houses) a savings of 30% of water
demand can be achieved. However, the
sizing of the storage capacity has been
more ambitious as the average filled
capacity is only around 65%.
19
F EAT U RE
Climate Change and the Global
Water Crisis: What Business Need
to Know and Do
By Jason Morrison, Mari Morikawa, Matthew Heberger, Heather Cooley, Peter Gleick, and Meena
Palaniappan, United Nations Global Compact, Pacific Institute
Note: This paper is an extract from ‘Climate Change and the Global Water Crisis: What Businesses Need to Know and Do’
Climate change will exacerbate many
water and energy-related business risks.
It is likely to exacerbate water availability
and quality, which will have a wide range
of implications for business such as:
• Water scarcity directly affects
business operations, raw material
supply, intermediate supply chain,
and product use in a variety of ways.
Declines or disruptions in water
supply can undermine industrial and
manufacturing operations where
water is needed for production,
irrigation, material processing,
cooling and/or washing and
cleaning. For example, information
technology firms require vast
amounts of ultra clean.
• Water quality risks are often
overlooked but may have significant
financial implications. The quality
of process water is critical in many
industrial production systems, and
contaminated water supply may
require additional investment and
operational costs for pre-treatment.
• Water
scarcity,
changes
in
precipitation patterns, and glacier
melt caused by climate change
directly affect power generation,
curtailing
hydro-based
power
production, and also impacting
any power plants that run steam
turbines. Whether fired by coal,
natural gas, or nuclear energy,
electricity generation relies on
having an adequate supply of cooling
water. Businesses that depend on
highly reliable energy from these
power sources will be at risk.
Physical water resource constraints
make companies more susceptible to
reputational risks. Declines in water
availability and quality can increase
competition for clean water. In waterscarce regions, tensions can arise between
businesses and local communities,
particularly in developing countries
where local populations often lack access
to safe and reliable drinking water.
Community opposition to industrial
water withdrawals and perceived or real
inequities in use can emerge quickly
and affect businesses profoundly. For
instance, in Kerala, India, opposition to
beverage company operations developed
over concerns about the effects of
bottling plants on local groundwater
levels and supplies. When villagers’
wells ran dry, local Government revoked
company operating licenses, affecting
both revenues and company reputations.
• Reputational risks increase as people
become more aware of their rights to
access water. The concept of “access
•
•
to clean water as a human right” is
gaining more recognition globally,
yet the failure of Governments to
provide 100% coverage for water
services means that international
and local businesses may find
themselves using copious amounts
of water in regions where people lack
sufficient water to meet basic needs.
Growing
awareness
around
the ecological impacts of water
withdrawal and discharge increases
both reputational and regulatory
risks. Healthy freshwater ecosystems are an essential part of
local communities and livelihoods,
not only by serving as a source of
clean drinking water, but also by
providing cultural, social, aesthetic,
and economic value. As a result,
significant water withdrawal or
wastewater discharge, regardless
of the extent of actual impacts
on the neighbouring communities
or ecosystems, inevitably increase
the risk of conflict with local
communities.
Moreover,
the
vulnerability of eco-systems is
expected to increase due to climate
change.
Physical and reputational pressures
affecting water availability and
wastewater discharge can result in
20
F EAT U RE
(CO N TI N UED)
A
first
step
for
companies is to conduct
a
•
•
more stringent water policies. Water
scarcity, coupled with increased
concern among local communities
about water withdrawals, will put
pressure on local authorities and
policymakers to consider water
reallocations, regulations, and
development of water markets that
cap usage, suspend permits to draw
water, and lead to stricter water
quality standards.
Water scarcity will increase water
prices. Among other factors, water
scarcity is driving shifts toward
full-cost pricing aimed at providing
economic incentives for efficient
water use. In many places, artificially
low water prices are rising as
subsidies are phased out. Utilities in
industrial countries are increasingly
implementing “block” or “tiered
rates,” where water users pay more
for increased consumption. These
tariff structures are specifically
designed to encourage commercial
and industrial users to use water
efficiently.
Water-intensive
products
and
services face increased sociopolitical risks. As water scarcity
becomes a serious problem in many
parts of the world, there may be
corollary pressure, both regulatory
and reputational, on products that
require a significant quantity of
water. Products and services that
require large amounts of water or
energy to produce or to use may be
phased out by law, lose market share
to less water-intensive products, or
cause reputational damage for the
company.
Taken together, this means that businesses
will face vastly increased uncertainty about
the availability and quality of their water
supplies. One of the strongest conclusions
in the latest Intergovernmental Panel
comprehensive
integrated
water
and
and
carbon accounting.
on Climate Change (IPCC) report
is that “climate change will challenge
the traditional assumption that past
hydrological experience provides a good
guide to future conditions.” Therefore,
it will become increasingly crucial for
businesses to incorporate climate change
factors when assessing and managing their
water risks. Indeed, a critical driver of
success in the 21st century economy will
be how companies and investors balance
the competing demands for water and
energy.
Managing
risksxvii
water-climate
To evaluate and effectively address water
and climate change risks, companies can
take the following actions:
1
Measure water and carbon
footprint throughout the value
chain. Some of the most significant
water and climate-related risks can be
embedded in a company’s value chain,
well outside of its direct operations
or control. In many cases, such as in
agriculture-based industry sectors, a
company’s direct water use pales in
comparison with water embedded in
the supply chain. Even should water use
or green house gases (GHG) emissions
occur outside of a company’s sphere of
influence, they can still pose financial
or reputational risks to the company.
Companies can only manage what they
measure, so in order to accurately assess
risks and opportunities, a first step for
companies is to conduct a comprehensive
and integrated water and carbon
accounting. By aligning measurement of
water and carbon/energy, businesses can
identify how the three are interlinked,
providing key basic information for
developing a holistic management
strategy.
2
Assess physical, regulatory and
reputational water risks associated
with climate change. Explicit
attention should be paid to understanding
energy-related risks posed by water
(and vice versa), as well as any potential
competing demands the company may
have for water and energy. Companies
should also seek to align, if not integrate,
their water and climate risk assessments.
Having a detailed understanding of local
water conditions, including hydrological,
social, economic, and political factors,
can give companies room to anticipate
and plan for a wide range of climate
change scenarios. Companies should be
prepared to provide details on the risks
they face from water challenges and to be
transparent about the energy trade-offs
they may need to make to address them.
3
Integrate water and climate issues
into strategic business planning
and operational activities. When
developing water management plans,
companies will need to consider and
integrate the potential impacts of climate
change on water supplies and water
quality. Climate-related impacts on
water should also be considered when
making a range of business decisions
from factory design and siting to new
product
development.
Companies
should also consider potential energy/
water synergy (or conflict) in business
planning and decision making. For
instance, integrated approaches to reduce
water and energy use simultaneously
have allowed companies at a single plant
to achieve millions of dollars in savings
while increasing output. In addition,
such efficiency measures can demonstrate
a company’s commitment to water
21
THE INGENIEUR VOL 46 JUNE-AUGUST 2010
Most solutions to water
supply,
quality
and
sanitation, and climate
management, boost public image, and
help build positive relations with the
communities where it operates.
4
Engage key stakeholders as a
part of water and climate risk
assessment, long-term planning
and implementation activities. When
developing a corporate water and climate
change management plan, managers can
benefit from sharing information with
employees, investors, customers, local
communities, and other key stakeholders
in order to gain valuable feedback.
Through
early
and
continuous
engagement
with
concerned
stakeholders, companies can better
understand, anticipate, and respond
to emerging issues and expectations.
Open dialogue with water providers and
local communities may also be helpful
in preventing and reducing the risk of
future water and climate change related
disputes or disruptions. Such discussions
may also identify pivotal inputs that help
prioritize action steps.
5
Disclose and communicate water
and carbon performance and
associated risks. Companies should
publicly report management activities
and key metrics on their water and energy
performance. This information can help
shareholders and stakeholders assess how
companies are addressing their water and
climate change risks. Such metrics are
also a useful tool for engaging employees
across the enterprise.
6
Seek opportunities for collective
action. Because water and
energy are connected to social,
cultural, and environmental issues,
companies can rarely achieve the best
management outcomes on their own.
Most solutions to water supply, quality
and sanitation, and climate change issues
require co-management approaches
change issues require comanagement approaches
involving
sound
governance,
water
collective
action, and parnerships
involving sound water governance,
collective action, and partnerships.
By pooling resources and bringing
together a wide range of expertise and
knowledge through partnerships for
a common goal, companies can respond
to water and climate change concerns
more efficiently and effectively than
through individual actions. Collaborative
actions are particularly helpful in
assessing and addressing climate change
impacts, since there are large gaps in
knowledge related to climate change
and water, especially data and prediction
modelling at the watershed level.
Partnering
with
United Nations
the
There are numerous opportunities for
companies to partner with the UN
to take action on both climate and
water. The UN Global Compact – an
initiative within the UN system devoted
specifically to improving corporate
stewardship practices – has worked since
its inception in 2000 to facilitate actions
and partnerships that help companies
become more sustainable and equitable.
The UN Global Compact manages two
sub-initiatives for business engagement –
The CEO Water Mandate and Caring for
Climate – focusing on water and climate,
respectively.
Established in 2007, The CEO Water
Mandate is currently one of the most
comprehensive and visible cross-sectoral,
public-private partnerships on water.
It represents both a call-to-action and
a strategic framework for responsible
water management by business. It is
voluntary in nature, but is built around
six core areas of responsibility with
which its endorsers must commit to
and demonstrate improvement: Direct
Operations, Supply Chain and Watershed
Management, Collective Action, Public
Policy, Community Engagement, and
Transparency.
Also launched in 2007, Caring for
Climate is a voluntary global initiative
that seeks to mobilize the business
community to develop solutions that
reduce climate risk while at the same
time create value for the company.
The initiative was jointly developed by
the UN Global Compact, the United
Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP), and the World Business
Council for Sustainable Development
(WBCSD). Caring for Climate
helps companies to advance practical
solutions, share experiences, inform
public policy as well as shape public
attitudes. When endorsing the initiative,
chief executives are prepared to set
goals, develop and expand strategies
and practices, and to publicly disclose
emissions within the framework of the
Compact’s Communication on Progress
policy.
Reference
xvii Parts of this section were
excerpted from Morrison et al.,
“Water Scarcity and Climate
Change: Growing Risks for
Businesses and Investors.” Ceres
and Pacific Institute report
2009.
22
FEATURE
Update on
Laws to
Protect Rivers
from Pollution
By Ir. Lee Heng Keng,
Department of Environment, Malaysia
The sources of river pollution can be categorised as point and
non-point sources. Point sources include manufacturing and
agro-based industries, sewage treatment plants and animal
farms. Non-point sources are mainly diffused sources such as
agriculture and surface runoffs. Department of Environment
(DOE) maintains mainly records of point sources. In 2008,
17, 633 point sources were recorded. These comprise 9,524
sewage treatment plants managed by Indah Water Konsortium
Sdn Bhd, 6,830 manufacturing industries, 788 animal farms
and 491 agro-based industries mainly palm oil mills and
rubber factories (ref 2).
Other sources of river pollution include sullage from
residential houses, restaurants, food courts, wet markets,
motor workshops, sand mining and individual septic tanks.
Based on the Study on Pollution Prevention and Water
Quality Improvement for Sungai Linggi 2007, sewage
contributes 63% of the pollution load (based on BOD) to the
Sungai Linggi River Basin, industries 11.5% and the balance
26.5% by the other sources (ref 4). This finding was quite
consistent with the Study on Pollution Prevention and Water
Quality Improvement Programme of Sungai Langat 2003
that indicated sewage contributed 61% of the BOD load and
industry 26% to the Sungai Langat River Basin (ref 3).
The Environmental Quality Act (EQA) 1974 was enacted on
the March 22, 1974, to prevent, abate and control pollution
and enhance the environment, and for related purpose.
Since then, more than 30 regulations have been enacted to
deal with specific pollution problems, from agro-based and
manufacturing industries, air emissions from stationary and
mobile sources, noise from motor vehicles and management of
scheduled wastes.
The main legal instrument to control water pollution in
Malaysia is the Environmental Quality Act 1974 (EQA)
and its subsidiary legislations. However, the EQA is only
applicable to industrial discharges and sewage. Other related
laws such as the Water Services Industry Act 2006, National
Land Code 1965, Forestry Act 1985, Land Conservation Act
1960, Local Government Act 1976 and Town and Country
Planning Act 1976 among others have provisions to control
pollution from other land-based activities. For pollution from
non-point sources, the Local Authorities through the Local
Government Act and by-laws could take legal action.
1985. The EQA was amended in 1985 to make it mandatory
for prescribed activities to undertake environmental impact
assessment.
1996. After a comprehensive review, the Environmental
Quality Act of 1974 was again amended in 1996 inter-alia to
address any weaknesses and shortcomings in the law, to meet
commitments under the various multilateral environmental
agreements and also to impose heavier penalties.
2007. In 2007 Section 43 of the EQA was amended to make
the chief executive officer as one of those to be liable for an
offence committed by a body corporate. Amendment was also
Amendments to Environmental Quality
Act 1974
23
THE INGENIEUR VOL 46 JUNE-AUGUST 2010
made to Section
34B to impose
mandatory jail
sentence for
illegal disposal
of toxic and
hazardous
wastes and also
import, export
and transit
of toxic and
hazardous wastes
without written
permission from
the Director
General of
Environmental
Quality.
Sections 25,
27 and 29 of
the EQA deal
directly with
the control of
discharges into
inland waters
and Malaysian
waters. Section
25 stated that
“No person shall,
unless licensed,
emit, discharge or deposit any environmentally hazardous
substances, pollutants or wastes into any inland waters in
contravention of the acceptable conditions as specified under
Section 21”. Section 27 prohibits the discharge of oil, whilst
Section 29 prohibits the discharge of wastes into Malaysian
waters in contravention of acceptable conditions specified
under Section 21.
•
•
New Regulations
The other change is the sectored approach in specifying
standards for chemical oxygen demand (COD). Different
COD standards are stipulated for pulp and paper mill,
textile industry and fermentation and distillery industry.
New parameters not included in the 1979 Regulations
namely ammoniacal nitrogen and colour were also
introduced.
Taking into account shortcomings in the Environmental
Quality (Sewage and Industrial Effluent) Regulations 1979,
a comprehensive review was initiated by the DOE and
culminated in the enforcement of new Regulations on
December 10, 2009. The three new regulations listed below
introduced a new approach to managing effluents from the
industries, sewerage systems and the landfills with emphasis
on:
• Self regulation
• Requirement on personnel training
• Need for competent personnel
• Performance monitoring
• Use of in-situ and ex-situ measurements
Requirement on discharge monitoring and reporting, and
Use of prohibition order to address serious pollution
events.
1. Environmental Quality (Industrial Effluents)
Regulations 2009
This Regulation applies to any premises which discharge
industrial effluent or mixed effluent into any soil, inland waters
or Malaysian waters other than those premises as specified in
the First Schedule. Premises not subjected include processing,
manufacturing, washing or servicing of any other products or
goods that produce industrial effluent or mixed effluent of less
than 60 m3/day provided the total BOD load or suspended
solid load or both shall not exceed 6 kg/day and the effluent
does not contain oil and grease or heavy metals. It regulates
the acceptable conditions of discharge into inland waters by
specifying parameter limits of effluent. Two standards are
specified namely, Standard A and Standard B. Standard A is
for discharges into any inland waters within catchment areas
and Standard B for discharges into any other inland waters or
Malaysian waters.
One significant change in these Regulations is the replacement
of written permission for new sources of discharges or material
change to the discharge with notification. Notification to be
submitted in the form as specified in the Second Schedule
within 30 days before the work or construction or upgrading
commences. Design of the plant needs to comply with
the Guidance Document on the Design and Operation of
Industrial Effluent Treatment System (IETS) and professional
engineers to design and supervise the construction of the
IETS. After the construction, the owner and professional
engineers to provide a written declaration certifying that the
design and construction of the IETS have complied with
the specifications and to submit “as-built drawings” to DOE
not later than 30 days from the date the IETS commences
operation.
Other changes include the power to issue prohibition order
to an owner or occupier of a premise prohibiting the further
operation of an industrial plant or process absolutely or
conditionally for such a period as the Director General may
direct or until remedial measures as directed by the Director
General have been complied with; and the power to issue
compound for offences under this Regulation.
24
F EAT U RE
(CO N TI N UED)
2. Environmental Quality (Sewage) Regulations 2009
This Regulation is applicable to any premises which discharge
sewage on to any soil, inland water or Malaysian waters,
other than any housing or commercial development or both
having a population equivalent of less than 150 (150 PE).
Similar provisions as in the Environmental Quality (Industrial
Effluents) Regulations 2009 were provided. These include:
• Notification
• Rapid measurement of effluent quality
• Personnel training
• Competent person
• Record keeping
• Discharge monitoring
• Contravention licence
Regulation 5 requires sewage treatment system to be operated
and maintained in accordance with sound engineering practice
to ensure all components of sewage treatment system are in
good working condition. “Sound engineering practice” means
the manner by which sewage treatment system is operated
where the operational characteristics are maintained within
the normal range of values commonly used for the treatment
of sewage.
Two standards are specified namely, Standard A and Standard
B. Standard A is for discharges into any inland waters
within catchment areas and Standard B for discharges into
any other inland waters or Malaysian waters. However,
different standards are specified for 3 different categories of
sewage treatment systems (Second Schedule). These are new
sewage treatment systems; existing sewage treatment systems
approved before January 1999 and existing sewage treatment
system approved after January 1999. Furthermore an owner
must submit a programme to ensure that all existing sewage
treatment system except the communal septic tanks and
imhoff tanks to comply with the Standard A on or before
December 31, 2016 and to comply with the Standard B on or
before December 31, 2019.
3. Environmental Quality (Control of Pollution from Solid
Waste Transfer Station and Landfill) Regulations 2009
This Regulation applies to solid waste transfer stations and
landfills which discharge or release leachate. Other than the
control of noise, dust, odour, air pollution and landfill gas,
an owner or occupier of a landfill shall ensure that the design
and operation of the landfill incorporates measures to prevent
and control the pollution to ground water and establish and
operate a ground water monitoring programme to monitor the
leakage or movement of leachate from the landfill. No person
shall operate a solid waste transfer station or landfill without
a leachate treatment system and to operate and maintain
the leachate treatment system in accordance with sound
engineering practice and ensure that all components of the
leachate treatment system are in good working condition.
Only one set of standards is provided under this Regulation.
Provisions for notification, performance monitor, competent
person, contravention licence, personnel training, effluent
monitoring and record keeping were also included. Conclusion
The Environment Quality Act 1974 and the related
Regulations are mainly for the control of industrial and sewage
discharges. There is still a significant pollution load from other
sources that need to be regulated. With the coming into force
of the Water Services Industry Act 2006, it is expected that
the more than one million individual septic tanks would be
properly maintained thus reducing pollution to our rivers. The
challenge is to also control the other discharges namely wet
markets, food court, restaurants etc.
Rivers are valuable resources that need to be protected.
Surveillance and enforcement would continue to be given
priority. However, enforcement can never be enough. Industries
need to continuously improve on their performance in terms of
meeting discharge standards. Industries must realise that with
greater environmental awareness among consumers, would
result in the market demanding environment-friendly goods and
services. There must be a shift from the traditional end-of-pipe
control to cleaner technology. More stringent environmental
controls would be introduced in the future and the cost
of pollution control will be ever increasing, it makes good
economic sense for industries to minimise the amount of waste
they generate that subsequently need to treated and disposed.
Note: Views expressed are not necessarily those of the
Department of Environment.
References
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Department of Environment. Environmental Quality
Act 1974
Department of Environment. Environmental Quality
Report 2008
Department of Environment. Study on Pollution
Prevention and Water Quality Improvement
Programme of Sungai Langat 2003
Department of Environment. Study on Pollution
Prevention and Water Quality Improvement for
Sungai Linggi 2007
Department of Water Supply. Main Water Supply
Statistics 2008
Economic Planning Unit. 2010. Tenth Malaysia Plan
2011-2015
26
ENGINEERING & L AW
Differences
Between
Assignments,
SubContracting
And Novation
By Ir. Harbans Singh K.S, P.E.,
Advocate & Solicitor (NonPractising)
In the construction/engineering
industry, terms such as assignment,
sub-letting, sub-contracting and
novation are frequently used and often,
interchangeably without appreciating
their differences. All the standard
forms of conditions of contract and
also the ‘bespoke’ forms employ such
terminology in some of their core
provisions. There is some confusion and
quite a bit of misunderstanding on part
of industry players as to the meaning and
legal effects of such terms. This is more
so where lay practitioners are concerned
thereby leading to considerable
difficulties in implementation.
ASSIGNMENT
K Arjunan and A Majid in Contract
Law in Malaysia at page 689 define
‘assignment’ as:
… a process whereby one person, called
the assignor or creditor, transfers his
benefit under a contract to a third person
called the assignee. As a consequence, the
assignee becomes entitled to the benefit
under the contract in the place of the
assignor and may enforce the contract
against the person liable thereunder,
called the debtor. Under this arrangement,
the assignee gets a good claim against
the debtor and the latter’s consent to the
arrangement is not necessary. As the
assignee is able to enforce the contract to
which he was not originally a party, it is
said that assignment is an exception to
the privy of contract rule. It must be noted
though, that assignment is of the “benefit”
or “rights” under a contract, and not
the “liability” thereunder – for this, the
consent of the debtor would be necessary.
Assignment then, is a transfer of
contractual rights – “choses in action” – or
“things in action” – which can only be
enforced by action in a court, as opposed
to “things in possession”, which can be
transferred by taking physical possession
…”
As can be distilled from the above
definition, the law generally prohibits
the assignment of contractual liabilities
consistent with Section 41 of the
Contracts Act 1950 (Act 136) (Revised
1974) which provides:
If it appears from the nature of the case
that it was the intention of the parties to
any contract that any promise contained
in it should be performed by the promisor
himself, such promise must be performed
by the promisor. In other cases, the
promisor or his representatives many
employ a competent person to perform it.”
This provision sensibly recognises
that some contracts call for personal
performance, that is, where the identity
of the promisor is crucial, as in a
contract with an artist to paint a picture
or one with an author to write a book
(see Eusof Ali v Nyonya Lee Gaik Hooi
[1953] MLJ 98 and Letchumi Ammal v
Nam Fong Housing Sdn. Bhd [1982] 2
MLJ 19). Thus, in most construction/
engineering contracts the employer
cannot divest himself of the obligation
to pay without the consent of the
contractor, and likewise, the contractor
can never by a purported assignment
without the employer’s consent escape
his personal contractual and financial
responsibility for completing the works
(see Nokes v Doncaster Amalgamated
Collieries Ltd [1940] AC 1014; Robson
v Drummond (1831) 2 B & Ad 303;
Tolhurst v Associated Portland Cement
Manufacturers (1900) Ltd. [1903] AC
414).
However, the law in general permits
vicarious performance of a contractual
liability but subject to Section 42 of the
Contracts Act 1950 which stipulates:
When a promisee accepts performance of
the promise from a third person, he cannot
enforce it against the promisor.
These statutory provisions embody the
common law rule that the contract may
be performed by a third party on behalf
of the promisor, that is vicariously,
unless either the nature of the contract
is such that personal performance
by the promisor is required or the
contract specifically requires personal
performance (see Letchumi Ammal v
Nam Fong Housing Sdn Bhd (supra);
Chin Swee Onn v Puchong Realty
Sdn Bhd [1990] 1 MLJ 108; Scott &
English (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. v Foo Thor
Lombong Bijih Sdn. Bhd. & Anor [1985]
1 MLJ 73).
The question that is frequently posed
is whether construction/engineering
contracts are of a nature requiring
personal performance or otherwise.
This has been considered by many
authorities; a notable example is Brian
Eggleston in The ICE Conditions of
Contract (7th Edn) at page 51:
The legal position on this was reviewed
in the case of Southway Group Ltd v
Wolff and Wolff (1991). The matter in
appeal concerned whether the contractor
was entitled to perform his obligations
vicariously and whether the purchaser was
obliged to accept vicarious performance
as good performance under the contract.
It was held that there was an element of
personal confidence in the selection of the
contractor and that he had no right to subcontract. Accordingly, the purchaser was not
obliged to accept performance by others.
The learned authors of Building Law
27
THE INGENIEUR VOL 46 JUNE-AUGUST 2010
Reports commenting on the Southway
case say this in 57 BLR at page 35:
It might be thought that these principles
[referring to the judgment] would not
have much application to the modern
construction industry. Yet choices are
frequently made on the basis of reputation,
e.g. of an architect to design a building
or an extension to an existing building
or a contractor or a sub-contractor on
the basis of specialist skill or generally
dependable personal performance. It
may even be present when competitive
tenders are obtained since those selected
for tender may have been selected because
of confidence placed in them. In these
instances the degree to which sub-contracts
may be permissible in law, in the absence
of contrary contract provisions, may be
severely limited.
Hence, contrary to popularly held belief,
such contracts do in some instances
fall into the category contemplating
personal performance as simply put
in the English case of Davies v Collins
[1945] 1 All ER 247 in the following
words:
There is a well-known division of contracts
for work and labour into two broad
categories. One class is where the work
and labour can, on the true construction
of the contract, only be performed by the
contracting party himself or by some staff
that he employs. The other class is where,
from all the circumstances of the case,
including of course the true construction
of the contract, it is inferred that it is a
matter of indifference whether the work
should be performed by the contracting
party or by some sub-contractor whom he
employs ...The contracting party, of course,
is the only party who remains liable.
He cannot assign his liability to a subcontractor, but his liability in those cases is
to see that the work is properly done, and
if it is not properly done, he is liable.
Whilst contractual obligations (and
liabilities) may generally not be assigned,
the contractual rights (or benefits) are
freely assignable unless the contract
itself stipulates to the contrary. Such
contractual rights (or benefits) are legal
‘choses in action’ and may be validly
assigned to a third party (assignee)
under statutory procedures for example,
Section 4(3) of the Civil Law Act 1956
(Act 67) (Revised 1972) provides for an
absolute assignment as follows:
Any absolute assignment, by writing,
under the hand of the assignor not
purporting to be by way of charge only, of
any debt or other legal chose in action, of
which express notice in writing has been
given to the debtor, trustee or other person
from whom the assignor would have been
entitled to receive or claim the debt or
chose in action, shall be, and be deemed to
have been, effectual in law, subject to all
equities which would have been entitled
to priority over the right of the assignee
under the law as it existed in the state
before the date of coming in force of this
Act, to pass and transfer the legal right
to the debt or chose in action, from the
date of the notice, and all legal and other
remedies for the same, and the power to
give a good discharge for the same, without
concurrence of the assignor.
For an absolute or legal assignment
to come within the ambit of the said
Section 4(3) Civil Law Act 1956, the
consent of the debtor is not necessary.
All that is necessary is that:
(1)
The assignment must be in
writing. No particular form is
required and the document need
not purport to be an assignment
on the face of it (see William
Brandt’s Sons & Co v Dunlop
Rubber Co Ltd [1905] AC 454);
(2)
It must be signed by the assignor;
(3)
It must be absolute and not by
way of charge. What an absolute
assignment is and what a charge
is would depend on the proper
construction of the instrument
in issue, although the document
need not be expressed as an
assignment and the language used
is not conclusive (see Max-Benefit
Sdn Bhd v Phuah Thean An &
Anor [2001] 1 MLJ 553; Nouvau
Mont Dor (M) Sdn Bhd v Faber
Development Sdn Bhd [1984]
2 MLJ 268; Bank Bumiputera
Malaysia Bhd v Syarikat
Kejuruteraan Hong Huat Sdn Bhd
& Ors [1988] 3 MLJ 328); and
(4)
The debtor must be given notice
in writing of the assignment. The
notice need not be given by the
assignor; it may be given by the
assignee and further, it need not
be given at the time of assignment
or even within a reasonable time.
It is sufficient for the purposes
of Section 4(3) Civil Law Act
1956 if it is given before the
action is commenced (see Holt v
Heatherfield Trust Ltd. [1942] 2
KB 1; UMW Industries Sdn. Bhd.
v Ah Fook [1996] 1 MLJ 365).
The effect of compliance to the abovementioned requirements is that the
assignor is not entitled to sue in his own
name. The action would be brought by
the assignee in his own name or by the
assignee in the name of the assignor
see (Nouvau Mont Dor (M) Sdn. Bhd.
v Faber Development Sdn Bhd [1984]
2 MLJ 268). It should be noted that
for absolute or legal assignments under
this Section, consideration between the
assignor and assignee is not necessary
for the assignment to be effective (see
Walker v Bradford Old Bank (1884) 12
QBD 511).
Where the purported absolute or legal
assignment does not comply with the
above-mentioned requirements of
Section 4(3) Civil Law Act 1956, it may
fail as an absolute assignment but may
nevertheless be effective and enforceable
as an equitable assignment; the salient
principles of which were succinctly set
out by Lord Macnaghten in William
Brandt’s Sons & Co v Dunlop Rubber
30
ENGINEERING & L AW ( continued )
Co Ltd [1905] AC 454, [1904-7] All
ER Rep 343 but it is essential that the
intention to assign must be proved (see
Malayawata Steel Bhd v Government
of Malaysia & Anor [1980] 2 MLJ
103). However, where the assignment
is merely equitable, the assignee cannot
bring an action in his own name (see
Wong Kim Wah (trading as ‘Syarikat
Binaraya’) v The Government of the State
of Pahang & Anor [2004] 7 MLJ 335.
his liability in those cases is to see that the
work is done, and if it is not properly done
he is liable. It is quite a mistake to regard
that as an assignment of contract; it is not.
Sub-contracting or sub-letting as is
used in the contractual sense is a legal
arrangement by one party to secure
the performance of its contractual
obligations by another party
vicariously. Chow Kok Fong defines
‘sub-contracting’ in the Construction
Contracts Dictionary at page 364 as:
Hence in essence, notwithstanding
any sub-contracting arrangement,
the contractor remains liable for the
defaults or non-performance of his
sub-contractors as illustrated in a string
of classical cases, notable of which
being British Waggon Co v Lea (1880)
5 QBD 149 where it was held that the
repair of railway wagons with ‘a rough
description of work which ordinary
workmen conversant with the business
would be perfectly able to execute’ could
be adequately performed by somebody
other than the party who contracted
to do it and that the latter remained
contractually liable for the carrying out
of the works in accordance with the
contract.
The process under which a main
contractor employs a sub-contractor to
undertake part of the works under a subcontract. Construction contracts usually
contain a general prohibition against
sub-contracting by the main contractor
except with the permission of the owner’s
representative such as the architect.
These provisions allow the owner a
measure of control over the manner in
which the main contractor entrusts the
execution of the critical portions of work
to sub-contractors to ensure that the
main contractor selects appropriate subcontractors for the subcontracted work.
Where the sub-contractors are selected
and appointed by the main contractor
to suit his own requirements, they
are called ‘domestic’ sub-contractors
but the main contractor remains fully
responsible for their acts and/or defaults
as though he had undertaken the work
himself. Where the main contractor
is instructed under prime cost or
provisional sums to employ certain subcontractors, they are termed ‘nominated
sub-contractors’. As to their scope of
responsibility and allocation, much
depends on the terms of the particular
form of sub-contract employed.
SUB-CONTRACTING
A more lucid description of the
arrangement had been given earlier
in the English case of Davies v Collins
(1945) 1 All ER 247 where Lord Green
stated:
In many contracts all that is stipulated
is that the work shall be done and the
actual hand to do it need not be that of
the contracting party himself; the other
party will be bound to accept performance
carried out by somebody else. He cannot
assign his liability to a sub-contractor, but
address novation so as to clarify any
doubts.
Chappel, Marshall, Powell-Smith and
Cavender in the Building Contract
Dictionary (3rd Edn) at page 287
explain novation as:
… commonly (and erroneously)
understood by architects and others to
mean the concept of a ‘consultant switch’
true novation is the substitution of a new
contract for an existing one. It can only
be done with the consent of all the parties
concerned. Unlike assignment which
involves a transfer of rights, novation
consists of cancelling an existing obligation
and then creating a new obligation in its
place.
On the same matter, Brian Eggleston in
The ICE Conditions of Contract (7th
Edn) at page 43 and 44 states:
Novation is a tripartite agreement
whereby a contract is rescinded in
consideration of a new contract being
entered into, on the same or similar terms
as the old contract, by one of the original
parties and a third party. This can occur
when one of the original parties changes its
legal status or goes into receivership.
NOVATION
Novation has the effect of discharging the
parties from the obligations of the original
contract and in this respect it differs
from assignment. Thus the displaced
party in a novation is free from further
obligations whereas, for example, when a
lease to a property is assigned the original
leaseholder remains liable to the landlord
for payments until the lease expires.”
Another term commonly used
in the construction/engineering
industry is ‘novation’. However,
many a practitioner, either out of
sheer ignorance or unfamiliarity, has
used novation interchangeably with
assignment. It should be appreciated
that novation and assignment are
poles apart in their application and
ramifications. It is now pertinent to
Novation is not only confined to the
scenarios highlighted above but can
generally be exercised and used in much
wider situations since its apparent and
real effects are much broader than
conventional assignment and subcontracting. Recently, it has become
vogue in the local construction/
engineering industry not only for
turnkey/design and build contracts but
31
THE INGENIEUR VOL 46 JUNE-AUGUST 2010
dimensions may be quite different.
It may be that C by assignment
would become entitled to enforce
the contract – although specific
performance seems somewhat
implausible – to claim damages for
his breach. But it would still be a
contract to make a suit that fitted
B, and B would still be liable to A
for the price.
also for contracts procured along the
traditional general contracting route on
which most construction/engineering
contracts are based.
DIFFERENCES
The difference between novation,
assignment and sub-contracting is
lucidly set out by Staughton LJ in the
following extract of his judgment in the
Court of Appeal’s combined appeals
of St Martins Property Corporation Ltd
and St Martins Property Investments
Ltd v Sir Robert McAlpine & Sons Ltd
and Linden Gardens Trust Ltd v Lenesta
Sludge Disposals Ltd, McLoughlin &
Harvey PLC, and Ashwell Construction
Company Ltd (1992) 57 BLR 57, [1994]
AC 85:
(b)
Assignment
This consists in the transfer from B
to C of the benefit of one or more
obligations that A owes to B. These
may be obligations to pay money,
or to perform other contractual
promises, or to pay damages for a
breach of contract, subject of course
to the common law prohibition on
the assignment of a bare cause of
action.
But the nature and content of the
obligation, as I have said, may not
be changed by assignment. It is
this concept which lies, in my view,
behind the doctrine that personal
contracts are not assignable. Thus
if A agrees to serve B as chauffer,
gardener or valet, his obligations
cannot by an assignment make him
liable to serve C, who may have
different tastes in cars, plants, or
the care of his clothes.
(a)
Novation
This is the process by which a
contract between A and B is
transformed into a contract
between A and C. It can only be
achieved by agreement between
all three of them, A, B and C.
Unless there is such an agreement,
and therefore a novation, neither
A nor B can rid himself of any
obligation which he owes to the
other under the contract. This
is commonly expressed in the
proposition that the burden of
a contract cannot be assigned
unilaterally. If A is entitled to
look to B for payment under the
contract, he cannot be compelled
to look to C instead, unless there is
a novation. Otherwise B remains
liable, even if he has assigned his
rights under the contract to C.
There is no reason in principle why
a party who has earned his fee for
performing a personal contract
should not assign the right to
receive it, nor, so far as I can see,
why B for whom the tailor has
completed a suit should not assign
to C the right to receive it.
Similarly, the nature and content
of the contractual obligations
cannot be altered unilaterally. If
a tailor A has contracted to make a
suit for B, he cannot by assignment
be placed under an obligation
to make a suit for C, whose
(c)
Subcontracting
I turn now to the topic of
subcontracting, or what has been
called in this and other cases
vicarious performance. In many
types of contract it is immaterial
whether a party performs his
obligations personally, or by
somebody else. Thus a contract to
sell soya beans by shipping them
from a United States port and
tendering the bill of lading to the
buyer, can be and frequently is
performed by the seller tendering
a bill of lading for soya beans that
somebody else has shipped. On the
other hand, a contract to sing the
part of Hans Sachs at Convent
Garden Opera House will not be
fulfilled by procuring someone else
to do so. That is not because the
burden of the contract may not
be assigned unilaterally; in each
care the original contractor would
still be liable if the obligation
were not performed or were
performed badly. It is because
some contractual obligations are
personal; they must be performed
by the party who has contracted to
perform them and nobody else.
CONCLUSION
From the above write-up it is clear
that each of the terms in question is a
legal ‘term of art’ having its particular
meaning and effect. These terms
cannot be used interchangeably as
is the practice in the engineering/
construction industry at the moment.
Drafters of conditions of contract must
be mindful of this fact so that they
are definite in the context in which
they use these terms and the intended
meaning ascribed to them. Practitioners,
especially lay practitioners must make
reasonable attempts to understand the
way such terms are legally construed
so that these do not compromise
their position in the consequential
implementation of contracts involving
such terms. When in doubt it will always
be advisable to err on the side of caution
and seek proper legal counsel, lest their
misinterpretation results in a wrong
application and a consequential
dispute.
32
GREEN TECHNO LOGY
Resource Recovery in Sewage
Via Green Technology
By Ir. Mohd Haniffa Abd Hamid, Sasidharan Velayutham & Lim Pek Boon
Planning & Engineering Department, Indah Water Konsortium Sdn Bhd
Historically, the first thought of sewage
treatment dates back to the end of the
18th Century when septic tanks were
introduced in the West. During the second
half of the19th century sewage treatment
methods developed rapidly to meet the
needs of basic sanitation. Today, modern
and sophisticated treatment technologies
are continuously developed to protect the
environment in a cost efficient manner.
Traditional practice in the safe disposal
of end products from sewage treatment
namely, treatment that produces effluent
and sewage sludge for sanitation and
environmental protection, will no longer
be able to meet the complex environmental
challenges of climate and water sensitive
futures. For this, the sewage treatment
industry needs to be transformed into a
resource harvesting industry.
Illustration of Green Technology Applications for the Sewerage Sector
Sewerage
ByProducts
Inherent
Values
Intervention
Required
Green Technology
Applications
Valued Added Products/
Applications
Bioeffluent
Water source
Purification and
Disinfection
Membrane filtration,
Ultrafiltration
Reverse Osmosis
Recycled water for
Industries/Landscape Use.
Nutrient Source
– e.g. Nitrogen
& Phosphorus;
Excess Residual
Pharmaceuticals
Source separation &
nutrient recovery
Biotransformation and
Bioaccumulation using
microbes, algae and/or
duckweeds
Fluidized Bed Reactors
Recycled Nutrient capsules,
Nutrient Feed Meal for
Livestock; Recovered
pharmaceuticals.
Organic Matter;
Macro & Micro
Nutrients (i.e.
N:P:K, Mg, Ca,
Zn, Fe, Mn);.
Bioconversion Process
Composting &
Vermicomposting
Bulk Organic Media
Fertilizer
Fortification
and nutrient
supplementation
Mixing and packaging
Soil Conditioner Pellets/
Briquettes; Retail Fertilizer
Pellets
Conversion to fuel
pellets
Thermal drying
Co-firing fuel for Energy
Intensive Industry
Green Technology
Applications
Green technology is envisioned by
Malaysia’s Premier Y.A.B. Dato’ Sri Mohd.
Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak as one
of the emerging drivers of economic
growth for the nation. The national
Green Technology Policy was officially
launched in July 2009 which defines
green technology as “the development
and application of products, equipment
and systems used to conserve the natural
environment and resources, which
minimizes ad reduces negative impact of
human activities”. Hence technology for
resource recovery for water, nutrients for
soil and vegetation and renewable energy
is very much in line with our national
Biosolids
Energy/Heating
Value
Biogas
Energy/Heating
Value
Conversion to Hydrogen Gasification
gas and eventually to
Fuel Cell Technology
electricity
Renewable Energy for
Power Supply
Conversion to Biogas
Anaerobic Digestion
Renewable Energy for
Power Supply
Conversion to
electricity
Biogas Engine &
Fuel Cell Technology
Renewable Energy for
Power Supply
Table 1 : Green Technology Methods for Resource Recovery
33
THE INGENIEUR VOL 46 JUNE-AUGUST 2010
aspirations for a green economy that meets
the complex demand of the impending
carbon neutral and sustainable future.
The application of green technology
to produce value-added materials from
sewerage waste by-products will have the
following benefits:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Environment-friendly outlet for
biosolids, avoiding disposal to
landfill
Avoidance of landfill disposal of
biosolids will minimize discharge of
treated effluent into water courses,
and avoid open flaring of biogas.
Public satisfaction with high level of
environmental quality
Cheaper source of electricity
Green
house
gas
emissions
minimized.
Sustainable sewerage development
The green technology methods discussed
here are summarized in Table 1. There
are three waste by-products - biosolids
and biogas - that can be converted for
beneficial reuse .
Bioeffluent
Treated effluent or bioeffluent can be
reused for landscaping and industrial
applications. Local research has identified
this potential and shown that additional
downstream filtration units (membrane
or RO) can produce bioeffluent for
industrial uptake. An example of
bioeffluent reuse is illustrated in Box 1.
Treated effluent without any additional
treatment was also found to be beneficial
to plant growth. With chlorination,
applications can be widely applied. This
potential needs to be realized as it will
greatly relieve water stress areas and
contribute towards sustainable water
resources in the future.
Biosolids
The potential benefits of bio-solids reuse is
far reaching. R&D studies has shown there
is sufficient nutrient content in the biosolids where the typical values of N:P:K
average at 3% of the biosolids whilst its
organic matter content is typically more
34
GREEN TECHNO LOGY
(CO N TI N UED)
than 50% and can contribute to improving
soil conditions and nutrient uptake for
plant growth (see Box 2). The energy
value contained in the dry solids is also
a potential to be tapped via gasification
process. Analysis of typical biosolids from
IWK plants in Malaysia show the calorific
value ranging from 2,000 to 3,500 kcal/kg.
Biogas
Another potential is the energy available
within biogas generated from anaerobic
digestion. At 65% methane composition
there is a minimum of 5000kcal/m3 of
biogas being generated (see Box 3).
Action Plans
There are enormous benefits to be gained
from the application of green technology
to harvest the untapped resources in the
sewerage sector. For this to materialise,
the way sewage treatment is planned and
developed in this country has to change.
The following action plans are proposed:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Government to create grant or funds
to encourage 3R (Singapore had
recently launched 3R fund) – for new
waste minimization and recycling
projects
Pilot projects to demonstrate the use
of green technology for conversion
and successful utilization of sewerage
waste products
Research funds to encourage
innovation in cheaper, cleaner
production of treated bioeffluent,
fertilizer and renewable energy such
as from biosolids and biogas
Intensive and creative public
awareness programme to educate
the public on recycling of sewerage
by-products
employing
green
technology
Guidelines for utilization of sewerage
waste products into beneficial
products such as treated bioeffluent,
fertilizer and energy source to be
produced
Community engagement to be
encouraged via small medium industry
Top and bottom: IWK’s sewerage plants
•
•
entrepreneurship programme for
green technology projects.
More regional plants to be established
to provide the economies of scale
to centrally generate biosolids and
biogas of critical mass. All regional
plants should provide anaerobic
digestion for sludge treatment
Developer encouraged to build Zero
Waste plants.
It is timely that sewage treatment
leapfrog to greater heights, vis-à-vis the
objective of treating sewage to discharge
environmentally
acceptable
waste
materials, valuable feedstock and byproducts. In the future, sewage treatment
could be a lucrative business if stakeholders
appreciate the inherent potential in this
industry.
36
ENGINEERING P RACTICE
New Code of Practice for
Demolition of Buildings
– MS 2318 : 2010 (P)
By Ir. M Ramuseren, Technical Committee on Construction Practices (CIDB/SIRIM )
Demolition works consists of operational processes in
dismantling structures in a sequential order that is documented
in a method statement. Demolition works can be carried out
safely when the sequence of demolition works is followed
and each demolition process is properly executed. The Code
of Practice for Demolition of Building – MS 2318:2010 (P),
published in February 2010, is a good reference for practitioners
and contractors in ensuring that building demolition works are
carried out in safe manner. Users of the Code should exercise
their own professional judgment in selecting the most suitable
demolition method.
MS 2318: 2010 (P) was developed by the Technical Committee
on Construction Practices managed by Construction Industry
Development Board (CIDB). The code was based on the Code
of Practice for Demolition of Buildings published by Building
Departments of Hong Kong in year 2004, with amendments to
suit local conditions.
Jaya Supermarket building in Section 14 Petaling
Jaya collapsed during demolition operations
METHODS OF DEMOLITION
TOP DOWN - MANUAL METHOD
Various demolition methods have been recommended in
the MS 2318:2010 (P). The choice depends on the project
conditions, site constraints, sensitivity of the neighbourhood
and availability of equipment/machines.
Top down method proceeds from the roof to ground in a general
trend, there are particular sequences of demolition which may
vary, depending on site conditions and structural elements to
be demolished.
For reinforced concrete buildings, jack hammers are commonly
used to break down the concrete. Oxy-acetylene torch could be
used to cut the reinforcements. The structural elements shall be
broken down gradually or by alternate methods as described
in the following sub-section. The reinforcements shall remain
until all the concrete connecting to or supported by the
reinforcement is broken away or when its support is no longer
required. Cantilevered canopies, balconies and exterior walls
are critical elements in building demolition. In congested areas,
these features could critically impact on the safety of the public.
Top down methods are applicable for most sites, particularly for
those situated in busy urban areas. Other mechanical methods
applied from the outside of the building may be suitable
for projects that have sufficient clear spaces. For structural
projections, such as balconies, canopies and verandahs
extending beyond the building lines, demolition by hand held
tools or the cut and lift process may be a safe solution. Wrecking
ball and explosives should be adopted with extreme care with
well planned and precautionary measures.
37
THE INGENIEUR VOL 46 JUNE-AUGUST 2010
Demolition of these features shall be performed with extreme
caution. If rope or tie wires are used to pull down the structural
elements, the pulling wire must be at least four times stronger
than the anticipated pulling force. In addition, workers shall be
shielded from the rope or tie wires. The rope or ties wire shall be
checked at least twice per day.
Demolition Sequence
Demolition sequence shall be determined according to actual
site conditions, restraints, the building layout, the structural
layout and its construction. In general, the following sequence
shall be applied and as recommended in MS 2318: 2010 (P) :a)
b)
c)
d)
All cantilevered structures, canopies, verandahs and
features attached to the external walls shall first be
demolished prior to demolition of main building and its
internal structures on each floor;
When demolishing the roof structure, all lift machine
rooms and water tanks at high level shall be demolished
in “top down” sequence to the main roof level. In
demolishing the external wall or parapet wall, the
procedure as stated in 4.2.4 shall apply;
Demolition of the floor slabs shall begin at mid span and
work towards the supporting beams;
Floor beams shall be demolished in the order as follows:
i) cantilevered beams;
ii) secondary beams; then
iii) main beams.
In the case when structural stability of beams are affected, e.g.,
due to loss of restraints, the affected beams shall be propped
prior to loss of support or restraint;
e)
f )
g)
Non-load bearing walls shall be removed prior to
demolition of load bearing walls;
Columns and load bearing walls shall be demolished after
removal of beams on top; and
If site conditions permit, the first floor slab directly
above the ground floor may be demolished by machine
sitting on ground level and mounted with demolition
accessories.
Cantilevered Structures and Balconies
Cantilevered structures, balconies and canopies may project
out of the building over the pedestrian footpath or in some
cases over a portion of the traffic lane. Temporary supporting
structures catch platform and/or temporary platform shall be
placed directly underneath them as precautionary measures.
The general sequence of dismantling cantilevered slabs and
beams is described below:-
Pekeliling Flats in Kuala Lumpur set to
be demolished
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
The exterior wall shall be demolished first,
Any structure or dead load supported by the cantilevered
system shall be removed prior to demolishing the
cantilevered slabs and beams;
The concrete shall be broken down gradually starting
from the exterior edge of the cantilevered floor, working
inwards and toward its supporting beams.
The cantilevered beam shall be demolished after the
demolition of the connecting floor slab. Demolition of
the cantilevered beam shall not advance further than
the floor slab so that the support for the slab is always
maintained.
Saw cut and lift may be used to dismantle the cantilevered
features. The slab shall be cut into a manageable size and
lifted away. The cantilevered beams shall be cut and
removed after the removal of the slab load and any load
supported by them.
TOP DOWN — BY MACHINES
The sequence of demolition by machine is typically the same
as the top down manual method, except that most of the
demolition is done by mechanical plant. The demolition begins
with the lifting of the mechanical plant on to the building top
floor. When rope or tie wire is used for pulling, the workers
shall be protected or stay away from the area within reach of
the rope or tie wire. The wire strength shall be at least four
times the anticipated load. The rope or tie wire shall be checked
at least twice per day to ensure that they are in good working
conditions.
38
ENGINEERING P RACTICE
a)
(CO N TI N UED)
Support for Machines
The loading to be imposed on the floors by the mechanical
plant shall be checked. If needed, propping shall be
installed at floor levels below the working floor to safely
support the operation of the mechanical plant. The
movement of the mechanical plant shall only be within
the propped area. The movement of the mechanical plant
shall be prohibited in the following areas:
i) within 2 m of the building edge;
ii) within 1 m of any floor openings; or
iii) any cantilevered structures.
b)
c)
Markings such as ribbons, paints or other appropriate
means shall be used to identify the propped area and
limits of the mechanical plant movement. The extent
of the propping shall be determined based on the
anticipated operation, the allowable loading on the floor
slabs and the site conditions.
Lifting of Machinery
The mechanical plant shall be lifted onto the roof of the
building by the use of mobile crane or other appropriate
means as approved by the Registered Professional
Engineer. Prior to the lifting operation, propping shall
be installed on the floors beneath the roof in accordance
with the approved design. The crane shall be properly
tested, examined and operated. The operating area shall
be blocked off during the lifting operation. Approval
from Police shall be obtained prior to the operation if
temporary road closure is required.
Temporary Ramp Construction
The machine shall descend down to the next floor by
means of a ramp. The ramp may be a temporary structure
or other appropriate design. The slope of the ramp shall
be no steeper that 1.75 to 1 or as recommended by the
machine manufacturer.
As an alternative, the machine may also be lowered to the
next floor by the use of mobile crane or other appropriate
means as approved by the Registered Professional
Engineer.
Demolition Sequence
Demolition sequence shall be determined according to the
actual site conditions, restraints, original building layout and
its construction. In general, the following sequence shall be
applied and as recommend by MS 2318 : 2010 (P) :a)
Prior to demolition of internal floors, all cantilevered
slabs and beams, canopies, and verandahs shall first be
demolished;
Typical sequence of top down method with mechanical
equipment.
40
ENGINEERING P RACTICE
(CO N TI N UED)
b)
The structural elements, in general, shall be demolished
in the following sequence:
slab 4
c)
Mechanical plant shall descend from the floors with
temporary access ramp, or be lowered to the next floor
by lifting machinery or by other appropriate means;
When a mechanical plant has just descended from the
floor above, the slabs and beams, in two consecutive
floors may be demolished by the mechanical plant
simultaneously. The mechanical plant may work on
structural elements on the same floor and breaking up
the slabs on the floor above;
The wall panel, including beams and columns shall be
demolished by gradually breaking down the concrete or
by pulling them down in a controlled manner;
d)
e)
secondary beams 4
main beams
Cantilevered Canopies and Balconies
Demolition of cantilevered canopies and balconies may critically
affect public safety and must be performed with extreme
caution. Temporary supporting structures, catch platform and/
or temporary platforms shall be placed directly underneath the
cantilevered canopies or balconies. The process of demolition
of the cantilevered structures is described below:a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
The exterior wall linking the cantilevered structure or
balcony shall be removed first.
The floor slab and cantilevered beam may be demolished
in sections.
The machine arm with wire passing through the slab
section shall be used to stabilise the structure while the
cutting is performed;
Cuttings may be performed by jack hammer or pneumatic
hammer for the concrete and oxy-acetylene flame cutter
for the reinforcements. The concrete shall be broken away
first before the cutting of reinforcement. Alternatively
the reinforced concrete slab may be cut by saw cutting;
and
The slab shall be lifted into the building by a derrick
arm.
HYDRAULIC CRUSHER WITH LONG BOOM ARM
The crusher attachment breaks the concrete and the
reinforcement by the hydraulic thrust through the long boom
arm system. The hydraulic crusher can be operated from the
ground outside the building. This method is also suitable for
dangerous buildings, silos and other industrial facilities. For
environmental reason, it should be used wherever practicable
because of its quietness.
Operation of a wrecking ball
Demolition by hydraulic crusher with long arm
boom
WRECKING BALL
The wrecking ball application consists of a crane equipped with
a steel ball. The destruction of the building is by the impact
energy of the steel ball suspended from the crawler crane. The
wrecking ball operates outside the building. This method is
suitable for dilapidated buildings, silos and other industrial
facilities. However, the operation requires substantial clear
space. The application also demands high level skill operators
and well-maintained equipment.
41
THE INGENIEUR VOL 46 JUNE-AUGUST 2010
IMPLOSION
If it is intended to blast a building structure, the Registered
Specialist Contractor (Demolition) shall carry out a
comprehensive Risk Assessment Report and an Environmental
Assessment Report on the effect of implosion on the affected
neighbourhood. With positive results on both the risk
assessment and environmental impact assessment and agreed
by the relevant authority, the Registered Specialist Contractor
(Demolition) may begin studying the structure of the building
and develop a blasting design. The design may include preweakening of the structure, the strategy in placement of the
explosives and time delay so that the building will collapse
in a safe manner. Pre-weakening of the structure may include
cutting out a portion of the shear walls and other structural
elements. A test blast may be conducted to verify the strength
of the structural member and to fine tune the explosive design.
Protection of the adjacent properties and habitats is also an
important consideration.
b)
c)
WATER JET
Water jetting involves the use of a water jet stream pumped
at high pressure to erode the cement matrix and wash out the
aggregates. Abrasive compounds may be added for cutting
reinforcing steel. The application of the water jetting shall be
subject to the following criteria and as recommended in MS
2318: 2010 ( P ).
a)
Registered Specialist Contractor (Demolition) shall
ensure sufficient supply of water from reliable source
is available throughout the process of water jet cutting.
Provision shall be included to dispose the water used in
the operation, and to recycle the water for continuous
operation through local filtration and sedimentation;
b)
The area behind the structural member to be cut shall
be shielded to avoid damage to persons and properties
during the cutting; and
c)
In the case when abrasive water jets are used, further
precautionary measures shall be provided in accordance
with manufacturer recommendations to confine the
rebound of the abrasive compounds. All site personnel
shall wear adequate safety cover and clothing.
SAW CUTTING
Saw cutting is suitable for alteration and additional works where
accuracy in the cutting is important and the tolerance to noise
and vibration is very limited. It can be used to cut concrete
slabs and wall elements into segments. An entire building may
be dismantled by saw cutting. Saw cutting generally includes
conventional disc saw and chain saw, diamond core stitch
drilling and wire saw.
CUTTING AND LIFTING
Cutting and lifting involve the initial cutting of the structure
into individual pieces or segments, and then lifting the pieces
or assembly by crane onto the ground for further demolition
or hauling away. Slabs can be cut into segments and then lifted
off for further cutting into smaller pieces before disposal.
Precast concrete structures can be cut into pieces and then
lifted off as a reversal of the construction sequence when the
precast elements are fabricated from pieces into an assembly of
structure. Cutting and lifting may be applied to safely remove
projections such as canopies, architectural features, balconies
and bay windows.
Adequate protective measures are provided to isolate the
operation and to prevent any potential fire spreading
out; and
Adequate protective measures are provided to prevent
the injury of the workers, and any third party by flame
and the molten concrete.
SITE SUPERVISION AND INSPECTION
For sites involving the demolition of complex structures, such
as flat slab, prestressed concrete, transfer plate, hanger, long
span beam (greater than 10m), steel framed construction,
cantilevered structure with span greater than 1.2m and is over
street, buildings which also act as earth-retaining structures
supporting adjacent ground etc., the Code has recommended a
site engineer should be appointed by the Registered Specialist
Contractor (Demolition) to oversee the entire process of such
demolition works.
THERMAL LANCE
Cutting of reinforced concrete by thermal lance involves very
high temperature up to 2,000°C - 4,000°C. The extremely high
heat requires special precautionary measures and care. The use
of a thermal lance in cutting reinforced concrete shall not be
used unless:
a) The project demonstrated that there is no other viable
alternative;
CONCLUSION
Should the authorities decided to make the MS 2318: 2010 (P)
a Mandatory Standard to comply with in regards to approval
of demolition works, then engineers and contractors will have
major role to play in fulfilling the requirements stipulated in the
said Code of Practice.
42
SPECIAL REPORT
Malacca River Rehabilitation:
A Class Above
The restoration of the once smelly and dirty Malacca River to a picturesque tourist attraction
has attracted attention far and wide. However, from the river rehabilitation perspective, the
‘standard’ of the river has only been raised one bar from Class IV to Class III, three notches
away from the natural and pristine state. Dato’ Paduka Dr. Ir. Keizrul Abdullah, former
Director-General of Drainage and Irrigation Department reveals that moving up the scale will
come at a higher cost. As most other rivers in Malaysia are polluted by human activities, he
emphasizes concerted effort at Integrated River Basin Management to balance development
with conservation.
Unsightly toilets, dirty water and a few hardy monitor lizards used to
greet visitors when they braved a boat ride along the Malacca River in
the city. Today, the scene is dramatically changed with tourists queuing
to pay for a Malacca River Cruise to enjoy the sights of a picturesque and
rehabilitated river in the famous historical city. The clearer water, tiled
river walk dotted with colourful flower planters and neo-classical lamp
posts have been a hit with local and foreign visitors.
However, from the perspective of river rehabilitation, the Malacca River
has yet to get a clean bill of health. Dato’ Paduka Dr. Ir. Keizrul Abdullah,
former Director-General of the Drainage and Irrigation Department
explains that the Malacca River bas been transformed from a Class
IV to a Class III river. But the water quality is not fit for consumption
and human contact is to be avoided (see table on river classification).
In addition, only 6km of the river (in the city centre) underwent the
rehabilitation exercise at a cost RM600m (including dredging, sewage
and beautification works). The local Government would like to turn the
river into a Class IIa, meaning the river water is clean enough for people
to swim in it and play water sports. To come to this stage, Ir. Keizrul notes
that more rehabilitation works and bigger budgets would be needed.
Integrated River Basin Management
While the Malacca River is an excellent example of how part of a polluted
river can be cleaned and beautified, Ir. Keizrul notes that the public and
river management authorities must go back to basics to avoid destroying
clean and beautiful rivers at source by pollution, over-development
and neglect. The solutions, he says, are found in the eight elements in
Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM). This represents a holistic
approach as it looks at the entire river basin, from the catchment area
where it collects raw water down to the river mouth. IRBM is defined as
co-ordinated management of resources in natural environment (air, water,
land, flora, fauna) based on river basin as a geographical unit, with the
objective of balancing man’s needs with necessity of conserving resources
to ensure sustainability.
43
THE INGENIEUR VOL 46 JUNE-AUGUST 2010
Ir. Keizrul gives a brief outline of the eight elements in
Integrated River Basin Management and their current status
and shortcomings.
1. Legislation
Malaysia has many laws related to land, air and rivers, many of
which were handed down from the British colonial rule. But
there is no specific legislation for rivers. Due to separation
of powers between State and Federal Governments, a
comprehensive set of legislation will take a long time to be put
into place. In the short term, existing laws can be used, but
enforcement must be stricter. .
2. Institutions
With many institutions and agencies overlooking matters related
to water use, power is fragmented and spread out between
Ministry, Department, Federal, State, District jurisdictions.
Since rivers normally cross several districts and administrative
boundaries, what is ideal is a River Basin Organisation or (RBO)
which wields comprehensive powers to oversee activities in a
river basin. A model close to this is represented by Lembaga
Urus Air Selangor or LUAS.
3. Planning
There is no shortage of plans for development of a particular
state, district or township. However, a Master Plan that monitors
land use in relation to river basins in Malaysia is lacking.
4. Corrective/curative measures
Like a sick patient, dirty or unhealthy rivers need to be cured.
The corrective or curative measures aim to ‘bring nature back
to our rivers’ or restore the river to as pristine a position as
possible. In the case of the Malacca River, the curative measures
included dredging, sewerage works, installation of pumps and
tidal gates. This is a costly exercise and will continue to cost
more with time.
5. Preventive measures
Prevention is better than cure and this means treating problems
at source. Whether storm water, pollution or erosion, many
solutions can be applied. To tackle storm water, developers and
contractors can refer to Drainage and Irrigation Department’s
Stormwater Management Manual introduced in 2000. Besides
engineering-related solutions, prevention very often includes
beautification of rivers and their surroundings to deter further
human abuse.
6. Research & Development
It is advisable to look at various technologies used in cleaning
polluted rivers developed in other countries and adapt them to
local use. Local researchers in universities can do this and set
up standards suitable for the Malaysian environment. Universiti
Sains Malaysia, for instance, has been conducting studies
Classification of Rivers
Class I
Conservation of natural environment
Water Supply - practically no treatment necessary.
Fishery – very sensitive aquatic species can survive
Class IIA
Water Supply - conventional treatment required
Fishery - sensitive aquatic species can survive
Class IIB
Recreational use with body contact
Class III
Water Supply - extensive treatment required.
Fishery - tolerant species can survive
Livestock drinking
Class IV
Only for irrigation
Class V
River is polluted
on using activated crystal carbon on Sg Tuang, Malacca and
effective micro-organisms on Sg. Perlis in Perlis.
7. Public participation
Public understanding and awareness of the importance
of rivers is vital to preserve the natural state of 89 rivers in
Peninsular Malaysia and 100 rivers in East Malaysia. A good
example is the ‘Love the River’ campaign started in 1993 to
increase public awareness on conserving natural environment
and preserving rivers. Corporate citizens and NGOs also
need to play their part in encouraging social responsibility
for rivers.
8. Finance
Capital expenditure is a core component to realize the objectives
in IRBM. As cost of construction materials, equipment and
rehabilitation works are on the rise, the Government has to
defray cost. The financing trends are towards privatization,
public-private partnerships and polluter pay principles.
While Government and private sector initiatives towards IRBM
has been encouraging so far, progress is slow. Ir. Keizrul believes
that it is getting more crucial as water demand is increasing with
higher population growth but rivers are getting more polluted.
In Malaysia, 97% of our drinking, industrial and irrigation water
comes from rivers. If river water cannot sustain life, national
development will be at stake. - Inforeach
44
MAL ACCA RIVER MAKEOVER
The Malacca River makeover project was spread over three
phases between 2001-2008. Infrastructure, sewerage and river
rehabilitation was managed by SMHB Sdn Bhd. The scope of
works to transform the river included:
•
•
Stabilization and building of new river embankment
Construction of interceptor sewerage system to channel
all raw sewerage, rubbish and debris away from the river
Construction of storm water pumping station
River dredging to remove slime and mud
Landscaping of river walk
Reconstruction of 18 units of buildings facing the river
Construction of causeway and tidal gates to control river
water level
•
•
•
•
•
The transformation of the river is illustrated in the following
pictures. Courtesy of Dato’ Paduka (Dr) Ir. Keizrul Abdullah.
2
4
Three phases in
rehabilitation of
Malacca river
River wall construction
1
Malacca River: Many facets of a smelly
and dirty river
45
THE INGENIEUR VOL 46 JUNE-AUGUST 2010
3
River wall design
46
MAL ACCA RIVER MAKEOVER
5
Interceptor sewerage system
6
Reconstruction works
Before
(CO N TI NUE D)
47
THE INGENIEUR VOL 46 JUNE-AUGUST 2010
7
After
Dredging
48
F U T U RE TRENDS
Efficient
Management of
Water Resources:
An Agenda for
the Future
By YB Dato’ Sri Douglas Uggah Embas, Minister, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment at the
Seminar on Water Resource Management, 10th May 2010, Intan Bukit Kiara Kuala Lumpur
Dato’ Sri Douglas Uggah Embas
There is increasing concern among policy
makers, researchers and non-governmental
organisations (NGOs) worldwide about
increasing threats to global water resources
and worsening water-related problems. An
estimated 1.1 billion people worldwide
do not have access to safe drinking water.
This situation could worsen as clean water
resources become more limited due to
increase in water demand for domestic,
industrial and irrigation needs. Faced
with water shortage, millions of people
worldwide rely on unsafe sources for
their daily needs. This lack of clean and
safe water in many parts of the world has
lead to disease outbreaks such as cholera,
typhoid fever and many other water
related diseases. The potential impact of
climate change on global water resources is
expected to further worsen the situation.
Similarly, there is also concern among
all stakeholders in Malaysia about the
threats to the country’s water resources
although we are blessed with abundant
water resources with 3,000mm of annual
rainfall.
We are being confronted
with numerous issues related to water
resources such as inadequate quantity in
certain areas, degrading water quality of
rivers, lakes and ground water, uneven
distribution, floodings, and droughts.
These problems are further excerbated by
institutional fragmentation, disuniformity
in legislations, lack of enforcement and
absence of a national policy on water
resource.
Water resource management in this country
whether it is at the federal or state level, is
still sectorally managed. This approach often
49
THE INGENIEUR VOL 46 JUNE-AUGUST 2010
The potential impact of
climate change on global
results in overlapping and conflict among
stakeholders, especailly when it comes to
the implementation of water development
projects. The disparity and disuniformity
in the present legislations and enactments
adopted by the states further aggravates the
existing problems.
Another worrying concern is with
regard to the demand for water which
will increase with increase in human
population, urbanisation and rapid
development. According to the National
Water Resources Study 2000, the counry’s
water requirement will increase by 63
% from 11 billion m3 (2008) to 17.7
billlion m3 (2050). The challenge to meet
this increase will be be compounded
with the phenomenon of climate change
which may affect our country’s clean water
availability in the years to come.
In order to address the above issues, the
Malaysian Government will definitely
need to adopt a holistic and integrated
approach to manage the country’s water
resources. The scope of water resources
management encompasses a wide range
of disciplines and expertise including
water supply, irrigation, flood risk
management, drought risk management,
water resources is expected
to
further
worsen
the
situation.
coastal zone management, environment,
drainage and hydropower. In our pursuit
for an integrated approach towards
water resources management, we must
also take into account socio-economic,
environmental and technical aspects
Therefore, the time has come for us
to review the entire spectrum of the
management of the water resources These
would include preserving and distributing
the resources, ensuring appropriate policy
and legislation as well as streamlining the
institutional set-up. Developed countries
like Japan, Korea and most of European
countries have long adopted this integrated
approach.
Formulation of National
Water Resources Policy
In this respect, the Ministry of Natural
Resources and Environment has
initiatied the formulation of a National
Water Resources Policy. This Policy
amongst other things, will look into
the establishment of new institutional
arrangements and mechanisms to manage
our water resources sustainably. Among
the functions of this proposed new
institutional arrangement are:
1. Optimising the distribution of water
resource to all stakeholders;
2. Ensuring
effective
planning
and implementation of related
development to ensure sustainable
use of water resources; and
3. Implementing Integrated Water
Resource Management (IWRM)
principles.
Apart from the above reforms in the
proposed National Water Policy, emphasis
will also be placed on meeting the
peoples’ needs so that water is made more
accessible and affordable. In other words,
water resources management activities
will take into account social obligations to
the general public. At the same time, the
public from all walks of life will also have
to assume responsibility for the sustainable
use and management of water resources.
Thus, a paradigm shift in conceptualizing,
developing and managing the action plans
50
F U T U RE TRENDS
(CO N TI N UED)
Sungai Langat, Selangor, where a IWRM BMP project on
Waterborne Disease Management has been identified.
will become the pre-requisite for the
sustainable use and development of our
water resources in the future.
Nine Best Management
Practices
Besides the above efforts, my Ministry
together with the Department of Drainage
and Irrigation (DID) has initiated the
review of the National Water Resources
Study (2000-2050). This review will focus
on the availability and demand for water
by all sectors in the country. Apart from
this, in line with the principles of Rio
Declaration, the Government has also
actively implemented some programmes
on IWRM to ensure water resources are
sustainably managed.
In this regard, the Economic Planning
Unit of the Prime Minister’s Department
and DID have also completed a study
on “Effective Implementation of
Integrated Water Resources in Malaysia”
in 2008. Based on the findings and
recommendations of the study, the DID
has commenced the implementation
of nine Best Management Practices
(BMPs) to enhance public awareness
and capacity building under various
themes of IWRM. The experiences
from these BMPs will be documented
for use and reference by other river
basin stakeholders for similar IWRM
themes. The nine IWRM BMP projects
that have been identified are:
1. Sg Liwagu, Sabah - Sabah Water
Resources Enactment 1998 –
Pesticide Control
2. Matahari Height, Seremban Flood – Flood Detention Pond as
Community Park
3. N-Park Kondominium, Penang “Nega Litres” – Water Saving
4. Lembangan Sg Miri, Sarawak – River
Basin Management Institution
5. Sg Melaka, Alor Gajah – River
Corridor Management – Political
Advocacy
6. Sg Langat, Selangor - Waterborne
Diseases Management
7. Batang Lemanak, Sarawak Biodiversity Management
8. Alor Baung, Kota Bharu –
Groundwater Management
9. Sg Galing Besar, Kuantan – River
Corridor Management – Regulating
Pollution
CONCLUSION
Water issues should be treated
systematically and not sectorally
managed by separate users. This will
require us to coordinate with different
sectoral users for sustainable water
resources management. For example,
we should now link all land use policies
and management with water resources
management. In implementing our
intervention measures, we must move
from curative to preventive approach to
prevent water issues and problems from
occurring. In this way we will be able to
minimize requirements for remediation,
mitigation, rehabilitation and restoration
of our fragile water resources.
51
H EA LT H
21st Century
Stress Management
By Dr. Clement I. Fernandez
T
he stress we face today is
more mental, emotional and
spiritual. Instead of ‘fightor-flight’, we have to combat
stress in different ways. Understand how
stress is generated and create a relaxation
response to stressful situations.
crisis and events that test us to our fullest,
such as divorce, redundancy, bereavement
or illness. This means that we have to be
poised to ‘fight-or-flight’ at another level
and in a completely different way from our
forebears.
Negative Stress. Excessive, prolonged an
In medical terms, stress is the ‘wear and
unrelieved stress can have a harmful effect
tear’ our minds and bodies experience as
on mental, physical and spiritual health. It
we attempt to cope with our continually (Source: www.cancernet.co.uk)
creates a dent in the holistic approach to
changing environment. People often think
living (MIND-BODY-SPIRIT trilogy).
of stress as pressure as work, a sick child or rush-hour traffic.
If left unresolved, the feelings of anger, frustration, fear and
These events may be triggers, but stress is actually the body’s
depression generated by stress can trigger a variety of illnesses. It
internal reaction to such factors. Stress is the automatic ‘fight-oris estimated that stress is the most common cause of ill health in
flight’ response in the body, activated by stress hormones, which
modern society, probably underlying as many as 80% of all visits
stimulate a variety of physiological changes, such as increased
to family doctors. Stress is a contributory factor in relatively
heart rate and blood pressure, faster breathing, muscle tension,
minor conditions, such as headaches, digestive problems, skin
dilated pupils, dry mouth and increased blood sugar. In simple
complaints, insomnia and ulcers, but also plays an important
biological terms, stress is the state of increased arousal necessary
role in the leading causes of death today – cancer, cardiovascular
for an organism to defend itself when faced with danger.
disease, cirrhosis of the liver and suicide.
Stress Yesterday and Today
Our cave-men ancestors frequently faced life and death
situations, when alertness, strength, speed and performance
were vital and the primary, instinctive response was to survive.
The type of challenges we meet with today, however, are rather
different and as they rarely require a physical response, the
body’s reaction to the situations is often inappropriate.
The stresses of modern life are more complex and last over longer
periods of time. In the past, challenges were instantaneous and
had to be resolved instinctively; today, we are subjected to longterm emotional, occupational and environmental anxieties,
which demand us to maintain a certain level of mental and
physical health. We also have to prepare ourselves for times of
Positive Stress. Stress can also have positive effect. It is essential
in spurring motivation and awareness, providing the stimulation
needed to cope with challenging situations. Tension and
arousal are necessary for the enjoyment of many aspects of life,
and without them, existence would be pretty dull. Stress also
provides the sense of urgency and alertness needed for survival
when confronting threatening situations, such as crossing a busy
road or driving in poor weather conditions. An overly relaxed
approach in such situations could be fatal.
Stress is very individual
Stress is very personal. There is no single level of stress that
is optimal for all people. Everyone is different with unique
perceptions of, and reactions to, events: what is distressing to
52
H EA LT H
(CON TI N UED)
one person may be a joy to another. We may know of persons
who can work for 12 hours a day and yet suffer no stress whilst
others who just stretch their work for an extra hour or two
return home tired and exhausted.
Even when we agree that a particular event is distressing, we are
likely to differ in our physiological and psychological responses
to it. Some individuals are more sensitive to stress than others,
owing to experiences in childhood and the influence of teachers,
parents, religion, etc. It is also important to note that most of the
stress we experience is actually self-generated. How we perceive
life – whether an event makes us feel threatened or stimulated,
encouraged or discouraged, happy or sad – depends to a large
extent on how we perceive ourselves.
Self-generated stress is something of a paradox, because so many
people think of external causes when they are upset, forgetting
that it originates in our minds. Recognizing that we create most of
our own upsets is an important first step towards coping with stress.
Stress from beliefs
A lot of stress results from our beliefs. We have literally
thousands of beliefs and assumptions about all kinds of things
that we hold to be the truth – everything from, ‘You can’t beat
the system’ and ‘The customer is always right’, to ‘Men shouldn’t
show their emotions’ and ‘Children should tidy their rooms’. We
have beliefs about how things are, how people should behave
and about ourselves (‘I can never remember people’s names’).
Most of our beliefs are held unconsciously so we are unaware of
them. This gives them more power over us and allows them to
run our lives.
Beliefs cause stress in two ways. The first is the behavior that
results from them. For example, if you believe that work should
come before pleasure you are likely to work harder and have
less leisure time than you would otherwise. If you believe that
people should meet the needs of others before they meet their
own, you likely to neglect yourself to some extent. These beliefs
are expressions of a personal philosophy or value systems, which
result in increased effort and decreased relaxation – a formula
for stress. There is no objective truth to begin with. These are
just opinions but they lead to stressful behavior. Uncovering
the unconscious assumptions behind actions can be helpful in
changing one’s lifestyle.
The second way in which beliefs cause stress is when they are
in conflict with other people. However, it should always be
remembered that personal assumptions are not the truth but
rather opinions and, therefore, they can be challenged. In
situations of conflict it is always helpful if the protagonists
attempt to revise their beliefs, or at least admit that the beliefs
held by the other person may be just as valid as their own.
This mind-opening exercise usually helps to diminish stressful
antagonism.
Relaxation response & the body
How our bodies respond to relaxation (opposite of stress)
was first researched by Harvard Medical School surgeon Dr.
Herbert Benson who published his findings in his classic
book ‘The Relaxation Response’. His initial research was on
Buddhist monks in Tibet and a group of TM (Transcendental
Meditation) practitioners in America.
Just as the body has an automatic process to prepare it for
a ‘fight-or-flight’ situation, it can also go into what is called
the ‘relaxation response’. This stage of low arousal is less wellknown than the body’s red-alert status, and it initially takes a
concentrated effort in order to experience it. The symptoms of
faster breathing are the direct opposite of those experienced by
the body while in a state of deep relaxation.
During relaxation our bodies require very low maintenance,
and the decrease in metabolism is similar only to that found
in deep sleep. Our breathing becomes more regular and the
heart rate decreases. In a sustained period of relaxation oxygen
consumption actually falls below that measured during deep
sleep. There is also a significant fall in blood lactate, a substance
that enters the blood through the metabolism of skeletal
muscles. This occurs three times faster during meditation than
while sitting at rest.
Blood pressure is also lowered, but only to normal pre-stress
levels. All these things allow the body to recover from the strain
placed on it by everyday life.
The relaxation response also elicits a marked alteration in brain
activity. The brain emits four types of waves, each with its own
rhythm. Beta waves signify everyday conscious rhythms; delta
waves are present during sleep, theta waves appear while in a
dreamlike state; and alpha waves are more prominent when
the mind is active yet relaxed. Effective meditation produces
a predominace of alpha and theta waves – signifying a state
of restfulness and deep relaxation, where the mind is alert but
not strained or confused. These waves appear almost as soon as
the body starts to relax, increasing in frequency as the process
intensifies, allowing clearer and more constructive thinking.
A prolonged period of relaxation will also increase the body’s
secretion of particular mood-altering chemicals, known as
neurotransmitters. One of these, serotonin, is a powerful
hormone that is associated with feelings of happiness and
contentment. – This article is courtesy of iSmile magazine
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54
ENGINEERING RECO L L ECTION
Penang Bridge Project
Planned, Investigated &
Designed In the 1970s
By Ir. Liaw Yew Peng, former Deputy Chief Resident Engineer/Chief Resident Engineer
Picture taken on August 30, 1985 just before the opening of Penang Bridge. Courtesy of Ir. Ashair Mohd Yakub
B
efore the construction of the Penang Bridge, Penang
Island was served by a combined and vehicular ferry
service operated by the Penang Port Commission on
a 24-hour basis between George Town (population
about 360,000 in 1970) and the Mainland at Butterworth
with an estimated population of about 60,000 in 1970.
for the crossing and economic justifications, based on traffic
projections, ranges of investment requirements and operating
and maintenance costs including both direct and indirect costs
and benefits associated with the fixed linkage alternatives.
Phase I study was completed and an Interim Report received
in October 1972.
For economic growth of the state, the then Government
was desirous that the Island be integrated physically with
the Mainland in order to enable the airport, seaport and
commercial facilities available in Penang be better utilized
for the common interest of the states in Northern Peninsula.
So a permanent bridge between Penang Island and the
Mainland was important and planning was set in motion as
early as 1971.
After studying the Phase 1 report, the Government
decided to build the recommended linkage and the same
firm of consultants was appointed to proceed with the
Phase II study which involved, amongst other things, the
refinement of the selected alignment, making preliminary
designs for the bridge, making detailed economic
evaluation based on the selected alignment, revision
of cost estimates and time scheduling for design and
construction. Phase II study was completed and a Final
Report received in October 1974.
In November 1971 a firm of consultants, Christiani Nielsen
A/S of Copenhagen, Denmark was appointed to carry out
a feasibility study for a fixed linkage between Penang Island
and the Mainland. The Study was divided into phase I and
II. Phase I involved amongst other things, investigations
into the possible alignments and alternatives types of linkage
Prior to 1974 only rumours were heard about the building of
a bridge across the channel. However, Penangnites heard the
official announcement from none other than the late Prime
Minister, Dato Hussein Onn on January 1, 1974 during his
55
THE INGENIEUR VOL 46 JUNE-AUGUST 2010
Various Investigated Alignments Across the
Penang Channel.
visit to Penang. Then the Steering Committee for the Linkage
Project at a meeting held in Penang on January 2, 1974
decided to have a low level four-lane bridge with provision
to expand to six lanes later. On this date the bridge was
conceived.
In September 1975, the Government, on receipt of extract
of the report by E.G Frankel Inc., consultants for the Penang
Port Master Plan Study concerning the effects of a permanent
linkage on the port of Penang particularly on the movement
of ships and navigational clearances, decided to review the
proposed low bridge and subsequently changed to a high
level cabled bridge with minimum vertical clearance of 30 m
and a minimum navigational opening of 150m at the South
Channel.
In 1976 a firm of consultants, Howard, Needles Tamen
& Bergendoff Intl. Inc. of US in association with Jurutera
Konsultant (SEA) Sdn.Bhd. of Malaysia was appointed for the
detailed engineering design and construction supervision of
the bridge. This date can be considered as the embryo of the
formation of Penang Bridge!
No.1 Final alignment of the Penang Bridge
including the Interchange at both ends.
No.2 Plan view of the Main Piers at Central
Span of the Bridge.
No.3 Elevation of the Cable Bridge at the
Central Span.
56
ENGINEERING NOSTA LGIA
Penang Harbour & Weld Quay, 1910
Weld Quay
Harbou
r View
North Beach
Government office