Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................... 1
RIVER POLLUTION.................................................................................................................... 2
CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS........................................................................................................2
Sewage treatment plant and solution.......................................................................................2
Manufacturing and agro-based industries and solution............................................................3
Animal farms and solution........................................................................................................3
Agriculture activities and solution.............................................................................................4
CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................. 5
REFERENCES............................................................................................................................ 6

INTRODUCTION
Water is a natural resource that exists on our planet there is for life as well as key
element for our environment. Today, river pollution has become a big problem in

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Malaysia and others countries around the world. Even thought there are strong laws
that have been set up as water pollution solutions to help prevent further pollution from
taking place, there is still a lot work to done.

Actually, there are two types of water pollutants exist which are point source and
nonpoint source. Point sources of water pollution include municipal sewage treatment
plant discharge and industrial plant discharges. Municipal sewage treatment plant point
sources can contribute pollution in the form of oxygen-depleting nutrients and in the
form of pathogens that cause serious health hazards in drinking water and swimming
areas. And then, industrial point sources can contribute pollution in the form of toxic
chemicals and heavy metals. A nonpoint source delivers pollutants indirectly throught
environment changes. An example of this type of water pollution is when fertilizer from a
field is carried into a stream by rain, in the form of run-off which in turn affects aquatic
life. The technology exists for point sources of pollution be monitored and regulated,
although political factors may complicate matters. Nonpoint sources are much more
difficult to control. Pollution arising from nonpoint sources accounts for a majority of the
contaminants in streams and lakes. Some examples for point source that contribute to
water pollution are runoffs from lawns, driveway roads or sidewalks and others. And
then, for nonpoint sources is when an individual fertilizers their yard or sprays
insecticide, when it rains those remaining chemicals are then washed away and then
find its destination in our local streams. Same principle applies to the agriculture
industry. There are many toxins that can be attributed to the farming industry. Some of
the more toxic are fertilizers, manure, livestock waste and other chemicals from
equipment.

In order to resolve the greatest contributor of river pollution, we would have to do away
with the agriculture industry. However, while this is great idea it is nit ever good to work.
As humans, we depend on this industry far more than we know.

RIVER POLLUTION

River pollution has become a big problem in Malaysia and others countries around the
world. Even thought there are strong laws that have been set up as water pollution
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solutions to help prevent further pollution from taking place, there is still a lot work to
done. River pollution is caused by point and non-point sources. Point sources include
sewage treatment plants, manufacturing and agro-based industries and animal farms.
Non-point sources are defined as diffused sources such as agricultural activities and
surface runoffs. According to the Department of Environment (DOE), in 2006 the
Department registered 18,956 water pollution point sources comprising mainly sewage
treatment plant treatment plants (9,060 : 47.79% inclusive of 601 Network Pump
Stations), manufacturing industries (8,543 : 45.07%), animal farms (869 : 4.58%) and
agro-based industries (484 : 2.55%) represents the distribution of industrial water
pollution sources from agro-based and manufacturing industries compiled by the DOE
in 2006 through field surveys and questionnaires. A total of 9,027 sources were
identified with Selangor having the highest number of water pollution sources (1,850:
20.49%), followed by Johor (1,774: 19.65%).

CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS

In solving any problem, we should know the causes of problem and then it can
able to find the solution. Similarly to solve the river pollution we must know the causes
and then the solution. The causes of river pollution is defined point and nonpoint
sources can be comprising sewage treatment plant, manufacturing industries, animal
farms, agro-based industries, animal farms, agricultural activities and surface runoffs.
Each of causes has its own way of solutions which will be settled by means of
controlling the sources of cause.

Sewage treatment plant and solution

Wastewater treatment plant also called wastewater treatment works can means as
treatment and disposal of human waste. Sewage treatment, or domestic wastewater
treatment, is the process of removing contaminants from wastewater and household
sewage, both runoff (effluents) and domestic. It includes physical, chemical, and
biological processes to remove physical, chemical and biological contaminants. Its
objective is to produce a waste stream (or treated effluent) and a solid waste or sludge
suitable for discharge or reuse back into the environment as river. This material is often

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inadvertently contaminated with many toxic organic and inorganic compounds. Not all
solids and organic matter are removed during treatment, resulting in degraded receiving
water quality, due to a reduction in dissolved oxygen. Furthermore, nutrients such as
phosphorus that are not removed during treatment can cause overgrowth of algae and
other organisms, also leading to lower dissolved oxygen. To solve this problem, there
are many way consists check the water quality before released to river and make a new
type of process in sewage treatment plant which can remove the nutrients. The
authorities should enforcement straight law to flow influent to the river. Means, the
authorities should always check the influent flow to river must be safe which depend on
the water quality index in Malaysia. Besides that, the authorities can also improve the
sewage treatment system to stop the leaks in the pipes. The pipes should remove or
change the pipes with scale and schedule.

Manufacturing and agro-based industries and solution

Industrial sector can be directly blamed for the major water pollution. Industries directly
dump their hazardous and toxic chemicals directly into the river. These pollute the water
in a larger extent. Even the left out hazardous material from the petroleum and nuclear
plants are dumped into the water. This leads to a serious water pollution which cannot
be treated for millions of years to come. Governments should come with some strict
laws for the dumping of these toxic materials as a part of a water pollution solution.
Toxic and hazardous liquid material should be well treated in the treatment plants
before dumping in the river. Otherwise, we can also create a new filter to filter influent
from the industries. The filter must be can clear the waste from the industries by follow
the water quality index influent to the river.

Animal farms and solution

Water pollution from industrial farms not only damages the environment and kills
wildlife, but it can also sicken and kill people. And since these farms exercise little
restraint when it comes to water usage, they tend to waste large quantities of water,
even when neighboring communities are experiencing water shortages.  Because small,
sustainable farms are more integrated with their surrounding communities, they pay
closer attention to the ways that they use water and how their practices affect local
water supplies. Most water pollution from industrial farms results from the storage and
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disposal of animal waste. Industrial livestock farms store manure and other farm wastes
in gigantic tanks known as “lagoons” which can hold millions of gallons of manure and
urine. Unfortunately, these lagoons often leak and during large storms they may rupture
or simply overflow. When this happens, the environmental damage can be devastating,
as raw manure is up to 160 times more toxic than raw municipal sewage. For solving
this pollution occur by this caused, you can help by supporting small farms which to
promote healthier waterways while showing that you do not support the environmental
recklessness practiced by industrial farms. It’s means when you not support the
industrial farm which the main caused the river pollution. The effects from this action the
owner of industrial farm will be aware their mistakes and they will improve their farm
with more good treatment systems before they flow animals waste to the river. The
government can take action with limit the license for animal farm. This action can control
the influent from the animal farm flow to river. Otherwise, the authorities can action with
strict law with closed the farm which over the limit of rules from Department of
environment.

Agriculture activities and solution

Agricultural activities that cause nonpoint source pollution include confined animal
facilities, grazing, plowing, pesticide spraying, irrigation, fertilizing, planting, and
harvesting. The major agricultural nonpoint source pollutants that result from these
activities are sediment, nutrients, pathogens, pesticides, and salts. Agricultural activities
also can damage habitat and stream channels. Agricultural impacts on surface water
and ground water can be minimized by properly managing activities that can cause
nonpoint source pollution. There are included managed the sedimentation, nutrients and
pesticides. Sedimentation occurs when wind or water runoff carries soil particles from
an area, such as a farm field, and transports them to a water body, such as a river.
Excessive sedimentation clouds the water, which reduces the amount of sunlight
reaching aquatic plants which covers fish spawning areas and food supplies and clogs
the gills of fish. Farmers and ranchers can reduce erosion and sedimentation by 20 to
90 percent by applying management measures to control the volume and flow rate of
runoff water, keep the soil in place, and reduce soil transport. Nutrients such as
phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium in the form of fertilizers, manure, sludge, irrigation

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water, legumes, and crop residues are applied to enhance production. Farmers can
implement nutrient management plans which help maintain high yields and save money
on the use of fertilizers while reducing nonpoint source pollution. Otherwise, pesticides,
herbicides, and fungicides are used to kill pests and control the growth of weeds and
fungus. These chemicals can enter and contaminate water through direct application,
runoff, wind transport, and atmospheric deposition. To reduce nonpoint source
contamination from pesticides, people can apply Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
techniques based on the specific soils, climate, pest history, and crop for a particular
field. Integrated pest management helps limit pesticide use and manages necessary
applications to minimize pesticide movement from the field.

CONCLUSION
As conclusion, the solution for the river pollution depends on the polluted. The solution
for river pollution can comprise education, laws and economics. Education is making
people aware of the problem is the first step to solving it. With greater public awareness
can make a positive difference in solve river pollution. Otherwise, environmental laws
can make it tougher for people to pollute, but to be really effective they have to operate
across national and international borders. Most environmental experts agree that the
best way to tackle pollution is through something called the polluter pays principle. This
means that whoever causes pollution should have to pay to clean it up, one way or
another. Lastly, the best solution to river pollution is depending to ours. So, we should
together keep our river from polluted because rivers are natural gifts.

REFERENCES
http://www.doe.gov.my/en/content/department-environment-malaysia

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http://www.wepa-db.net/policies/state/malaysia/river.htm

http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/outreach/point6.cfm

Modul pengajaranjejuruteraan alam sekitar, labatan kejuruteraan awam, program

pengajiaan diploma, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia