Stinking water
posted in - General, - Palmdoc |The last few days, Smelly water irks residents, so reports the Star. The situation was so bad, even Jel and Cyanide had to seek bathing facility elsewhere as the water supply in the Clinical Students Hostel was not spared.
Syabas claims that the Water Smells Bad Due To Chemical Reaction
The unpleasant smell in piped water in Kuala Lumpur, Gombak, Petaling Jaya, Klang/Shah Alam, Kuala Selangor and Kuala Langat is due to the high ammonia content of water from Sungai Selangor which is the main water source to the affected areas, a statement issued by Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) said Monday.
The Syabas spokesperson goes on to claim:
It assured consumers that the water was safe for use and that the company was monitoring the situation.
It also said the situation would return to normal in a day or two.
Safe for use? But would you dare drink it? So what is the ammonia content that you measured, Syabas? I think we consumers should demand that they release the ammonia concentration data, so we know the true extent of the contamination.
You might be wondering what are the potential health hazards of excess ammonia/nitrates in your water supply?
The WHO has a webpage on Chemical hazards in drinking-water - ammonia
The threshold odour concentration of ammonia in water is approximately 1.5 mg/litre
- so we know the concentration must have been at least that in the recent events here.
Ammonia in water is an indicator of possible bacterial, sewage and animal waste pollution.
Ammonia is a major component of the metabolism of mammals. Exposure from environmental sources is insignificant in comparison with endogenous synthesis of ammonia. Toxicological effects are observed only at exposures above about 200mg/kg of body weight.
Ammonia in drinking-water is not of immediate health relevance, and therefore no health-based guideline value is proposed.However, ammonia can compromise disinfection efficiency, result in nitrite formation in distribution systems, cause the failure of filters for the removal of manganese and cause taste and odour problems
Yes, Syabas is giving consumers a real stinky problem. We’ll survive true enough, as our bodies should be able to metabolise the amount of ammonia consumed, but it is a very very unpleasant experience. Imagine having to bathe and pinch your nose at the same time! I guess when we made fun of Singaporeans and their “New Water” now they have the last laugh when Klang Valley Residents are experiencing “Poo Water”!!
Speaking of water quality, so does this example of what’s happening tell us that privatisation does not always mean better services? I just received an email yesterday regarding this matter:
Dear friends, please find attached the resolutions from the public consultation last Saturday.
The Coalition Against Water Privatisation will be meeting the Minister onthese principles.
We urge you to distribute this statement to as many people as you can and demand that Minister Lim Keng Yaik honour his words to not privatise water abstraction, treatment and supply.Statement
Public Consultation on the Future of Water Management in Malaysia
Saturday, 18th February 2006, Auditorium, Law Faculty, University Malaya272 citizens of Malaysia representing trade unions, residents associations, statutory bodies and institutions, professional bodies, academia, community organisations, non – governmental organisations, consumer groups, environmental and conservation organisations, political parties and religious groups – resolved that:
1. Water is a common good and access to water is a fundamental and inalienable human right;
2. Water is the basis for life on earth and thus cannot be transformed into a commodity for profit;
3. Water – managements and control – is the responsibility of the state; and
4. Water provisioning – safe, affordable and adequate water – is the responsibility of the state.
We call on the Malaysian government:
1. To ensure that access to water is a fundamental human right;
2. To respect, fulfil and promote this right, and thus,;
3. To ensure that the two Water Bills, namely Water Services Industry Bill 2005 and Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Air Negara 2005 unambiguously stipulate that – water will not be privatised or handed over to private hands;
4. To take-back management of water from existing privatised companies (to buy back the concession agreements); and
5. To ensure that the natural resource bases for water are accorded the highest protection, conserved and rehabilitated where necessary.
Our specific proposals with regards to the two bills are as follows:
1. The Water Services Industry Bill 2005 shall be named The Sustainable Water Management Bill 2005;
2. The Sustainable Water Management Bill 2005 shall state unequivocally that water shall remain within the state sector and that only public utilities or corporations owned by the state shall control, manage and own water and water infrastructure;
3. The Sustainable Water Management Bill 2005 shall state unequivocally that Water is a human right and that water is the responsibility of the state and the state shall provide for safe, affordable and adequate water supply;
4. The Sustainable Water Management Bill 2005 will incorporate Integrated Water Resource Management;
5. The Sustainable Water Management Bill 2005 to ensure that the workers rights in the water sector are safeguarded; and
6. The Sustainable Water Management Bill 2005 and The Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Air Negara Bill 2005 shall promote public sector reform through an empowered regulator, parliamentary oversight, public oversight through full disclosure of information, civil society oversight through an empowered Water Forum that is restricted to civil society and financial oversight through domestic public institutional fund managers.
Write in and complain to your MPs!
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March 1st, 2006 at 4:17 pm
I will belief its “safe for use” when the Board of Syabas takes water from a household tap (unfiltered only please) and drinks it.
Any consumer association president want to invite the board of Syabas to their home to take a swig from the taps?
March 2nd, 2006 at 6:33 am
Yeah, remember the Chicken eating stunt by politicians when the Avian flu scare hit our shores? I would have loved to see a pic of the Syabas CEO and Board drinking Poo Water.
March 2nd, 2006 at 8:04 am
Well something sure smells stinky apart from the water. After claiming the water “safe for use” Syabas has decided to cut the water supply in stages and clean up the reservoirs and tanks. At least it won’t be a 7-day water cut. Btw Syabas says it has “nothing to do with the stench or floods“.