Kuching Water Board uses the conventional method in the treatment of raw water from Sungai Sarawak Kiri. The typical raw water is slight turbid and has a pH value of about 6.9. The treatment processes deployed are as follows:
|
| a. |
Coagulation - Destabilizations of colloidal matters to form micro-floc
|
| b. |
Flocculation - Agglomeration of micro-floc to form larger floc
|
| c. |
Sedimentation - Settlement of floc by gravity
|
| d. |
Filtration - Solid-liquid separation through porous media
|
| e. |
Disinfection - Elimination of bacteria by using chloramines
(chlorine and ammonia)
|
| f. |
Fluoridation - Addition of fluoride to prevent dental caries
|
| g. |
Conditioning - Elevation of pH value in drinking water
|
| The water treatment chemicals used in the treatment process are as below: |
| |
- Aluminium Sulphate
- Hydrated Lime
- Polymer
- Chlorine
- Ammonia
- Sodium Silicofluoride
|
To ensure that the drinking water produced by Kuching Water Board consistently complies with the National Drinking Water Quality Standards a system of stringent water quality surveillance programme has been instituted. The programme prescribes the frequency, type and location of water samples to be collected from the raw water sources, water in the treatment train, reservoirs and 40 other sampling stations that are strategically located in the water supply area. The locations of the sample stations are as shown in Table 1 below:
Water samples collected three time a month at every location |
| No. |
Location |
|
No. |
Location |
| 1 |
Kampung Semaba |
|
21 |
Kampung Kuap |
| 2 |
Jalan Datuk Stephen Yong |
|
22 |
16th Mile Jalan Serian |
| 3 |
Taman Malihah |
|
23 |
10th Mile Bazaar |
| 4 |
11th Mile Jalan Matang |
|
24 |
Jalan Stakan |
| 5 |
Polytechnic |
|
25 |
Kampung Merdang |
| 6 |
Matang Wild Life Centre |
|
26 |
Kampung Meranek |
| 7 |
Kampung Telaga Air |
|
27 |
Kampung Pinang |
| 8 |
6th Mile Jalan Matang |
|
28 |
Kota Samarahan Market |
| 9 |
Kubah Ria, Jalan Matang |
|
29 |
Kampung Baru |
| 10 |
General Hospital |
|
30 |
15th Mile Jalan Serian |
| 11 |
Rubber Road |
|
31 |
Batu Kawa |
| 12 |
Market Street |
|
32 |
Jalan Sungai Tapang |
| 13 |
Normah Hospital |
|
33 |
Taman Satria Jaya BDC |
| 14 |
Institut Kemahiran Mara |
|
34 |
Hui Sing |
| 15 |
Petra Jaya |
|
35 |
Tabuan Jaya |
| 16 |
Kampung Sejingkat |
|
36 |
Tabuan Laru |
| 17 |
Kampung Senari |
|
37 |
Pending/Bintawa |
| 18 |
Kampung Gobel |
|
38 |
Bintawa Industrial Estate |
| 19 |
Bako Resettlement Scheme |
|
39 |
Pending |
| 20 |
Muara Tebas |
|
40 |
Sama Jaya Industrial Park |
|
| |
|
Water samples are sent to both the Department of Chemistry in compliance with the Ministry of Health’s National Drinking Water Quality Surveillance Programme and Kuching Water Board’s Water Quality Assurance Laboratory for analysis. The analysis includes physico-chemical and bacteriological examination.
 |
| |
In 2007, a total of 27,036 water samples were collected from the raw water sources, treatment plant pumping mains, reservoirs and distribution system for physico-chemical and bacteriological examination. Out of the number, 20682 samples were analyzed physicochemically while the remaining 6354 samples were examined bacteriological. A total of 25252 samples or 93.4 % of the total were analyzed in the Board’s Water Quality Control Laboratory while the rest of the 1748 samples or 6.6% were sent to the Department of Chemistry for analysis. The breakdown of the samples analyses in 2007 is as shown in Table 2 below:
|
| |
Table 2: Water Quality Standards |
