It was a wonderful privilege for us to meet the Drinking Water Quality Control Unit of Sik, which is also known as Kawalan Mutu Air Minum (KMAM), led by Health Inspector, Nor Hazimah Binti Hassan. Together with Bekalan Air dan Kebersihan Alam Sekitar, KMAM has formed a body under the supervision of Engineering Unit of Disease Control Unit. The objective of forming KMAM is to improve the public health standard through regulation of the quality of drinking water in order to reduce the incidence of water-borne diseases. And, its function is to ensure the quality of drinking water by surveillance. Thus, together with its objective the unit served its 5 main elements to ensure the quality of drinking water; which are monitoring, cleanliness survey, evaluation of data, treatment action and institutional inspection.Sik district is divided into 4 main courses based on its water supply. The courses are Batu Lima, Sik, Jeniang and Beris Jaya. On the other hand, this unit covers 44 point stations for sampling throughout the district. And, the sampling is done weekly and 6 samples will be collected from each station. After the collection of samples, these samples will be sent to Chemistry Laboratory in Alor Star for analysis and the result will be expected after 2 weeks. In terms of water sampling, the quality of water is based on the compounds and chemicals present in it. These compounds are divided onto 4 groups Group 1 (microorganisms), Group 2 (non- metals i.e. ammonia, nitrates), Group (heavy metals) and Group 4 (pesticides).
All the results and data on water sampling done by the KMAM unit will be inserted into a software programme called Water Quality Surveillance (WQS). This database is online-based therefore it can be studied by state level KMAM at all time. Besides the routine water sampling, the KMAM unit also responds to complaints from public and also when there are cases of water contamination.
In addition, Health Inspector, Nor Hazimah has demonstrated water sampling at a station in Sik. Samples of water were taken in 4 different reagents added to them covering the 4 main groups as explained above. Another 6 samples were taken into ‘whirl bags’ for laboratory analysis. She had also demonstrated for us the usage of pH meter, Turbidity meter and Chlorine residue measuring device. The normal limits of some of the measurement taken from a water sample, Chlorine residue:0.2mg/ml,pH:6.5–9, Colour unit: less than 15 and NTU: 5 (turbidity unit).
It was a marvelous exposure to us where we can experience the actual field work instead of theoretical visualisation in the delightful air-conditioned room. Last but not least, we would like to thank Cik Hazminah for spending her precious time with us and giving us such an interesting session.
Kenny Lim
All the results and data on water sampling done by the KMAM unit will be inserted into a software programme called Water Quality Surveillance (WQS). This database is online-based therefore it can be studied by state level KMAM at all time. Besides the routine water sampling, the KMAM unit also responds to complaints from public and also when there are cases of water contamination.
In addition, Health Inspector, Nor Hazimah has demonstrated water sampling at a station in Sik. Samples of water were taken in 4 different reagents added to them covering the 4 main groups as explained above. Another 6 samples were taken into ‘whirl bags’ for laboratory analysis. She had also demonstrated for us the usage of pH meter, Turbidity meter and Chlorine residue measuring device. The normal limits of some of the measurement taken from a water sample, Chlorine residue:0.2mg/ml,pH:6.5–9, Colour unit: less than 15 and NTU: 5 (turbidity unit).It was a marvelous exposure to us where we can experience the actual field work instead of theoretical visualisation in the delightful air-conditioned room. Last but not least, we would like to thank Cik Hazminah for spending her precious time with us and giving us such an interesting session.
Kenny Lim
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