We do not know what to expect as we drive past the commercial area of TTDI compact with its eateries, the infamous wet market and office lots. We follow our guides to a little "escape route" far from the urban area, uphill.

When the car comes to a halt, it is at first rather disappointing to note that Sungai Penchala's source is a small trickle. It is a far cry from what we expect, a waterfall bursting from the hilltop.

But it is still a refreshing experience, what with the melodious sound of running water and the sight of crystal clear ready-to-drink water. One of our guides, Global Environment Centre (GEC) programme officer Dr K. Kalithasan willingly demonstrates.

We take in deep breaths of fresh air, a welcome change from the usual dusty and polluted environment filled with exhaust fumes.

Sungai Penchala is GEC's "baby" under its three-year project on Community Participation in River Management which began in December 2002.

The project which is supported by a RM1.4 million grant from the Danish overseas aid agency Danida is developed in cooperation with the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), Fisheries Department, relevant state government agencies and local authorities.

The soothing and serene surroundings are enhanced by the greenery draping both sides of the road. About a half kilometre away from the source (2km from the park entrance), we had the pleasure of being introduced to the "Voice of the Stream".

Whispering sounds of clear, pristine waters running over rocks and pebbles which serve as oxidising agents, the Voice seemed a little louder due to the larger volume of water.

This is the uppermost part of the 12km long river that flows through the jurisdiction of Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur.

Both big and small rocks decorate the river banks which are covered with the natural beauty of dried and fallen leaves. Thriving on top of them was the greenest of mosses.

However, under the rocks that lie in the shallow stream in what may be the city's only green lung, are living things which count in biological monitoring.

"This is our usual spot where organisms - some that can be seen with the naked eye, others microscopic - are trapped to serve as indicators of the water quality and then released back into the river," explained Kalithasan who was accompanied by fellow officer Khalilulnisha Abu Bakar. The latter gamely demonstrates the monitoring process.

Armed with a green net, Khalilulnisha steps into the water to kick up the soil, stirring up the sand. The cloudy water is then scooped up and emptied into aquariums which are first filled with fresh water from the river.

Three river prawns, almost transparent looking, dance by us, while from beneath the rocks, two-tailed bright-orange stonefly nymphs dart around. These nymphs, we learn, mature into the dragonflies usually found hovering near river areas.

Two eight-legged river spiders and a few other water mites float on the river surface while Kalithasan shares his childhood memories.

"We grew up in an estate and back then, the river was an important source of water.

"Now we have moved to urban areas, and people hardly realise that 97% of water that flows from our taps actually comes from rivers."

A majority do not care about the rivers and confuse them with drains to carry their solid and liquid wastes. It is not just industrial effluents, but domestic waste that pollutes in our rivers.

"It all boils down to people ... The residents will blame industry but they don't realise that even curries, when thrown into the drain, will flow into the rivers. And measures like grease traps and rubbish traps will serve no purpose.

"Marine life suffers when waste is thrown into drains or rivers so there needs to be a major paradigm shift in the mindset of the people before anything can happen at all," says Kalithasan.

Our journey continues downhill from the biological monitoring spot. We are led to two river tributaries, one flowing through the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club (KLGCC) and another flowing through the Bukit Kiara Longhouse area.

At Bukit Kiara Perumahan Awam, the pungent smell of ammonia fills the air. The surroundings look reasonably clean and we notice a significant amount of space on one side of the drain with a brick border.

Before being told about the Wetlands Cell, I am introduced to Bukit Kiara Longhouse Residents Association chairman and technician V. Sundram, 53.

He fondly recollects his childhood days in the rubber estate before the area was transformed into the posh KLGCC and his family relocated in July 1982.

"The river was so clean we could drink from the river without a worry ... There was no need for treated water but with development the river conditions seem to be worsening," he says.

Sundram stays only about one kilometre from the source of Sungai Penchala, but he has already seen the worst. About 20 years ago, the outlet of the tank was a waterfall generously spilling its discharge. The problem has been reduced since a PVC pipe has been fixed and the Wetlands Cell was put up with the cooperation of GEC and the Kuala Lumpur City Hall.

However, the plants growing on the gravel seem too sparse to absorb enough of the nutrients as a pre-treatment process before the fluids drain into the stream flowing less than 200 metres away.

"We're working on expanding the Wetlands Cell but in the meantime, residents keep the surroundings clean with gotong-royong efforts while children are involved in the Start Managing All Resources Today (Smart) Ranger programme which promotes recycling twice weekly," he said.

As I take a walk to the stream by an access road that is being laid out, the sight that greets me unfortunately, is not as welcoming.

There is erosion along the muddy banks and smack in the middle of the shallow stream, the empty cup of an instant noodle snack lies marooned. Surrounding it are other food containers, a snack food wrapper, a tube of toothpaste and plastic bags which contributed to the water's murky look.

"Instead of using proper bins, people have turned drains into dumping grounds," says Sundram.

We stop at a petrol station along the main road near the Damansara Water Treatment Plant where three outlets flowing to the two main river tributaries can be seen.

Clean water gushes from the Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) treatment plant while the outlet passing through the residential area, commercial area and the wet market is hidden.

But the dark red colour of the discharge from this outlet gives way its location, as well as the possible source - a wet market further up the road.

The remaining outlet flows from the main source and the longhouse area.

The tour continues to Section 19, Petaling Jaya, where we meet hawker Tan Yew Leong, 45, who has lived near Sungai Penchala for the past five years. Tan, and a few other caring neighbours work at monitoring the river quality levels once in a while.

The residents have been trained by GEC to conduct the tests. Some samples are sent to an accredited laboratory, and others are tested at one of their homes.

A sample of the river water is scooped up with a pail, and tests done to ascertain the water clarity as well as the phosphate and other nutrient content.

"In my time here, the river quality has improved slightly although there are incidents where outsiders are found dumping rubbish into our river," says Tan. There is a long way more to go, he feels, especially in creating a sense of awareness among the people.

"The situation is made worse mostly because of the squatter areas where the residents should be educated about the importance of our river," he says.

I get a whiff of ammonia from a treatment plant nearby and while standing on the bridge, there is a now-flattened black plastic bag filled with rubbish hanging over a telecommunication company's fibre optic rail located next to the pedestrian bridge.

We spot a gold wristband in the bag and wonder what brand of watch it came with.

"Maybe the culprit's watch had come loose while he was trying to dump the bag into the river but he missed his mark and the watch came off with it," jokes Khalilulnisha.

The water here is still murky and Kalithasan points out, is probably due to sediments from a construction site upstream.

"The river is a minimum Class 4 (one above the worst category). There was an incident when black sewage waste was being discharged into the river and it was rather bad."

GEC is finalising its River Ranger programme for students to monitor the river conditions through physical, chemical, biological indicators and hands-on work.

"The technique is learnt from the Danish government and will utilise a River Health Check Report Card in which the kids can rate the river condition themselves.

"Hopefully our programmes will go national in the next four or five years because such awareness is much needed," says Khalilulnisha.

The most common response when it comes to caring for our rivers is "It's not our job because we are paying taxes. So the responsibility falls in the hands of the local councils and government agencies like the DID."

"They have a right to say that but they fail to realise they have a role to play as well because it all boils down to people and what they do," he said.

Kalithasan says among adults, an attitude of willingness needs to be instilled and cultivated as although ideas are in abundance at dialogues and meetings, when the time comes to embark on projects, "no one wants to take the lead."

"Malaysians are very wait-and-see ... This is a major issue and it is what is stopping us from achieving better river quality.

"Despite all this, we have noticed a slight change in the attitude of the public. They are more courageous and have more confidence in coming out in the open with issues that need to be highlighted," he observes.

Another priority is a change in the education system as knowledge learnt in school "should be transferred from the head to the heart", says Kalithasan.

"What is taught in schools are drilled into the students' minds because the emphasis is on examinations. But knowledge needs to touch the children's hearts.

"Everyone needs to realise the difference it would make if we do or do not take action to preserve our rivers because we are entrusted to do so and we are supposed to care."

People forget that rivers are a living entity and it should be respected and cared for. Instead, it has now turned into a dumping ground. So we must reach people with this concept.

"It is not easy to work with the people - residents or government agencies but with the latter, once contact is established between us, cooperating with them falls into place.

"Residents in the areas that we work in, on the other hand, show a differnt pattern. Only those who have close contacts or have activities close to the river are interested while the others just could not care less," Kalithasan says.

The environment, we have learnt, is priceless and being in a country blessed with sufficient rainfall, concrete and yet balanced out green lungs.

Malaysians are regarded as soft-hearted and to some others, the cleanest people in the world. Yet, our river and drain conditions often leave us wondering if such assumptions are true.