W.A.T.E.R Project: Water Stewardship Agenda I

More than 90% of our water resources come from the rivers and yet, only 47% of our rivers remain clean. Therefore, the core elements of this programme involve river education and rehabilitation coupled with strategic partnerships with relevant Government agencies and local communities.

The project promotes balancing of water usage for intake and supply through improvement of wastewater, storm water and sullage water management and empowerment of local community to reduce stress on local water resources and ensure watershed security through hard, soft and HEART approach with the outcomes that can be quantified.

Under W.A.T.E.R Project – Water Stewardship Agenda I, Sungai Penchala River Education Programme (including Sungai Way) will be enhanced and continue into Phase 3 while phasing out the Sungai Kinta River Education Programme (by empowering relevant agencies and stakeholders to take charge of their water sources).

In addition, Selangor River is added as one of the project sites along with Penchala River and Sungei Way to embark its rehabilitation journey through stakeholders’ empowerment.

Aim/objective:

The overall aim is to rescue stress on local water resource, ensure watershed security and return water used through the following objectives:

To continue the Sungai Penchala River Education Programme (including Sungai Way) and phase out the Sungai Kinta River Education Programme
To maintain or enhance river ecosystem health through balancing water intake and discharge activities
To empower targeted groups on good water stewardship
To encourage participatory approaches in river basin projects by relevant government agencies

Project Achievement:

Reforested 1 hectare of peatland that stored 4,250,000 litres of water and functions as carbon storage to regulate the Earth temperature.
Constructed 305 metre clay dyke in the Raja Musa Forest Reserve, which has so far stored 136,102,000 litres of water, ensuring the long-term sustainability of Selangor River’s water supply.
Built 16 rainwater harvesting systems for the communities at the river basins of Penchala River and Selangor River, saving 10,617,000 litres of treated water and rainwater used for general purposes including cleaning, landscaping and irrigation which benefitting 6455 people.
Installed water thimble devices at 407 households within the river basins of Selangor River and Penchala River, benefitting 1848 people and saving 28,813,900 litres of water.
Maintained water quality of Sungei Way at Class III (previously was Class V in 2007).
Four communities within the Penchala River basin have started urban gardening using the existing rainwater harvesting systems for self-consumption and sales neighbouring communities.
In 2020, two (2) rainwater harvesting systems and one (1) direct river water extraction system were provided to assist the communities in Selangor River in farming projects that were built with seed funding from SPARK Foundation worth RM4,500. The aim of seed grant was to promote water stewardship and long-term food sustainability to the communities in Selangor River.

Related Projects

River Care Programme

Sungai Penchala River Education Programme

Sungai Penchala River Education Programme is the expansion of Sungai Way W.A.T.E.R Project (Working Actively through Education and Rehabilitation) which began in 2007.

Project status: Ongoing

River Care Programme

River Health Index and Community-based IRBM for River Health Care

The 18-month project aims strengthen river basin management and stewardship in the Sungai Kinta Catchment by promoting the use of the River Health Index (RHI), supporting community action and sustaining the CbKRB-IRBM model.

Project status: Completed

River Care Programme

Enhancing Local Action and Community Participation in Disaster Preparedness and Response

This project addresses the increasing risks of flooding caused by climate change and the expansion of human settlements in flood-prone areas.

Project status: Completed

River Care Programme

Stewardship for A Healthy Kinta River Basin Through Green Living Practices

This 3-year project aims to achieve a Healthy Kinta River Basin in a long term by redefining the definition of healthy rivers in line with living river concept.

W.A.T.E.R Project: Water Stewardship Agenda I