Klang River capacity boosted, 98,000 tons of trash removed

The Klang River is showing marked improvement in cleanliness, with over 98,000 metric tons of various waste removed since 2017. Landasan Lumayan Sdn. Bhd. (LLSB) reports a significant 63% reduction in annual garbage collection, dropping from 16,000 tons in 2016-2017 to around 5,000-6,000 tons last year.

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The decrease in garbage collection is significant, around 15 to 20 percent annually from the first year. The most significant impact is the improvement in water quality. Previously, when there was a lot of garbage, the water quality was Class 5, very, very polluted with odor and color changes. Now, praise be to God, the water quality has improved to the mid-level between Class Four or Three.

LLSB Managing Director Syaiful Azmen Nordin stated that daily garbage collection averages between 100 to 150 tons. The company aims to collect less than 1,000 tons annually, acknowledging that complete elimination of waste is unrealistic in an urban setting. He noted a substantial decrease during the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating domestic waste as a primary source.

The river's water quality has also improved, rising from Class 5 (highly polluted) to the mid-range of Class 4 or 3. This enhancement is attributed to the removal of waste, including submerged debris found at depths of three to five meters.

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Our target is, if possible, to have garbage collection below 1,000 tons for each year. We cannot expect no garbage at all, we have to be practical and realistic because the Klang River is in an urban area.

Furthermore, projects to deepen the Klang River and upgrade its banks are 68% complete. These efforts have increased the river's capacity by 22%, with approximately 1.5 million cubic meters excavated. While floods may still occur due to internal drainage issues, the risk of river overtopping has been reduced, unlike the situation in 2021.

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There are several areas, especially critical ones in Taman Seri Muda, Shah Alam, that have been widened and the banks, including embankments, have been improved. So far, we have excavated about 1.5 million cubic meters (from Shah Alam City to the river mouth) to increase capacity.