Perak River's blue water remains safe for use, analysis shows

Recent concerns over the blue discoloration of Sungai Perak have been addressed by environmental science experts, who confirm the water remains within Malaysia's Class II Water Quality Index. Extensive analysis of over 30 parameters, including metal content and suspended solids, found the water suitable for its designated uses.

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When we say safe, we have to ask, safe for what? If we are talking about raw water to be treated through conventional processes, based on the data we have, the quality is still at a level that allows it to undergo conventional treatment.

Dr. Abdul Rani Abdullah, an Adjunct Professor at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, stated that the water quality allows for conventional treatment processes to make it suitable for supply. He also affirmed its safety for agricultural use. However, he cautioned that Class II status does not permit direct drinking; all river water requires treatment before consumption.

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If the water quality is suitable for treatment for water supply purposes, I can say it is also safe for agricultural systems.

The blue hue and reports of fish deaths had led to speculation about potential links to mining activities in the Sungai Rui area. Dr. Abdul Rani explained that the recorded metal content was not high enough to be the primary cause of the fish deaths. Instead, he suggested that high levels of suspended solids, possibly exacerbated by heavy rainfall and subsequent runoff carrying sediment and debris, could be a contributing factor affecting aquatic life.

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No river water should be drunk directly; it needs to go through a treatment process first.

While the Department of Fisheries Perak also conducted water sampling following fish death reports, Dr. Abdul Rani noted that determining the exact cause of fish mortality requires specific studies on the fish and the environmental conditions at the time of the incident, beyond just water quality analysis.

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If the metal was the cause of the fish deaths, its content would need to be at a much higher concentration than what we recorded.