IWK's 'Ops Sedut' In Kedah Raises Awareness On Septic Tank Maintenance

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13 (Bernama) -- The national sewerage company, Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) Sdn Bhd, today held the “Three Decades of IWK Ensuring People’s Well-being Carnival” with residents of the Karangan sub-district in Kulim, Kedah.

IWK Desludging Business Unit head Pauzi Mohamed said that the “Ops Sedut” programme was also held during the carnival to raise awareness of the importance of emptying the septic tank.

“In conjunction with IWK’s 30th anniversary, we remain committed to ensuring that the environment’s sustainability is preserved for the public’s well-being. For premises using individual septic tank systems, it is essential to understand that these tanks handle wastewater and have limited treatment capacity. 

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“Failure to empty them can lead to untreated wastewater flowing into rivers, contaminating water sources. Sewage should be safely disposed of to prevent waterborne diseases,” he said in a statement.

Kulim district officer Mohd Zaini Ramli officiated the programme.

Pauzi said, under the Water Services Industry Act 2006, all owners, management or occupants of premises with septic tanks must conduct regular desludging, adding that failure to comply constitutes an offence under subsection 65(3) of the Water Services Industry Act 2006 [Act 655] and may, upon conviction, be fined not exceeding RM50,000.

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“In Malaysia, there are around 1.35 million septic tanks required to be emptied at least once every two years. We hope that the community engagement programmes will increase awareness among septic tank owners about the responsibility of emptying their tanks for the sake of the environment,” he added.

The programme is one of the activities organised to provide a more detailed explanation of the Water Services Industry (Desludging Services) Regulations 2021.

Around 500 residents from 10 villages in the district attended the septic tank emptying and sustainable cleaning demonstrations, which showcased the best methods to prevent excess oil or fats from entering the sewer system.

IWK Northern Region Head of Desludging Business Department Wan Abdul Jalil Wan Husin said the programme was well-received by locals, with 250 premises already registered with IWK for septic tank emptying services.

Various exciting activities, such as folk games, a 10,000-step walk activity, briefings from guest speakers, a colouring contest and a floral arrangement competition, were also held at the carnival.

-- BERNAMA