Keratan Akhbar The Star – Tapping into water source underground

The Star, 6 Mei 2022 – Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) is hoping to get funding for underground water filter installations in rural areas in Sedohok and Cha’ah, both in Segamat, Johor.

UTHM Faculty of Technical and Vocational Education lecturer Prof Dr Mohd Zainizan Sahdan said the water filter would cost between RM150,000 and RM500,000, depending on the water source.

“We plan to go to Kampung Orang Asli Sedohok and Kampung Orang Asli Cha’ah, as the villagers there depend on the water supply that flows from the top of a mountain and it will usually be dried up during a drought.

“The underground water filter costs around RM150,000 while the brackish water filter costs between RM300,000 and RM500,000,” he said when contacted by StarMetro.

Prof Mohd Zainizan said he and a team of researchers from UTHM went to Tawau, Sabah recently to help instal an underground water filter system.

“The system, dubbed ‘Containerised Water Filtration System Ultra’, was developed this year.

“The technology is automatic, uses long-lasting fibre, is equipped with an ultraviolet (UV) light and portable so that it can be used in different locations,” he explained, elaborating that the project was managed by his student Mohammad Erwan Zaki Mat Radzi.

He stressed that the research on underground water filters was important as the world depended on clean water sources.

“In Johor Baru, most of the rivers have fallen into the Category 4 class, which is deemed polluted and it will take time to clean them up.

“Developed countries such as Germany and Denmark have moved to use 100% underground water supply and this should be emulated by developing countries,” he added.

Prof Mohd Zainizan said his research team was also working closely with the Mineral and Geoscience Department in promoting underground water sources.

“What we lack right now is the technology to filter underground water, which is totally different from the usual water filter we have today,” he said.

Meanwhile, on the project in Tawau, he said the team had conducted their research from January to March this year.

“The research was funded by a company based in Sabah.

“We have managed to help the villagers there who previously depended on rainwater as well as clean water that is delivered to them daily,” Prof Mohd Zainizan added.