AIR Selangor activated a stop-work order at the Bukit Tampoi water treatment plant (WTP) in Dengkil following an accident involving two lorries carrying palm oil and earth at 3.30pm yesterday.

State Tourism, Environment, Green Technology and Orang Asli Affairs Committee chairman Hee Loy Sian said as a result of the accident, the spill breached the nearby drainage system, which feeds Sg Semarang and Sg Langat.

“The oil spill location is very near to the Bukit Tampoi intake point, about 700m away,” he said.

Hee said there is no water supply disruption reported by Air Selangor and the WTP is expected to resume operations after no odour or oil were detected in the raw water source.

“Early preventive measures were taken by PLUS Malaysia Bhd (PLUS) by loading 25 bags of sawdust in the affected area. 

“The preventive initiatives were enhanced with the Selangor Water Management Board (LUAS) placing an oil pad box in the highway drain to prevent residual oil from continuing to flow into the river,” he said in a statement today. 

He said LUAS had also installed four “oil booms” (containment devices) in two different locations to prevent the flow of waste oil from entering the river. 

Hee added that the Sepang Environment Department had ordered the palm oil factory involved to carry out removal of the residual oil as soon as possible. 

“Sampling carried out by LUAS in three different locations in the upstream, highway drain, and downstream of the river found oil that had accumulated in the highway drain, while sampling in the downstream and upstream areas of Bukit Tampoi up to 3.20am early this morning found no trace of oil at all sampling points.

“LUAS has carried out sampling and will be sending them to the Chemistry Department for analysis. Close monitoring from time to time continues by LUAS along with parties involved to ensure the water resource in Selangor is not polluted,” he said. – Bernama, July 29, 2022.