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The Langat Sewerage Project is silently but surely bringing about major changes to the way the nation views the sewerage industry. The high-impact project, covering a catchment area stretching from Cheras Batu 11 to Kajang, is setting nothing short of a new frontier when it comes to the technology deployed. The project, implemented by the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water (KeTTHA), is also a harbinger to the deployment of top of the class knowledge from Japan. The latest sewage treatment plant initiatives at the Tokyo Metropolitan Sewerage Services Corporation, also known as Tokyo Gesuidou Service (TGS), are now flowing to their counterparts at the Langat project. At that same time, the massive project is also contributing on the green technology front.
PROJECT BACKGROUND
The project involves constructing a Centralised Sewage Treatment Plant (CSTP) with the capacity of 920,000 population equivalents (PE) (equivalent to an average flow of 207,000 cubic metres per day) and a sewerage pipe network approximately 100km in length, including 1,100 manholes. The scale is massive. The newly constructed sewerage pipe network and CSTP will result in the rationalisation and decommissioning of 164 small inefficient multipoint sewage treatment plants in various housing areas such as Cheras Batu 11, Desa Baiduri, Cheras Jaya, Kajang 1 and Kajang 3, inclusive of Kajang Prison, which will immediately reduce multipoint pollutant discharge into the Langat River. It also involves building six new pumping stations and upgrading four existing pumping stations.
Once completed, the effluent treated by CSTP will discharge clear water to the Langat River, complying to Category 1 Standard A as stipulated in the Environment Quality (Sewage) Regulations 2009. This is a huge step-up as the nation moves up the development value chain. It is a major leap from the pre-independence era when there was no treatment at all to primary treatment by individual septic tanks in the 1950s.
Since the early 2000s, the Malaysian government, under the Eight Malaysia Plan (2000–2005), had focused on environmental preservation to introduce and install wastewater treatment plants that can remove nitrogen. Then, the Government embarked on an extensive sewerage capital development programme called the National Sewerage Project (NSP) involving the implementation of these 13 large-scale, mechanised sewage treatment projects. The Langat Sewerage Project fits here.
Artist impression on Langat Centralised Sewage Treatment Plant
PROJECT DELIVERY
On 15 Feb 2016, KeTTHA has signed a contract agreement valued at RM1.5 billion with MMC Pembetungan Langat Sdn Bhd (MMC PLSB), a wholly-owned subsidiary of MMC Corporation Bhd, to carry out the Langat Sewerage Project.
"MMC is honoured to be entrusted by KeTTHA to undertake the responsibility to build a world-class sewage treatment centre that is similar to the facility in Japan," said MMC Corp Bhd Group Managing Director Datuk Seri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh in a statement after the signing ceremony.
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER IS KEY
MMC PLSB was given the responsibility to build a sewage treatment plant based on the experience and success of TGS, in Japan. One key component at play here is the transfer of Japanese technology know-how. TGS sewerage system in downtown Tokyo, with a population of more than 13 million, has much to offer in terms of expertise and experience. It has 13 water reclamation centres, 85 pump stations and the sewer length in its entirety stretches 15.9 km over 23 districts. One key feature of the TGS operations is the removal of nitrate from the sewage using the aeration and de-nitrification system.
GREEN TECHNOLOGY FRONT & PUBLIC AMENITIES
On the green technology front, the Langat Sewerage Project, scheduled for completion by October 2020 will see the roll out of initiatives like solar power, biogas waste to energy facility and rainwater harvesting. The Langat CSTP facility, which houses a sports and recreation facilities within, will itself bear its own integrated green building features. These include a landscaped park and a solar farm. The public recreation and amenities at the above facility will include a community hall, 16 badminton, 2 futsal, 3 sepak takraw and 2 basketball courts.
SEWER CONVEYANCE SYSTEM – CONSTRUCTION & CHALLENGES
Any construction project of such magnitude is bound to face challenges. The Langat Sewerage Project is no different. One unique challenge facing this project when constructing approximately 100km of Sewer Conveyance System is the soil condition in Kajang. You have a terrain that is hilly and filled with granite and limestone formations.
A side from the terrain, another major construction challenge is ensuring the safety of workers as well as the public. Here, the project team has implemented a comprehensive Traffic Management Plan (TMP) and instituted other safety measures to ensure traffic inconvenience to road users and the public is minimised during construction and that they are protected from any potential construction hazards.
No stone is left unturned when it comes to ensuring safety. Flagmen are deployed to direct traffic when there is construction activity on site. Traffic signage and blinkers are also used to alert road users on the construction ahead.
Common barriers are amplified by securing it with concrete barriers. Under construction manhole are not left open. Instead, they are covered with a concrete slab and a safety net to avoid mishaps. These are but some of various safety measures undertaken.
Another key element is a dedicated Emergency Response Team (ERT). Among others, the ERT manages traffic to ensure the safety of motorists and to minimise obstruction to traffic flow.
Safety as the project’s utmost priority has yielded results. On 28th April 2017, MMC PLSB celebrated its 3 million man-hours without loss time injury (LTI). LTI denotes injuries sustained by employees that ultimately lead to the loss of productive work time in the form of work delays or workers’ absenteeism.
CONTINUOUS ENGAGEMENT
The construction of Langat Sewerage project would naturally impact the lives of people in its surrounding areas. Continuous engagement with parties affected by the construction of Langat Sewerage Project is critical and as one of the steps to mitigate social and environmental impact of the project. To date MMC PLSB has organised a total of 155 various public engagement programmes with its stakeholders such as Town Hall, dialogue sessions and exhibitions to communicate on the project information, benefit and implementation. The project has also established a 24hour hotline (1-300-88-PLSB) and website www.langatsp.com as its service channels to manage public feedback and any arising matters.
SUCCESS MODEL
As one of MMC Corporation’s major national project, it is hoped that Langat Sewerage Project will be a success model in the sewerage sector as it provides ideal solutions for major water cycle issues. The project is massive not just in size, but in its expected contribution to the advancement of development to achieve ecological sustainability enabling MMC PLSB to steadily contribute to the nation building process.
As at May 2017, the Centralised Sewage Treatment Plant has achieved 40% progress.
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