CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

PROJECT ENVIRONMENT ENGINEERING (SECTION 3)

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1.1 ABSTRACT This paper studies the water quality of the pond in University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia. The parameters of the water quality will be test through laboratory test and In-situ test. In consequently, the result of the water quality and the suitability of rowing activity in this pond will be discussed in this paper.

1.2

BACKGROUND Early year 2010, there have been happens water supply contaminations occurring in the

area of Yong Peng and Batu Pahat. The Sungai Batu Pahat which provides water supply to the resident at Yong Peng, Batu Pahat, and Ayer Hitam was contaminated for a number of days due to the overspill of leach ate from a nearby industrial area, which is Taman Perindustrian Wawasan, Kawasan Perindustrian Tongkang Pecah, Kawasan Perindustrian Parit Raja, Kawasan Perindustrian Sri Gading I, Kawasan Perindustrian Sri Gading II, Taman Industri Seri Sulong, Kawasan Perindustrian Kota Murni and many more. As the location of UTHM is nearby the Kawasan Perindustrian Parit Raja, the precipitation at UTHM area contains acid rains due to high air pollution. The turbidity of the water itself is very low and the color of the water is muddy. The strong smell of the water itself, believed to be caused by magnesium, indicates that it is clearly unsafe for any use especially for drinking purpose.

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Figure 1.1 : Water supply from tap water in Kolej Kediaman Perwira Blok M capture in 13 April 2010

Water pollution is one of the major environment problems in University Tun Hussien Onn Malaysia, (UTHM) today. Without proper management and further step to protect water from being continuing polluted the entire environment and the entire ecosystem can be effected. The impact of this development challenging to the UTHM Environmental Engineering student to ensure the impact of this development can be solved.

Figure 1.2: The lake was located to the opposite of G3 building.

For our lab testing, the sample was taken from the pond of the UTHM. The pond was located to the opposite of G3 building. The main source for this pond is the rain water. After the

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laboratory testing and in-situ site testing, we have to determine the water quality of the pond by parameters.

1.3

PROBLEM STATEMENT The fundamental problem is the pH value of this pond is slightly acidic. PH can be

defined as the concentration of ion hydrogen of a fluid. The factories near by the university area was released the smoke without having any treatment. The smoke was reacted with the rain water and makes the rain water acidic. During the raining season, the rain water will wash through the polluted air before fall in to the pond. This will decreases the pH value of the lake water. This condition can pollute the environment and aquatic life. Some species of aquatic life will distinct due to cannot survive this extreme condition. Furthermore, the urban runoff carried the zinc particle come from tire of the vehicles to the pond. The surface runoff from the road beside the pond, will drains the water to flow in the pond by the aids of hydraulic gradient. The high concentration of zinc in the lake, it is causing high turbidity of the lake water. Besides, the factories near to the lake was released the industrial wastewaters into the lake. Many industrial wasters contain either toxic metal or toxic organic substance. If discharged in large quantities, all types of aquatic and terrestrial species would be affected. The main function of this pond is to provide a platform for rowing activity purpose. Therefore, the water quality should follow the guidelines for safe recreational waters from World Health Organization, WHO. Direct ingestion of water, inhalation of volatile or aerosolized solutes, and dermal contact and absorption through the skin is the main routes of exposure to chemicals in the pond. This may lead to skin problem or decease of student and staff, who rowing in that pond.

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1.4 i. ii. iii.

OBJECTIVE To determine the water quality of the pond by suitable parameters. To compare the results from in-situ test and laboratory test. To determine the suitability of the pond for recreation activities, such as swimming and rowing.

1.5

SCOPE STUDY The scope of the project is focusing to determine the water quality standard with the

parameters contained in the lake water. Photo was taken at the location of the study as evidence throughout this study.

The scope of our study was to assess the water sample from the lake opposite the G3 building and was done in the Environmental Laboratory of UTHM by using standard method test. Our group has conducted an experiment at laboratory for physical assessment which is Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), jar test and Total Suspended Solid (TSS). For experiment at the site, our group conducted test of getting value of pH, turbidity ,salinity, temperature ,Dissolved Oxygen (DO), and conductivity. The value obtained for each test was compared to the Environmental Water Quality. The organisms, which are live in the pond, will be observed and determined. The type of organisms will be list in the result and observation part. The water quality standard will be compared with the guidelines for managing risks in recreational water by World Health Organization, WHO.

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