On the 7th December, 2024, Water Watch Penang conducted an engaging river education programme in collaboration with Salcon Engineering Berhad at Taman Rimba Bukit Kerinchi. This initiative was part of Salcon’s long-standing Smart Water Programme, a corporate social responsibility effort now in its 14th year. For these two programmes, WWP’s facilitator guided the teachers of to conduct river education programme. This programme involved 40 students and 4 teachers from SK Bandar Sunway.
Between June and December 2024, five storytelling sessions were held at kindergartens, welfare homes, and primary schools, reaching approximately 190 children aged 5 to 15 and 22 teachers. The primary goal of the program was to raise awareness about water conservation and the vital role water plays in daily life. Children were introduced to various water-related topics through interactive storytelling, engaging them in discussions about the sources of freshwater, the importance of water, and the need to conserve it for future generations.
The program featured a range of activities, including storytelling, art, craft projects, and practical tips on water conservation. Through these activities, the children learned how water is essential for various aspects of life, such as agriculture, industry, and personal use. They were also taught simple yet effective ways to save water in their daily routines, helping them understand how small actions can have a big impact on preserving this precious resource. The hands-on activities allowed the children to creatively express their newfound knowledge while reinforcing the lessons.
Water pollution stands as one of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century, encompassing a range of pollutants with diverse characteristics that complicate removal efforts. Pollutants are generally categorized into emerging contaminants, pathogens, suspended solids, and nutrients, each requiring distinct approaches to mitigation due to their unique properties. Many of these pollutants arise unintentionally from everyday activities; for instance, disposing of grease down drains can lead to fat buildup, blocking sewers and drains. This project aims to develop future leaders equipped to educate the public—especially university students—to recognize and understand the sources and impacts of water pollutants within their environment. As such, the objectives of this project are to (i) provide education/leadership training through seminars and workshop on identification and understanding of water pollutants in the environment and (ii) provide a guide to reduce unintentional generation of water pollutants.
At the Taman Jajar, Sungai Ara on September 10, 2024, Prince of Wales Island International School (POWIIS) participated in a river and water education event that was successfully planned by Water Watch Penang (WWP).
On the 8th of September 2024, a programme on River and Water Education for the students of PBA Dharma Sunday School was conducted at the Penang Botanical Gardens. A total of 20 students and 6 teachers participated in this programme, which ran from 8:45 am to 12:00 pm. Mr. Yee Jean Chai, the WWP’s Lead Facilitator of the day, initiated the session by outlining the organization’s goals and the programme’s objectives. Subsequently, he provided an introduction to Penang’s water supply status and the functions of rivers.
The students were then guided in assessing the river water quality by the Lead Facilitator. Mr. Aiman, Ms. Fatin Azahara, Ms. Nur Atiqah and and Ms. Tew Yi Lin. were the facilitator assisted by Ms. Khor Ci Shan, Ms. Fatin Amira, and Ms. Nurul Husna, a trio of interns. A physical assessment took place later in the session, where students were guided, using instruments to measure temperature, turbidity, and river velocity, among other physical characteristics of the river water. After that, the students measured the pH, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, and dissolved oxygen (DO) levels of the river water using water quality testing kits. We got a short break after finished the chemical assessment.
Following the break, the facilitators led the biological assessment session. The students practiced catching macroinvertebrates that are typically found in clearer river water, such as flattened mayfly nymphs, dragonfly nymphs, caddisfly larvae, and stonefly nymphs. At the end of the programme, Mr. Yee Jean Chai explained the process of obtaining data from the river’s macroinvertebrates, which are important indicators for evaluating water quality. For more information, please contact WWP Executive Manager, Dr. Hong Chern Wern, at hong.wwp@gmail.com or contact WWP at +6019-5751253.
