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21st April 2011
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3rd April 2011
General
The Magic of Water


8th April 2011
Malaysia and Her Waters
Malaysian Geography and Climate


9th April 2011
Malaysia and Her Waters
Rivers and Lakes in Malaysia


10th April 2011
General
Rain and Water Cycle


12th April 2011
Water Crisis
Save Water, Save Life


15th April 2011
Water Crisis
Malaysia Facing Water Crisis


Water Crisis
Water Disasters


16th April 2011
Water Crisis
Water Pollution


17th April 2011
Save Water
Save Water with 3R Concept

Save Water with 3R Concept

Reuse, Reduce, Recycle 

3R concept can also be applied to saving water.

Reduce

• Shower-Shower instead of taking a bath. Cut down the number of showers. Switch off shower when soaping and shampooing. Do not over-use soap or shampoo as this will need more water for rinsing. Use “organic-based” soap and shampoo. They are less “soapy” and less water is needed to rinse them off. Do not switch the shower on full blast. Cut short your shower time.
• Brushing Teeth-Use a cup of water for brushing your teeth instead of a running tap.
• Washing Face-Use a wet towel instead of a running tap.
• Washing Car-Reduce car washes. Use a bucket and a cloth. Never use a hose.
• Watering Plants-Use recycled water. Never use the garden host. Use a water bucket or a watering can instead. Water sparingly.
• Cleaning-Sweep more and mop less. Use a mop instead of using a pail of water or water hose to wash the floor.
• Washing-Wait until an accumulated number of clothes before washing. If hand washing clothes or washing vegetables, fruits use a basin of water instead of a running tap.
• Cooking-Try not to do too much deep frying or the cooking of oily food. The cleaning and washing up of pots and pans, as well as the walls and floors after oily cooking can waste a lot of water, not forgetting the hard work. Anyways, the lesser the oil in our food the healthier we get.

Reuse

• Collecting used water-People living in houses/apartments with more than one story can ask the plumber to do a minor connection to collect used water from showering and washing hands to be re-used for watering plants or washing the car or floors. Do not waste leftover water from washing or mopping but use them to flush the toilets or watering plants.
• Toilet-As mentioned above use 2nd hand water to flush the toilet instead of using the flush.
• Watering Plants- Reuse recycle water instead of new water

Recycle

• Recycling-Collect used water for other purposes. Collect used water by putting a bucket beneath tap. Water used for washing hands, vegetables and rinsing dishes can be used again for watering plants or for flushing the toilet.
• Rainwater-Collect rain water and use it for washing the car, the floor or for watering plants. In fact, rainwater can be used to replace tap water.

We may think saving such little water is pointless. That's what everybody think. However, think this way, if everybody in Malaysia could just do their part and save a little water each, it could make a difference. We COULD make a DIFFERENCE. 

Water Pollution

Our mother Earth is filled with water. 2/3 of it is water. However DRINKING WATER or freshwater is still scarce as it only consists of 0.3% of that water. Yet, we as the occupant of Earth do not know how to appreciate it. Imagine one day when we no longer have any clean water supply and need to drink from the water from the image below:

Even with modern day's technology of water purification, water cannot be treated completely. As Malaysia is fast becoming an industrial country, many of her rivers have become polluted. Rivers are used as an outlet for waste chemicals from factories to waste away. Of course this is very profitable to the factory as they can save large sums of money but the waters and the lives that resolve around them are in deep trouble. Some people from the rural areas of Malaysia depend on rivers for their everyday activities. They depend on the river for everything: bath, water supply, watering corps. Now they are in deep trouble. Water pollution is a serious problem in Malaysia and impacts negatively on the sustainability of water resources. It reduces the total water availability considerably as the cost of treating polluted waters is too high and in some instances, polluted waters are not treatable for consumption.


Quality of Malaysian River Water, 1992-1998

Category	1992		1993		1994		1995		1996		1997		1998
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
Very polluted	7	8.1	11	9.5	14	12.1	14	12.2	13	11.2	25	21.4	16	13
Slightly polluted	55	63.2	73	62.9	64	55.2	53	46.1	61	52.6	68	58.1	71	59
Clean	25	28.7	32	27.6	38	32.7	48	41.7	42	36.2	24	20.5	33	28
Total	87	100	116	100	116	100	115	100	116	100	117	100	120	100

From the table above we can see that Malaysia's water is really still okay.. thanks to the numerous efforts made to treat the rivers. Of course, if every Malaysian just does their part, the percentage of clean water will be totally higher 
than that and the government can also save money.

 The pie chart above shows the composition of water pollutions sources in 2004.17,991 water pollution point sources in 2004 comprising mainly sewage treatment plants (54%), manufacturing industries (38%), animal farms (5%) and agro-based industries (3%).

In year 2006, the number of rivers in the cleanest category was almost double that of 2005.The number of polluted river basins were also down by more than half. Only seven of Malaysia’s 146 river basins were categorized as polluted in year 2006, down from 15 the year before. All the polluted river basins were in Peninsular Malaysia, with Johor topping the list.

Among the worst polluted river in the world are located in the location listed below:

1. Dzerzinsk, Russia

2.Chernobyl, Ukraine

3. Linfen, Shanxi, Province, China 

4.La Oroya, Peru

5.Kabwe, Zambia 

6.Ranipet, India

It is enough if we do not think of our future, why should pitiful marine lifes suffer for our actions?

Like us they are the creation of God and they have the rights to live.

Water Disasters

Water can be our best friend but water is also our worst enemy. We hope for lots water during droughts and wish the water to go away during floods. Disasters such as the tsunami and the melting of ice in the North Pole are also devastating as they will crush the future of humanity. 
Malaysia had suffered much from floods and droughts. Malaysia also suffered once from the 26 December 2004 tsunami as Penang was hit. Casualties were minor as Malaysia is lucky enough as the most of the disaster was blocked by the islands of Indonesia.
The most frequent phenomenon happening in Malaysia is flood. Malaysia suffered frequent floods due to

• natural result of cyclical monsoons during the local topical wet season
• inadequate drainage 
• global warming effect

On the other hand, droughts as you all know is the lack of rain. The land is barren and covered in thin dust.
Malaysia always has enough rain so the problem of drought from rain is out of the question. Instead the drought in Malaysia were caused by deforestation, dams and the  El Nino weather phenomenon such as the one drought caused by the El Nino weather phenomenon in August 2001. This completely caught authorities unprepared, swiftly depleted water reserves and left nearly 2 million people in Kuala Lumpur and its suburbs without running water for days at a stretch.

I guess all of us know what a tsunami is. A devastating tidal wave that sweeps all in it's path. An example was the recently Sendai Tsunami which costs the Japanese half of their finance. Tsunamis are a frequent occurrence in Japan; approximately 195 events have been recorded. We were lucky that our country Malaysia do not have much of this phenomenon.

Last but not least we go to the melting of ice of the North Pole.

The first picture shows the ice in the North Pole in 20th century while the 2nd picture shows the ice in the 21st century. Any differences? As you all see, the North Pole's ice is gradually decreasing due to the effect of global warming. Where does those ice gone to? Yes, they had all turned into water and guess what does the water has in for us? Ya... MORE FLOOD!!!

MALAYSIA Facing Water Crisis

Malaysia has an annual rainfall of 300 cm while Egpyt only has 51mm a year. Thus Malaysia should not have any problem with water right?? WRONG! 
Frequent episodes of water shortage make headlines every so often. Even so Malaysians continue to waste water, a precious a finite resource.
Not many would believe that Malaysia is facing shortage of water. 

We have sufficient rainfall every year yet we still are in shortage of water, why is that?

Currently, Malaysians use an average of 226 litres of water per person daily, which is way above our South-East Asia neighbours. Singaporeans use 154 litres (and intend to lower it to 147 litres by 2020) while the Thais manage with 90 litres.

Malaysian uses more than they should and many of us do not intend to change this bad habit despite of this crisis.

The picture above shows an example of the wasteful nature of Malaysian consumers.

The state of Selangor will be depending for Pahang for raw water soon. With the Pahang-Selangor interstate water transfer project expected to ensure water sufficiency for the Klang Valley only until 2025. Water shortage is not an unfounded projection. After all, rain does not fall constantly year-round; neither does it always fall evenly across all catchment areas. 

“If Malaysians follow the recommended water usage, they can save up to 28.2cu.m per household, or RM18.33 a month."  says Dato' Sri Peter Chin, Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water

Many thought that water is cheap and care less for this precious resource.
"Why bother saving water when it is so cheap?"was the reply of those asked to save water.
It is true that in Malaysia, water is a low value commodity. In fact, the average Malaysian's water bill is just 10% of their electricity bill. The truth is water prices had been greatly subsidized to all water consumers.
Saving water is also not about whether it's cheap or not but saving water is about the future. T-H-E  F-U-T-U-R-E

Save Water, Save Life

Rain and the Water Cycle

I'm sure many of us are familiar with the nursery rhyme "Rain Rain Go Away". This rhyme also indicates that many of us dislike the rain. When raining there are many activities that we can't do especially outdoor activities. We can't play in the field, field trips would be cancelled and family outings to the beach would be postponed. How awful is that? 
However, we should all know the importance of rain and the water cycle in spite of all that. Ever wonder what a water cycle is?

A picture speaks a hundred words

The Water Cycle

Highland forests are usually high-rainfall areas. Precipitation or rain is formed in the highlands resulting from the condensation of moisture in the atmosphere. Forests in the highlands have been likened to a giant sponge that absorbs and accumulates rainwater intercepted by vegetation and the forest floor.
Highland forests release water continuously into streams and rivers that flow downstream to coastal areas where they merge with the sea. The sun’s energy causes water from the sea and other water bodies to evaporate into water vapour that forms clouds. This repeated process of water dispersal, absorption and evaporation is known as the ‘water cycle’.

The map above shows the monthly rainfall over Malaysia. Malaysia has 300cm rainfall annually and always has enough rainfall so lack of rainfall is not an issue.

Rivers and Lakes in Malaysia

                                  

The map above shows the river and lakes in Malaysia. The rivers in Malaysia always have a constant volume of water because of heavy rainfall throughout the year.

Among the important rivers in Malaysia are:

• Rajang River (563 km) and also the longest river in Malaysia
• Pahang River (475km) which is the longest river in the peninsular Malaysia
• Kinabatangan River (560km) longest river in Sabah

The lakes in Malaysia can be categorized into 2.

1. Naturally formed lakes, Examples : Lake Bera and Lake Chini
2. Man-made lakes, Examples : Lake Chenderoh, Lake Temengor and Lake Chini

These waters are the treasures of Malaysia as they are very important as:

• Early civilization sites and have great historical values
• International border such as the Golok River which lies between Malaysia and Thailand
• Border between states such as Bernam river which lies between the state of Perak and the state of Selangor
• Hydroelectric power generation such as the Temengor Dam in Perak River
• Water system for irrigation such as the paddy field under the project "Pengairan Muda" which supply water to the agriculture activities in the Kedah plains.

Irrigation Plans and Hydroelectric Stations

• Water Supply for everyday activities, mining activities and industry such as the Perak River.
• A source of freshwater fish such as the Tilapia fish
• Recreation area such as the waterfalls in Kota Tinggi, Johor
• Road, paths and transport system like Rajang River which can be used to travel between towns in Sarawak and the Kinabatangan river is used to sweep logs from the rural areas  to the factories at the estuary

Malaysian Geography and Climate

Malaysia 

The picture above shows the waters surrounding Malaysia.
There are the South China Sea, the Sulu Sea and the Straits of Malacca.
As we all know Malaysia consists of two regions; the east and the west.
Sarawak and Sabah on the east in Borneo Island and peninsular Malaysia that lies in between Singapore and Thailand.
These two regions are separated by the South China Sea.


Malaysia is a country rich with water resources. Malaysian's climate is affected by the northeast and southwest monsoons. The northeast monsoon blows from October to March, and is responsible for the heavy rains which hit the east coast of the peninsula. It also causes the wettest season in Sabah and Sarawak. The southwest monsoon period occurs between May and September, and is a drier period for the whole country. The period between the two monsoons are marked by heavy rainfall. 


The mean annual rainfall is 3,000 millimetres (mm) .Different places have different mean rainfall and temperature mainly due to relief e.g. the Cameron Highlands have a mean temperature of 18°C and an annual rainfall of over 2,500 mm, compared to Kuala Lumpur's 27°C and 2,400 mm. In general, Sabah and Sarawak experience more rainfall (3,000-4,000 mm) than the peninsula. The humidity is high (80 percent) due to the high evaporation rate. 

Malaysian Drainage Patterns

Dendritic drainage system - They develop where the river channel follows the slope of the terrain. In a dendritic system, there are many contributing streams (analogous to the twigs of a tree), which are then joined together into the tributaries of the main river (the branches and the trunk of the tree, respectively) Examples: Rajang River, Pahang River, Baram River, Kelantan River.

Trellis drainage system- formed in river basins with hard rock and soft rock arranged alternately. The tributaries enter the main river at approximately 90 degree angles, causing a trellis-like appearance of the drainage system. Examples: Perak River

Radial drainage system-   In a radial drainage system the streams radiate outwards from a central high point. Examples: Mount Benom

Parallel drainage system- A parallel drainage system is a pattern of rivers caused by steep slopes with some relief. Because of the steep slopes, the streams are swift and straight, with very few tributaries, and all flow in the same direction. Examples: Kinabatangan River

 River Long Profile & Cross Stream Profile

River long profile refers to the river flow from it's source to it's mouth. On the other hand, cross stream profile refers to the condition of the river valley along the river from upstream to downstream.

Generally, a river can be categorized into 3 stages, the upper level, the middle level and the downstream level.

The upper stage which is also known as the upper level. The river flow is very fast. Waterfalls and cascades can be found here

2nd stage also known as the middle level. The river flow is moderate. River bends, river edges and hill spurs can be found here.

The final stage is known as the downstream level. The river flow is slow. Sediment plains, horseshoe lakes and delta can be found here. 

                                                    





                                                        

The Magic Of Water

"Water is the basis of life and the blue arteries of the earth! Everything in the non-marine environment depends on freshwater to survive."

Do you know that about 70 percent of an adult's body is made of water?  Do you know that without water we can only last for 2 to 10 days? (Depending on the max daily temperature) 
Do you also know that 2/3 of our mother Earth is also made of water? 
However of all the water on the earth, human can only use about three-tenths of a percent of this water.


Click here for more interesting facts about water.


Now for a little science:

 It has been shown that if you lose just 2.5% of your body weight from water loss, you will lose 25% of your efficiency. For a 175 pound man that is only about two quarts of water. As the survivor dehydrates, his blood becomes thicker and loses volume. This causes the heart to work harder and circulation of blood to be less efficient. In a survival situation, losing a full one quarter of your physical and mental abilities due to dehydration could mean the end of your life

How Long Can You Live Without Water?

Max Daily Temperature	Number of Days in the Shade
	No Water	1 Quart 0.95 Litre	2 Quarts 1.90 Litres	4 Quarts 3.79 Litres	10 Quarts 9.46 Litres	20 Quarts 18.93 Litres
120 F / 48.9 C	2 days	2	2	2.5	3	4.5
110 F / 43.3 C	3	3	3.5	4	5	7
100 F / 37.8 C	5	5.5	6	7	9.5	13.5
90 F / 32.2 C	7	8	9	10.5	15	23
80 F / 26.7 C	9	10	11	13	19	29
70 F / 21.1 C	10	11	12	14	20.5	32
60 F / 15.6 C	10	11	12	14	21	32
50 F / 10.0 C	10	11	12	14.5	21	32

Therefore, the daily recommended of water needed by us every day in this equatorial country is eight cups per day. Not all of this water must be consumed in liquid form since every food or drink item we consumed provides some water to the body.