The Salcon Smart Water Programme (SSWP) took place successfully on March 23, 2024, in partnership between Salcon Engineering Berhad and Water Watch Penang, at Taman Persekutuan Bukit Kiara, KL.
Attendees included 21 students and 2 teachers from SJKT Appar, and representatives from Salcon Berhad: Ms. Chern Meng Gaik (Corporate General Manager), Mr. Chin Yaw Ying (Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Executive) and Ms. Fadwa Faieqah under Protégé Programme Malaysia.
Aligned with the theme of this year’s World Water Day, “Water for Peace,” SSWP aimed to highlight not only water accessibility but also the unifying influence of water in fostering harmony among communities and nations. The river activity was designed to educate students about rivers and water across various geographic scales, including global, regional, and local perspectives, with a special focus on Kuala Lumpur.
Dr. Hong Chern Wern, the executive manager of WWP, led the program with support from trained facilitators: Mr. Hanson Yeoh (WWP Programme Officer), Mr. Sharvind Sivan, Mr. Yee Jean Chai, Ms. Kimberly Wong Jin Li, Ms. Alicia Khor Hui Ying, Ms. Elsheena Joan, and Mr. Dane Lim Chiu Tong (WWP intern).
The program began with Dr. Hong providing an overview of the country’s water challenges and emphasizing the importance of water conservation to the students. Following this, the students were divided into four groups for hands-on activities facilitated by the team. They initiated the session with physical assessments, evaluating parameters such as turbidity and river velocity, with guidance from teachers and assistance from WWP facilitators. Following this, the program transitioned to chemical assessments aimed at determining river water quality. Students collected water samples and utilized water quality testing kits to measure pH, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, and other factors.
After a short break, each group was guided to conduct a biological assessment. During this phase, they successfully captured macroinvertebrates such as river shrimps and dragonfly nymphs, which act as indicators of river health. Finally, students had the opportunity to observe microorganisms in the river through microscopes. This is a new section to introduce to the students about river microbiology.
The program concluded with a presentation of souvenirs and certificates by Salcon to the teachers and students of SJKT Appar, KL. Water Watch Penang would like to extend its gratitude to Salcon for its continuous CSR collaboration.
For more information, please get in touch with WWP Executive Manager, Dr Hong Chern Wern, at hong.wwp@gmail.com or contact WWP at +60 19-575 1253.