Engineering HDR Seminar Series No 4, 2015

16 January 2014, 14:00 - 15:00

Room 5-4-22, Monash University Malaysia

Malaysia suffers infrequent water scarcity particularly in urban centres i.e. Klang Valley region, where population is dense and freshwater resource is limited. This was evidenced from the two prevalence water scarcity cases in the region with one dated back to the 1998’s El Niño instigated drought and also the recent water rationing crisis in 2014. From the recent water crisis, this has raised a serious concern and awareness among the local communities, water practitioners and various private and governmental agencies on the long-term water sustainability if the water crisis persists. In order to resolve the water crisis and ensuring long-term water sustainability is within realm, a paradigm shift away from the traditional lone dependency of water dams towards new mixed-water solutions utilising alternative water sources for potable and non-potable augmentation purposes are highly desirable. At present, the mixed water solutions are increasingly adopted in Malaysia’s green buildings to address the basic water certification requirements of: (1) reduction in mains water usage; (2) utilisation of rainwater for plumbed end-uses and (3) recycling and reuse of greywater sources. In this instance, both rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling and reuse systems are capable of meeting these requirements while simultaneously reducing mains water usage. Despite their promising role in sustainable urban water management, these systems are usually implemented separately to achieve the water sustainability aspects.

Contact details:
Wan Nurul Rukiah Wan Rasdi
wan.nurul@monash.edu
Tel: 03-55146224