Port Dickson & Pollution, what’s the status?

Port Dickson or PD was once a popular beach resort for many Malaysians and foreigners. Today it is no longer the case. Thanks to over-development and pollution of its beaches and sea water, PD lost its shine. But, in recent years, PD is slowly trying to recover its lost glory. 

 

For locals, PD is still a holiday retreat as it’s the nearest beach resort from KL and it is well connected by roads. Locals also know which hotels/resorts to stay in to experience the better beaches in PD. 

These days one simply cannot avoid the first question that people ask when they hear someone had been to PD. The question is "How is the water, is it clean, can you swim in it?"

As all other Malaysians, I have also heard and read many horror stories about PD's beaches and water pollution.  

Among them are ………

"The Straits of Malacca is among the busiest waterways and  many ships and tankers do their cleaning at the sea; This oil contaminated wastewater is brought up to the  beach during high tide.”  (Note : PD lies is the west of Peninsular Malaysia, facing the Straits of Malacca)

“Survey findings show the presence of fecal indicators due to the existence of many sewage outfalls along the beaches, which carries effluent from domestic dwellings and hotels.”

“The garbage disposals located on the beach”

“Port Dickson beaches are not safe for human activities with body contact such as swimming.”

 

Worrisome, right?  Hold on, all is not bad.. I also came across some good news…….

(News report 1)

13 November 2011 –“Our federal government is concerned about Port Dickson and the preservation of its environment. Two modern centralised mechanical plants and sewerage pipe systems have been built in Sunggala and Port Dickson at the cost of RM200 million and currently, they are almost complete. The plants are maintained by IWK, a company wholly owned by the government,” said YB Dato’ Ismail bin Taib, State Health, Science, Technology and Innovation Action Committee Chairman.

(News report 2)

Jan 22, 2013 -To tackle the sea water pollution problem, plans to develop a centralised wastewater management system to treat pollutants in the seawater is in the pipeline. Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan added that the issue of waste water ending up in the sea had to be resolved once and for all.“We will give all operators of premises here enough time to connect to the centralised system. Hopefully within the next two to three years, the system will be fully connected.“When that happens, there will be no more issues of drains and pipes that lead directly to the open sea,” he said. 

What! The next two to three years?  Like in 2015? Sorry all, I really don't know what's the current status.

If anyone out there has the latest info on the pollution and water rehabilitation status of PD, please feel free to share. Thank you.