ENSURING that drains are kept clean and free of blockages is crucial to avoid flooding.
In the Klang Valley, two key agencies responsible for this important task are KDEB Waste Management Sdn Bhd and Alam Flora Sdn Bhd.
KDEB Waste Management’s responsibilities include household and bulk waste collection, as well as public cleaning tasks such as lawn mowing, drain cleaning and road sweeping.
In Selangor, it has identified 245 flood-prone spots under the jurisdiction of councils.
Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) has the highest with 51, followed by Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) with 47, while Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) has 35.
A KDEB Waste Management worker cleaning up garbage filling a drain in Taman Permata, Setapak. — Courtesy of KDEB Waste Management
“To address the root causes of flooding in certain areas, KDEB Waste Management has consistently initiated drainage cleaning activities in the 12 local authorities using basin cleaners and water jets.
“Maintenance of the drains with these machines began after the great floods of 2021.
“However, there are still inadequately structured drains in many older residential areas.
“This can result in water not flowing easily into rivers or monsoon drains, even though the drains have been cleaned,” KDEB Waste Management said in a statement to StarMetro.
He said each branch would ensure workers were fitted with the necessary equipment, including shovels, gloves, brooms, safety vests and rubber boots.
SWCorp uses its vacuum truck to clean a drain in Kuala Lumpur. – Philepic
For post-flood cleanup, tools KDEB Waste Management has at its disposal include six portable high-pressure water jets, a truck-mounted high-pressure water cleaner, and a bucket mounted by trucks.
“For post-flood clean-up activities, KDEB Waste Management assigns an officer or branch head to coordinate the clean-up work in flood-prone areas or zones.
“This team includes an executive and two or three area supervisors.
“The involvement of cleanup crew members depends on the level of flood debris cleanup required.
“In addition to fulfilling our primary duty of monitoring areas to ensure they are free from flooding, the officer is also responsible for assessing the needs of equipment such as roll-on roll-off trucks (roro ), backhoes and the number of crews required for post-flood cleanup.
An Alam Flora worker cleaning a drain in Pudu, Kuala Lumpur. – Philepic
“They are required to generate daily reports on the progress of cleaning up flood debris.
“This officer serves as a standing member of the committee for the management of pre-flood and post-flood clean-up activities for each branch,” KDEB said.
In the Federal Territories, Alam Flora said it had identified 17 flood spots.
The company oversees 14,849 drains, ensuring regular cleaning on a monthly schedule.
In a statement, Alam Flora said it had prepared tools in preparation for possible flood cleanups.
They have 60 assets in their arsenal, including 47 boom-wheel trucks with roro containers attached, six water jets, a tailgate, as well as pairs of backhoes, four-wheel drives and vacuum trucks.
In Putrajaya, there is a backhoe, a dump truck, a vacuum truck, an arm roller, a water jet and a water tanker.
In case of flood, Alam Flora has 406 agents in Kuala Lumpur and 49 in Putrajaya, including agents, supervisors, drivers and workers.
“Each officer will be assigned to various areas to monitor and ensure that cleaning services are performed in accordance with established operational standards.”
Data from the Federal Territories Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp) showed that floods in Kuala Lumpur from 2021 to 2022 resulted in 1,105.67 tonnes of waste.
The highest amount of waste collected was 108 tonnes near Kampung Petaling Bahagia and Jalan Puchong areas.
Alam Flora has jointly identified transit points with local authorities to facilitate and manage waste collection after floods.
“Among the proposed transit locations are SJK (T) Saraswathy in Kampung Pasir, Damansara Community Center and Alam Flora Mustering Point in Jalan San Peng, Kuala Lumpur,” he said.
