USM, PENANG, 24 March 2016 – ‘World Water Day’ is celebrated on 22 March to provide awareness on the importance of water to mankind and the environment, being part of the ‘Water for Life Decade’ programme organised by the United Nations (UN).

As stated by the expert on Management of Water Resources, who is also the Deputy Dean (Student Affairs and Networking) of the School of Humanities, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Professor Dr. Chan Ngai Weng, research has indicated that by 2035, there would be three billion infants needing water to survive.

Although the water quantity has not lessened since mankind inhabited Earth 4.5 billion years ago, the world population has increased rapidly.

“We should be raising the awareness within ourselves and the society to collectively reduce the use of water in our daily lives,” said the "Asia Water Management Excellence Awards 2010" recipient.

He who has been referred to as ‘Malaysia’s Waterman’ is also encouraging the public to consume more vegetables, as water is much less used in the growing of vegetables compared to as used to produce meat, which would take into account the process of raising of calves into cows and requiring water within a longer time period until the meat is produced to be consumed as food.

He explained further, it is estimated that 1.4 billion humans on Earth currently are not getting clean water supply, for example in India and the Philippines.

“Meanwhile, at the level of USM, I am proposing to the USM Vice-Chancellor to cooperate with the USM Healthy Campus (Kampus Sejahtera USM) group to establish a team of ‘water rangers’ who would be monitoring the efficient use of water in all the washrooms in the university,” he said when giving a lecture as part of the series organised by Kampus Sejahtera USM entitled ‘Community Engagement in Water Resource Management – Dream or Reality’ here recently.

Having the theme ‘Water and Jobs’ this year, approximately 1.5 million people work in jobs related to water, with the jobs totally relying on water.

The Director of the River Engineering and Urban Drainage Research Centre (REDAC), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Professor Dr. Nor Azazi Zakaria said that, the world water day celebration has a symbolic meaning to every person in the world, to better appreciate the available supply of water.

“At REDAC, workers at each level have one initiative, to turn the job into a hobby. I also have my own interest in the field of drainage systems, allowing my job at REDAC to become a platform for me to pursue deeper into this field,” he said when contacted.

Added Nor Azazi, REDAC has succeeded in implementing the pilot project of an environment-friendly drainage system at the USM Engineering Campus in Nibong Tebal, which has given the surrounding a sense of renewal and felt by those within the vicinity.

Apart from that, REDAC being the first Service Thrust Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE) in the country in the field of Drainage Management for Sustainable Cities has also been entrusted to manage a few projects relating to drainage systems by the Public Works Department (Jabatan Kerja Raya).

“REDAC is prepared to undertake the responsibility especially in raising the awareness of the public, in doing consultative work and the sharing of expertise whenever an opportunity is provided by the authorities or even by other interested agencies,” said Nor Azazi.

Translation: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin

Text: Syuhada Abd. Aziz