Authors: Nurlailah Abdillah*, Dzulkhairi Tajuddin Mustaffa, Nasehir Khan E. M. Yahaya, Anas Daud

RiverBasin Research Centre, National Hydraulic Research Institute of Malaysia (NAHRIM),Lot 5377, Jalan Putra Permai, 43300 Seri Kembangan, Selangor, Malaysia

Corresponding author: Nurlailah Abdillah

E-mail: [email protected];  | Tel: +603-8947 6400

Abstract

In Malaysia, effluent discharged are measured in terms of concentration (mg/l), however Malaysian rivers quality are continueto decline. Pollution loading had been implemented in modern countries and its approached is to measured pollution discharges in terms of daily loading. This method has proven to revitalise their river quality hence it can be implemented in Malaysia to rejuvenate its current situation. This study, a carwash is subjected for pollution assessment and pollutions are measured in both concentration and loading. Results of carwash pollution discharged in term of concentration comply with guideline by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of United States of America (USA). This result might be misleading for the pollution contribution factor. Further evaluation of the carwash wastewater pollution characteristic in term of pollution loading have given a new perspective of the real situation. On highest rate of wastewater discharged, the loading for COD, BOD, TSS, O&G and TP each contribute 1.36574856 kg, 0.30027096 kg, 0.10654776 kg, 0.068578013 kg and 0.000193723kg n a day. These results demonstrated that a single car wash premise discharged can potentially bring harm if disposed directly into river systems.

Keywords: Carwash effluent, wastewater, water quality, daily load, concentration.