Water pollution in the community is a major problem in many urban areas. The polluted water in canals contributes to air pollution, foul smell and sources of diseases. The piling-up wastes in waterways have hindered drainage outflow, and can eventually cause ocean pollution. SCG has collaborated with the Ministry of Industry in a project called, “Volunteering to Survey, Design, Source and Install Wastewater Treatment Systems in Prem Prachakorn Canal in Honor of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua, Rama the Tenth.” The project has kicked off a pilot in a community at a police flat in Thung Song Hong along Prem Prachakorn canal. The effort is in alignment with His Majesty the King’s royal initiative on water quality improvement. “We have monitored the quality of water in Prem Prachakorn canal, which runs through many parts of Bangkok and found that Don Mueang and Lak Si districts are the city’s densest communities with the highest volume of wastewater. So, these areas are fit for the wastewater treatment project. We have collaborated with SCG, a private company that has the ability to design and develop a wastewater treatment system, to help treat water before being discharged to Prem Prachakorn canal,” said Mr. Kobchai Sungsitthisawad, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Industry. “This support aims to improve the quality of wastewater discharged from households to public waterways. This initiative will serve as a pilot project to treat wastewater in urban areas or from households located along public waterways,” said Mr. Yuttana Jiamtrakarn, Vice President–Corporate Administration.

DIY Grease Trap for Households

Water quality can be remedied right from where wastewater occurs: household. The police flat is crowded with tenants whose daily activities like cooking or washing can constantly generate wastewater. To help treated the wastewater before being discharged, SCG donated 185 sets of the DIY grease trap to the police flat tenants. The DIY grease trap is made from accessible materials that are affordable and easy to set up. It can be installed in the household to trap food scraps and separate grease from the water before releasing it into the drainage system.

Turning Wastewater into Clear and Reusable Water

To treat used water draining out of households, SCG has installed two units of the wastewater treatment system, “Zyclonic by SCG” to kill pathogens and treat greywater from the toilet and household use by utilizing biological and electro-chemical processes. As a result, the dirty greywater is efficiently transformed into reusable water free from disease, color, or odor. It can be used for gardening, toilet flushing, or regular cleaning in the public community area. One septic tank can treat up to 600 liters of greywater per day. The size is compact and easy to install and maintain. Plus, it can be connected to the building’s grease trap and septic tank. This is an innovation for sustainable hygiene further developed from the reinvented toilet, a collaborative project between Chemicals Business, SCG, and the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) with the support of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Litter Trap and Its New Mission in Canals

Another SCG’s effort is to restore the Prem Prachakorn canal, especially in Don Mueang and Lak Si districts where are swamped by piles of waste. SCG has presented “HDPE–Bone Litter Trap” that makes success stories in intercepting wastes flowing into rivers and oceans in 24 areas across the country. Introduced to the Prem Prachakorn canal, the Litter Trap is made from upgraded polyethylene plastic resins that offer lightweight and increased buoyancy benefits. It comes with easy setup, durability, and a lifespan of 25 years. “The floating litter trap was put to use for the first time at Rayong’s river mouth. This time, it will be first implemented in the canal to help collect waste at a faster pace,” said Mr. Yuttana. SCG has provided and installed two sets of floating litter traps to collect wastes in Prem Prachakorn canal and prevent them from leaking into the ocean. This effort aims to improve the wellbeing of the people in the community.

Collaboration to Revive Canals and Rivers

If everyone takes a concerted effort to manage waste at the household level by changing daily habits, adopting waste separation practice, avoid dumping garbage into the canal and promoting sustainable water consumption, water pollution in the communities can be mitigated, and Prem Prachakorn canal can be successfully revived. Good collaboration will help reduce water pollution in the communities and revive water in Prem Prachakorn canal. If succeeded, the residents along the canal will have better well-being, and the canal will be restored to its former glory again.