Public Perception and Knowledge of River Water Quality in Batu Pahat, Johor

Abstract

The responsibility for river quality lies with government agencies. However, the success of maintaining river quality does not only rely on government agencies; it needs support from all parties, especially from the public. Thus, this study evaluated the public perceptions and knowledge of river water quality in rural areas, namely, Batu Pahat, Johor. Even though the location of this study is in a rural area, Batu Pahat’s river also suffers from pollution problems based on findings from previous studies. The set of questionnaires was formed and distributed to 506 respondents, which were selected through random sampling. The researchers filled in survey forms during face-to-face interactions with the respondents. Based on the responses, the residents had negative experiences with river water, such as bad smell and colour, suspended solid waste and failure of aquatic life due to river pollution. Due to the place of the respondents live, residents feel they need responsibility for taking care of their river water quality. They are willing to join and donate to support the programme or campaign to increase the river water quality. Residents’ basic knowledge and awareness of river water quality was moderate based on a simple quiz that was tested on them. It is recommended to conduct a program or campaign that can increase the resident’s awareness of river water quality and the impact of the program can be seen in the future.