Shifting the Paradigm Toward Integrated Management of Urban River in a University Campus

Abstract

Urbanization has maximized the land use, causing natural rivers being concretized into urban rivers to accelerate excessive runoff as well as stabilize soil structure, which in turn expose to water pollution. Hence, urban river water is not seen as a valuable water resource. Alur Ilmu is an urban river in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) that has been exposed to various sources of pollution in which existing management may not be effective in revitalizing and conserving the urban river. In this chapter, an integrated management framework has been proposed, consisting of structural and nonstructural approaches in revitalizing and conserving the water resource. Physical and biological treatments have been employed in structural approach to remove pollution at source, and this approach has successfully improved the water quality from Class II to Class III in less than a year, whereas initiatives in enhancing knowledge, attitude and practice as well as strengthening the participation of campus stakeholders have been employed in nonstructural approach. Combining structural and nonstructural approaches not only develops on-site treatment for the revitalization of the urban river, but also promotes social learning for the conservation of urban river. This integrated management framework is expected to shift the paradigm for the restoration and conservation of urban river to attain sustainability of water resource for the benefits of economic growth, social well-being and environmental protection.