By Adam Azman
SHAH ALAM, Aug 6 - Nearly 7,000 industrial and commercial premises have been licensed under Selangor's Zero Discharge Policy (ZDP) as of July this year, the Selangor State Legislative Assembly heard today.
State executive councillor for public health and environment Jamaliah Jamaluddin said the figure reflected the state's continued progress in strengthening wastewater management and protecting water resources.
She said it also demonstrated the effectiveness of the policy in improving the monitoring of licensed premises and ensuring compliance with wastewater discharge requirements.
“Based on records from the Selangor Water Management Authority (LUAS), as of July 2026, almost 7,000 premises have been licensed.
“Of these, 936 premises are under the industrial category,” she said in reply to a question from Kuala Kubu Baharu assemblyman Pang Sock Tao on the implementation of the ZDP.
The ZDP promotes water recycling and reuse in industries and is supported by the Polluters Pay Principle (PPP), under which industries are charged for effluent discharged beyond permitted regulatory limits. The initiative is intended to help fund more river rejuvenation projects.
Jamaliah said the state remained on track to achieve its target of licensing 10,000 industrial and commercial premises under the ZDP by the end of this year.
The target forms part of Selangor's efforts to expand regulatory oversight of premises discharging industrial wastewater, strengthen pollution prevention measures and safeguard the state's rivers, which are the primary source of raw water for millions of consumers.
“After nearly two years of implementation, the overall reduction in industrial effluent discharged into rivers is still being studied by LUAS and will be assessed alongside the increasing number of licensed premises through ongoing inspection operations,” she said.
However, Jamaliah said available data indicated that the policy had contributed to fewer water pollution incidents and fewer disruptions to water treatment plant (WTP) operations, supported by integrated enforcement, 24-hour river basin monitoring and the implementation of the Raw Water Security Scheme (SJAM).
She noted that no WTP shutdowns caused by industrial pollution had been recorded throughout 2025 or up to July 30 this year.
Jamaliah said the ZDP had also strengthened compliance among licensed premises through improved licensing, effluent quality reporting and more systematic wastewater management practices.
“To further improve compliance, LUAS continues to conduct engagement sessions and awareness programmes with industry associations and stakeholders, alongside a door-to-door initiative to identify premises in industrial parks and provide guidance on licensing requirements.
“The agency also provides technical advisory services to help premises comply with licence conditions, effluent monitoring requirements and wastewater management practices, while conducting regular inspections to ensure compliance with the relevant enactments, regulations and licensing conditions,” she said.