Groundwater Monitoring Program

Groundwater monitoring is a continuous, methodologically and technically standardized

process involving in situ, satellite and airborne observations and laboratory analysis of quality
variables. In fact a groundwater monitoring program includes both groundwater quantity (e.g.
groundwater level and recharge rates) and quality monitoring (analysis of selected physical and
chemical variables). GroundwaterMonitoringPrograminMalaccaCatchment was
conductedbyThe Minerals and Geoscience Department Negeri Sembilan/Malaccabeganin2001.
Minerals and Geoscience DepartmentMalaysiais a government agencyunder theMinistry
ofNatural Resources andEnvironment. This departmentwas established on 1stJuly 1999by the
mergerand theDepartment of Geological Surveyand MinesDepartment. Even though the
groundwater monitoring program already started in 2001 but only in 2003 the data is made
available. Monitoringiscarried out on the well in good conditionor active well. water samples
were taken analyzed for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pesticides, heavy metals, anions,
bacteria (coliform), phenolic compounds, radioactivity (Gross Alpha and Beta), total hardness,
total dissolved solids (TDS), pH, temperature, conductivity and dissolved oxygen (DO). The
results were than compared with the National Guidelines for Raw Drinking Water Quality
established by the Ministry of Health (Revised December 2000).The program objective is to
obtain information on groundwater quality, especially for the detection of any pollution and
changes due to pumping. Monitoring of soil sediment is not carried out because most of wells
constructed in hard rock and the use of groundwater or pumping groundwater’s activity is
concentrated in a huge area like the Langat Basin and Kelantan Basin (Kota Bharu).