TEMERLOH, March 27 (Bernama) — Concerned over flood victims who find drinking water supply hard to come by prompted Nor Hasrin Kassim to create a water filtering system which can extract drinking water from rivers or swamps.

Nor Hasrin, 50, said water passing through the system which used membrane filter was drinkable as it could eradicate germs such as E. coli, heavy metals and colour, taste and smell.

“The water filter can be loaded on a one-tonne lorry. This allows clean water supply to be delivered to flood victims,” he said after a ceremony to hand over a unit of the water filter system to the residents of Kampung Batu Balai, Kerdau here, today.

The handing over was done by Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (Mosti) deputy secretary-general (Policy) Datuk Dr Mohd Azhar Yahaya, who represented his minister Datuk Seri Madius Tangau.

Nor Hasrin said the village was picked as the location to install the RM100,000 water filter system because it was flood-prone.

Nor Hasrin, who has 30 years of experience in the water industry including having worked as a plant manager, said the system took two years to be completed on a capital of RM300,000.

“It gives me satisfaction to produce the water filter system because I aspire to help flood victims using my expertise and skills.

“The system can operate on electricity and, if the power supply is disrupted, as is often the case during major floods, the user need only hook it up to a generator,” he said.

Nor Hasrin said the system was also very easy to operate. The user must pump raw water into the first tank. When the machine is activated, the raw water will pass via three tubes before collecting in the clean water tank.

The raw water flows into the first tube for ridding of germs and microorganisms, then it goes to the second tube for softening and then the third tube which gets rid of its smell, taste and colour.

“The water will once again pass through a germ eradication system before gathering in the clean water tank which is equipped with pipes to channel the water to consumers,” he said.

Nor Hasrin said the system could filter up to 3,000 gallons (11,356.24 litres) of water a day.

Meanwhile, Mohd Azahar said the water filter system was one of the projects under Mosti’s social innovation programme which was implemented via the Malaysia Innovation Foundation to benefit a local populace.

“This can solve the people’s main problems such as clean water supply which is a basic need, secondly, its cost is low and (thirdly) the availability of resources such as water from rivers and swamps,” he said.

Mohd Azhar added that Mosti hoped more innovators and local entrepreneurs could think up and manufacture new inventions which could help overcome the people’s problems. — Bernama