SYNOPSIS

Sewerage Works Approval Transformation or S.W.A.T was initiated when the relevance of procedures that have been used for the last 15 years based on Malaysian Sewerage Industry Guidelines (MSIG) Volume 2: Sewerage Works Procedures which was developed by Jabatan Perkhidmatan Pembetungan (JPP) to formalize procedures used as well as to be the guiding document for stakeholders were reviewed and deliberated. Taking into account a need to move forward from the old regime, SPAN embarked on a long term strategic idea, SWAT which gears towards the core needs to elevate sewerage infrastructure without sacrificing public health, water resources and environment. The successful implementation of SWAT Phase I for septic tanks, single connection and small sewage treatments systems paved way for the mobilization of SWAT Phase II that will focus on medium and high risk categories (sewage treatment plants, pumping stations and network sewers). SWAT Phase II will introduce only three (3) submission stages i.e. Sewerage Works Approval (SWA), Sewerage Works Inspection (SWI) and Sewerage Works Completion (SWC) in order to eliminate unknowing red tapes and bureaucracy.  SPAN has also embarked on various other initiatives to re-engineer business processes in stages so as to ensure that it benefits both public and private sectors. SPAN is also initiating standardization efforts through development of technical specifications. One of the focal projects that SPAN is seriously looking into is development of the minimum technical requirements for extended aeration system for population equivalent ranging from 150 - 5000 which is currently in final stages.


BIODATA OF SPEAKER

Madam Punita Nook Naidu graduated from three universities with Bachelors of Engineering (Chemical Engineering) 1999, University Science Malaysia; Masters of Science (Chemical Engineering) 2001, University Science Malaysia and Masters of Business Administration 2009, University of South Australia.
She served as a Certification Engineer (2001 - 2008) /Senior Planning Engineer IWK (2006 -2008) whereby she had overseen and managed the strategic planning and critical operational issues for over 3000 sewerage treatment plants, pumping stations and sewers within Klang Valley (the metropolis of Malaysia), state of Selangor and government administrative capital Putrajaya

Currently she serves as the Director of the Standard Technical and Compliance Division, Sewerage Regulatory Department, SPAN, where her work involves championing the transformation program for sewerage works approval and sewerage capital contribution funds collection mechanisms, successfully reduced the number of procedures from 25 to 5 and processing time from 138 days to 22 days for low risk category and savings of the collection cost increased to 70%. She manages and oversees 12 units of Certifying Agencies offices nationwide with 150 officers involved in processing about 45,000 to 55,000 applications annually. reviews and provides technical as well as feasibility feedbacks on the public Sewerage Operators Business Plans and sewerage tariff as well as regulates and manages sewerage pilot projects through technical evaluation and benchmarking involving performance of products and systems.