By: Noorain Mohd Isa, Ahmad Zaharin Aris, Wan Nor Azmin Wan Sulaiman

Article Prepared By: Farah Izana Abdullah

In small tropical island, groundwater storage is limited and is the only source for supplying water for domestic usage. Kapas Island depends entirely on groundwater resources for its freshwater supply for local communities and tourists as drinking water, domestic use and small-scale agricultural activities. Since Kapas Island receives considerable attention for ecotourism activities, there is an associated high demand for freshwater. In order to meet the requirement for the freshwater demand, over extraction of groundwater is widely practiced, which further affects the freshness of groundwater due to intrusions of seawater. This phenomenon renders the fresh groundwater quality unsuitable for human consumption. Therefore, the salinization or freshening status of Kapas Island groundwater as well as the mechanism controlling its chemistry was identified. Findings shown that major mineral component in Kapas Island is Ca-HCO₃, which contributes to the groundwater chemical composition. Thus, the institutional framework must make sure that the planning and development, monitoring activities and management of the water resources take place in the small islands at the national-level. Regulation and enforcement are needed for better protection of groundwater, especially in small islands.

Web: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.08.069

Date of Input: 29/10/2021 | Updated: 29/10/2021 | m_fakhrulddin