USM Freshwater Education Programmes

The River Engineering and Urban Drainage Research Centre (REDAC) at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) is dedicated to strengthening community awareness and education on freshwater ecosystems through accessible and research-informed outreach programmes. These initiatives focus on water irrigation practices, sustainable water management, and conservation, connecting scientific expertise with community-based environmental care.

Through its ongoing initiative “Leveraging Water for Sustainability”, REDAC offers free educational programmes that combine lectures, field demonstrations, and guided visits to campus-based wetlands, swales, and retention ponds. Participants include school students, local residents, NGOs, and representatives from public agencies, reflecting the university’s inclusive approach to community learning.

REDAC’s flagship project, the Bio-Ecological Drainage System (BIOECODS), serves as Malaysia’s national model for sustainable stormwater management. The system demonstrates how nature-based infrastructure, such as constructed wetlands, ecological swales, and detention ponds, can reduce water pollution, enhance groundwater recharge, and protect aquatic biodiversity. Through open learning sessions and annual World Water Day exhibitions, community members are invited to explore the role of these systems in maintaining clean and resilient freshwater ecosystems.

These outreach activities support the USM Sustainability Policy (Revised 2024, pp. 3–4, SDG 6), which promotes sustainable and integrated water resource management and encourages active participation from local communities.

Through REDAC’s community education and engagement efforts, USM fosters environmental literacy and empowers citizens to value, conserve, and restore freshwater ecosystems, ensuring that responsible water stewardship becomes a shared social responsibility.