JOHOR BARU - The Malaysian state of Johor has launched a pilot waste water recycling plant that will produce treated water for industrial use known as Bluewater, the New Straits Times (NST) reported on Tuesday (March 21).

The launch puts the state closer to becoming the first in Malaysia to have a waste water recycling plant.

Built by the Jauhar Bluewater Sdn Bhd group at the cost of RM2 million (S$631,070), the pilot plant has a capacity to recycle 125 cubic metre of waste water a day or less than half the volume of a typical swimming pool.

The pilot plant, located in Taman Scientex in Johor Baru, was launched on Tuesday by Tunku Temenggong Johor Tunku Idris Sultan Iskandar, the honorary chairman of Jauhar Bluewater.

The pilot plant will use a membrane bioreactor and reverse osmosis processes to treat waste water and the treated water will also be tested to ensure it meets World Health Organisation (WHO) standards.

Over the next six months, the company will be conducting tests on the quality of the water produced and the pilot plant's operations, as well as study the cost of recycling the waste water, the group's managing director told reporters at the launch.

"Once all the tests are completed, only then will we start to look for a suitable location for a permanent plant," said Datuk Seri Jeff Yap.

The cost of the permanent plant has not yet been determined.