Determining and comparing the levels of heavy metal concentrations in two selected urban river water

•Metal concentrations in Gombak and Penchala River water were determined.•Gombak River water showed generally lower levels of metal pollution.•Trends showed slight decreases over the thirteen year period from 1997 to 2009.•Penchala River showed slightly higher rates of decrease than Gombak River.

This paper discussed the heavy metal pollution levels and the clean-up activities to improve the Gombak and Penchala River water quality in Kuala Lumpur. The Gombak River is a tributary of the Klang River passing through Kuala Lumpur. The Penchala River passes through the city of Petaling Jaya. Metal concentration levels as reported by the Department of Environment of Malaysia were used to assess the state of metal contamination of the rivers. The effectiveness of government efforts through engineering and river works and public awareness campaigns to strive for a healthier Gombak River and Penchala River was observed over a period from 1997 to 2009. Results showed that the concentrations of metals in the Gombak River were generally slightly better than those of the Penchala River. The Penchala River showed a better rate of quality improvement than the Gombak River but the absolute concentration values were generally higher.