⚠ SPAN Notice / Notis SPAN

Received a SPAN Notice for Your Sewer or Manhole? Terima notis kesalahan daripada SPAN? Kami boleh bantu.

We find where the problem comes from, clean the manhole and drain line properly, and give you a full photo report you can send to SPAN. For factories, restaurants, hotels and commercial buildings in Penang, Kedah and Northern Malaysia.

💬 WhatsApp 010-5929 0850 See how we help

Send us a photo of your notice on WhatsApp. We will tell you what it asks for and what needs to be done.
Hantar gambar notis anda melalui WhatsApp.

What does a SPAN Notice of Offence mean?Apa maksud notis kesalahan SPAN?

SPAN (Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Air Negara) enforces the Water Services Industry Act 2006 (Act 655). Section 61(1) makes it an offence to discharge, or allow the discharge of, prohibited effluent such as oil, grease or chemicals into a sewer or sewage treatment works. Since 2025 this covers private sewers and septic tanks too.

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SPAN inspected your manhole

A typical notice records the date and time of the inspection, the offence (for example oil found in the sewer manhole) and the section of the Act.

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Clean and report in 14 days

The notice instructs you to clean the sewer manhole within a set period, often 14 days, and send a report to SPAN. Count the days from the inspection date to be safe.

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Penalties are heavy

Since 15 March 2025, the maximum penalty for this offence is a fine of up to RM 1 million, up to 10 years in prison, or both. SPAN can also settle the offence by compound.

A Notice of Offence is not just a reminder. Cleaning on time and sending a proper report shows SPAN you have acted, but it does not cancel the offence. SPAN may still compound or prosecute, especially if oil is found again. That is why stopping the source matters as much as the cleaning.
Notis kesalahan bukan sekadar peringatan. Bersihkan dan hantar laporan sebelum tarikh akhir, dan hentikan punca minyak.
Do not wait until the last day. Contact us as soon as you receive the notice so there is time to inspect, clean and prepare the report before the deadline.
Jangan tunggu hari terakhir. Hubungi kami sebaik sahaja menerima notis.

Common reasons businesses get a SPAN noticePunca biasa notis SPAN

These are the problems we see most often. Each one has a fix.

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Oil & coolant from factories

Machine coolant, lubricating oil and oily wash water entering floor drains, gully traps and manholes.Minyak dan coolant kilang masuk ke pembetung.

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Grease trap overflow (FOG)

Fat, oil and grease from kitchens passing a full or missing grease trap into the public sewer.Perangkap minyak penuh atau tiada.

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Blocked or overflowing sewer

Sand, sludge, grease or debris blocking the private line, causing sewage to overflow from the manhole.Pembetung tersumbat atau melimpah.

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Illegal or wrong connection

Rainwater, surface drains or process water connected into the sewer line where it should not be.Sambungan paip yang salah.

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Septic tank not desludged

Overdue desludging, or harmful substances poured into a septic tank, now also covered by Act 655.Tangki septik tidak dinyahenap.

Real case: the hidden gully trapKes sebenar: gully trap yang tersembunyi

A manufacturing factory in Bayan Lepas, Penang received a SPAN Notice of Offence under Section 61(1) of Act 655 for discharging prohibited effluent (oil) into their sewer manhole. SPAN instructed them to clean the manhole within 14 days of the inspection and send a report. The manhole drained to the Indah Water (IWK) public sewer. They asked us to clean one manhole.

🔍 What we found on site

  • Oil dripping into the manhole from an inlet pipe
  • An oily floor area with a floor drain next to the machines
  • A gully trap hidden under the floor, never mentioned before the job, full of thick black oil sludge
  • Oil from that gully trap was leaking straight into the manhole

✅ What we did

  • Camera inspection of the drain line before and after cleaning
  • Plugged the outlet so nothing went down the Indah Water (IWK) line
  • Suction running throughout: oil, coolant, sludge, metal chips and all wash water removed
  • With the client’s approval, opened the floor and cleaned out the gully trap
  • Waste collected for the client’s licensed scheduled waste contractor
  • Full photo report with findings and recommendations for SPAN
The lesson: If we had cleaned only the manhole, the oil from the gully trap would have kept flowing in, and the SPAN problem would have come straight back. Always find the source, not just the symptom.
Cari punca masalah, bukan hanya cuci manhole.

How we help you respond to a SPAN noticeBagaimana kami membantu

Send us the notice

WhatsApp a photo of the notice and the manhole. We check the deadline and what SPAN is asking for.

Site inspection & CCTV

We inspect the manhole, drains, gully traps and grease traps, and run a camera through the line to find the source.

Safe, controlled cleaning

Outlet plugged, suction first, then high-pressure jetting. Nothing is flushed into the public sewer. All work from the surface.

Proper waste handling

Oil, coolant and oily sludge are scheduled waste, not sewage. They go to a DOE-licensed contractor with an eSWIS consignment note.

Report for SPAN

A clear report with before and after photos, what was found, what was done and our recommendations, ready for you to submit.

Stop it happening again

Practical advice for your staff and an optional maintenance plan so the problem does not return.

Oil and coolant are scheduled wasteMinyak dan coolant ialah buangan terjadual

⚠ What must NOT happen

  • Washing oily waste into the sewer or a floor drain
  • Emptying the load at a sewage treatment plant
  • Using a tanker that holds only a sewage desludging permit for oil waste

If the oil ends up back in the sewer, you face the same offence again.

✓ What we make sure of

  • Disposal through a DOE-licensed scheduled waste contractor (yours, or one we bring in)
  • Your eSWIS consignment note as proof of disposal
  • A written record of every step for your SPAN report

Avoid getting a SPAN noticeElakkan notis SPAN

Most notices can be prevented with a few simple habits and regular checks.

🏭 Factories & workshops

  • Collect used coolant and oil in containers, never in drains
  • Know where every floor drain and gully trap goes
  • Clean oily floors without washing oil into drains
  • Check gully traps and manholes monthly

🍽️ Restaurants & food outlets

  • Install the correct size grease trap
  • Empty and clean it on a fixed schedule
  • Scrape plates into the bin before washing
  • Keep cleaning records for inspections

🏢 Hotels & buildings

  • CCTV inspection of sewer lines once a year
  • Jetting before small blockages become overflows
  • Check that rainwater is not connected to the sewer
  • Desludge septic tanks on time

Ask us about a maintenance contract for scheduled checks, jetting and reports.Tanya tentang kontrak penyelenggaraan.

Questions we often getSoalan lazim

I received a SPAN notice. What should I do first?
Read the deadline and what SPAN asks you to do. Stop anything that could still be entering the drain, such as washing oil away. Then send us a photo of the notice so we can plan the inspection and cleaning in time.
If I clean the manhole on time, will I avoid a fine?
Not necessarily. A Notice of Offence means SPAN has recorded an offence, and it can still compound or prosecute after you comply. Cleaning before the deadline, sending a proper report and stopping the source of the oil is the best way to show SPAN you have acted responsibly. Your SPAN officer is the one who can tell you what happens next.
Does SPAN require a CCTV inspection?
Usually not. The notice asks you to clean the manhole and report. A CCTV inspection is optional, but it shows whether oil is still sitting in the drain line, helps find where it enters, and gives you before and after video for a stronger report.
Can you write the report for SPAN?
We give you a service report with photos, findings, the work done and recommendations. You, as the premises owner, submit it to SPAN together with any other documents they ask for, such as the eSWIS consignment note.
Why is it not enough to just clean the manhole?
The manhole is often where the problem shows, not where it starts. Oil or grease can come from floor drains, gully traps or a grease trap upstream. If that source is not cleaned and stopped, the manhole fills up again.
Do you dispose of oil and coolant waste?
Oil and coolant are scheduled waste and must go to a DOE-licensed facility. We work with your licensed scheduled waste contractor, or bring one in, so the disposal is documented correctly.
Which areas do you cover?
Penang (island and Seberang Perai), Butterworth, Kedah and Northern Malaysia commercial and industrial areas. Contact us for other locations.

Got a SPAN notice? Talk to us today.

Send a photo of the notice on WhatsApp and we will explain what needs to be done.
Hantar gambar notis dan kami akan terangkan langkah seterusnya.

💬 WhatsApp 010-5929 0850