GOVERNMENT'S FLOOD CONTROL MEASURES

GOVERNMENT'S FLOOD CONTROL MEASURES: 13.

Assoc. Prof. Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) if

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he will update the House on the flood control measures taken to manage flooding in Singapore; and (b) how have these measures helped to manage the flash flood incidents in view of the recent heavy rain spells.

The Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim): Sir, I would like to update Members on the progress of the Public Utilities Board (PUB) flood control measures since my previous statement in July last year. PUB has an ongoing drainage improvement programme to reduce flood prone areas. Since the 1970s, Singapore's flood prone areas have been reduced from about 3,000 hectares to 58 hectares in 2010. This will be reduced further to 40 hectares by 2013. A number of drainage improvement projects are in progress, such as the upgrading of the Bukit Timah Canal from Jalan Kampong Chantek to Maple Avenue and the Geylang River from Guillemard Road to Dunman Road. Work to raise Orchard Road is also progressing smoothly and will be completed by June 2011.

In addition, PUB has worked with building owners affected by the floods last year to implement flood protection measures. For example, Liat Towers has installed a flood barrier at the front of their building, which can be raised to protect the basement shops from flood waters entering their premises.

To provide the public with early warning of possible floods, information from PUB's network of sensors, which tracks water levels in the key canals, has been made available on PUB's website. We have increased the number of sensors from 32 to 90, and this will be further increased to 150 by the end of this year to provide more comprehensive coverage. An SMS alert system to inform subscribers of impending heavy rain and rising water levels in canals has also been

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developed. Schools and building management in areas which have a history of flooding have already been put on these automated SMS alert systems.

Sir, our drainage infrastructure has held up well during the recent monsoon season. There were a few minor and localised flooding incidents despite the heavy and prolonged rains in January and these were typically resolved within an hour. PUB will continue its efforts to enhance the drainage infrastructure to alleviate occurrences of floods, within the constraints of cost effectiveness and competing use for limited land in Singapore.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (Marine Parade): Sir, I thank the Minister for his reply. I have two supplementary questions. First, the Minister mentioned the SMS alert system for heavy rain and flood risk. I would like the Minister to elaborate further on how users have responded to such a system and how it has helped to manage the whole process of managing floods in Singapore. Secondly, I would like to know how effective have been the measures taken so far, with regard to the areas in the heartlands, particularly, the public housing estates where majority of Singaporeans are staying.

* *Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: The PUB and NEA have developed the SMS alert system to provide early warnings of heavy rains and rising water levels in canals so that subscribers can be better protected against for floods. In fact, the feedback that we have received is that it is very well utilised. Obviously, for owners who were affected in the floods last year, the alert about the possibility of floods will be very useful for them. And in fact, this system will be opened to the public for subscription by the middle of this year. We want to extend the system as much as possible.

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Let me turn now to the second question of whether or not the flood-alleviation programme has been effective. If the Member looked at the numbers alone in the flood-proned areas, the numbers have been coming down from the 1970s, from about 3,000 hectares to about 58 hectares. So, it shows that our programme has been effective. But as I mentioned in my reply, there are certain areas whereby it may be difficult for us to do so because of certain constraints. As I have mentioned in my previous reply, in certain areas, we have to wait when the place is being re-developed, and we can then do something. Meanwhile, we will do our very best to try and help Singaporeans as much as possible to build up protection measures. I have mentioned in my reply about what building owners can do, household owners also can do something as has been done in the previous flood incident in June where several of our advisors met the PUB to discuss what we can do in some of the landed property areas.

In the heartlands, when we do come across flooding, they tend to be localised incidents as a result of chokage and therefore, maintenance of our drains become important and, here, we work very closely with the local authorities to ensure debris are removed as soon as possible.