RECENT FLASH FLOODS IN SINGAPORE

RECENT FLASH FLOODS IN SINGAPORE: 5.

Er Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources
in view of the flash floods which occurred in parts of Singapore on 16th June 2010 (a) what caused the floods; (b) how often does PUB check on the maintenance of the drains; (c) what is the design capacity of our drainage system especially in the city area; and (d) what is the process for PUB to monitor the adequacy of the drainage system for various locations in view of the constant building redevelopment in Singapore.

6.

Assoc. Prof. Fatimah Lateef asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) what is the root cause of the recent flood in Orchard Road which caused damage estimated at millions of dollars; (b) whether the flooding could have been prevented with regular checks or having a better drainage system in place; (c) whether recent water works have a contributory role to the flood; and (d) what strategy will the Ministry be undertaking to avoid occurrence in the other areas of Singapore.

7.

Miss Penny Low:

Miss Penny Low asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources in light of the floods which occurred in parts of Singapore on 16th June 2010 (a) what measures have been put in place to prevent a recurrence; (b) how does the Ministry rate our national drainage system; (c) how does the Ministry rate our national agencies' emergency response to the situation; and (d) how can the Ministry better prepare property owners, shopkeepers, shoppers and residents in responding to emergencies.

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Miss Penny Low asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources in view of the rising sea level and climate change issues that can lead to flash floods and other unprecedented calamities (a) how is Singapore preparing itself in terms of (i) physical infrastructure; (ii) information infrastructure; (iii) links to regional and global information and warning systems; and (b) how can the Ministry better prepare residents to help themselves and others in such times.

9.

Mdm Ho Geok Choo asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources in light of the second flash floods on 25th June 2010 (a) what are the underlying causes for the floods in Newton, Novena, Kampung Java and Little India; (b) what plans are in place to rectify the existing problems; and (c) what new plans will be put in place to better prepare our environment from other similar calamities.

10.

Mr Teo Siong Seng asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) what are the financial losses resulting from the recent flood in Orchard Road; (b) if any financial assistance or support services will be extended to shop owners affected by the flooding and temporary closure of their shops for major repair, including those without sufficient insurance coverage; and (c) whether the grassroots organisations and CDCs will consider extending their community engagement programmes and services to help shop owners and workers affected by future emergencies such as the flooding of major retail districts.

11.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) how vulnerable to flash floods are public housing estates such as Bedok and Chai Chee; and (b) whether the current infrastructure at these public housing estates is adequate to cater to the new patterns of rainfall.

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12.

Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources whether the recent flash floods in Singapore are linked to global warming and, if so, what action will the Ministry take in planning for the future and to raise public awareness of the possibility of greater climatic fluctuations and their effects on Singapore.

The Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim): Sir, with your permission, could I take Question Nos. 5-12 together?

Mr Speaker: Yes.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, I thank the Members for their questions. Over the last 30 years, the Government has invested some $2 billion to upgrade our drainage infrastructure. PUB will continue to implement new drainage works to reduce the severity and incidence of floods in Singapore. In planning our drainage infrastructure, PUB takes into account the expected flow from surface runoff based on the size of the catchment area, the history of rainfall intensity and the different types of land surfaces in the catchment. The impact of planned land developments in the future is also worked into the drainage design considerations.

As part of our building development control measures, PUB stipulates drainage requirements for effective flood prevention such as minimum platform and crest levels for buildings and entrances to underground facilities. This inter-agency process is well-established, involving PUB, HDB, URA, JTC and LTA to ensure that long-term development plans incorporate the necessary drainage requirements.

Sir, to ensure that our drains are free-flowing and perform to their designed capacities, a comprehensive maintenance regime is in place. Contractors are

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deployed island-wide to check and clear debris from the drains. Their work, under a performance-based contract, is closely monitored by PUB to ensure that they meet the specified cleanliness standards and frequency.

To alleviate the risk of flooding in low lying areas in the city, the Marina Barrage has been in operation since 2008. It has served to remove tidal influence at the Stamford Canal outlet. During heavy rain, up to nine gates and six pumps at the barrage will be operated to discharge excess storm-water to the sea.

Sir, as Members can see from the chart* which has been distributed, through concerted effort and careful land development planning, flood prone areas have been reduced from 3,200 hectares (ha) in the 1970s to 66 ha today. After the recent flooding, we will review the list of flood prone areas. We continue to take a serious view of flooding incidents. Where they occur, PUB will assess the cause of the flood and, if necessary, work with other agencies to improve the drainage system and raise the road levels. PUB also engages building owners on appropriate flood protection measures to prevent a recurrence.

Sir, on 16th June 2010, 100 millimetres (mm) of rain fell in two hours over the Stamford Canal catchment area. Orchard Road (between Cuscaden Road and Cairnhill Road) was the worst-hit, with a flood depth of 300 mm. The floods subsided within an hour.

PUB has completed the investigation of the flood incident at Orchard Road. The investigation found that the flood was caused by an intense storm that moved quickly along the Stamford Canal catchment from upstream to downstream in two bursts, 30 minutes apart. At 9.40 am, the first intense burst of rainfall fell over the upstream portion of the Stamford

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Canal catchment. The runoff from this initial rainfall flowed down the canal. When it reached the middle section of the canal (from Cuscaden Road to Grange Road), it coincided with the runoff from the second burst of rain which fell over the entire catchment at 10.10 am. This generated a combined storm flow that caused the water level to rise rapidly and overflow onto Orchard Road. The situation was worsened by debris carried into the canal by the first burst of rain. The findings of this investigation were shared with an independent expert review panel, comprising both local and international experts. The experts concurred with PUB’s findings.

On that morning, PUB responded swiftly to the impending storm, and cooperated closely with the Traffic Police, Land Transport Authority, Singapore Civil Defence Force, National Environment Agency and MediaCorp Radio. At 8.30 am, prior to the heavy rains, PUB staff and contractors were deployed to anticipated hotspot areas prone to flash floods. The gates at the Marina Barrage were operated progressively from 8.30 am onwards to allow excess storm-water to flow to the sea. When the flood occurred at Orchard Road around 10.30 am, PUB worked with the Traffic Police and SCDF to render assistance to the public. At noon, shortly after the flood subsided, tankers and pumps were deployed to assist in pumping floodwater out from affected premises.

Sir, my Ministry has studied the investigation findings by PUB on the flood incident in Orchard Road, and we agree with the findings. I am also satisfied that the response by PUB and the other agencies was consistent with the standing procedures.

Sir, PUB has since engaged the managing agents of affected premises in

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Orchard Road as well as the Orchard Road Business Association to recommend early warning systems and structural measures to limit the impact of flash floods on premises. These measures include flood barriers and road humps to protect basement car parks. Building owners and managing committees have also been encouraged to improve their communication and evacuation procedures as part of their emergency response plans for flood incidents. In addition, PUB has invited the businesses to participate in its SMS alert system so that they will be alerted of high water levels detected by sensors in Stamford Canal. We will look into extending this alert system to the public.

PUB will also be making the data from its water level sensors available to the public on a website. The existing network of 32 water level sensors will be expanded to 90 sensors by the end of the year and to 150 next year. PUB is also working with the Traffic Police to put up more signboards to warn motorists of flooded roads to avoid.

Sir, on 25th June 2010, 100 mm of rain fell within 1.5 hours. Unlike what happened on 16th June 2010, the rain was widespread over the whole of Singapore resulting in localised floods in several areas such as Bukit Timah, Thomson, Little India, Kampong Java, Newton and Bedok.

On 17th July 2010, just last Saturday, there was another heavy and intense rainfall over Singapore, causing floods over the central and eastern parts of Singapore. In the early morning, about 181 mm and 194 mm of rain was recorded in the central and eastern areas of Singapore respectively. This is more than the average total monthly rainfall of 158 mm for July. Some of the locations flooded included Bukit Timah, Newton, Orchard Road, Telok Kurau and Jalan Taman.

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Most of the affected areas on both 25th June 2010 and 17th July 2010 were known flood prone areas. Similar to that on 16th June 2010, the runoff from the intense rain caused Stamford Canal to overflow.

On these occasions, PUB, together with Traffic Police and SCDF officers, was onsite to render assistance to those affected.

Sir, PUB has an ongoing drainage improvement programme to improve the drainage in many of these areas. Previous flood prone areas, such as Joan Road, were not affected as a result of completed drainage projects in the area. There are plans to implement drainage improvements to several major canals and drains. The tender for improvement to Geylang River closed in June and tenders for improvements to Bukit Timah First Diversion Canal and the downstream stretch of Rochor Canal will be called in the next three months. Tenders for the upgrading of major drains along Thomson Road and MacPherson Road will be also called by the end of this year. Works to improve the drainage system in the flood prone areas of Little India will start in the next few months.

Wherever possible, we will bring forward the start of these works and expedite their completion. We are also undertaking an urgent review of the Stamford Canal.

During these storm events, downtown areas like Marina Centre and Chinatown were not affected as the Marina Barrage was operated effectively to avert further flooding.

Sir, Miss Penny Low and Ms Irene Ng have asked if these recent cases are evidence of global warming and climate change, and whether we are prepared for

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this. There is a wide range of variability in rainfall in our region – within this year so far, we have experienced both intense rainfall and the driest February on record. Although we cannot conclusively link these events to climate change, I would like to assure Members that we are aware of the challenge of climate change and are closely monitoring long-term rainfall trends in Singapore.

To better understand Singapore’s long-term vulnerabilities to climate change, NEA commissioned a study involving both local and foreign experts. The study projects that the average daily temperature could increase by between 2.7 o C to 4.2 o C from the current average of 26.8 o C, and the mean sea level around Singapore could rise by 24 cm to 65 cm, by 2100. As climate science is a complex and evolving subject, we will continue to improve our understanding as more information and data become available and climate change models become more robust. This will allow us to incorporate the latest scientific understanding on the potential impact of climate change into our infrastructure planning considerations. NEA is also working to expand its capabilities in climate science through collaborations with renowned climate institutes and the World Meteorological Organisation. In the longer term, we will put in place additional measures as needed to adapt to the potential impact of climate change. MND leads an inter-agency Adaptation Taskforce to review the sufficiency of Singapore’s existing adaptation measures and to identify the additional measures that need to be implemented.

Sir, the incidence of flash floods is a challenge faced by cities around the world. Recently, devastating floods in France, China and Japan inflicted significant damage and loss of lives. As an island in the tropics, Singapore is especially prone to intense rain storms. We have seen the occurrence of three

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intense rainfall events over the past month, caused by Sumatra squalls and the influence of Typhoon Conson, and aggravated by the prevailing La Nina conditions. Climate change could add a new level of complexity to this.

Sir, I empathise with the frustration and anxiety of those affected by the recent floods. PUB officers will continue to hold dialogues with affected residents and businesses, and advise on possible improvement measures that they can take. We will also look into improving our alert system to provide early warning of possible floods to the public. Although it might not be realistic to expect Singapore to be completely flood free, my Ministry will work with the relevant agencies to carry out a systematic review of all major drainage systems and their design parameters, as a priority. The review is expected to take several months, and all possible interventions will be considered within the constraints of cost effectiveness and competing uses for limited land in Singapore.

*Cols. 831-832.

Er Lee Bee Wah (Ang Mo Kio): Thank you, Mr Speaker, I have three supplementary questions. In one month, there were three floods in Orchard Road and other parts of Singapore. Does the Minister think that these could have been prevented and why does he think so? Question two, where are the other flood-prone areas that his Ministry has checked after the infamous Orchard Road flood and what are the findings and rectifications done so far? Question three, is there any drainage masterplan and when was this last updated and what more can be done to reduce the flood-prone areas?

Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, in the last one month, we have seen three intense storms, only two causing flooding in Orchard Road, and not all three. On 25th June 2010, the storm did not cause any flooding.

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Er Lee Bee Wah: Orchard Road was flooded.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: No. Orchard Road was not flooded. We have to be precise. Sir, the question that the Member asked is whether this can be prevented. In the first case, as I mentioned earlier, for the flooding on 16th June 2010, we did not expect it to happen in Orchard Road. But we have learnt from the incident that, first, we must be more prompt in the way we remove the debris and we have installed the grates to be able to catch debris upstream. Secondly, we need to review the design of Stamford Canal and its adequacy altogether. I think the 17th July 2010 storm caused us to be very concerned that this is the major canal diverting water all the way to the sea and therefore if it is flooded, we have to take a serious view of what needs to be done. As I mentioned in my reply, we are giving this top priority in our review of all the canals in Singapore. The Member asked where the other flood-prone areas are. In fact, for the three incidents, most of the flooded locations were flood-prone areas that we are aware of. The only area that was a surprise to us is Orchard Road, and that is why we are paying attention to Orchard Road and we need to deal with this problem decisively.

We do have a drainage masterplan. The drainage masterplan is updated at a certain frequency. We have, in fact, been looking at this for the last three years

ever since the flood in 2007 and we have been pushing forward the drainage improvement plan as far as possible. As Members know, it will take time because we need to acquire the land, call for tender and so on. As I mentioned in my reply earlier, we will accelerate it as much as possible. But, at the end of the day, we must also look at the drainage system vis-à-vis the overall land use within Singapore. In certain instances, we may not be able to

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expand the drain but we could consider other measures which we are also exploring, such as the use of retention ponds and so on.

Mdm Ho Geok Choo (West Coast): The Minister has earlier said that contractors are mainly responsible for supervising the clearing out of the monsoon drains and the small drains channelling run off, which often are a repository for dried leaves and other stuff not cleared resulting in clogging and even mosquito breeding. I would like to ask the Minister who is in charge of the contractors.

The second question is, what action has been taken against contractors who failed to clear the rubbish from the monsoon drains in a timely manner? If there are enough penalties, is the quantum of these penalties sufficient? I wonder whether the fines that have been imposed on these contractors are expensive enough than if the contractors were to deploy more workers to do timely cleaning. It has been said that it is cheaper to pay fines than to employ enough workers to clean up. I would like the Minister's comment on this.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, all of the contractors are hired by the PUB to clean the drains, as I mentioned in my reply. They are given a contract. We have, in fact, increased the contract period from three years to five years so that they can explore the use of technology. We have not come across a severe case of contractors who have not been doing their jobs. Having said that, PUB officers are always on the lookout to monitor the work done by the contractors. At this point in time, we do not see any evidence to suggest that the fines are inadequate or that the contractors are cutting corners. Certainly, if we come across incidents of shortchanging, we

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would certainly come down hard on the contractors. But thus far, I have been informed by the PUB that there are no such incidents.

Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong: Can I ask the Minister, to what extent has our rapid urban development limited our island's capacity to run off streams caused by strong rainfall? I would also like to know if Minister would ensure that besides providing drains, our urban planners would incorporate techniques that promote infiltration and storage of water in the soil column and reduce impermeable surfaces.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, for any urban development, before the plans can be approved, the PUB would have to check as to whether or not there will be an adequate consideration given for the drainage system. Whatever run off that is produced as a result of the development, it must not over stress that drainage system that we have. If there are exceptional cases, we will work with the developers to see what are the ways they can ensure that the run off from the development does not aggravate the existing system. The Member suggested some ideas. I will pass these to the PUB to see what they can do further with the contractors and the developers. Thus far, we have not come across any incidents where flooding is a result of an existing development. More often than not, we would have calculated together with the developer what is the run off, and whether or not the existing drains have the capacity to absorb the additional run off.

Miss Penny Low (Pasir Ris-Punggol): Mr Speaker, supplementary questions. How does MEWR determine what constitutes flood-prone areas, as outlined in this graph [ Member indicated a handout ]? Are these areas identified the same as those identified in previous years? If they are the same, then why was drainage in those existing flood-prone areas not

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rectified in the first place? And if these areas are not the same, what contributed to new flood-prone areas emerging? Last but not least, this might be slightly unrelated, there was a report about a photographer who was taking pictures at flood-prone areas and was being handcuffed. I just wanted to know whether there is any policy of MEWR to disallow people from taking pictures, and if it is not, I think this is a good opportunity to clear the air.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, on the second question, we are only familiar with the case as much as the Member is from reading the reports in the newspapers. There is no policy of the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) or PUB in terms of taking pictures. From what we understand, the photographer was warned because of safety issues, not because of privacy issues. There is nothing private about a flood. Based upon the report, that was what we understood to have happened that morning. The Member asked how we define a flood-prone area. Flood-prone areas are areas which are below or marginally above the high tide and not served by any pump or drainage system and areas which have been flooded by storms of lower intensity than what it is designed for. For example, in my own constituency, which, unfortunately was flooded over the weekend, there are terrace houses which are well below the level of the Kallang River. These are low-lying areas. We know they are flood-prone, so, if there is a rainfall of a certain intensity, these places will be flooded. How do we resolve it? Well, the only way is for the level of the roads and the buildings to be raised at the next re-development. We will continue to work with people who are living in the areas which are affected. In fact, we have a drainage upgrading programme for most of these areas to alleviate the flooding situation in those particular areas. The only area that we have uncovered is

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Orchard Road. I would not consider Orchard Road as a flood-prone area. I think it is a hotspot, we are studying it very carefully to see what more can be done to alleviate the problem as quickly as possible.

Mr Teo Siong Seng (Nominated Member): I would like to ask a question. The Minister said that a lesson had been learnt from the flooding in Orchard Road. I cannot help but feel sad for shopkeepers in a certain building, Lucky Plaza. In fact, the news said that the Lucky Plaza is not so lucky. So, is there anything the Ministry can do for the building owners if flooding continues or is it another Ministry's responsibility?

Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, in fact after the incident of 16th June, we discussed with the Management of Lucky Plaza on what are the things that they can do in terms of flood alleviation measures. And, in fact, the PUB stands ready to advise any of these buildings that have been affected, on what are the measures that they can take and we are in constant contact with them. So it is really up to the Management to make the necessary decision. In fact, some of the condominiums affected earlier have already put up the measures, some have not, and we would continue to work with them to advise them on what is the best thing to do. In fact, MP Christopher de Souza has been actively working with his residents and we have been in touch with the condominium affected in his area on the things that they can do. We will work with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to raise the road level and the hump level which is in front of the condominium so that we can alleviate the flood situation over there.

Mr Christopher de Souza: Thank you, Minister, for the comprehensive reply in which you mentioned Bukit Timah three or four times. The stretch of Bukit Timah where the canal runs through is located in

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my constituency. So, I would like the Minister's assurance on two questions.

Firstly, I understand that there is going to be a widening and a deepening of the Bukit Timah canal. Could that be accelerated? And also the canal that takes the collection of water to Sungei Ulu Pandan which goes underneath Maple Avenue, would that be accelerated too?

Secondly, would PUB continue to encourage the management councils of the condominiums where there are basement carparks to invest money in crest protection measures? I think that would be a very good interim measure until the widening of the canal.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: As I mentioned in my reply, where it is possible to accelerate, we will do so and, in fact, the Bukit Timah canal and the diversion canal is one of the top priority areas. So I would like to assure the hon. Member that the PUB is paying close attention and will work as fast as possible to get this job done. To the second question as to whether we can continue to work with the management of the condominiums, we would do so, as per my reply to the earlier question. In fact, after the last three incidents, we contacted all the management of the condominiums and advised them on what can be done. These are all older condominiums. The new condominiums are all subjected to the new platform levels in which PUB has stipulated. For those who were built before the new law came into effect, the best thing for the management to do is really to work together with the PUB and find measures in which they can incorporate. Some have already done so. Some, I think, are considering that. And, in fact, Sir, I would like to add that we are also prepared to work with home owners because, in some areas, it may be difficult for us to expand

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or enlarge the drain because of limited land availability, but what we can do is to advise the home owners on the necessary actions to take. So the PUB is prepared to work with the home owners on what are the measures they can take to prevent flooding in their homes.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: I visited the site in Chai Chee and I met a few concerned residents there. While waiting for the overall changes in the drainage system, they suggested that maybe the Ministry can consider making an immediate step to increase the size of the road kerbs, scupper drains and road kerb drop inlets at all affected housing estates to take in more water quickly, so that we can prevent further flash floods. Secondly, I have also noticed that recent heavy rain spells, which were accompanied by strong winds and thunder storms, have resulted in some damages to our urban infrastructure such as our traffic lights, signages, power supplies as well as trees and landscape of our roads. The concern I have is when these structures break down, especially during heavy downpour, they may pose a danger to the public. So I would like to ask the Minister if there are efforts being carried out by the relevant agencies to review the operational status of these structures in withstanding the effects or impact of such heavy downpour or thunderstorm.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, to the second question: there is an inter-agency committee chaired by the PUB that looks at all of these incidents. I cannot be very precise as to whether or not they are reviewing it but I am sure LTA and the various agencies whose infrastructures are affected will certainly consider what additional measures to take. To his earlier suggestion about enlarging scupper drains and making the inlets bigger, this is already being done by the PUB. I do not have the details for Chai Chee but certainly we looked at it because that was one of the areas

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flooded on the 25th of June. We will consider whether or not these are some of the short-term immediate measures, as he rightly pointed out, that can be put in place before we enlarge the drains or the canals.

Ms Sylvia Lim (Non-Constituency Member): Sir, two supplementary questions. First, I read that the PUB and the authorities are actually stepping up their checks of blocked drains from quarterly to monthly. So, does the Minister not agree then that this is an acknowledgement that the checks were actually not done frequently enough up to now? Second, Sir, I wonder if the Minister could clarify the role of the Marina Barrage because there appears to be some confusing statements in the media about this. Earlier, the Minister said that the Marina Barrage did help to alleviate the flooding situation in the first incident on 16th June. But the press reports at that time quoted the PUB head as saying that the Marina Barrage was not to be blamed, so I wonder whether the Minister could elaborate on what role the Marina Barrage played in the flooding incident.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, the frequency of checks of our drains prior to the incident of 16th June was every three months and that was adequate. But obviously the 16th June's storm was an intense storm that caused a lot of rubbish to be pushed down to the Stamford Canal and caused some parts of the canal to be blocked. We decided, in the interest of alleviating as much as possible flood-prone areas, to increase our frequency of cleaning blocked drains. So it is not an acknowledgement that something has gone wrong but it is something that needed to be learnt as we go along and maybe these are the ways in which we can improve the work that we do. To the second question on the exact role of the Marina Barrage – the Marina Barrage is supposed to be 3-in-1. First of all is to

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create a freshwater reservoir for ourselves, second is really flood alleviation and third is for recreational uses. On the flood alleviation measures, as rightly pointed out, it is meant to alleviate flood in low-lying city areas. In fact, in the incident of 16th June and even last Saturday, the nine crest gates were opened progressively to allow the storm water to flow into the sea. But how the crest gates and the pump are operated would have to be decided by the water level, both inside the reservoir and outside,

because if the water level outside is higher, and it is high tide, then you have to start the pumps and pump the water out. If it is lower, we can lower the crest gates. The trigger point has to be done carefully and this will take some time. If we do open up the crest gates, we have to ensure that we do it correctly. PUB had done this correctly in the last three incidents, and because of that, none of the areas downtown had any flood. As to whether or not we could have done it for the Orchard Road area, I would like to inform Members that we did but do not forget the Marina Catchment is a very large catchment. In the case of Orchard Road, the canals are all the way upstream and it may not have enough capacity or even ability to drain off the water as quickly as possible. At the end of the day, this has to be studied as a system, not just as a barrage, together with all the drains on how we can do this. As I mentioned earlier, the Stamford Canal is now our priority, we will study this carefully on how, together with the system that we put in place, we can alleviate the hotspots that we have discovered in Orchard Road.

Mrs Mildred Tan (Nominated Member): Sir, one supplementary question. Can the Minister share some ideas on the early alert system he mentioned to inform the public as well as to allay the fears and anxiety of home, shop and car owners of these flash floods?

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Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, the early warning system we have is an SMS-system that is triggered using the water sensors that we have in our canals. We monitor the water level of our canals on time. When it reaches a certain level, we basically trigger the alarm to inform agencies such as the Police, SCDF and others to be on high alert. We would extend this alert system to the businesses affected. We are now studying whether we can extend this to the public, because it just involves an SMS. We would ensure that people who are in the low-lying areas, if there is an incident that is about to happen, we are able to inform them so that they can take the necessary measures. But the point is that all of this is not an exact science because the water level would have to reach a certain level, based on our judgement, for us to trigger the alert. As to whether flooding will occur or not, it is not possible for us to say with 100% certainty. But, at least, I think the whole point is that the businesses can do something. If there is no flooding, it is okay. If there is a flood, they are able to save their properties. We would study this system in a more comprehensive manner to extend it to members of the public.

Meanwhile, as I mentioned in my reply, we would extend the number of sensors, from 32 to 150 eventually. We would put all of the level of the sensors on PUB's website. Even if you are not on the alert system, you can go to the PUB website and see the water levels in real time.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa (Holland-Bukit Timah): Sir, my question is related to what the Member has just asked. I would like to ask the Minister: when will the alert system be ready to roll out to the public? The second question is similar to Mr Christopher de Souza’s. I am also a MP of the Bukit Timah area. Bukit Timah is supposed to be known as a flood-prone area. Despite the construction of the

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drainage system in the area, we are still experiencing floods in that area. I would like to ask the Minister: even with the enhancement to the drains, canals and so on, would Bukit Timah ever be taken off the flood-prone area list? Or can it be less flood-prone than what it is today?

Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, honestly, no Minister can ever give the Member the answer. [ Laughter ]. It is difficult for us to say as to whether or not we can make it entirely flood-free. I was reminded by senior Members of the Cabinet that Bukit Timah was known to be a flood-prone area in the 1960s and 1970s. But if you look at the chart, the PUB has been very successful in reducing the numbers of flood-prone areas, including areas in Bukit Timah. But, obviously, more needs to be done and we will do our best. We cannot look at the control of floods just purely from the drainage system. The idea of protecting yourself, warning yourself early that a flood may occur, what you can do – is an important part of the challenge. So it is both trying to give you early warning so that you can do something, and on the part of the PUB to increase the drainage system as much as possible to drain off the water into the sea as quickly as possible. So we will do our best, expand the drainage and the canals that we have in Bukit Timah. At the same time, it is better for us to work with the condominiums and businesses around the area to bring them into this early warning system, and to play a part to prevent flooding from occurring in their own developments. As mentioned by Mr Christopher de Souza earlier, some of the condominiums' management will probably have to make a decision as to whether they want to implement some of the flood prevention measures that we have advised them to do so. These are the things that we can continue to do together to ensure that we can minimise the impact of flooding if it occurs again at Bukit Timah.