REPORT ON THE DRAINAGE OF THE BEDOK AND KETAPANG CATCHMENTS (Statement by Mr Francis Thomas)

Mr Francis Thomas: Mr Speaker, Sir, I have already referred to the Report on the drainage of the Bedok and Ketapang Catchments which has been tabled. I think the House may be glad to hear what action is being taken. The recommendations of this Report have been accepted by Government, and we are getting on with the necessary work as fast as possible.

Members will observe, from the last paragraph in the Report, that the first work to be undertaken is the construction of the dam and spillways for the impounding reservoir. Action to acquire the necessary land for this project is now in progress, and work on the reservoir will start as soon as we are entitled to enter on the land. Thereafter the construction of the dam and the erection of the spillways should be completed in about two months, if the weather is not too bad. This means that if we can get possession of the land before the end of this month, a very large measure of protection to the Bedok and Ketapang areas may have been afforded by the end of the year. We can only hope and pray that there will be no abnormally heavy rains before that time.

Sir, as I mentioned earlier, the bund below the Changi Road has already been raised and strengthened, and the main drainage channel has been straightened and deepened. These measures should give some degree of protection against flooding. The real protection will only be assured when the flood reservoir has been completed. It is unfortunate that large works of this nature cannot be planned and executed in a few weeks or a few months. It was just not possible to start earlier.

Members will see from the Report what careful investigation and surveying has to be done before a workable scheme can be formulated. This is particularly the case when there are complicating factors like the coral reef out at sea off the Bedok River outlet which necessitates special measures.

Members will have noticed that the Report envisages that the area of the impounding reservoir should be used as an open space during the period when it is not holding floodwaters. The City Council has now suggested that the reservoir should be used as a reservoir the whole year round. The City Council Water Engineer believes that it should be possible to get an average of almost two million gallons of water a day from the water impounded in the reservoir. This will be a very useful addition to the water which the City Council expects to get from the wells which are being sunk in the Bedok plain, and this additional water supply is an added justification for spending a considerable sum of money on the drainage scheme and on the necessary land acquisition.