WATER SITUATION

2.34 p.m.

The Prime Minister: Mr Speaker, Sir, the statement I wish to make to the House is in respect of the water situation.

With the belated break of the North-East Monsoon, hon. Members would like to know the present water situation and the outlook - whether and when rationing can be lifted. The total stocks in impounding reservoirs today, 16th December, are around 2,780 million gallons or 47.1 per cent of the total. The corresponding figure on the same date, 16th December, last year was 68.6 per cent or 4,050 million gallons in impounding reservoirs.

The rainfall to-date in Singapore taking the readings of Peirce Reservoir shows 62 inches as against the yearly average of 100 inches. In Johore in the Tebrau area the rainfall up to date has been 81 inches as against a yearly average of 108 inches.

Members will notice that rainfall figures up to date have been about 38 per cent below average in Singapore and 25 per cent below average in Johore.

Members will have noted a considerable amount of attention in all the language newspapers about water rationing, coinciding with a recurrence of the cholera epidemic. A number of people have taken the trouble to write to the newspapers urging the abolition of water rationing as one of the means to combat the cholera epidemic.

The Public Utilities Board has given this matter urgent consideration. They have been in consultation with the medical officers of the Health Ministry. The Health Ministry is of the view that move, the present El Tor cholera epidemic has Order not been brought about so much by drought conditions in Singapore resulting in water rationing, but more by the higher incidence of human carriers of cholera. A complete de-rationing may lead to a much more dangerous condition if there should be a drought next made year.

Sir, there has been a relaxation of two hours per day with water supply stopped at 10 a.m. instead of 8 a.m. in order to allow the City area to be flushed clean more thoroughly at least once a week. This change adds to the daily consumption of water by about 150,000 gallons.

Water rationing has to be continued until the safety level in our water stocks has been reached. Members may like to know what is the safety level of water stocks. This varies at different times of the year. The level should be such as to see us, at an average daily consumption, now of about 75 million gallons per day, through the annually expected dry months of June to September to the next wet season.

At the time we lifted rationing at the end of January 1962 after the 1961 drought, the stocks were at 67.5 per cent or nearly 4,000 million gallons. To see ourselves safely through the next dry season between June and September, there should be more than 60 per cent of water stocks in our reservoirs by the end of the North-East Monsoon in January.

At present the stocks are only 47.1 per cent and I regret to say that rationing will have to continue until it reaches 60 per cent, we hope, by the end of the rainy season. However, the forecast by the Meteorological Office has not been optimistic and less than average December rainfall has been forecast.

The position will be reviewed at the end of January, and at the review, consideration will be taken of the Scudai supplies expected in June next year a which would produce another 10-15 -million gallons per day in conditions of drought and 25-30 million gallons per day normally.

Mr Speaker: May I remind hon. Members that there is no debate on the Ministerial statement, but Members may ask questions provided they are relevant to the statement and are phrased in the form of questions.

There appear to be no questions. We go on to the next item, i.e. Questions for Oral Answer. Question No. 1, Mr Kow Kee Seng.