WATER SUPPLY IN JURONG (Salt content)

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Mr Ho Kah Leong asked the Minister for National Development and Communications if he will ascertain from the Public Utilities Board whether the Board is aware that the potable water supplied to Jurong residents has an excessive salt content and whether the Board will subject the potable water to a desalination process before supplying it to Jurong residents.

The Minister for National Development and Communications (Mr Lim Kim San): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Public Utilities Board is aware that potable water supplied to the non-industrial area of Jurong has a higher chloride or salt content than the Board's other supplies. This water comes from the Pandan Reservoir which was completed in February 1975.

The water stored in the Pandan Reservoir flows through an industrialised and populated area and is therefore subject to pollution. To make it safe for human use, it goes through a more sophisticated and costly process at the new water treatment works at Choa Chu Kang which was completed in October 1975.

The World Health Organisation Drinking Water Standards allow for a maximum chloride content of 600 parts per million and a Total Dissolved Solids content of 1.500 parts per million. Our record at the Water Treatment Works shows that the chloride content of water from the Pandan Reservoir treated at the Choa Chu Kang Water Treatment Works has a chloride content of not more than 200 parts per million and a Total Dissolved Solids content of not more than 400 parts per million.

The water supplied from the Choa Chu Kang Water Treatment Works is well within the WHO Drinking Water Standards and is perfectly safe for potable use. The Public Utilities Board therefore does not envisage the installation of a desalination plant to further process this water before supplying it to the residents.