BOON LAY/TAMAN JURONG HOUSING ESTATES (Complaint of rusty water)

Mr Goh Chee Wee asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether the Public Utilities Board and the Jurong Town Corporation have ascertained the cause of the rusty water supplied to households in the Boon Lay and Jurong housing estates; (b) whether the impurities in the water will cause harmful effects to the residents; (c) what remedial actions are being taken and by whom; and (d) when the residents in those areas can expect to receive clear and rust-free water.

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Trade and Industry (Mr Chan Chee Seng) (for the Minister for Trade and Industry): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, rusty water experienced in some households in the Boon Lay and Taman Jurong housing estates is caused by corrosion of the water storage tanks in the building. The corrosion has been accelerated by the higher chloride content of the water which comes from the Kranji and Pandan reservoirs. Chemical and bacteriological tests show that the water is safe for drinking. The iron content in the water which causes the colouration is within the maximum permissible level laid down by the World Health Organization.

The Jurong Town Corporation has embarked on a programme to repaint the inside of the water storage tanks. It is trying various types of paints to select the one that is most effective against corrosion. In the meantime the tanks are being cleaned and flushed periodically. PUB is monitoring the programme closely. 93 blocks of flats in Taman Jurong and 37 blocks in the Boon Lay area are affected. Normally it will take about 12 months for all the work to be completed, but my Minister has instructed the JTC to speed up the work so that the residents in Boon Lay and Jurong will receive clear and rust-free water at the earliest possible time.