SEWAGE TREATMENT WORKS (Measures to reduce odour nuisance)

Mr Chin Harn Tong asked the Minister for the Environment, even though the existing sewage treatment works are sited at a distance from residential and commercial areas to minimise the odour nuisance, what long-term measures his Ministry will take to further reduce such nuisance.

Dr Ahmad Mattar: Mr Speaker, Sir, Singapore has a comprehensive system to collect, treat and dispose of sewage. To minimise odour nuisance, each of the six sewage treatment works has a 1 kilometre buffer zone within which residential and commercial development is not allowed. This practice, however, sterilises scarce land.

My Ministry has formulated a long-term plan to reduce odour nuisance and to free up land for residential and commercial developments. All sewage treatment works will be progressively upgraded with a new compact and covered design. The upgrading will be done as and when existing treatment units are due for replacement. The buffer zone will then be reduced from 1 km to 200 metres.

In the interim, the existing treatment units at Ulu Pandan, Bedok, Kranji and Seletar that are not due for replacement will be covered and odour control facilities provided to contain and treat foul air. Covering up at these first three works will be completed by 1996, and at Seletar by the year 2000 at a total cost of $166 million. In addition, a capital expenditure of $148 million will be required to incorporate odour containment measures for new treatment units with the compact and covered design. Consequently, a total of 1,276 hectares of land (roughly three times the size of Clementi New Town) will be released for residential and commercial developments.

When the entire programme is completed, a total of 2,774 hectares of land will be freed up.

Mr Chin Harn Tong: The Minister has mentioned four sewage treatment works where existing treatment units will be covered and odour control facilities provided. What about the other two?

Dr Ahmad Mattar: Mr Speaker, Sir, the Kim Chuan and Jurong Sewage Treatment Works are sited in industrial areas and we do not foresee any change in land use in the future. Therefore, priority has been given to the four sewage treatment works which I have mentioned in my answer.