DRAINS IN PRIVATE ESTATES (Upgrading programme)

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DRAINS IN PRIVATE ESTATES:

(Upgrading programme) 2. Mr Zainudin Nordin asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources if his Ministry will consider introducing a more targeted upgrading programme for old drains in private estate, similar to the concept of the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP).

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee) (for the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources): Mr Speaker, Sir, PUB has an on-going programme to systematically upgrade and rehabilitate old drains including those in the private estates. Over the last 10 years, 240 km of drains have been upgraded or rehabilitated at the cost of $194 million. This includes the upgrading of 160 km of drains carried out together with the Estate Upgrading Programme (EUP) at 19 private estates.

The list of old drains identified for upgrading or rehabilitation is drawn up based on PUB's catchment planning and regular surveillance programmes. In addition, the list also includes those identified by NEA and from feedback from members of the public.

Where an old private residential estate is selected for upgrading under EUP, PUB would carry out a study to identify those drains which need to be rehabilitated. The drain rehabilitation works would then be carried out in tandem with the EUP

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works to minimise inconvenience to the residents.

In addition to the above drain upgrading works, PUB also carries out minor repairs to those drains which have sunken or are damaged at localised sections. These minor repair works will help to eliminate water stagnation in these drains. Recently, PUB has intensified the joint inspection with NEA. Out of about 300 km of drains inspected, PUB will carry out urgent minor repair works for 10 km of drains identified at some 250 locations islandwide within the next three months.

Mdm Cynthia Phua (Aljunied): Mr Speaker, Sir, can the Senior Parliamentary Secretary clarify if the drains would be covered or uncovered? And if it is covered, is the Minister going to review the need to cover such drains or to enclose such drains, in view of the dengue fever?

Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee: Sir, these programmes cover all types of drains - small drains, big drains, covered drains and uncovered drains. And the policy now is that we will leave it to the Town Councils to open the drains, so long as it does not inhibit the flow of water.

Mdm Cynthia Phua: Mr Speaker, Sir, I am referring to the private estate open drains. Would the Minister consider enclosing these drains or leave them open?

Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee: Sir, most of these drains in the private estates are today open. We leave them open for a while unless there is reason to cover them up.

Mr Zainudin Nordin (Bishan-Toa Payoh): Sir, I would like to know how many agencies are involved in coordinating all these drains. I have heard feedback that

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sometimes the drains are being built without coordination to the point where there are problems concerning the flow of water. May I know how many agencies are coordinating?

Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee: Sir, there are only two main authorities in charge of the drains. PUB is the main one. Then the smaller drains are within the Town Council estates. Those are taken care of by Town Councils. And as far as coordinating problem is concerned, there is none.

Mdm Cynthia Phua: Sir, the SPS is not answering my question. Under the Estates Uprgrading Programme, the drains under the PUB will be covered. So I am asking, for the Estates Upgrading Programme, would the drains be covered or is there a review currently, because of the number of dengue cases, to leave the drains open?

Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee: Under the first few phases of the Estates Upgrading Programme, for example, the one in Serangoon, the request from the local MP was to cover the drains. Indeed, this was done. In subsequent phases, I think some local MPs also requested to cover these drains, and we will cover them. But as far as PUB is concerned, the drains should be clean and water should flow. So it is not whether it is a covered drain or an open drain but it is a maintenance problem. We can cover the drains if there is enough budget in the EUP Programme and the local MPs request for it. In the case of Serangoon, for example, the reason why the drains were covered - I remember very clearly because I was in MND - the roads are very narrow, so by covering the drains, we actually provide a pedestrian footpath, so to speak. So that was the imperative to cover the drains.

Mr Zainudin Nordin: Sir, coming back to my earlier question, the reason why I

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am asking about the targeted approach for the drains upgrading is that if we wait for the Estates Upgrading Programme, it will take a longer time, and it seems that if we have a concern about water ponding, could we have a more targeted approach for the drains?

Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee: Sir, we do not just wait for the EUP. The EUP is an infrastructure upgrading programme. But in the light of this dengue crisis, PUB has, together with the relevant authorities, looked at all the drains. And where maintenance needs to be speeded up, we would do so. So PUB has a 5-year programme, a medium term, a long-term 10-year programme. But in the short-term, we will go and maintain the drains, regrade the drains or patch up the drain, if necessary, to make sure the water will flow. So EUP is a different programme. EUP is an infrastructure programme to upgrade the drains. But here you are talking about maintenance of drains to make sure water flows, that the larva does not collect and the dengue mosquito does not breed.