Parliament discusses flooding in Singapore

Stamford Canal review 'top priority'
Probe into puzzle of Orchard Road floods blames waterway too
Jeremy Au Yong Straits Times 20 Jul 10;

A BLOCKED drain was not the main cause of the floods at Orchard Road a month ago. The Stamford Canal was simply not able to cope with the big gush of water from two intense bouts of rain over two hours.

With the shopping belt hit twice by floods recently, the design and capacity of this major canal, taking water all the way to the sea, will now be reviewed as a top priority.

Environment and Water Resources Minister Yaacob Ibrahim revealed this in Parliament yesterday in reply to MPs' questions on the spate of flash floods around the island over the past month.

He said an inter-agency task force will conduct a review of all major drains and canals in Singapore, with the canal that runs alongside Orchard Road demanding the most urgent attention.

'The Stamford Canal is now our priority. We will study carefully how we can alleviate the hot spots that we have discovered in Orchard Road,' he said.

Depending on the outcome, Stamford Canal may be widened or deepened.

Dr Yaacob noted that the review of drainage systems will consider all measures, but within the constraints of 'cost effectiveness and competing uses for limited land in Singapore'.

Improvement works have been planned for various drains and waterways, including the Geylang River, Bukit Timah First Diversion Canal and the downstream stretch of Rochor Canal.

Tenders will also be put out before the end of the year to upgrade drains in flood-prone areas like Thomson Road, MacPherson Road and Little India.

The emphasis on Stamford Canal comes after national water agency PUB identified the capacity of the waterway as a key factor in the Orchard Road flood that caused millions of dollars in damage on June 16.

The 4km-long Stamford Canal, which runs from Tanglin Road to Raffles Avenue, has been diverted temporarily for various building projects in recent years.

In the immediate aftermath of the Orchard flood, debris in the canal had been singled out as the main culprit. The PUB said then that the canal's capacity was adequate.

Yesterday, Mr Yaacob explained that further PUB investigations found that the canal had, in fact, been overwhelmed.

At the height of the storm, water equivalent to 1-1/2 Olympic pools flowed into the Orchard Road section of the Stamford Canal every minute.

However, that section could handle no more than 1-1/3 Olympic pools of water per minute.

The volume and duration of the downpour (100mm of rain over two hours) played a part. But another factor was how it fell. It took a perfect storm of sorts - two separate bursts of rain combining to overwhelm the canal.

The first bout of rain took place at 9.40am over the upstream portion of the Stamford Canal. The second, over the entire canal, occurred half an hour later.

The run-off water from the first met the rain from the second storm at the section of the canal near Cuscaden Road and Grange Road.

'This generated a combined storm flow that caused the water level to rise rapidly and overflow onto Orchard Road. The situation was worsened by debris carried into the canal by the first burst of rain,' explained Dr Yaacob.

He added that PUB's latest findings have been shared with an independent panel of experts.

One of the four members of the panel, Professor Chan Eng Soon, dean of the faculty of engineering at the National University of Singapore, said the panel was satisfied with the data in the review.

'We are quite happy with that conclusion. The recommendation is that there should be a more detailed, more holistic analysis of the whole drainage system and how we deal with floods,' he said.

The Orchard Road deluge aside, Dr Yaacob also spoke briefly about the two other floods, on June 25 and last Saturday. Both, he said, were caused by an unusually large amount of rain. On June 25, 100mm of rain fell within 1-1/2 hours over large parts of Singapore, putting flood-prone areas such as Bukit Timah, Thomson and Kampong Java under water.

Last weekend, a massive 181mm of rain was recorded in central areas, while 194mm was recorded in the east, all in one morning. The average rainfall for the entire month of July is 158mm.

Ultimately, he said, drainage measures were only one part of the solution. Although flood-prone areas have been reduced from 3,178ha in 1970 to 66ha today, he noted that it was not realistic for Singapore to be completely flood-free.

As such, Dr Yaacob said the Government was also looking to improve its alert system. For instance, the PUB is expanding its network of water sensors and making the data available online.

'I think the idea of protecting yourself, warning yourself early that flood may occur, what can you do, I think is an important part of the challenge,' he said.

Alert via SMS for Orchard Rd businesses
Straits Times 20 Jul 10;

BUSINESSES on Orchard Road can now choose to receive an SMS alert on possible flooding when sensors in the Stamford Canal detect high water levels.

The authorities are also looking into extending the warning system to the public, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Yaacob Ibrahim told Parliament yesterday.

Similar alert systems are already in place in flood-prone parts of Singapore such as Bukit Timah and Telok Kurau. For example, the operations manager of Telok Kurau Secondary School will receive an SMS when the water level in the nearby Siglap Canal rises to a certain level.

Dr Yaacob revealed, in response to Nominated MP Mildred Tan's question, that the early warning system was previously used to put the police and Singapore Civil Defence Force on high alert when there was a potential flood.

An SMS alert warns only of the possibility, and not the certainty, of a flood, the minister said, as high water levels in the canals do not always result in overflows.

'The point is that all of this is not an exact science because the water level will have to reach a certain level based on our judgment for us to trigger the alert,' Dr Yaacob said.

Still, it is better for people in low-lying areas to be informed so they can take necessary measures to save property, even if no flood occurs in the end, he said.

The existing network of 32 water level sensors will be expanded to 90 by the end of the year, and 150 next year.

Water level data from the sensors will also be made available on the PUB website in the near future.

CHONG ZI LIANG

No policy disallowing pictures, says minister
Straits Times 20 Jul 10;

THERE is no ministry policy that prohibits the taking of flood pictures, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Yaacob Ibrahim told Parliament yesterday.

The issue came to light during last Saturday's floods when veteran photojournalist Shafie Goh from evening daily Lianhe Wanbao was handcuffed after allegedly dismissing police warnings to leave.

Mr Goh, 57, had been snapping shots of the flood in the Bukit Timah area.

Responding to a question from Member of Parliament Penny Low on whether a no-picture policy exists, Dr Yaacob said there was nothing private about a flood.

Dr Yaacob added, however, that his knowledge of the case came only from news reports he had read.

'From what we understand, the photographer was warned because of safety issues, not because of privacy issues,' he said.

'There is nothing private about a flood, and I think based upon the report, that is what we understood to have happened that morning,' he said.

The police said in a statement on Sunday that Mr Goh had been asked repeatedly to move to a safe place as he was taking photos in a dangerous position.

But he refused to comply and continued walking along the road divider, snapping away.

Officers then handcuffed him. Mr Goh was not wearing any media identification at the time, and officers were not aware he was from the press.

Mr Goh also said that though he was cuffed for only five minutes, he had to wait an hour to have his statement taken.

The incident has sparked concern from the Singapore National Union of Journalists over what it described as a 'very unpleasant and humiliating experience' for Mr Goh.

In a written statement, the union said circumstances in which the police can handcuff an individual should be made clear.

'We believe that there should be a better way for the police to manage the incident,' said a union spokesman.

Police have classified the case under Section 186 of the Penal Code - obstructing a public servant in discharge of his public functions.

Investigations are ongoing.

KIMBERLY SPYKERMAN

Questions for the minister: From canal designs to cleaning schedules to building flood barriers
Straits Times 20 Jul 10;

Questions about the recent floods took up more than half of the 90 minutes allotted to MPs' questions yesterday. Below is a sampling of the questions and the replies from Environment and Water Resources Minister Yaacob Ibrahim.

# Ms Lee Bee Wah (Ang Mo Kio GRC): In one month there have been three floods. Do you think that these could have been prevented and why?

Question two, where are the other flood-prone areas that your ministry has checked?

Question three, is there any drainage masterplan and when was this last updated?

Dr Yaacob: In the last one month, we have seen three intense storms. Only two caused flooding in Orchard Road, not all three. The June 25 flood did not cause any flooding. No, Orchard Road was not flooded. We have to be precise.

But Sir, the question that the Member asked, of whether this can be prevented - in the first case, as I mentioned earlier, for the flooding of June 16, we did not expect it to happen in Orchard Road, but we have learnt from the incident that first, we must be more prompt in the way we remove the debris, and we have installed the gates to be able to catch debris upstream.

But secondly, I think we need to review the design of Stamford Canal and its adequacy altogether. I think the last July 17 storm caused us to be very concerned that this is a major canal diverting water all the way to the sea and therefore if it is flooded, we have to take a serious view of what needs to be done.

As I mentioned in my reply, we are giving this top priority in our review of all the canals in Singapore.

You asked what the other flood-prone areas are. In fact, after the three incidents, all of the flood-prone areas that we are aware of were flooded. The only area that was a surprise to us is Orchard Road, and that is why we are paying attention to Orchard Road, and we need to deal with this problem decisively.

We do have a drainage masterplan. The drainage masterplan is updated at a certain frequency. We, in fact, have been looking at this for the last three years ever since the flood in 2007, and we have been pushing forward the drainage improvement plan as far as possible.

As you all know, it will take time because we need to be able to acquire the land, we need to be able to call for tender and what-have-you. But as I mentioned in my reply, we will accelerate it as much as possible.

But at the end of the day, we must also look at the drainage system vis-a-vis the overall land use within Singapore. In certain instances, we may not be able to expand the drain, but we could consider other measures which we are also exploring, such as the use of retention ponds and what-have-you.

# Madam Ho Geok Choo (West Coast GRC): The minister has earlier said that contractors are mainly responsible for supervising the clearing of the monsoon drains and small drains which often are a repository for dried leaves and other stuff not cleared, resulting in clogging and even mosquito breeding.

I would like to ask the minister, who is in charge of the contractors?

Second question, what action has been taken against contractors who fail to clear all this rubbish from monsoon drains in a timely manner? Are the penalties sufficient? It has been said that it is cheaper to pay fines than to employ enough workers to clean up. I would like the minister's comment on this.

Dr Yaacob: Contractors are hired by PUB to clean the drains, as I mentioned in my reply. They are given a contract. We have, in fact, increased the contract period from three years to five years so that they can explore the use of technology.

We have not come across a severe case of contractors who have not been doing their job, but having said that, PUB officers are always on a lookout, to monitor the work being done by contractors.

At this point in time, we do not see any evidence to suggest that the fines are inadequate or whether or not the contractors are cutting corners. Certainly, if we come across incidents of shortchanging the contract, we will certainly come down hard on the contractor. But thus far, I have been informed by the PUB, there are no such incidents.

# Ms Irene Ng (Tampines GRC): To what extent has our rapid urban development limited our island's capacity to handle run-off caused by strong rainfall?

Besides providing drains, would our urban planners incorporate techniques that promote infiltration and storage of water in the soil column and to reduce impermeable surfaces?

Dr Yaacob: Before any urban development plans can be approved, the PUB will have to check whether or not there has been adequate consideration given for the drainage system. Whatever run-off that this produces as a result of the development, it must not overstress the drainage system that we have.

If there are exceptional cases, we will work with the developers to see what are the ways they ensure that the run-off from the development does not aggravate the existing system.

You suggested some ideas, I will pass these on to the PUB to see what they can do further with the contractors and the developers.

Thus far, we have not come across any incident that because of an existing development, flooding results. More often than not, we would have calculated, together with the developer, what the run-off is and whether or not the existing drains have the capacity to absorb the additional run-off.

# Ms Penny Low (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC): How does MEWR (Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources) determine what constitutes flood-prone areas? If these areas identified are the same as those identified in previous years, why was the drainage in existing flood-prone areas not rectified?

Dr Yaacob: Flood-prone areas are areas which are below or marginally above the high tide and not served by any pump or drainage system and areas which have been flooded by storms of lower intensity than they are designed for.

For example, in my own constituency, which unfortunately was flooded over the weekend, these are terrace houses which are well below, in fact, the level of the Kallang River. These are low-lying areas.

We know it is flood-prone, so if there is rainfall of a certain intensity, this place will be flooded. How do we resolve it? Well, the only way is actually for the level of the roads and the building to be raised at the next redevelopment.

Other than Orchard Road, which is something new to us, the rest of the areas we are familiar with, and, in fact, we have drainage programmes for most of these areas to alleviate the flooding situation.

Orchard Road, I wouldn't consider as a flood-prone area. I think it is a hot spot. We are studying it very, very carefully to see what more can be done to alleviate the problem as quickly as possible.

# Nominated MP Teo Siong Seng: About Orchard Road, I can't help but feel sorry for the shopkeepers in Lucky Plaza. Is there anything the ministry can do?

Dr Yaacob: After the incident of June 16, we discussed with the management of Lucky Plaza the things that they can do in terms of putting in flood alleviation measures and, in fact, the PUB stands ready to advise any of these buildings which have been affected on the measures that they can take, and we are in constant contact with them.

So, it is really up to the management to make the necessary decision. In fact, some of the condos affected earlier have already put up the measures, some have not, and we will continue to work with them to advise what the best thing that we can do is.

In fact, for MP Chris de Souza, he has been actively working with his residents, and we have been in touch with the condos affected in his area on the things that we can do. In fact, I have been told that we will work with LTA (Land Transport Authority) to raise the road level and the hump level which is in front of the condo so that we can alleviate the flood situation over there.

# Mr Chris de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC): Can you accelerate the widening and deepening of Bukit Timah canal? Also, the canal that takes the collection of water to Sungei Ulu Pandan which goes underneath Maple Avenue?

Secondly, would PUB continue to encourage the management corporations of condos where there are basement carparks to invest money in protection measures? I think that would be a very good interim until the widening of the canal happens.

Dr Yaacob: As I mentioned in my reply, where it is possible to accelerate, we will do so and, in fact, Bukit Timah canal and the diversion canal are one of the top priority areas.

As to whether we can continue to work with the management of the condos, we will do so. As I have replied to the earlier question, in fact, after the last three incidents, we contacted all the managements of the condos to advise them on what can be done.

These are all older condos. The new condos are all subject to the new platform levels which PUB has stipulated. For those which were built before the new law came into effect, the best thing for the management to do is, really, to work together with the PUB and find measures which they can incorporate.

Some have already done so, some I think are considering that. And, in fact here, Sir, I would like to add that we are also prepared to work with home owners because in some areas, it may be difficult for us to expand the drain or enlarge the drain because of limited land availability, but what we can do is that home owners can take necessary precautions.

So, the PUB is prepared to work with some of the home owners on the measures they can take to prevent flooding or water going into their homes.

# Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (Marine Parade GRC): I visited the flood site in Chai Chee and met a few concerned residents over there. While waiting for the overall changes in the drainage system, they suggested that the ministry can consider increasing the size of the road kerb scupper mouth and road kerb drop inlets in all affected public housing estates to take in more water quickly so that we can prevent further flash floods.

Secondly, the recent heavy rain accompanied by strong winds led to damage to infrastructure such as traffic lights, signages, power supply and trees. When these structures break down, they may pose a danger to the public. Are efforts being carried out by the relevant agencies to review the operational status of these structures? Can they withstand the impact of such heavy downpours or thunderstorms?

Dr Yaacob: To the second question, there is an inter-agency committee chaired by the PUB that looks at all of these incidents. I can't be very precise as to whether or not they are doing a review, but I am sure LTA, the various agencies whose infrastructure is affected, will certainly consider what additional measures to take.

To your earlier suggestion about enlarging scupper drains and making the inlet bigger, this is already being done by the PUB.

# Non-Constituency MP Sylvia Lim: I read that the PUB and the authorities are actually stepping up their checks of drains from quarterly to monthly. Is this not an acknowledgement that the checks were actually not done frequently enough up to now?

Dr Yaacob: The frequency of checks of our drains prior to the incident of June 16 was every three months, and that was adequate, but obviously, the June 16 storm was an intense storm that caused a lot of rubbish to be pushed down to the Stamford Canal and caused some parts of the canal to be blocked.

So we decided, that in the interest of alleviating our flood-prone areas as much as possible, to increase our frequency (of checks).

# Mr Liang Eng Hwa (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC): Do you think Bukit Timah can ever be taken off the list of flood-prone areas? Or at least be less flood-prone than it is today?

Dr Yaacob: Honestly, no minister can give you that answer. It is difficult for us to say whether or not we can make it entirely flood-free.

I was reminded by senior members of the Cabinet that Bukit Timah was known as a flood-prone area in the 60s and the 70s.

But obviously, more needs to be done, and we will do our best. But we cannot look at the control of floods just purely from a drainage system. I think the idea of protecting yourself, warning yourself early that flood may occur, what can you do, I think is an important part of the challenge.

Governmentt to bring forward plans to improve drainage in flood-prone areas
By Mustafa Shafawi and Joanne Chan Channel NewsAsia 19 Jul 10;

SINGAPORE: The government will bring forward plans to improve drainage in major canals and drains in flood-prone areas.

There will also be an urgent review of the Stamford Canal which overflowed and caused the June 16 and July 17 floods in Orchard Road.

With Singapore hit by three floods in just a month, the issue dominated Parliament for a good half an hour on Monday.

10 Members of Parliament (MPs) wanted to know the cause of the floods, and what the government was doing to prevent a repeat.

"In one month, there are three floods in Orchard Road and other parts of Singapore. Do you think that this could have been prevented and why do you think so," questioned Lee Bee Wah, MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC.

"If these areas identified are the same as those identified in previous years... then why is the drainage of those existing flood-prone areas not rectified in the first placed," asked Penny Low, MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC.

In reply to the parliamentary questions, the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim said there are plans to implement drainage improvements to several major canals and drains.

Dr Yaacob said the tender for improvement to Geylang River closed in June.

Tenders for improvements to Bukit Timah First Diversion Canal and the downstream stretch of Rochor Canal1 will be called in the next three months.

Tenders for the upgrading of major drains along Thomson Road and MacPherson Road will be also called by the end of the year.

Works to improve the drainage system in the flood-prone areas of Little India will start in the next few months.

Dr Yaacob said wherever possible, PUB will bring forward the start of these works and expedite their completion.

Dr Yaacob Ibrahim also said Orchard Road, which flooded just last Saturday, is a new hotspot.

He said an urgent review of the Stamford Canal is being undertaken.

"We need to review the design of Stamford Canal and its adequacy altogether. I think the last July 17 storm caused us to be very concerned that this a major canal - diverting water all the way to the sea - is flooded. We need to take a serious view of what needs to be done," said Dr Yaacob.

Dr Yaacob said the incidence of flash floods is a challenge faced by cities around the world.

Recently, devastating floods in France, China and Japan inflicted significant damage and loss of lives.

As an island in the tropics, Singapore is especially prone to intense rain storms.

He said Singapore has seen the occurrence of three intense rainfall events over the past month, caused by Sumatra squalls and the influence of Typhoon Conson, and aggravated by the prevailing La Nina conditions.

Dr Yaacob said climate change could add a new level of complexity to this.

He said he empathised with the frustration and anxiety of those affected by the recent floods.

Dr Yaacob said PUB officers will continue to hold dialogues with affected residents and businesses and advise on possible improvement measures that they can take.

He said improvements will also be made to the alert system to provide early warning of possible floods to the public.

PUB will also be increasing the number of water level sensors installed in canals from 32 to 150 by next year.

Currently, when sensors installed in canals are activated by rising water levels, an SMS alert is sent to warn businesses in the vicinity.

Dr Yaacob said his ministry is studying if this system can be extended to members of public in low-lying areas, so that they too will have sufficient time to respond to a possible flood.

The minister said although it might not be realistic to expect Singapore to be completely flood-free, his ministry will work with the relevant agencies to carry out a systematic review of all major drainage systems and their design parameters, as a priority.

The review is expected to take several months, and all possible interventions will be considered within the constraints of cost effectiveness and competing uses for limited land in Singapore.

The government has invested some S$2 billion to upgrade Singapore's drainage infrastructure in the last 30 years.

As a result, flood-prone areas have been reduced from 3,200 hectares in the 1970s to a total of 66 hectares today. - CNA/vm/ls

PUB looking into early flood warning to public
By Mustafa Shafawi Channel NewsAsia 19 Jul 10;

SINGAPORE: Since the flood on Orchard on June 16, national water agency, PUB, has been engaging the managing agents of affected premises as well as the Orchard Road Business Association to recommend early warning systems and structural measures to limit the impact of flash floods on premises.

Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim told Parliament on Monday that these measures include flood barriers and road humps to protect basement car parks.

Building owners and managing committees have also been encouraged to improve their communication and evacuation procedures as part of their emergency response plans for flood incidents.

In addition, Dr Yaacob said PUB has invited the businesses to participate in its SMS alert system so that they will be alerted of high water levels detected by sensors in Stamford Canal.

He said PUB will look into extending this flood alert system to the public.

PUB will also be making the data from its water level sensors available to the public on a website.

The existing network of 32 water level sensors will be expanded to 90 sensors by the end of the year and 150 next year.

He said PUB is also working with the Traffic Police to put up more signboards to warn motorists of flooded roads to avoid. - CNA/vm

Government recommends floodgates for flood-prone buildings in Orchard Rd
Evelyn Lam and Sharon See Channel NewsAsia 19 Jul 10;

SINGAPORE : The government has recommended floodgates for buildings such as Liat Towers and Lucky Plaza that are vulnerable to floods.

Over at Wisma Atria, which already has such floodgates, staff are informed through SMS once the water level goes too high.

This allows them to shut the floodgates and keep the water out.

But such systems need to be customised based on the building's design.

It is estimated that it costs about $500,000 and takes at least a year to install. But it could be a faster solution than widening water channels.

"The overall intent, in terms of mitigation, is to try and enhance carrying capacity. To do that, it's not so straight forward. You have to factor in a lot of constraints; this is a built-up area," said Professor Chan Eng Soon, Dean of NUS Engineering Faculty. He is also the head of the PUB External Review Panel. - CNA /ls

Liat Towers shops waiting for a solution
Lim Wei Chean Straits Times 20 Jul 10;

FOR some stores at Liat Towers, the name of the game these days is 'wait and see'.

After being affected by the worst floods to hit Orchard Road in recent memory on June 16, the stores moved quickly to renovate and pledged to get back on track as soon as possible.

However, just as many were rounding the final stretch in their race to get ready, a major storm last Saturday wrecked their plans.

Though the flooding was less severe this time around - the water at Liat Towers reached ankle-height on Saturday - it damaged furnishings and some equipment, and some of the stores are now saying they will not go ahead with further work until the problem is sorted out.

A spokesman for the Orchard Road Business Association, Mr Steven Goh, said it is his understanding that some of the four stores there - a Starbucks coffee outlet, Wendy's fast-food restaurant, clothing retailer Massimo Dutti and high-end fashion house Hermes - are likely to remain shuttered for some time.

The Hermes store recently had new carpet laid for its basement level space, but it was damaged on Saturday.

Its upper floors remain open, but there is no indication when the rest of the store will be ready.

Hermes spokesman Joyce Ong said: 'This problem has repeated itself in less than a month.

'We will not be able to estimate when the ground floor will be opened until such time when the proper authorities resolve the bigger issue of drainage around the area.'

Massimo Dutti could not be reached for comment, while Starbucks managing director Jeff Miller said the store hopes to re-open by the middle of next month.

Wendy's was more optimistic, and intends to open by the end of the month, despite suffering some damage in Saturday's mini-flood.

Spokesman Goh Wee Ling said: 'Thank goodness the damage was minimal this time. Only some new cushions were soaked through.'

Meanwhile, the building management of Liat Towers held a meeting with officials from PUB, the national water agency, to discuss measures on how to prevent further flooding.

Mr Chik Hai Lam, the building's supervisor, said PUB's advice was to build a flood barrier.

He said the idea will be looked into. It might be expensive, he said, but added: 'No choice, we have to do something, if not our tenants suffer.'

One solution being looked into is a floodgate along the lines of that at Wisma Atria, where a street-level floodgate that can be closed to prevent water from flowing into the mall has been built.

PUB has also been collecting the contact numbers of building managers so it can send text messages to them when water in the Stamford Canal, which runs in front of Liat Towers, reaches a dangerously high level.

For now, Liat Towers is eschewing tech solutions to the problem and has resorted to an age-old barrier: sand bags.

When The Straits Times visited yesterday, a line of sand bags that stretched the length of the building's facade had been placed along the pedestrian walkway.

Mr Chik, who thought up the idea to deploy sand bags, said they would not stop water from flowing into the building, but he hoped they could slow the flow.

Early flood alerts for Orchard Rd businesses
They will be warned by SMS when waters start to rise; flood barriers recommended
Lee U-Wen and Felda Chay Business Times 20 Jul 10;

(SINGAPORE) Help is at hand for businesses in Orchard Road to make sure that they are better prepared to deal with flash floods.

The Public Utilities Board (PUB) has invited shopowners along the popular belt - a new flooding hot spot - to sign up for its existing SMS alert system so that they would be warned in advance of higher-than-usual water levels.

The national water agency is also studying how best to extend this service to the public soon, Environment and Water Resources Minister Yaacob Ibrahim said yesterday in response to questions by at least 10 Members of Parliament.

Singapore has been drenched by three intense storms over the month. On June 16, Orchard Road was one of many areas submerged by a major flood, causing millions of dollars of damage to retailers. A long stretch between Cuscaden and Cairnhill Roads was the worst hit, with 30 cm of water.

A second, more widespread wave of floods struck on June 25, felling 25 trees and causing massive traffic jams.

Then, on Saturday, another heavy downpour flooded scores of areas including Orchard Road again, Bukit Timah and Telok Kurau.

As far as Orchard Road is concerned, Dr Yaacob said, PUB has been advising managing agents of affected premises, as well as the Orchard Road Business Association, to implement early-warning systems and suitable structural measures to minimise damage and disruption to businesses.

These include flood barriers and road humps to protect basement car parks. The management committees of buildings have also been urged to beef up their emergency response plans by improving their communication and evacuation procedures to deal with flood-related incidents.

The managements of Liat Towers and Lucky Plaza are among those that have been asked to instal flood barriers. Lucky Plaza has already engaged an engineer to look at installing floodgates.

Meanwhile, some of its retailers are still wary. Dave Chia, director of G Tech Mobile & Electronics, said that he suffered losses of around $19,000 in the floods on June 16 and last Saturday. He is seeking payouts from his insurers. 'Meanwhile, I have decided to put all my stock higher up so that if another flood comes my goods won't be affected,' he said.

Goh Wee Ling, a spokesman for US fast food chain Wendy's, whose Liat Towers outlet has been shut since the June 16 floods, said that the new measures would help restore confidence. 'Currently, our employees are worried that whenever it rains, we might face the same problem of flooding and that we may have to watch the flood waters disrupt our operations and cause us to close the business again.'

Dr Yaacob laid out several plans for the coming months. He said that the existing network of 32 water-level sensors would first be expanded to 90 by the end of the year, and then to 150 next year, and that PUB plans to publish the data from these sensors online. More signboards will also be put up to warn motorists to avoid flooded roads.

Dr Yaacob said that the authorities did not foresee the Orchard Road flooding on June 16, which he described as a learning experience for everyone. Official agencies will undertake an 'urgent review' of Stamford canal's design and adequacy, he said.

The canal catchment area - which is about 6km long and less than 1km wide - runs from Handy Road to just before Cuscaden Road. The total amount of rainflow during the two bursts on June 16 exceeded the canal's capacity, causing it to overflow. The rain also resulted in a large amount of debris that blocked parts of the canal.

Dr Yaacob said that PUB has an ongoing drainage improvement programme in many of the affected areas. And there are plans to improve the drainage to several major canals and drains, including Geylang River, Bukit Timah Canal and the Thomson and MacPerson road areas.

'Wherever possible, we will bring forward the start of these works and expedite their completion,' he told Parliament. He cited examples such as Joan Road, a flood-prone area previously, that was not affected by the unusually heavy rain because all the drainage projects there had been completed. Areas slated for upgrading soon include Geylang River and the downstream stretch of Rochor canal.

Over the past 30 years, the government has spent some $2 billion to upgrade Singapore's drainage infrastructure, Dr Yaacob said. This has helped reduce the size of the island's flood-prone areas from 3,200 hectares in the 1970s to just 66 ha today.

But it is 'unrealistic' to expect Singapore to be completely flood-free, even when all the new measures are implemented, he said: 'I empathise with the frustration and anxiety of those affected. PUB will continue to hold dialogues with affected residents and businesses, and advise on possible improvement measures they can take.'

A to-do list for PUB
Leong Wee Keat Today Online 20 Jul 10;

SINGAPORE - The flash floods may come again, but before they hit, warnings should reach the public first once a public alert system is implemented.

This is one of the key measures that will come in the wake of three floods that occurred within a month - including, in the words of Member of Parliament Lee Bee Wah (Ang Mo Kio GRC), the "infamous Orchard Road flood".

There will also be a review of all major drainage systems - in particular, "an urgent review" of the Stamford Canal - in the city-state's main shopping belt.

Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Dr Yaacob Ibrahim spelt out this to-do list for national water agency PUB yesterday.

But, even as he fielded questions from 11 MPs on the flooding issue in a 30-minute debate in Parliament, he also stressed it is not just the PUB's job alone to be prepared.

PUB stands ready to work with any building and residential management and, where needed, the Land Transport Authority, to implement flood barriers and road humps or to raise road levels.

For instance, it is in contact with some Bukit Timah condominiums and will work with managing agents of affected premises along Orchard Road.

Businesses are also invited to participate in an SMS alert system, so they can be forewarned of high water levels detected by sensors in Stamford Canal.

And around the island, data from water level sensors - which will be increased from 32 to 90 by the end of this year - will be made available to the public on PUB's website.

The message: Flood control measures should not be looked at "purely" from improvements to the drainage system.

Said Dr Yaacob: "The idea of protecting yourself, warning yourself early that flood may occur and what you can do, is an important part of the challenge."

But lessons have been learnt on PUB's part. Asked by Ms Lee about the Orchard Road flooding, Dr Yaacob said: "We must be more prompt in the way we remove the debris, and we've installed the gates to catch debris upstream."

Mdm Ho Geok Choo (West Coast GRC) asked if any action had been taken against private contractors in charge of maintenance and if existing fines were a sufficient deterrent.

To this, Dr Yaacob said PUB has not seen "any evidence to suggest that fines are inadequate or contractors cutting corners".

Maintenance checks have been stepped up, though, which led Non-Constituency MP Sylvia Lim to ask if that meant "checks were not done frequently up to now".

Dr Yaacob said quarterly checks prior to the June 16 floods were "adequate", and the authorities decided to increase checks due to the amount of debris that blocked Stamford Canal. "It's not an acknowledgement that something has gone wrong but which was something we learned as we go along and maybe these are the ways we could improve the work we do," he said.

The minister also told MPs (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC) Christopher De Souza and Liang Eng Hwa that PUB would expedite works in their wards, where possible. Improvements to Geylang River, Bukit Timah First Diversion Canal and Rochor Canal will begin soon.

Meanwhile, more rain is expected this week. Short-duration showers with thunder can be expected mostly in the late morning and afternoon, while showers with thunder and gusty winds can be expected between the pre-dawn hours and morning toward the end of the week.



Debris 'worsened' flood, but didn't cause it: PUB
Leong Wee Keat Today Online 20 Jul 10;

After blaming a blocked culvert along Stamford Canal for the flood at Orchard Road on June 16, national water agency PUB now says, after completing investigations, that the debris only "worsened" the flood but did not cause it.

Two bursts of rain 30 minutes apart had poured the equivalent of 1.5 Olympic-sized swimming pools of rainfall each minute into the middle section of the canal, between Delfi Orchard and Handy Road, which could only carry 1-1/3 Olympic-sized swimming pools each minute.

On Saturday, the canal overflowed again and "an urgent review" is underway.

But Member of Parliament Irene Ng (Tampines GRC) wondered if rapid urban development had reduced the island's ability to handle run-off from strong rainfall.

Environment and Water Resources Minister Yaacob Ibrahim said PUB would have to check that there is adequate drainage before any development can be approved: "We've not come across any incident that, because of an existing development, flooding is a result of that."

When Non-Constituency MP Sylvia Lim asked about the Marina Barrage's role in alleviating floods, Dr Yaacob said it had operated effectively to avert further flooding in downtown areas such as Chinatown during the three recent floods.

"In the case of Orchard Road, the canals are way upstream, and we may not have enough capacity to drain all the water as quickly as possible ... This has to be studied as a system and not just as a barrage, together with all the drains," he said.

Saying the authorities cannot "conclusively link these events to climate change", he told the House the Government will continue to study this "complex and evolving subject".

For now, a National Environment Agency study projects that by 2100, the average daily temperature could increase by between 2.7°C to 4.2°C; the mean sea level around Singapore could rise by 24 to 65 centimetres.