Noel Chia Kok Hwee Today Online 29 Apr 13;
I refer to “Singapore’s new fifth ‘national tap’ may draw on groundwater” (April 27) and wish to express my concern over the possibility of drawing on “naturally occurring aquifers and groundwater” in the Jurong Formation area, given that Jurong has been an industrial estate for many decades.
Firstly, chemicals from things such as batteries, insecticides, medicine, paint and printer ink can eventually end up in our water supplies if we do not discard them properly.
Secondly, we need to be assured that factories dealing with chemicals are morally and legally responsible for not dumping harmful waste into rivers or burying them in the ground. Toxic waste seeping into the source of groundwater can cause a lot of harm if not carefully treated.
Thirdly, run-off or water from rain (or melted snow) not absorbed by the ground can run over the ground and loose soil, picking up pollutants and transporting them into ponds, lakes, streams and coastal areas.
Water can be polluted by urban, industrial or agricultural run-off which include pesticides and fertilisers from parks and gardens, oil and grease from our vehicles, and heavy metals and chemicals from construction sites and factories.
