Pipe Dreams

June 1951

What if every time you wanted a shower, you had to find the nearest bucket, carry it down to the public standpipe, fill it with water and lug it back home? Don't even think of controlling the water temperature either. But for Singaporeans living in kampongs in the 1940s to early 50s, standpipes were a huge improvement from drawing well water and waiting for city council workers to distribute water to them, especially during droughts. With the standpipes, everyone could have as much water as they could carry, for free. Families would carry pails home for daily consumption but to save effort, kids bathed near the standpipe itself.

It ended up becoming a gathering point for neighbours to hang out and catch up on gossip.