PUB to spend S$1.4b more on drainage improvement projects in next 5 years

AN additional S$1.4 billion will be invested over the next 5 years on drainage improvement works to strengthen Singapore's longer-term flood resilience, the Public Utilities Board (PUB) said on Friday (Nov 19).

This adds on to the S$2 billion already spent on drainage works in the last decade to alleviate flooding and support new developments in the Republic, the statutory board said in a statement.

Drainage improvement projects are underway across Singapore at the Bedok Canal, Bukit Timah Canal, and the drains at Seletar North Link, among others.

In addition to the works, PUB has also introduced several new initiatives to prepare for the wetter weather expected as the North-east Monsoon season approaches.

For example, it recently doubled the number of X-band radars, which provide precipitation data at high temporal and spatial resolution, to 6. The greater coverage would ensure that rainfall measurements and forecasts are more accurate, which in turn would help the authorities deploy resources to potential flood locations in a timelier manner, said PUB.

To improve flood-monitoring capabilities, the agency has also expanded its Catchment and Waterways Operations System for real-time monitoring of reservoir and drainage operations to capture and include all flood-related data from across the island on a single platform.

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To improve the time taken to respond to incidents of flash flooding, PUB has deployed a fleet of 13 new flood-response vehicles since April this year. The vehicles are equipped with features such as GPS tracking and a pan-tilt-zoom camera which streams real-time vehicle location and flood conditions on the road to PUB's joint operations centre.

They are able to drive through higher floodwaters of up to 700mm and are stocked with portable flood barriers and inflatable flood bags.

As for individuals, PUB said building owners can consider installing automated flood barriers, which it said is a viable and cost-efficient solution for flood protection.

These barriers utilise approaching floodwaters to buoy themselves up and block floodwaters from entering the premises. They lower back underground when water levels recede, without the need for any human or mechanical activation.