PREVENTING SILTY DISCHARGE
To keep Singapore’s waterways safe, PUB has also increased its frequency of inspections at construction sites to ensure measures have been deployed to prevent silty discharge ahead of the north-east monsoon season from December to March.
Such discharge is a result of rainwater mixing with exposed earth and soil at construction sites.
If silt accumulates in drains, it can obstruct rainwater drainage, leading to flash floods.
Maximum penalties for repeat offenders who carry out works that could cause silt to be discharged into drains and canals have also been doubled, to S$100,000.
One contractor that has put in effort to ensure such incidents do not take place is China Communications Construction Company-Sinohydro Joint Venture.
The firm, which treats its silty water before discharging it into public drains, has put in place extra safeguards, like a holding pond that filters soil sediments.
It has also implemented an automated system that will automatically shut down the system to prevent the discharge of silty water from the work site.
