Singapore, 11 November 2024 – PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency, is proposing amendments to the Sewerage and Drainage Act (SDA) to better secure our used water system to safeguard sustainable production of NEWater, and enhance flood resilience by better protecting the stormwater drainage system and keeping it in proper working order.

The amendments to the SDA comprise the following:

• Secure our used water system by introducing higher penalties to deter illegal trade effluent discharges to public sewers. This ensures our water reclamation plans can continue to treat used water and provide feedstock for NEWater production.

• Enhance flood resilience through strengthening deterrence against unauthorised drainage works and activities that may cause obstruction in drains and canals or lead to silty discharge into waterways and reservoirs. Such unauthorised works and activities compromise the capacity of our drainage systems and affect conveyance of stormwater, thereby causing floods and severe public inconvenience. As managing flood risks is a collective effort, owners will also need to play their part in maintaining the drains within their own premises and any installed flood protection measures such as flood barriers.

• Enhance PUB’s operations by ensuring PUB has the necessary powers to undertake timely and effective management and maintenance of our water systems to safeguard the sustainability of our water supply.

The SDA provides for and regulates the construction, maintenance, improvement, operation and use of sewerage1 and drainage systems2, as well as regulate the discharge of sewage and trade effluent. The last Bill to amend the SDA was introduced in 2012.

Securing our used water system

With Singapore’s water demand projected to nearly double by 2065, NEWater, as a weather-resilient National Tap, plays a critical role in Singapore’s water supply. To ensure its continued production and supply, it is essential to protect the sewerage system from illegal discharges and physical damage. This safeguards the feedstock of treated used water that is used every day in the production of NEWater. Should our sewer network be affected, or the quality of the feedstock be deemed unsatisfactory for NEWater production, our water security would be compromised.

PUB employs various measures to safeguard our used water systems. However, some individuals and companies have continued to violate regulations, which compromises our water resources. Further to affecting NEWater production and supply, illegal discharges can also jeopardise the health and safety of the workers who maintain our used water system and work at our water reclamation plants. Such illegal discharges also include toxic substances and volatile organic compounds, which at high levels of concentration can cause fires in the used water system and the downstream water reclamation plant.

We will leverage technology to better protect our sewerage system. There will be amendments to regularise PUB’s requirements to install Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking devices on the tankers operated by General Waste Collectors (GWCs), as well as piling and soil investigation rigs. This will facilitate prompt investigations into illegal disposal of waste into sewers by GWCs, and alert PUB if piling and soil investigation rigs are too close to the Deep Tunnel Sewerage System (DTSS) or trunk sewers. GWC tankers will also be required to install locking devices with geo-fenced smart-locking capabilities. This prevents illegal disposal of waste into sewers as the discharge valves of the GWC tankers will only be permitted to open at PUB’s water reclamation plants to ensure proper treatment and disposal.

To strengthen deterrence against the illegal discharge of trade effluent to the public sewerage system, we will raise maximum penalties, and introduce mandatory minimum penalties. The higher penalties will better reflect the severe impact that irresponsible actions can have on our water supply, such as potential disruptions to NEWater production. Please refer to Annex A – Enhanced penalties for illegal discharge into the sewerage system.

Protecting our stormwater drainage system to enhance flood resilience

The capacity and function of drains and reservoirs can be compromised due to unauthorised modifications, or obstructions caused by debris and silt. This can cause stormwater to back up and cause surrounding developments to get flooded.

We will raise penalties to deter damage or unauthorised modifications to the stormwater drainage system. The existing SDA regulates construction activities that affect the stormwater drainage system, and the amendments will expand the SDA to cover non-construction activities such as the accumulation of sand stockpiles for landscaping works, which may lead to silty discharge during periods of rain. Please refer to Annex B – Enhanced penalties for unauthorised drainage works.

In addition, property owners and/or managing agents of premises will be required to keep their stormwater drainage systems and flood protection measures (e.g. flood barriers) in proper order. PUB will also be empowered to prescribe regulations to ensure that owners, occupiers and/or managing agents maintain the flood protection measures regularly, thereby ensuring their premises remain flood resilient.

Enhancing PUB’s operations

The amendments to the SDA will also provide PUB with the necessary powers to enhance its operations. For example, in the event of emergency situations such as drain and sewer chokes at private premises, PUB officers will have powers of entry to undertake timely and efficient interventions, prioritising the service and safety of the public. Other technical amendments will also be added to enhance PUB’s operations. Please refer to Annex C – Technical amendments to enhance PUB’s operations.

Climate change poses ongoing challenges for Singapore, with recent studies projecting more extreme weather patterns. To adapt, we must collaborate with fellow stakeholders to secure our used water systems and enhance flood resilience. The proposed amendments to the SDA will also provide PUB with the necessary legislative powers to protect our water infrastructure, enhance flood resilience and safeguard our water supply and security through fostering collaboration among owners, developers, and the public.

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Footnotes:
[1] PUB maintains the sewerage reticulation system in Singapore with about 3,600km of public sewers.
[2] Singapore’s drainage network, which conveys rainwater to our 17 freshwater reservoirs, consists of over 8,000km of drains, canals and rivers.