A
new pond or canal could be built in Orchard Road to combat floods.
If built, the canal would divert water from
the Stamford Canal, possibly into the Singapore River.
The Orchard Road Business Association has also
previously suggested building a water retention tank in the green space beneath
Ngee Ann City. This would be connected via pipes to Stamford Canal.
Minister for the Environment and Water
Resources Vivian Balakrishnan said at a press conference yesterday ahead of the
monsoon season that the ministry was looking into these options to prevent
floods in the popular shopping district. No further details were given.
Revised drainage guidelines for new buildings
next month
National water agency PUB has commissioned a
study and will publish the findings by next May.
The area has been flooded at least thrice in
the past two years, causing millions of dollars in damage to businesses.
The most serious episode, which occurred in
June last year, was caused by intense rain which overwhelmed the Stamford
Canal; a second canal would relieve the strain on it.
After the June floods, a 1.4km-stretch of
low-lying road was raised, and pop-up flood barriers were installed in front of
Liat Towers, which has shop entrances below the road level.
The Ministry of the Environment and Water
Resources also convened a panel of local and foreign drainage experts in June
this year to look into the flood problem. The panel is expected to publish its
findings by January.
Dr Balakrishnan said yesterday that PUB's
study would not duplicate the panel's work. "The panel is looking into
solutions for the next decade, whereas PUB's solutions are more for the
immediate future," he said.
He also unveiled several other measures aimed
at keeping residents and businesses dry.
On Dec 1, PUB will publish a revised set of
drainage guidelines for new buildings in Singapore. These include higher
platform and crest requirements to keep water out; buildings must also be able
to drain water quickly during intense rain.
The new guidelines are mandatory and building
plans that do not follow them will not be approved.
A PUB spokesman said that the agency will work
with owners of older buildings to adapt their drainage systems.
Another measure is the creation of a
centralised computer system that monitors rain clouds, temperature, wind
direction, rain and water levels in canals and drains.
This was among the initial recommendations
announced by the panel of drainage experts last month.
Dr Balakrishnan said this would help the
relevant agencies to predict the occurrence and impact of storms better. A
prototype is expected to be ready by 2014.
The minister said yesterday that Singapore is
at a crossroads in its drainage system development.
"Flood prevention measures undertaken in
the 1960s and 1970s were successful for a long time," he said. "But
the past few years have shown that Singapore needs a new decades-long plan for
flood control."
Orchard Road Business Association executive
director Steven Goh said the group has not been consulted about PUB's new
study.
He said: "These ideas will affect
businesses in Orchard Road, so our input should be considered. We are
definitely still keen on having talks to see what else can be done in Orchard Road."
Feng Zengkun
The Straits Times
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