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<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=452><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>Published June 19, 2010
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>PUB will require Orchard Road buildings to be flood-proofed
Older buildings that do not have a raised platform to stop floodwater were worst hit in Wednesday's deluge
By UMA SHANKARI
WATER agency PUB will make it mandatory for buildings in the Orchard Road area to be flood-proofed to stop rainwater from flowing into their basements.
<TABLE class=picBoxL cellSpacing=2 width=100 align=left><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR class=caption><TD>THE CAUSE
This drain near Orchard Parade Hotel leads to the culvert that was clogged by debris during Wednesday's rainstorm</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>The move comes after heavy rain on Wednesday caused a flash flood around the junction of Orchard and Scotts roads. Water poured into many buildings and stores, but older buildings that do not have a raised platform to stop floodwater - such as Lucky Plaza, Liat Towers, Tong Building and Delfi Orchard - were worst hit.
PUB, which is responsible for Singapore's drainage system, deployed 10 tankers and seven pumps to suck out floodwater from the four buildings on Wednesday.
PUB chief executive Khoo Teng Chye said newer buildings and MRT stations, for example, were not as badly affected because regulations required them to be flood-resistant when they were built. A flight of stairs leading up, for example, can prevent rainwater from overflowing into MRT stations underground.
Older buildings, which went up before current regulations came into effect, do not have the same preventive features. PUB is talking to building owners to see how they can take steps to prevent a recurrence of Wednesday's flooding, Mr Khoo said.
PUB takes a serious view of the Orchard Road flooding, he said: 'The impact and disruption to people, traffic and business are not acceptable. We would like to assure everyone that we are doing our utmost to review what happened and take the necessary measures to minimise the chances of recurrence.'
Wednesday's flood came about as 100mm of rain fell in two hours between 9am and 11am.
A huge amount of water - equivalent to 60 Olympic-size pools - carried vegetation and other debris which then partly blocked an enclosed drain, or culvert, across Orchard Road. This resulted in rainwater overflowing into Stamford Canal under Orchard Road and Orchard Road itself.
PUB said on Thursday it will install more litter traps in the open sections of drains from the Singapore Botanic Gardens all the way down to Tanglin to trap debris carried into the drains during a downpour. More water level sensors will also be installed along Stamford Canal for closer monitoring of unusual water levels.
Mr Khoo stressed that the capacity of Stamford Canal is adequate.
The last major flood at the intersection of Orchard and Scotts roads was in 1984, so the area was not classified as a 'hot spot'. PUB will now consider Orchard Road a 'hot spot' and deploy contractors to the area once the water level in Stamford Canal hits 50 per cent.
PUB has spent about $2 billion over the past 30 years to upgrade drainage systems across the island and reduce flood-prone land from 3,200 hectares in the 1970s to 66 ha now.
It plans to spend another $150 million a year for the next five years to continue to improve upgrading works. It has also doubled its maintenance expenditure to $23 million.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>PUB will require Orchard Road buildings to be flood-proofed
Older buildings that do not have a raised platform to stop floodwater were worst hit in Wednesday's deluge
By UMA SHANKARI
WATER agency PUB will make it mandatory for buildings in the Orchard Road area to be flood-proofed to stop rainwater from flowing into their basements.
<TABLE class=picBoxL cellSpacing=2 width=100 align=left><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR class=caption><TD>THE CAUSEThis drain near Orchard Parade Hotel leads to the culvert that was clogged by debris during Wednesday's rainstorm</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>The move comes after heavy rain on Wednesday caused a flash flood around the junction of Orchard and Scotts roads. Water poured into many buildings and stores, but older buildings that do not have a raised platform to stop floodwater - such as Lucky Plaza, Liat Towers, Tong Building and Delfi Orchard - were worst hit.
PUB, which is responsible for Singapore's drainage system, deployed 10 tankers and seven pumps to suck out floodwater from the four buildings on Wednesday.
PUB chief executive Khoo Teng Chye said newer buildings and MRT stations, for example, were not as badly affected because regulations required them to be flood-resistant when they were built. A flight of stairs leading up, for example, can prevent rainwater from overflowing into MRT stations underground.
Older buildings, which went up before current regulations came into effect, do not have the same preventive features. PUB is talking to building owners to see how they can take steps to prevent a recurrence of Wednesday's flooding, Mr Khoo said.
PUB takes a serious view of the Orchard Road flooding, he said: 'The impact and disruption to people, traffic and business are not acceptable. We would like to assure everyone that we are doing our utmost to review what happened and take the necessary measures to minimise the chances of recurrence.'
Wednesday's flood came about as 100mm of rain fell in two hours between 9am and 11am.
A huge amount of water - equivalent to 60 Olympic-size pools - carried vegetation and other debris which then partly blocked an enclosed drain, or culvert, across Orchard Road. This resulted in rainwater overflowing into Stamford Canal under Orchard Road and Orchard Road itself.
PUB said on Thursday it will install more litter traps in the open sections of drains from the Singapore Botanic Gardens all the way down to Tanglin to trap debris carried into the drains during a downpour. More water level sensors will also be installed along Stamford Canal for closer monitoring of unusual water levels.
Mr Khoo stressed that the capacity of Stamford Canal is adequate.
The last major flood at the intersection of Orchard and Scotts roads was in 1984, so the area was not classified as a 'hot spot'. PUB will now consider Orchard Road a 'hot spot' and deploy contractors to the area once the water level in Stamford Canal hits 50 per cent.
PUB has spent about $2 billion over the past 30 years to upgrade drainage systems across the island and reduce flood-prone land from 3,200 hectares in the 1970s to 66 ha now.
It plans to spend another $150 million a year for the next five years to continue to improve upgrading works. It has also doubled its maintenance expenditure to $23 million.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
