Expert panel: S'pore drains can't cope with more rainfall
By Reico Wong
my paper
Friday, Oct 07, 2011
The current design and network system of canals and drains in Singapore are no longer adequate to handle the higher rainfall levels here, said the Expert Panel on Enhancing Flood Protection yesterday.
So, more "robust" ways are needed to slow down the flow of storm water and increase its drainage, said the panel's chairman, Professor Chan Eng Soon.
Possible ways include building porous roads to soak up storm water and adding greenery at the top of buildings to help capture and retain rain.
Singapore's drainage infrastructure could also be enhanced, such that rainwater in a particular area is drained out through a network of canals, instead of just one, Prof Chan said.
He revealed that those were some of the preli- minary suggestions raised at a meeting of the expert panel at the end of last month. It is studying the feasibility of the suggestions.
The panel, comprising 12 Singapore and foreign experts, was set up in June by the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, after repeated serious flooding incidents across the country in the last two years.
The panel is expected to conclude its review of Singapore's flood-protection measures and submit a final report in January.
At a press conference held at the National University of Singapore, Prof Chan noted that Singapore's storm water-drainage system compares well to those of other metropolitan cities, adding that all drainage systems have a finite capacity.
"Conventional design approach and standards are not sufficient to secure an adequate drainage system for the future, especially given global climate changes," he said.
"PUB needs to consider a wider range of measures that mitigates the effects of urbanisation. I think it could look at solutions in a more holistic way."
Such an approach would not just focus on storm- water drainage - which is what PUB, the national water agency, has done in the past - but would also consider other issues like storing and retaining rainwater.
The design of a new drainage system should also take into account other unpredictable risks, such as the possibility that rainfall could be even heavier in the future. Prof Chan noted that the system has to factor in the drainage standards the country wants to achieve, as well.
Singapore ultimately needs to move to a better, "new-generation" drainage model, with enhanced systems-performance monitoring and better capabi- lities to map out areas prone to flooding, he said.
This will provide more accurate operational infor- mation to water agencies, so that they can warn the public earlier about impending floods.
Another recommendation by the panel was for the PUB to find better ways to use storm water to meet Singapore's water needs.
For instance, rainwater could be sent through separate pipes to homes and be used for flushing toilets and gardening, pointed out Prof Chan.
He added that the panel has ruled out the Marina Barrage as a cause of the recent floods here, after conducting relevant tests. A technical study found that the floods would have occurred, even without
the existence of the barrage, he explained.
[email protected]
By Reico Wong
my paper
Friday, Oct 07, 2011
The current design and network system of canals and drains in Singapore are no longer adequate to handle the higher rainfall levels here, said the Expert Panel on Enhancing Flood Protection yesterday.
So, more "robust" ways are needed to slow down the flow of storm water and increase its drainage, said the panel's chairman, Professor Chan Eng Soon.
Possible ways include building porous roads to soak up storm water and adding greenery at the top of buildings to help capture and retain rain.
Singapore's drainage infrastructure could also be enhanced, such that rainwater in a particular area is drained out through a network of canals, instead of just one, Prof Chan said.
He revealed that those were some of the preli- minary suggestions raised at a meeting of the expert panel at the end of last month. It is studying the feasibility of the suggestions.
The panel, comprising 12 Singapore and foreign experts, was set up in June by the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, after repeated serious flooding incidents across the country in the last two years.
The panel is expected to conclude its review of Singapore's flood-protection measures and submit a final report in January.
At a press conference held at the National University of Singapore, Prof Chan noted that Singapore's storm water-drainage system compares well to those of other metropolitan cities, adding that all drainage systems have a finite capacity.
"Conventional design approach and standards are not sufficient to secure an adequate drainage system for the future, especially given global climate changes," he said.
"PUB needs to consider a wider range of measures that mitigates the effects of urbanisation. I think it could look at solutions in a more holistic way."
Such an approach would not just focus on storm- water drainage - which is what PUB, the national water agency, has done in the past - but would also consider other issues like storing and retaining rainwater.
The design of a new drainage system should also take into account other unpredictable risks, such as the possibility that rainfall could be even heavier in the future. Prof Chan noted that the system has to factor in the drainage standards the country wants to achieve, as well.
Singapore ultimately needs to move to a better, "new-generation" drainage model, with enhanced systems-performance monitoring and better capabi- lities to map out areas prone to flooding, he said.
This will provide more accurate operational infor- mation to water agencies, so that they can warn the public earlier about impending floods.
Another recommendation by the panel was for the PUB to find better ways to use storm water to meet Singapore's water needs.
For instance, rainwater could be sent through separate pipes to homes and be used for flushing toilets and gardening, pointed out Prof Chan.
He added that the panel has ruled out the Marina Barrage as a cause of the recent floods here, after conducting relevant tests. A technical study found that the floods would have occurred, even without
the existence of the barrage, he explained.
[email protected]
