Pasir Ris still worst beach here

[MarrickG]

PASIR Ris beachgoers, be warned. Pasir Ris beach is still the worst beach in Singapore.

A recent National Environment Agency (NEA) assessment of the water quality there deemed the water "fair", compared to the other beaches in Singapore, which have all been rated "good" or "very good".

The recent annual assessment by the NEA shows little change from those in 2008 and last year.

Beaches with a water-quality grading of "good" and "very good" - such as those in Sentosa, Seletar Island, Sembawang Park, Changi and East Coast Park are deemed suitable for whole-body water-contact activities like swimming, waterskiing and wakeboarding.

The guidelines are based on levels of a bacteria called enterococcus, which is found in the faeces of humans and warm-blooded animals.

Beaches with enterococcus counts of more than 200 per 100ml in more than 5 per cent of their water samples are graded either "fair", "poor" or "very poor".

Beaches with under 5 per cent of water samples containing enterococcus counts of more than 200 per 100ml are rated "good" or "very good".

Seven per cent of the water samples from Pasir Ris beach contained enterococcus counts of more than 200 per 100ml, though the percentage of enterococcus had decreased by 1 percentage point compared to last year, said the NEA.

Pasir Ris beach remains open to the public, but signs were put up in August 2008 when the water there was first assessed as "fair". The signs warn beachgoers against swimming or any other full-body-contact water activities.

According to the NEA, these precautions should remain in place until the next review in August next year.

A spokesman for the agency said that the water pollution is due to leaks from older sewers, moored vessels, animals, as well as discharge from small-scale
sewage-treatment plants.

National water agency PUB, which is responsible for cleaning the waters around the area, is planning to extend the sewer network in areas such as Changi, Tampines and Selerang by 2012.

Then, the treated sewage will not be discharged at Pasir Ris, but will instead be distributed to other areas. The sewers in the Pasir Ris beach area are also scheduled to be relined by next year.

Members of the public who enter the waters off Pasir Ris beach now risk getting gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses.

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