Most of the land in Singapore, more precisely two thirds of its surface, represents water catchment areas. This means that each time there is a storm and there is significant rainfall, the accumulated water can reach clean reservoirs, risking compromising their balance. Thus, through the ABC Waters program, PUB wishes to seize storm water and clean it properly, before allowing it to run into any of Singapore’s reservoirs. Having in mind that there is an annual quantity of 2,400 mm of rainfall in Singapore, this type of water management is more than useful if we are to reach the status of City of Gardens and Water.
There is always a traditional stormwater runoff management system implemented in Singapore, which promises that there will be no floods due to stormwater runoffs, as this water is directed to the nearest body of water through a network of concrete canals and rivers. But, PUB feels that this particular aspect can be managed even more efficiently, by introducing a new set of solutions, both for the source and receptors of stormwater runoff. The new measures are targeting the existent drainage system in Singapore and everything that is connected to it, with the purpose of drastically reducing the risks of floods of the city’s developments. Considering that the weather is unpredictable, in the past years this feature becoming even more obvious, we should never consider that nothing bad can happen, constantly looking to improve the systems that were implemented a while ago and making sure that they can handle any kind of challenge.
Through ABC Waters, this is what PUB is trying to achieve. It wishes to retain stormwater and treat it near the source, before allowing it to flow into the reservoirs. Besides cleaning stormwater, the design of ABC Waters includes features that will increase the flexibility and efficiency of the drainage system, making sure that it will cope even in the case of heavy rainfall. Surface ponds, tanks, and other detention systems for stormwater, are considered to help reduce the risk of unwanted incidents in the case of rainfall-generated peak flows. Currently, due to Singapore’s high urbanization level, there aren’t many surfaces that allow rain water to be absorbed into the ground. Streets, sidewalks, roofs, garages, and so on, are made out of water-proof materials, which only lead to the increase of runoff quantity that reaches the drainage system.
Surface tanks and ponds provide a temporary solution for storing stormwater, as it will be slowly released into the drainage system. To increase efficiency, such a water detention tank can be combined with a system of rainwater harvesting, which may be later on reused for washing, irrigation, and other non-potable uses. Having this idea in mind, all developers are encouraged to consider rainwater harvesting systems in their developments around Singapore, as the project also foresees method of getting the stormwater cleaned before being utilized for any kind of purposes. The idea is to get everyone involved in this project, to help improve the appearance of the city and keep it safe from any damaging floods.
Below are some developments that are near ABC waters sites,
