Oct 9, 2010 - Straits Times
PUB allays fears about
catchment contamination
By
Amresh Gunasingham
THE water is brown, murky and certainly an eyesore when contrasted
with the manicured grounds of the Seletar Country Club through which it
flows.
For weeks, observers have noticed the pollution tainting
large swathes of two rivers that flow through the club grounds and empty
into the nearby Seletar freshwater catchment area.
'The water is completely polluted with orange sediment,'
said one observer, who declined to be named.
The problem: Silt is leaking from massive construction works
in the area, where a major aerospace hub is being developed.
Since last year, national water agency PUB has conducted
spot checks and identified about 10 construction sites scattered around
the 300ha space from which silt is flowing into public drains. The
concern is that contaminants in the rivers could spill into the nearby
Seletar reservoir.
In colonial times, the area was used by the British as an
airport and a military base. Today, it is being turned into a major
industrial hub where aviation industry giants such as Rolls-Royce and ST
Aerospace will set up shop.