Louis delivered the following budget cuts at Committee of Supply 2016.

Improving Flood Management

Louis: Madam, over the past few decades, we have seen increasingly frequent and more intense rain in Singapore. This has resulted in floods in several areas in Singapore and on numerous occasions.

With the onset of climate change, we can expect to experience more unpredictable and intense rainfall. This will potentially result in more floods despite our recent efforts to mitigate flooding. Can the Ministry further elaborate on its plans to mitigate floods in the face of these challenges?

Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M (MEWR): Mdm Chair, on flood management, paradoxically, with weather extremities brought about by climate change, we can expect more frequent but intense rainfall. As Er Dr Lee Bee Wah and Mr Louis Ng pointed out, this will pose challenges to flood management.

To prepare for this, PUB has been adopting a holistic "Source-Pathway-Receptor" approach. This addresses flood protection at all parts of the drainage system. We have an ongoing island wide drainage improvement programme to increase the capacity of our "pathway" drains. There are on-going projects at 101 locations island-wide to be completed in the next three years; and this year, we start works at another 30 locations.

In addition, PUB requires property developers and owners to implement "source" measures, including detention tanks, to slow down the flow of storm-water run-off into public drains. Developers should also implement "receptor" measures, such as higher platform levels, to protect their developments from flash floods.

While PUB continues to find a balance between minimising flood risks and strengthening drought resilience of our water supply in the face of climate change, we must also minimise leaks and manage our water demand sustainably.

Expanding ABC Waters Programme

Louis: The Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters (ABC Waters) Programme has been well received by members of the public. I was at the launch of the ABC Waters @ Siglap Canal in December last year. Having seen the old canal before the implementation of the programme, I can see the amazing transformation it has undergone and I can see how it has turned the area into a community space, which is well used.

That is the goal of the ABC Waters Programme, "By integrating the drains, canals and reservoirs with the surrounding environment in a holistic way, the ABC Waters Programme aims to create beautiful and clean streams, rivers, and lakes with postcard-pretty community spaces for all to enjoy."

We are now in our tenth year of the programme and I understand that over the last ten years, 32 ABC Waters projects have been completed across the island. Another 54 ABC Waters certified projects were undertaken by private developers and other public agencies. Can the Ministry elaborate on the plans for the ABC Waters Programme in the next five to 10 years? And I have to add this, if possible, launch one in Nee Soon East.

Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan (The Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources): Er Dr Lee and Mr Ng have asked about our plans moving forward. I am pleased to share that we can look towards the completion of about 20 more projects over the next five years.

These are exciting times as we continue to improve our living environment and transform our urban landscape. While we see new challenges in the water and environmental space, these also bring about new opportunities and possibilities. We have a lot of work ahead of us to build a greener and cleaner Singapore. We will work hand in hand with the community and all stakeholders in this journey together.

Louis: The second clarification is still on the ABC. I think the projects you listed are in Nee Soon, but the two are actually not in Nee Soon East. So, I am still hoping the Senior Minister of State will consider Nee Soon East followed by MacPherson.

Dr Amy Khor: The vision of ABC Waters projects is to make the concept and design pervasive in Singapore. PUB is also looking at a framework to work with developers, land agencies and so on − a framework of guidelines on the ABC programme design and concepts to encourage private developers as well as land agencies to incorporate these designs and concepts into their development. For instance, integrate it with the adjacent water bodies or have these ABC design features within the development in terms of rain gardens and so on.

If Member has any idea as to where he thinks is feasible to have an ABC Waters project, you can always propose and we can always look at it. Obviously, resources are limited, but we will look at it with an open view.

Source: Hansard (Parliament of Singapore)