Drainage canal in flood-prone Bukit Timah fully upgraded
The final stretch of the Upper Bukit Timah Canal has been upgraded to handle increased rainfall, though authorities warn that drainage alone cannot fully prevent flash floods. PUB plans to study long-term solutions, including underground detention structures.
Why it matters
It highlights the ongoing challenges of urban flood management in land-scarce cities facing erratic weather patterns due to climate change.
The last 900m stretch of the Upper Bukit Timah Canal has been enlarged. Work to upgrade this stretch started in 2019.
Listen SINGAPORE - The flood-prone Bukit Timah area will likely experience some relief during the year-end rainy season, now that canal upgrading works there are completed.
National water agency PUB on Oct 23 announced that the last 900m stretch of a 2.3km canal there has been enlarged.
The upgraded canal can hold 30% more flood waters than before, which could help limit flash floods like those t hat had recurred in the area over the past 15 years.
Work to upgrade this stretch started in 2019 and was initially expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2024 . The delays were due to the Covid-19 pandemic and restricted working hours to minimise peak traffic congestion, among other issues.
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