Post by Admin on Dec 22, 2015 1:04:32 GMT
A Pulau Ubin resident pumping water from a well inside a home on the island. Residents there typically boil their water as a precaution. Photo: Raj Nadarajan / TODAY
SINGAPORE — Water drawn from the wells of Pulau Ubin must now be boiled continuously for at least a minute before it can be used to prepare food and drinks for sale.
The National Environment Agency (NEA) issued an advisory on this requirement today (Dec 21), after finding that the quality of water from the island’s wells — used by food sellers — has deteriorated.
Besides boiling water from the well, these sellers are also told to use bottled water or tap water from mainland Singapore.
In the joint media statement by NEA, national water agency PUB, the Singapore Land Authority and National Parks Board, it was not stated when it was first discovered that water quality had dropped, only that the finding was “recent”.
The agencies also did not say what contaminants were found in the water, or the number of wells from which water samples had been taken.
The deterioration of water quality could be due to contamination by animal or human waste, or by surface runoff from contaminated soil, the authorities said.
Residents of Pulau Ubin have been advised to boil well water for at least a minute before consuming, or using it to brush their teeth or wash the dishes. If not, they may use bottled water or PUB water from the mainland.
The public is also advised not to drink water from the taps on the island, because it is drawn from the wells and is not potable without further treatment. Signs have been placed in public restrooms on the island and more will be put up to inform visitors, the authorities said.
Ubin resident Chu Yok Choon, 70, said staff members from various government agencies were on the island yesterday morning to distribute flyers and to explain the water situation to residents.
Mr Chu said the 38 residents there typically boil their water as a precaution, although he knows of no resident who has fallen ill from drinking well water. He has lived on Ubin all his life and sells canned drinks at his bicycle shop.
Another resident, a provision shop-owner who wanted to be known only as Madam Ng, said she will now have to use boiled or bottled water to wash spoons used by customers who buy fresh coconut juice from her.
Apart from that, the 66-year-old said she would probably still use tap water to wash vegetables and other food for her own consumption, because the food would eventually be cooked.
The exact number of wells on Ubin is not known, but those familiar with the island say each household would have at least one well.
Wells that are used daily are maintained better than disused wells. Residents would cover the top of the wells, and most of them use pumps to get the water to their homes.
Plans are being made to improve access to potable water on the rustic island and more details will be shared when ready, the authorities said.
A spokesperson told TODAY: “Over the past few years, the Government has been exploring the use of on-site water treatment units that will be suitable for Ubin … In the meantime, we would like to advise the public to refrain from drinking directly from taps and wells on Pulau Ubin.”
In March last year, an advisory was issued to licensees of retail food establishments to take similar precautions, after some water samples taken from their taps were found to be “unsatisfactory”.
www.todayonline.com/singapore/pulau-ubin-water-unsafe-direct-consumption?page=1