MOZZIE BREEDING: FINES TO BE DOUBLED

THE fine for first-timers caught breeding mosquitoes in their homes will soon double. On April 1, it will go up to $200 as part of a drive to tackle dengue fever.

Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Environment and Water Resources) Amy Khor yesterday said the higher fine was intended as an added deterrent to mosquito breeding.

She was responding to dengue-related queries from Mr Masagos Zulkifli (Tampines GRC) and Dr Lim Wee Kiak (Sembawang GRC).

Last year, dengue struck more than 8,800 people and killed 20 here. In the first eight weeks of this year, there were 864 cases.

Dr Khor said Singapore is likely to see a further increase in the incidence of dengue in the next few years.

That is because the country is situated in a dengue-endemic region. Moreover, a large segment of Singapore's population has 'very low' dengue immunity due to successful control efforts in the last three decades.

WATER-EFFICIENCY RATING COMPULSORY

FROM July next year, taps, sanitary appliances such as taps, flushing cisterns and urinals must all have labels indicating how water-efficient they are.

All new housing developments, as well as premises undergoing renovation, must install devices with at least a one-tick water-efficiency rating.

This is to help Singapore conserve water, Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Environment and Water Resources) Amy Khor said yesterday.

She was responding to Mr Masagos Zulkifli (Tampines GRC), who asked if Singapore's existing sources of water supply were enough, and if more can be done to conserve water.

Her ministry first launched the scheme in 2006, and to date some 500 products have been labelled.

She added: 'We will consider extending this scheme of mandatory labelling to shower heads and washing machines in the future, when more water-efficient models are available.'

The PUB is already working with the HDB to adopt the use of water-efficient products in new HDB flats, she noted.

ALVIN FOO