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Anderson Junior College students on a canoeing expedition were unaware of NEA's warning against touching the water. -- ST PHOTO: CAROLINE CHIA
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Kiosk-owner Abdul Rahman Wee earned $150 yesterday, half of what he used to get on Saturdays.
His kiosk, which offers tidbits and kites at Pasir Ris Beach, used to draw an average of 30 to 40 customers a day and about 200 people on weekends.
But after the National Environment Agency (NEA) said last Wednesday that there are high levels of enterococcus, a bacteria in the fecal matter of warm-blooded animals, in the sea, business has dipped.
Exposure to the bacteria could trigger illnesses such as diarrhoea and conjunctivitis.
'There has been a 50 per cent drop in the number of visitors,' lamented Mr Abdul Rahman, 65, who has been running the kiosk for six years.
He added: 'I think this is just like the Sars period when few came to the beach.'
He is not too worried about his overheads for now. In exchange for maintaining the public toilets at his kiosk for free, he does not pay any rental to landlord National Parks Board.
Some beach regulars also felt that there were half the number of visitors on a weekend.
National serviceman Izwan Jalil, 22, said: 'I fish here every week and there seems to be a lot fewer people today. Maybe people are afraid because of the warning.'
The NEA has posted signs on the beach advising against contact with the water.
Still, The Sunday Times counted about 50 people frolicking in the sea or engaged in water sports at about noon yesterday.
Another 100 people were camped on the beach.
A check revealed that not everyone was aware of the NEA warning.
Among those at the beach were 30 students from Anderson Junior College who had come for a canoeing expedition organised by the People's Association's (PA's) Water-Venture.
Their instructor Kelvin Lai, 35, said he was not aware of the unhealthy water quality.
He said he 'followed the PA guidelines' and had not received any directive to stop taking his charges to Pasir Ris Beach.
'I will provide feedback to the company. Maybe it's better for my students not to come here for now,' he said.
Also unaware of the potential health hazards were 14-year-old Punggol Secondary School students Nazri Rosli, Arif Jumat, Asyraf Buang and Khairul Zainol. They were swimming 20m from the beach.
'I'm not worried because we should be able to wash off the bacteria when we bathe,' said Asyraf.
But Khairul said they would go to East Coast Park next time to 'play safe'.
An NEA spokesman said that the public is advised to refrain from swimming off Pasir Ris Beach until the outcome of the next review in the second half of 2009.
Meanwhile, fishing enthusiasts continue to do battle with the fish.
Said Mr Lew Kim Chang, 47, a supervisor who drops by every week: 'The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority has already said that it is safe to eat what we catch here. There shouldn't be a problem, especially since we are going to cook it.'
alvinlim@sph.com.sg
gabyue@sph.com.sg
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