A company is under probe after white discharge in a river in Sungei Kadut was traced to its factory in the area.

National water agency PUB said yesterday that it deployed its quick response team to Sungei Kadut Way last Saturday after receiving public feedback about the discharge flowing into a drain that led to Sungei Pang Sua.

The team traced its source to the company's factory in Sungei Kadut and it was determined to be a non-toxic cement binder.

"The discharge was contained and removed in two hours, and the canal has been clear since," the PUB said in a statement issued jointly with the National Environment Agency (NEA).

It added that the waterway where the white discharge was observed leads to the sea and does not flow into the nearby Kranji Reservoir.

When The Straits Times visited the site on Sunday, the white discharge was no longer seen.

Mr Jerome Pang, an operations manager in a church who takes frequent walks in the area, posted photos of the discharge on his Facebook page last Saturday evening.

Describing it as "unusual", the 60-year-old said: "It smelled oily, and the water kept flowing, so there was quite a bit of the substance in the stream."

With a friend, he followed the trail of the white liquid to its source by lifting drain covers along the pavement, and was led to the factory in Sungei Kadut Way. "The workers at the factory were quite puzzled about it as well," he said.

The PUB and NEA said they are investigating the incident and will not hesitate to take necessary action against the company responsible for the discharge.

If found guilty, the company may be fined up to a maximum of $20,000 under the Environmental Protection and Management Act.