Water supply to about 190 HDB households in Commonwealth disrupted after pipe damaged during BTO works
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Water supply disruptions affected some blocks in Tanglin Halt Road and Commonwealth Drive.
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SINGAPORE – About 190 households in the Commonwealth area had their water supply disrupted temporarily on Sept 24, after a water pipe was damaged during construction works for a Build-To-Order (BTO) project.
The nearby Tanglin Halt Market and two rows of shophouses there were also affected, the Housing Board said on Sept 25 in response to media queries.
HDB added that the contractor for the Tanglin Halt Courtyard BTO project was putting up the site hoarding at about 5.15pm when the incident happened.
As a result, households up to the fifth floors of several surrounding HDB blocks had their water supply disrupted, including Blocks 48A (Tanglin Halt Market), 89, 90 and 91 Tanglin Halt Road, Block 88 Tanglin Halt multi-storey carpark, and Blocks 47 to 54 Commonwealth Drive.
“The majority of the residents in the blocks (units from the sixth floor onwards, with the tallest block at 40 storeys) were unaffected as they are served by the rooftop water tank,” HDB said.
A service crew from national water agency PUB isolated the pipe leak, and two water wagons were dispatched to Block 49 Tanglin Halt Road to provide a temporary water supply to affected residents.
Mineral water was also distributed to affected units by HDB’s contractor, said HDB.
“Water supply was restored at 8pm and repair works are ongoing,” PUB said. HDB added that the water supply to the market and shophouses was restored at about 8.40pm.
“PUB is investigating the cause of the pipe leak and if necessary, will follow up with enforcement action,” the national water agency said. In response to The Straits Times’ queries later, PUB said repairs of the damaged water pipe were completed at 5am on Sept 25.
It added that it takes “a serious view of water main damage that results in water wastage”.
Said PUB: “Under the Public Utilities Act, the penalty for damaging a water main or connection pipe with a diameter of 300mm or more is a fine of up to $200,000 or imprisonment for up to three years, or both.
“Contractors who carry out works in the vicinity of water mains without an approved plan can be fined up to $10,000.”
