Water in Bukit Timah canal turns bright blue, PUB investigating cause of colour change
PUB says that no unusual discharge has been found in the water so far
SINGAPORE – Residents living and working in Newton were treated to a surprising sight on Wednesday (17 Jan). The nearby Bukit Timah canal turned bright blue, as seen on a video shared on TikTok, where it was nearly indistinguishable from nearby swimming pools.
Singapore’s National water agency PUB is investigating the incident and told The Straits Times that they “did not observe any traces of unusual discharge at the location or further upstream”. There were also no abnormalities in the water quality downstream of the canal and in Marina Reservoir.
Local resident initially mistakes canal's blue hue for festive decor
The video’s owner, Melvin Lee, shared with 8World that when he had first seen the bright blue colour in the canal that runs between Keng Lee Road and Kampong Java Road, he thought that the water had been coloured for a festival or special event.
He also said that he didn’t notice any unusual smell in the area that could be linked to the water’s colour, according to The Straits Times.
The bright blue has since subsided and the canal’s water is back to its usual hue, as shown in a second video that Lee uploaded on Tiktok on Thursday.
The PUB has reminded businesses in the area that it Is illegal to dump substances into public drains. Additionally, under the Sewerage and Drainage Act, companies have to obtain written approvals from PUB before they can discharge trade effluent or liquid waste into sewers.
Any discharge has to comply with stipulated quality requirements.
Last year, the water in a drain that led to the Kallang River in Toa Payoh turned blue, while in 2015, waters in a Jurong West canal turned red because of an organic solvent.
Do you have a story tip? Email: sgnews.tips@yahooinc.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter. Also check out our Southeast Asia, Food, and Gaming channels on YouTube.
