Marina Barrage will house world's largest water pumps

By Foo Siew Shyan, Channel NewsAsia
29 August 2007

SINGAPORE : Singapore's flood control measures will go one step further after the Marina Barrage becomes operational by the end of this year.

Works are currently underway to install drainage pumps next to the reservoir.

These pumps are the world's largest and are specially brought in from the Netherlands. Their job is to drain out excess water during flooding.

Each pump weighs 28 tonnes, or about the weight of 400 men.

And when operational, it will be able to drain, in one minute, an amount of water that can fill up an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

When completed, water from the southern and central parts of Singapore such as Ang Mo Kio and Thomson will flow into the Marina Reservoir, which has a catchment area one-sixth the size of the island.

When there is heavy rain and high tide, the pumps will be set in motion, draining water from the reservoir into the sea.

But if the tide is low during heavy rain, flood gates will open to release the water into the sea.

This will help ensure that water levels in the Marina Reservoir, which is set to be a freshwater lake, is kept constant.

It also means that low-lying areas like Chinatown and Little India will be spared from flooding.

Yap Kheng Guan, Director, 3P Network, PUB, said: "So look at this system - the gates and the pumps - as (a) means in which you can manage this water level. The water level will not become so high that it will threaten some of the low-lying areas in Singapore".

Water agency PUB expects to activate two of the pumps for an average of 4 to 5 times a year during high tide or monsoon seasons. - CNA/ch