SINGAPORE, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- Singapore will allocate approximately 150 million Singapore dollars (about 110 million U.S. dollars) for six new drainage upgrading projects in the 2025 fiscal year, as part of ongoing efforts to mitigate flash floods, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu told the parliament on Tuesday.
This comes as Singapore experienced two monsoon surges in January that led to heavy rainfall and localized flooding. In response to questions from lawmakers regarding flood prevention measures, Fu said that her ministry was also reviewing the country's overall drainage infrastructure plan for the next five-year cycle from fiscal 2026 to 2030.
Currently, there are 19 ongoing drainage improvement projects. The six new projects will involve widening and deepening drains.
Since 2011, the government has invested 2.5 billion Singapore dollars in drainage infrastructure upgrades. However, Fu cautioned it is "neither practical nor prudent" to keep expanding the drainage system indefinitely, given Singapore's limited land resources.
"Doing so would require significant land and financial resources, which would then not be available for other important uses," she said, noting the need for shared responsibility, urging the government, building owners, developers, and the wider community to "be prepared for flash floods and adapt to them."
Despite occasional flash floods, Fu noted that most flooding incidents in Singapore are localized and subside within an hour. (1 Singapore dollar equals 0.73 U.S. dollars)
