Construction company responsible for damaged water mains in Tampines issued with stop work notice
PUB vehicles seen outside Tampines Bus Interchange. Photo: Najeer Yusof/TODAY
SINGAPORE – The PUB has issued a stop work notice to the company believed to be responsible for damaging water mains which resulted in water supply disruption at the Tampines bus interchange and the nearby East Link foodcourt on Friday (Nov 3).
Hexacon Construction Pte Ltd, the company involved in the ongoing construction work for an overhead pedestrian bridge, was to cease work immediately, “except for (the) implementation works to restitute protection measures to the water pipes”, the PUB said in a press statement on Sunday (Nov 5).
The PUB said its investigations had found that the company “had not made the necessary submissions prior to the commencement of work, as stipulated under the Public Utilities (Protection of Water Pipes Infrastructure) Regulations.”
As a result, the construction works had damaged a 300mm diameter wide pipe. The damage caused water supply to be disrupted until it was fully restored at 2.30pm on Friday, some eight hours after the incident was first reported at 6am.
A temporary water supply had to be provided to the bus interchange and the food court during the restoration period.
The PUB added that the company would have to submit immediately to the statutory board a report of construction survey.
The company has to detail how the construction work is proposed to be carried out, an impact assessment report on the water supply system and the protection and rectification measures as recommended by the Qualified Person.
“Failure to stop work with immediate effect is an offence under the Public Utilities (Protection of Water Pipes Infrastructure) Regulations, which carries a maximum fine of S$10,000 and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding S$250 for every day or part of the day during which the offence continues after conviction,” the PUB stated.
The disruption to the water supply on Friday caused a 20m stretch of the road at Tampines Central 2, in the direction towards Tampines Hub, to be temporarily closed to facilitate repair works.
The incident in Tampines was the third major pipe leak in recent weeks.
On Oct 1, a water pipe burst near a car park in Bukit Batok East Ave 3, sending jets of water shooting up into the air.
A similar incident happened on Sept 26, when there was a pipe leak at the junction of Bukit Batok West Avenue 6 and Bukit Batok West Avenue 8.
