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SINGAPORE: Singapore is testing a possible new addition to its arsenal to keep people dry when flash floods threaten during monsoon season.
While the new flood protection device looks like an ordinary blue plastic mattress, it is actually high-tech equipment that was tested in humid and rainy Britain.
Meet Floodgate, the latest weapon from the national water agency PUB in the battle against Singapore’s flash floods.
The device is made of heavy duty steel frames wrapped in a waterproof rubber sleeve. Its side panels can be extended with a key to achieve a tight seal against the door, PUB said in a press release on Wednesday (December 30).
A total of 20 devices were purchased from the UK for “performance testing and validation” in September this year, the national water agency said.
READ – Comment: How Prepared is Singapore for the Next Flash Flood?
Fifteen of them are currently on loan to Upper Paya Lebar Road residents for the prevailing monsoon season.
Upper Paya Lebar Road was selected because the area is low, said Mr. Lee Cai Jie, senior principal engineer in PUB’s catchment and waterways department, at a demonstration event on Wednesday.
The agency reached out to local residents to loan the barrier for use during the monsoon season, Lee said, adding that the unit price of each device can cost between S $ 800-2,200.
“We hope to use this particular monsoon season to test it and get feedback on the effectiveness of Floodgate. If Floodgate’s effectiveness is deemed feasible, we have plans to buy more in the coming years, ”said Mr. Lee.
Floodgate can be easily installed on doors or entrances of residential, commercial and industrial premises. (Photo: Calvin Oh)
“We think the current devices we have are adequate, but with this addition of Floodgate, it will give us some flexibility in terms of light weight and modular nature (of the device).”
Floodgate is designed to hold water up to 680mm, PUB said. It is available in different sizes to fit openings with widths ranging from 770mm to 1520mm wide and weighs between 13kg and 21kg.
One person can deploy each device in minutes and easily save it. In larger openings, such as window entrances, the pieces can be joined to create longer sections.
FLASH FLOOD SOLUTIONS
Yeo Keng Soon, director of PUB’s catchment and waterways department, noted in the press release that the agency is also experiencing more intense storms and increased rainwater.
“PUB has made significant progress in improving the drainage system over the past 50 years, greatly reducing the size of Singapore’s flood-prone areas, from 3,200 ha in the 1970s to 28 ha in the today, ”added Mr. Yeo.
“Flash floods these days are more localized and generally disappear within 30 minutes. However, we are also seeing more frequent rain events that bring not only more rainwater but also more intense storms.
“With climate change, we must be prepared to deal with flash floods and improve community resilience, as it is not always possible to widen or deepen our drains to eliminate flooding.”
The Floodgate can be quickly deployed to protect homes and buildings in the event of a flash flood. (Photo: Calvin Oh)
To date, there have been seven separate days this year where flash floods occurred at various locations in Singapore, PUB said. This was due to very heavy rains in a short period of time.
The current monsoon season is expected to last one more month.
Last year, PUB introduced two portable flood protection devices: Dam Easy Flood Panels (DFP) and Portable Flood Barriers (PFB).
READ: PUB to Deploy New Portable Flood Protection Devices for Northeast Monsoon Season
To date, 65 DFP and 155 PFB have been loaned to residents of homes and business premises in low-lying and flood-prone areas.
In addition to temporary flood barriers, PUB also uses a range of digital technologies to carry out 24-hour weather monitoring through a network of closed-circuit television cameras, as well as water level sensors in line in the drains and the radar system to allow a faster response. to flood risk areas, he said.
“PUB is constantly looking for new solutions and devices to enable residents and businesses to better respond to flash floods and minimize potential damage to their facilities,” added Mr. Yeo.
“In the past, we used heavy, bulky single-use sandbags against flooding. Now modern flood protection barriers, such as Dam Easy Flood panels and gates, can be quickly installed by residents and shop owners themselves, when the potential for flooding exists. “
