Contents Come and Discover Sengkang Floating Wetland 1 Treasures on the Trail 2 On a Photo Hunt 3 Our Water Story 4 Punggol Reservoir - Past and Present 5 The Punggol-Serangoon Reservoir Scheme 5 Transformation from Punggol River to Punggol Reservoir 6 The Water Cycle and Journey of Water from Punggol Reservoir 7 ABC Waters Design Features 8 Water Quality Testing 10 Singapore’s Largest Man-made Floating Wetland 12 Life around the Floating Wetland - Wetland Plants 14 Mangrove Plants 15 Animals 16 Keeping Punggol Reservoir Active, Beautiful and Clean 18 Your Reflections 20 Problem-based Activity 22 NEWater Visitor Centre 23 Marina Barrage 24 Copyright © PUB, Singapore’s national water agency 2011. Revised 2017. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publishers. For more information, please visit us at www.pub.gov.sg/getinvolved. Come and Discover Floating Wetland Come join us on the Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters (ABC Waters) Learning Trail @ Sengkang Floating Wetland in Punggol Reservoir, and discover more about the Singapore Water Story. Discover how our small city-state which used to face huge challenges such as droughts and pollution has transformed into a global hydrohub and vibrant City of Gardens and Water. Water sustainability is crucial to Singapore’s success. Singapore has ensured a robust and sustainable water supply capable of catering to the country’s continued growth through the Four National Taps. The four taps or sources of water are water from local catchments, imported water, NEWater and desalinated water. Punggol Reservoir is Singapore’s 16th reservoir, built under the Punggol-Serangoon Reservoir Scheme. The river mouths of Punggol and Serangoon Rivers have been dammed up to create Punggol and Serangoon Reservoirs. Together with Marina Reservoir, they increase the water catchment area from half to two-thirds of Singapore’s land area. Located in Punggol Reservoir, the Sengkang Floating Wetland is the largest man-made floating wetland in Singapore and is a project under the ABC Waters Programme. The ABC Waters Programme transforms our network of drains, canals and reservoirs into beautiful and vibrant waterscapes for recreation and community bonding. Besides creating a space for people to enjoy and be close to our waters, the Sengkang Floating Wetland provides a natural habitat for birds, fishes, and other wildlife. The wetland also helps to improve water quality by cleansing the water in the reservoir. We hope to make Sengkang Floating Wetland a meaningful place for outdoor learning. As you learn about our waters and the diversity of life it supports, we hope that you will cherish and take care of this precious resource. Have fun on the learning trail! PUB, the national water agency 1 Treasures on the Trail Water from local catchments is a pillar of Singapore’s water sustainability strategy, along with imported water, NEWater and desalinated water. Today, as we explore Sengkang Floating Wetland in Punggol Reservoir, we will discover more about the following themes or “treasures”: Water Punggol Sustainability Reservoir - and the Past and Four National Present Taps ABC Waters Learning Trail at Sengkang Floating Wetland Concept of ABC Waters Water Quality Programme and and ABC Waters Biodiversity Design Features Singapore is our home. We need to treasure our precious water resource. At the heart of Singapore’s water sustainability is how we use and care for our water. 2 On a Ph o to Hunt You are at an Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters (ABC Waters) site. This place has been transformed into a beautiful recreational space for people to relax, exercise and enjoy nature. Stay active while on this trail. Make observations about your surroundings. Snap the following photographs as you experience the trail. A stage by the The largest A feathered reservoir. floating wetland in resident at (Have your group pose Singapore! Punggol for this photo!) Reservoir. A plant with Positive human special roots Negative human growing at the bank of impact at impact at Sengkang Floating the reservoir. Sengkang Floating Wetland. Wetland. Sengkang Floating Wetland is part of the ABC Waters Programme that transforms our reservoirs and waterways into places for recreation and community bonding. 3 Our W a te r S to ry By investing in water technology and adopting an integrated approach to water management over the last 50 years, Singapore has developed a diversified and sustainable water supply system known as the Four National Taps. Local Catchment Water Rainwater is collected through a Imported Water comprehensive network of drains, canals, Singapore imports water from Johor, rivers and stormwater collection ponds Malaysia. The 1962 water agreement and reservoirs before it is treated for will expire in 2061. our drinking water supply. Used water is collected through a separate system. Our Four National Taps Desalinated Water NEWater Singapore has one of Asia’s largest NEWater is a high-grade reclaimed seawater reverse osmosis desalination water. Used water is treated, then further plants, producing 30 million gallons of water purified using advanced membrane a day. Singapore’s second desalination, technologies, making the water Tuaspring, was officially opened in ultra-clean and safe to drink. September 2013, can produced 70 million gallons of water a day. Reservoirs in Singapore There are currently 17 reservoirs, 32 major rivers and and more than 7,000 km of canals and drains. Upper Seletar Lower Seletar Kranji Punggol Pulau Tekong Sarimbun Serangoon Murai Poyan Tengeh Upper Lower Peirce Peirce Jurong MacRitchie Lake Pandan Bedok Marina 4 Punggol Reservoir - Past and Present 1990 1850s 2000 2010 1970s 1990s In view of redevelopment Plans made to develop 2006 - 2009 Nov 2010 1850s The Sengkang Floating Chinese immigrants plans, the number of Punggol into a model The Punggol-Serangoon Wetland was officially who lived in Punggol poultry and pig farms waterfront town. Reservoir Scheme was opened by Prime Minister carried out poultry and was scaled down. started in 2006. Damming Lee Hsien Loong. pig farming as well as Available land was then of the reservoir was plantation work. The leased on short term completed in 2009. main crop was rubber. basis for farming that did The water was slowly not cause pollution, such transformed from brackish as vegetable farming. water to freshwater. Under the Punggol-Serangoon Reservoir Scheme, Punggol Reservoir, Singapore’s 16th reservoir was built. Developed in a rapidly growing housing area, the Scheme is a water supply project to maximise local catchments by tapping stormwater surface run-off from north-eastern Singapore. The Scheme involves the damming up of the mouths of Punggol and Serangoon River to create Punggol and Serangoon Reservoirs. The two reservoirs help to boost water supply to meet the needs of our growing population. The Scheme which started its works in 2006, was officially completed in 2011. N Singapore must be self- Dyke Timor-Barat Dam reliant. We need to find our Pulau Straits of Johor Punggol own way to survive and Barat Pulau Ubin prosper, turning challenges Pulau Punggol Punggol Dam and into opportunities. We have no Timor Tidal Gates Serangoon West Dam natural aquifers or lakes and little land to collect rainwater, Coney so we create reservoirs by Reservoir Island Sengkang Floating Punggol damming our major rivers. Punggol Wetland Waterway Punggol Way Serangoon East Dam and Tampines Tidal Gates Anchorvale Street Expressway Punggol Road (TPE) Reservoir Sengkang West Way Jalan Kayu Sengkang East Way Serangoon Lorong Halus Wetland Sengkang West Ave 5 1 2 Works to dam the river began in 2006. Punggol River used to flow to the sea. Dredging was carried out to remove sediments and deepen the river bed. 3 4 A cofferdam was constructed at the river The gatehouse that would release excess mouth to block out seawater. The area within water to the sea was built within the cofferdam. the cofferdam was pumped dry to facilitate construction of the gatehouse and dam. 5 6 The dam was built up from the river bed Construction of Punggol Dam and the using rock and sand. A bentonite corewall gatehouse was completed. Desalting was was constructed to make the dam watertight. carried out to flush out seawater during heavy rain. Punggol Reservoir now has freshwater that can be used for our water supply. 6 We cannot live without water. The water cycle is critical because it ensures the availability of water for living things and maintenance of ecosystems. Although over 70% of the Earth is covered with water, only 2.5% of this water is freshwater. The continuous flow of freshwater that we use is a result of the water cycle also known as the hydrological cycle. Earth’s water keeps changing from liquid water to vapour and then back again. This cycle happens because of the sun’s heat and gravity. CONDENSATION Clouds Rainwater that falls into Punggol Rain Reservoir and its surrounding areas are stored in Upper Peirce Reservoir. The water is then pumped to a water treatment plant. TRANSPIRATION EVAPORATION TRANSPIRATION PRECIPITATION Urban Areas Mangroves Trees Stormwater surface run-off flows into the Sengkang Floating drains which leads Wetland to the reservoir. Surface run-off water flows into the reservoir Groundwater Punggol-Serangoon Pumping Station Flow The Punggol-Serangoon Pumping Station Punggol Reservoir pumps water from Punggol Reservoir to Upper Peirce Reservoir for storage. Water Treatment Plant Taps Water is treated using physical and chemical methods including membrane technology and disinfected. It is then distributed Schools and to homes, schools, offices and Public Buildings industries for our daily use. Upper Peirce Reservoir Industries We can get water easily just by turning on our taps.