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With World Water Day falling on Sunday, PUB, the national water
agency, is confident that its masterplan targets will be met.
The banks of the country's 32 rivers and 7,000km of canals and
drains are being transformed, as are its 15 reservoirs which will
teem with water activities. A key element of PUB's Active,
Beautiful, Clean Waters (ABC Waters) programme is the people
factor: projects will involve residents so that they have ownership
too.
The masterplan identified more than 100 locations where projects
will be implemented in phases till 2030. The PUB first identifies a
waterway or reservoir for transformation by looking at such factors
as demographics, surrounding facilities and upcoming developments.
It then sees how the ABC Waters project can complement the
surroundings and add value to the area.
Grassroots groups, schools and residents are involved: Feedback,
ideas and views are gathered from them. After all, they will
participate in and organise activities around the completed
projects.
Mr Yew Kai Lih, 54, senior constituency manager in the Kolam
Ayer constituency office, says: 'Our waterway is now our
trademark.'