Bedok Reservoir family alarmed after brown water flows from taps at home
A resident living in the Bedok Reservoir Road area has raised concerns after brown-coloured water reportedly flowed from the taps in her home on multiple occasions.
The recurring issue prompted investigations by PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency, and the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC).
Brown water flowed for more than an hour
The resident, who asked to be identified only as Nic, shared videos and photos of the discoloured water on social media.
She described the episodes as frustrating and worrying, especially as the water had been used for daily activities before the issue became apparent.
In an Instagram Stories post, brown water could be seen flowing from a bathroom tap into a sink.
According to the post, it was the “third time in a row” that the issue had occurred while she was showering.
Source: Instagram
Nic told MS News that the first recent incident happened in the early hours of 13 June, between 1.30am and 2.30am.
During that period, brown, discoloured water flowed from all the taps in her home for more than an hour.
She initially thought it was an isolated incident and contacted PUB’s 24-hour hotline.
However, after missing a return call and not experiencing further issues later that day, she did not pursue the matter further.
Brown-coloured water appeared repeatedly
The problem resurfaced on 15 June, between about 10am and 11.15am.
Nic said she had unknowingly brushed her teeth with the discoloured water, thinking the earlier incident had already been resolved.
Image courtesy of Nic
The brown water appeared again at about 1am on 16 June.
Later that morning, yellowish remnants could still be seen in the water.
Around the same time, Nic also noticed brown and yellow stains in her toilet bowls.
Image courtesy of Nic
She added that a similar incident had occurred a few months ago, but her family assumed it was due to routine tank cleaning as it lasted only about 10 to 20 minutes.
Family worried about water quality
Following the repeated incidents, Nic’s husband contacted both PUB and the town council.
“The town council sent someone down to inspect the situation and he surmised that it was a PUB issue,” she said.
Image courtesy of Nic
As the discoloured water continued to appear, the family grew increasingly concerned about whether the water was safe for daily use.
“By the third incident, it was clear that the situation was getting a bit out of hand,” Nic told MS News, adding that they had already consumed and used the water for several days.
Authorities conduct flushing works at affected units
According to Nic, PUB officers and town council representatives visited her home on 16 June afternoon to investigate the issue.
They subsequently carried out pumping and flushing works at her unit and nearby affected households.
Investigators reportedly told her that the issue appeared to be limited to the same floor and column within the block.
While the cause is still being investigated, officers suspect that sediment build-up in the water supply system may have caused the brown discolouration.
Source: Instagram
Nic said PUB has taken down their SP account details and will reimburse or offset the water bills incurred from the additional flushing needed to clear the sediment.
PUB officers also collected water samples from the affected taps for testing.
“We are hoping that this is the last of this brown water saga for now,” said Nic. “It has been an ordeal and made us much more grateful when we have clean water.”
No abnormality detected in water from PUB mains
In response to MS News’ queries, PUB said it was alerted to the matter on 16 June.
That same day, PUB and AHTC visited the affected resident’s unit at 5.30pm.
“We performed flushing at her unit as well as two other affected units on the same level. Checks on water samples from PUB water mains confirmed no abnormality in the water quality,” PUB said.
AHTC staff also carried out flushing of the internal water service pipes, after which the water returned to normal clarity.
PUB said it is currently working with AHTC and the affected residents to investigate the cause of the water discolouration incident.
AHTC working closely with PUB
AHTC told MS News that it has been working closely with PUB to investigate and address the water discolouration issue.
“Based on PUB’s checks, water samples taken from the water mains did not indicate any abnormality in water quality,” said an AHTC spokesperson.
The town council said the water cleared after the internal water service pipes were flushed.
It also understands that the affected units have not reported further issues since.
“AHTC remains committed to maintaining a safe and clean living environment for residents and will continue to monitor the situation and take any necessary follow-up actions,” the spokesperson added.
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Featured image courtesy of Nic.Â
