How Many ​Companies Get ​Penalized for ​Polluting Water?​

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How Many ​Companies Get ​Penalized for ​Polluting Water?​

How many ​companies get ​penalized for ​polluting water?​ Here’s ​the report for ​Singapore in ​2017

Seventy-four construction contractors were punished for discharging silty water into waterways and for providing inadequate earth control measures this year, Singapore national water agency PUB said in a statement.

By Ng Jun Sen

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Representative image, source: Pixnio

While this is below the past three years' average of 100 enforcement actions each year, the agency said these errant practices can negatively affect the environment.

This typically happens at sites where there are excavation-type activities, also known as earthworks. Rain can mix with exposed earth and soil, creating a silty run-off which enters drainage systems and water bodies.

Currently, there are about 1,000 construction sites involved in earthworks.

"Silt, if not removed from construction discharge, will build up in the waterways. This will affect waterways' effectiveness in channelling stormwater flow and also the environmental aesthetics," said the statement.

Of the 74 companies, the agency highlighted four that were penalised this year. Two were repeat offenders - Huationg Contractor, which was fined $13,500 for four offences, and Samwoh, which was fined $10,500 for three offences.

Huationg had twice failed to provide and maintain earth control measures to the code required by PUB when carrying out earthworks, netting $3,500 in fines.

Huationg was charged in court last month and fined $10,000 for a further two offences of not meeting the water quality requirement for the treated run-off and failing to comply with the conditions of a clearance certificate issued by PUB.

Meanwhile, Samwoh was penalised twice for also failing to meet the water quality requirement for run-off. It was fined $2,500 for an earlier infraction, and $8,000 in court last month for another instance of failing to meet the water quality requirement for run-off, as well as for non-compliance with a PUB notice to review its earth control measures.

Read full article: The Straits Times

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