Joint Opening of Singapore International Water Week and 41st IAHR World Congress - Ms Grace Fu

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen.

2 Welcome to the Singapore International Water Week Spotlight 2025 and the 41st IAHR World Congress.

3 As we gather today, we recognise that the global water and climate crises are interlinked. When natural ecosystems are mismanaged, they disrupt the water cycle and drive extreme weather.

4 Around the world, we are seeing more intense and frequent floods that threaten lives, infrastructure, and communities. In just the last few months, Southeast Asia faced devastating floods from the northeast monsoon. Europe saw its warmest year on record and its most widespread flooding in over a decade. With rising sea levels, the flood risk of coastal and low-lying areas will increase.

5 Strengthening flood adaptation and resilience is an urgent priority. In Singapore, we are developing a national adaptation plan to guide long-term strategies.

6 Flood protection has always been a key focus for Singapore. We take four approaches through our Infrastructure, Legislation, Community Resilience, and Flood Response Operations.

7 Singapore has developed an extensive drainage network, that reduced flood-prone land from about 3,200 hectares to 25 hectares over the last 5 decades.

8 However, some locations remain vulnerable to heavy rainfall. PUB recently completed the Syed Alwi Pumping Station to protect the low-lying Jalan Besar area, which houses many heritage buildings. As ground-raising is not possible in this area, the dual-purpose storage and pumping station was conceptualised as an alternative solution to enhance flood resilience.

9 The Syed Alwi Pumping Station is designed with an open plaza integrated with the residential estate, providing additional recreational space for the residents. This project is an example of our adaptive approach to stormwater management and flood resilience.

10 Next, legislation. PUB has implemented a Code of Practice on Surface Water Drainage. New developments must meet standards such as minimum platform levels, and onsite detention of stormwater for developments larger than 0.2 hectares.

11 PUB also has legislation to regulate activities that may obstruct or affect the drainage system, to ensure our drains remain free-flowing.

12 Third, Community Resilience. As it is not feasible to expand our drainage system indefinitely, local communities must understand and mitigate flood risks.

13 Last year, PUB implemented the “Get Flood-Wise in a FLASH” campaign and table-top exercise to help pedestrians, motorists, homeowners, and businesses better prepare for floods.

14 Lastly, our flood response includes real-time rainfall monitoring, early warning, and ground deployment to ensure public safety and help residents set up flood protection devices.

15 We are taking the same approach in protecting our coastlines. We are conducting site studies to identify suitable adaptation measures for different stretches of our coastline. Where possible, these will be multi- functional, enhancing the environment and supporting better land use.

16 A key example is the Long Island project, which involves reclaiming land off the southeastern coast. It will protect low-lying areas, create a freshwater reservoir, and provide space for housing, recreation and future needs. Concurrently, PUB will soon launch a Risk Assessment Study to evaluate eight offshore islands’ vulnerability to sea level rise.

17 The challenges we face are not unique. That is why close collaboration is essential between policymakers, operators, researchers and solution providers to bridge knowledge gaps and develop new solutions.

18 Last month, PUB launched an Alliance for Action (AfA) to co-create a Flood-Resilient Developments (FRD) Guidebook. This brings together industry and professional experts to co-create a guidebook for property owners, developers and professionals to enhance the flood resilience of premises. The Guidebook is expected to be launched by mid-2026.

19 Our theme for SIWW Spotlight 2025, “Flood Resilient Cities: Adapting to Climate Change”, reflects this collaborative spirit. Together with our partners C40, the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank’s Singapore Water Centre, we will host over 300 global leaders, including more than 60 senior representatives from 50 cities.

20 I also welcome 1,300 participants to the 41st World Congress of the International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research, or IAHR in short. Celebrating its 90th anniversary this year, IAHR has long played a vital role in connecting science and practice in the field of water and hydro-environmental engineering. By bringing together SIWW Spotlight and the IAHR World Congress under one roof, we hope to spark new partnerships and conversations that drive real impact.

21 To conclude, floods, droughts, and extreme weather will keep testing our systems and our resolve. But they also present an opportunity for collective action. Not just by building more robust flood barriers, but by creating smarter systems, stronger communities, and weaving resilience into the way we plan, build, and live.

22 Let us not be defined by the risks we face, but by the actions we take. May this week of exchange inspire bold ideas and meaningful steps toward a safer and more sustainable future – for all of us, and the generations to come. Thank you.