Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on bacterial contamination in Singapore's coastal waters

Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on bacterial contamination in Singapore’s coastal waters by Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment

Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether an update can be provided on the current status of bacterial contamination in Singapore’s coastal waters; (b) what monitoring systems are in place to detect harmful bacteria levels in sea water; and (c) how frequent are bacterial contamination tests conducted.

Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) how will the bacterial contamination in Singapore’s coastal waters affect marine ecosystems and biodiversity in the coastal areas; and (b) what steps are being taken to assess and mitigate the environmental impact of such contamination.

Answer:

1 The National Environment Agency (NEA) collects water samples along seven popular recreational beaches on a weekly basis. The water samples are analysed for the level of Enterococcus bacteria, given the known health risks of ingesting coastal water with elevated levels of Enterococcus.

2 NEA publishes two beach water quality assessments: the annual beach grading exercise and the weekly Beach Short-term Water Quality Information (BSWI). In NEA’s annual beach grading exercise, to assess the suitability of recreational beaches for primary contact water activities, the weekly results over a three-year period are benchmarked against criteria contained in the World Health Organisation’s Guidelines on Recreational Water Quality (2021). In addition, as Enterococcus levels can fluctuate due to the currents, tidal influences and other factors even when the beach is graded “Good” by the annual beach grading exercise, NEA publishes the BSWI to provide the public with additional information on beach water quality over the preceding three weeks.

3 On 5 February 2024, NEA issued an advisory that two recreational beaches, Pasir Ris and Sembawang Parks, have been graded “Fair” in the annual beach grading exercise, due to increased occurrences of elevated Enterococcus level. The public are advised against swimming and engaging in other primary contact water activities at these beaches.

4 The other five recreational beaches, namely Changi, East Coast Park, Punggol, Seletar Island and Sentosa Island, have been graded “Good”and are suitable for all kinds of water activities. As the Enterococcus levels can fluctuate, beachgoers are encouraged to refer to the BSWI and associated health advisories on the NEA website or the myENV app if they intend to engage in water activities at these recreational beaches.

5 An elevated level of Enterococcus bacteria is just one factor that causes deterioration of water quality and must be read together with other water quality parameters to assess the impact on marine biodiversity. As there have not been any significant changes to the other water quality parameters, NParks currently does not expect any significant impact on marine ecosystems and biodiversity due to the elevated Enterococcus levels at Sembawang and Pasir Ris Parks. NParks will continue to monitor the habitats and biodiversity along our shores.

6 My Ministry and NEA are working closely with other agencies such as PUB, NParks and the Singapore Food Agency to investigate and address possible sources contributing to the elevated Enterococcus levels observed at the two beaches.