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Three firms in Singapore have been convicted and charged in court for the discharge of toxic and hazardous substances into public sewers.

This offence risks causing harm to workers who maintain the public sewerage system, damaging Singapore’s used water treatment facilities as well as polluting the environment.

Two are toxic industrial waste collectors, namely Chem-Solv Technologies and NSL OilChem Logistics, while one is membrane manufacturing firm Century Water Systems and Technologies.

All three were prosecuted under the Sewerage and Drainage Act and Sewerage and Drainage (Trade Effluent) Regulations.

Both Chem-Solv Technologies and NSL OilChem Logistics were charged and prosecuted in court in November 2022.

Chem-Solv Technologies was ordered to install additional monitoring sensors on their premises and to pay a fine of S$8,500, while NSL OilChem Logistics was fined S$13,000.

Century Water Systems and Technologies was charged in February 2023 and fined S$3,300.

Detected by online sensors

National water agency PUB’s online sensors detected abnormally high levels of prohibited volatile organic compounds in waste discharged from factories in the Pioneer area between May 2021 and September 2021.

A surprise inspection was then conducted on Chem-Solv Technologies’ premises.

Tests later confirmed that the effluent discharged by the firm contained eight different prohibited organic compounds.

These included a precariously high concentration of toluene which could have posed a fire or explosion hazard in the public sewerage system.

Detected by sampling

Between December 2021 and January 2022, PUB’s routine sampling regime detected unusually high levels of regulated substances in the public sewers located in Tuas.

The readings were traced to NSL OilChem Logistics’ site and samples collected by PUB contained three heavy metals and boron beyond permissible levels.

Detected by routine inspection

A routine inspection conducted at Century Water Systems & Technologies on May 20, 2022 discovered the discharge of non-compliant trade effluent.

The waste contained dimethylacetamide, which is a semi-volatile organic compound commonly used in industrial solvents.

Excessively high concentrations of this compound have been known to cause disruptions to the NEWater production process.

PUB urges companies to discharge waste properly

PUB said that it monitors more than 5,000 firms every year for trade effluent discharge containing regulated substances into the public sewers through comprehensive measures.

Maurice Neo, the director of PUB’s Water Reclamation (Network) Department, said:

“Used water is a precious resource that is treated and recycled to produce NEWater, and our public sewerage system plays a key role in the reclamation process.”

“Companies must correctly dispose of their trade effluent. The illegal discharge of non-compliant trade effluent into our public sewers can cause environmental pollution, disrupt the operations at our used water treatment plans, and endanger the health and safety of workers.”

He also said that enforcement action will be taken against firms who do not abide by the law.

Penalties

Under the Sewerage and Drainage (Trade Effluent) Regulations, one can face a fine of up to S$15,000 or imprisonment for up to three months, or both for unlawful discharge of hazardous substances.

Under the Sewerage and Drainage Act, those charged for the illegal disposal of hazardous substances can face a fine of up to S$50,000 or imprisonment for up to 12 months upon first conviction.

Repeat offenders will face a fine of up to S$100,000 or imprisonment for up to 12 months, or both.

Decrease in offences

PUB noted that there has been a fall in the number of related offences in the past 10 years with its enhanced surveillance and enforcement measures.

The agency also encouraged members of the public to safeguard the country’s water resources by reporting any suspected incidents of water pollution or illegal discharge to PUB’s 24-hour call centre at 1800-2255-782.

Top image via Facebook/PUB, Singapore's National Water Agency