Singapore explore feasibility of underground drainage and reservoir to fight drought

Singapore national water agency, Public Utilities Board (PUB), has launched a study to evaluate technical and economic feasibility of developing an integrated underground drainage and reservoir system to fight drought.

The study will explore the design options for an Underground Drainage and Reservoir System (UDRS) for the country having a limited land area of around 718 km².

UDRS will be planned as an integration of three key components – stormwater conveyance tunnels, underground reservoir caverns, and a pumped storage hydropower system.

Tunnels to be developed as a part of the system can be planned to facilitate transportation of excess stormwater to underground caverns for storage, which can act as reservoirs and increase the country’s drought resilience.

The study will also explore possibilities of developing a pumped storage hydropower system to facilitate energy recovery from the flow of water passing to the underground caverns from surface water bodies.

PUB Policy and Planning director William Yeo said: "Besides allowing us to overcome land limitations for key drainage and water storage infrastructure, the UDRS study can potentially allow us to mitigate the impact of climate change and flood risks, and strengthen the overall drought resilience of Singapore’s water supply."

Construction of underground facilities would necessitate knowledge of underground geological conditions.

The study, therefore, will also involve geological surveys in order to find out detailed information on soil and rock properties.

William Yeo added: "In carrying out this study, we will work closely with key agencies and stakeholders to ensure that the geological surveys are conducted with care and sensitivity to the environment."

PUB intends to complete the study by 2017, following which it will be able to decide on the development of the UDRS.

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Image: Panoramic view of Bishan Park in Singapore. Photo: courtesy of chensiyuan / Wikipedia.