Upper Bukit Timah Canal upgrade completed, with stormwater capacity up 30 per cent
PUB said work on the last 900m stretch of the 2.3km canal is done, and it can better cope with rainfall as intense as that seen over the past 15 years.
The whole 2.3km Upper Bukit Timah Canal has now been upgraded, and its capacity to carry stormwater has risen by 30 per cent. Work on the last 900m stretch, which began in 2019, concludes a string of improvements, CNA reported, citing a statement from the national water agency PUB on Friday (Oct 23).
Who benefits from the extra capacity
The improved drainage serves a catchment of roughly 1,000 hectares, covering homes, businesses and major transport hubs. Few catchments in Singapore are as prone to flooding as the one this canal serves.
The finished stretch goes from Rifle Range Road to Jalan Kampong Chantek, close to King Albert Park MRT station. The upgrade cost about S$60 million and also covered structural supports for the Bukit Timah-Rochor Green Corridor inside the canal. To carry more water, the canal was made wider and deeper, and its original trapezoidal shape was changed to a U-shaped drain and box culvert. In 2024, the section further upstream, running from Jalan Jurong Kechil to Rifle Range Road, was completed.
PUB said the canal can now better cope with rainfall as intense as that seen over the past 15 years. Given the area's challenging topography, land constraints and increasingly intense rainfall linked to climate change, the system could still be overwhelmed by very intense storms.
Why the work took longer
The last stretch was first due to finish in 2024, but the timeline was pushed to 2026 so construction could be coordinated with the Bukit Timah-Rochor Green Corridor. According to PUB, the confined space available for working between Bukit Timah Road and Dunearn Road made the job tougher. Traffic was diverted in stages, with replacement lanes giving room for temporary work areas. The canal's closeness to underground MRT lines added to the challenge, and work was limited to the hours of 9.30am to 4.30pm to reduce disruption. The COVID-19 pandemic also disrupted the project.
"Collectively, these factors added complexity and affected the pace of construction," said Maurice Neo, who is PUB's director of the catchment & waterways department.
Next steps for the wider catchment
A tender for a feasibility study on more flood resilience measures across the wider Bukit Timah catchment is what PUB intends to call at the end of 2026. Among the options the study will examine are underground detention structures, which are able to hold excess stormwater temporarily during heavy rain. It will also examine how these could fit with existing infrastructure and future developments, and look for ways to improve public spaces.
Angela Koh, PUB's deputy chief executive for flood resilience, said: "We need to plan ahead today so that we are ready to implement the right solutions when they are needed," She called the completion "an important milestone in strengthening flood resilience in one of Singapore's most challenging catchments".
PUB said no drainage system can remove flood risk entirely and asked the public to stay alert during heavy rain. The agency will roll out its third annual Flood Resilience Campaign ahead of the Northeast Monsoon season at year-end, aiming to raise awareness of flood risks and encourage practical preparation.
