Contractor fined $44,500 by PUB for puncturing PIE water main near Changi Airport
A construction company was fined $44,500 for puncturing a water main on the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) resulting in the loss of 1.8 million litres of potable water.
The water lost in the incident on March 27 last year could have filled three quarters of an Olympic-sized swimming pool.
Yesterday, PUB, the national water agency, said Megastone Holdings was fined last month for carrying out excavation works without an approved plan from PUB and damaging the water main.
The incident happened when Megastone Holdings was conducting excavation works at a slip road from the PIE to Airport Boulevard to lay a precast drain.
The tip of an excavator bucket hit and punctured the underground water main, forcing PUB to shut down the 300mm-diameter water main to carry out urgent repair works.
Water supply to the airport catering company Sats was also disrupted for about two hours.
Investigations revealed the contractor had failed to exercise due diligence when conducting excavation works near a water main, including excavating an area more than what was earlier marked out onsite.
The steel plate welded at the end of the excavator bucket to prevent puncturing of underground pipes had dropped off during the excavation as well. The company had also failed to submit a plan to PUB as required.
Such a plan would have to be endorsed by a professional engineer and contain information on the impact assessment and methodology of the excavation.
The penalty for damaging a PUB water main or connecting pipe with a diameter of 300mm or more is a fine of up to $200,000 or jail of up to three years, or both.
Those convicted of carrying out works near water mains without an approved plan from PUB can be fined up to $10,000.
Since 2015, PUB has acted against 34 contractors for causing damage to water mains or connecting pipes.
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