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Solution to Water Shortage and Flooding With Tunnels and Rock Caverns |
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 Thursday, 22 March 2012
 NUS University Hall, Nexus [map] |
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About the Speaker
Professor Lui Pao Chuen is the Advisor to the National Research Foundation, Prime Minister’s Office. He is an Adjunct Professor of the Faculty of Engineering in NUS since 1990. He was appointed Chairman Project Evaluation Panel, Environment & Water Industry Development Council in 2006 and Chairman Technical Board, Environment Technology Research Programme of NEA in 2009. He received the rare Pioneer Award of International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE). In 2011, he was conferred an Honorary Fellow of the ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organisations for his contributions to the engineering fields. In 2012, he was appointed by the Ministry of National Development to be Advisor of the Underground Master Plan Task Force.
Abstract
In the last 30 years, the annual rainfall over Singapore has increased from 2000mm to 2600mm. The maximum rainfall intensity and amount of rainfall observed in a window of 60 minutes in one of the 28 weather stations of Meteorological Service Singapore in each year has also increased from 90mm to 120mm. As our drainage system was designed to cope with rain fall intensity of 81mm of rain in 60 minutes we have witnessed more floods despite the efforts of PUB to improve our drainage system. As there is no way to accurately predict how the rainfall intensity will change in the next 30 years, decisions on improving our drainage system and protection against floods will be need made under conditions of uncertainty. If the increase in rainfall intensity observed in the last 30 years continues, we will have to deal with a maximum rainfall intensity 150mm in 60 minutes. At the same time extremely dry months can lead to drought. A solution will be to harvest storm water with shafts and underground tunnels to channel the storm water into underground reservoirs in rock caverns under the nature reserve. This will serve the dual purpose of flood alleviation and a reduction of dependence on energy for treatment of sea water and used water for portable use. |
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