Resourceful or reckless? Elderly woman hangs buckets outside HDB window in Yishun to collect rainwater

In hopes of saving on her water bills, one elderly woman thought she should take advantage of the recent wet weather and collect rainwater. 

While her execution — which involves hanging three buckets on bamboo poles outside her kitchen window — was arguably creative, it caused some safety concerns, reported Shin Min Daily News. 

The 70-year-old woman lives on the 10th floor of an HDB block at Yishun Ring Road. 

To secure the buckets — two small and one large — she would hang these on bamboo poles and secure them with clothes pegs. 

When a reporter from the Chinese daily visited the flat, he noted that the woman had several plants outside her unit and suspected that she uses the rainwater to water these. 

Neighbours raise safety concerns

One 70-year-old resident surnamed Luo shared that last Sunday (March 5) at around 3pm during a heavy downpour, he saw the buckets dangling outside the woman's window while on the way home. 

Luo said that while he has lived in the area for over 30 years, this is the first time he has witnessed something like this. 

"It's very dangerous! Why save that little water? What will happen when [the bucket] falls and hits someones?" said the concerned neighbour. 

Another resident surnamed Chen, 61, said it's inappropriate to hang buckets on clothes poles and someone should stop elderly woman before it's too late. 

Chen also pointed out that if the elderly woman has bad memory, she may forget that the buckets are outside her window. 

"It will be too late when the accident happens. if it falls and hits someone, the consequences will be disastrous," said Chen. 

According to the Housing Development Board (HDB)'s website, residents have the civic responsibility to ensure that they do not place or hang any object within or outside their flat in a way that poses a threat to safety.

Residents who fail to remove objects that are places in a hazardous manner even after receiving a written notice from HDB can have actions taken against them. 

If convicted, the individual is liable to a maximum fine of $2,000. If the object is not removed after the conviction, the individual is liable to a further fine of $100 per day for as long as the offence continues. 

Pork belly outside window 

Earlier in January, a Bukit Batok HDB flat owner went viral for hanging six slabs of pork belly outside the window of her fifth-floor unit. 

She had been preparing marinated pork belly for Chinese New Year and hung the meat outside to dry. 

She added that she wasn't aware that she couldn't do so, and promised not to do it again.

ALSO READ: 'It's not dangerous', says uncle who climbed out of Bedok flat window to dry clothes

melissateo@asiaone.com