Yishun goes Hulk: NEA investigating after canal's water turns green

The National Environment Agency (NEA) has launched an investigation into a canal at Yishun Close after the water inside turned green.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday (Aug 26), Nee Soon GRC MP Jackson Lam said that some residents have noticed the discolouration of the canal at Yishun Close and that he has checked with NEA "who is tirelessly looking into the matter".

While investigations are ongoing, they have identified a potential source of the discolouration through surveillance and inspections, he added.

In his post, he also attached several images of the canal, showing the discoloured water.

In the comments, Facebook user Yvonne Lim shared a photo of the canal taken on Aug 16, showing the water to be a bright blue colour.

"Your vigilance in reporting issues like this helps keep our waterways clean," Lam said, adding that residents can report similar issues through the OneService app.

In response to AsiaOne's queries, an NEA spokesperson said that the discolouration on Aug 16 and 23 was caused by "the discharge of wash water contaminated with water-based ink".

"The colour of the water in the canal has meanwhile returned to normal and NEA continues to monitor the situation," they added.

NEA is also investigating the incident and assessing the appropriate enforcement action to take.

According to Section 15(1) of the Environmental Protection and Management Act, it is an offence to discharge pollutants into watercourses without a written permission and offenders will face a fine of up to $20,000 upon first conviction.

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dana.leong@asiaone.com