A few days ago, I was passing by the Singapore River at Clarke Quay and was struck by what a nice place it is to have a relaxing stroll or to just sit by the side and relax. I saw people having mini picnics, chatting, cycling and taking pictures. There is even a Singapore River Cruise which brings you to see the sights along the waterway. Indeed, the river is part of, and is itself, a pleasant recreational space. But it wasn’t always like this.
Prior to 1987, the river and Kallang basin were heavily polluted. The river’s historical significance is that it used to facilitate commercial activity and was a crucial water resource to the large communities living alongside it. According to Singapore Infopedia, a government-run website, pollution sources included multiple, large squatters, street hawkers and industries like boat builders and charcoal dealers that existed along the river.
Due to the river’s central/prime location in Singapore’s city centre, the country’s urban redevelopment encompassed the clean-up of the Singapore River and ended the rampant pollution of the waterways (throughout Singapore) from raw sewage and other waste. In 1969, “domestic and industrial waste discharge, and rubbish disposal in the waterways were identified as the main causes of the rivers’ polluted state” according to the article by Singapore Infopedia. The bodily waste discharged into the river from people living in the squatters would also contribute to the foul smell which used to characterise the river. The pollution was undoubtedly chaotic and it was understandably necessary to address it.
There is evidently a stark contrast in the treatment of the Singapore River then versus now. Clean-up operations lasted from 1977 to 1987, leaving us with the much cleaner river we see (and smell) today. The change in the nation’s priorities is reflected in the level of pollution observed before and after Singapore’s independence. Post-independence, prioritising the beautification of the city centre was imperative to attract investments and tourism to Singapore for economic growth. For example, laws have been put in place that makes littering illegal, and to stop to discharge of raw sewage into the river, squatters were cleared and the people rehoused—another gigantic project altogether. Even so, these major projects of rehousing, beautification, movement of industries etc. and changes in regulations are all interconnected and seen as necessary for Singapore’s modernisation and development.
Of course, some degree of pollution (e.g. litter) can be found in the river today. Nevertheless, the drastic change and effort put into cleaning the river show how the pollution of waterways in Singapore is tied to many social processes and economic activities and is thus political. The standard of living in Singapore can also be said to capture the river’s level of pollution. The cleaner the river, the higher the standard of living in terms of sanitation and ecological well-being, at least to a certain extent.
The aforementioned article by Singapore Infopedia gives a good overview of the many steps taken and challenges faced by the government in the pursuit of cleaning the river, and is worth the read:
https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_2019-05-21_104327.html
This other article by the Straits Times is an informative read as well:
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/5-interesting-facts-about-the-singapore-river-clean-up
