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Mudslide in Yishun: Burst Pipe Causes Brown Muddy Flood in HDB Flat

2023-05-03 , 4:56 pm

Last Updated on 2023-05-15 , 4:07 pm

In yet another headline incident for Yishun, a Yishun resident was left devastated after her long-awaited flat, which had undergone nearly two months of renovation work, was flooded with brown mud.

The incident occurred on 1 May 2023 after a pipe burst on the fifth floor of the building, leaving the affected unit in shambles with damaged furniture and belongings.

Home Damaged by Mud Two Days Before Moving In

The affected resident, 45-year-old Ms Anita, was two days away from moving into her four-room flat in Yishun with her husband and three children when murky, brown water began gushing out from the drains of her kitchen and toilets at around 1 pm.

At first, she mistook the gushing sound of water as rain but soon realised that the sound was coming from the pipes. It began pouring out, coating her new home in a thick layer of mud.

The incident has caused significant damage to her newly-renovated flat’s flooring, furniture, and electronics.

Damages Amount to Approximately S$80K

Due to the burst pipe, Ms Anita’s home is now covered in a thick layer of mud, resulting in damages of approximately $80,000.

She further emphasised her heartbreak over the damage as she recently spent $100,000 on renovation and new furniture, most of which arrived just days before the incident.

The National Water Agency, PUB, was informed of the leak in Yishun Avenue 6 at 1:20 pm but only managed to stop water from flowing out of Ms Anita’s drains three hours later at 4 pm.

Upon receiving the report of the flooded ground floor unit, PUB promptly dispatched its service crew and contractor for urgent repairs, which is faster than their typical response time of around 12 working days for similar reports.

The repairs caused some units’ water supply to be disrupted for approximately two hours, affecting around 20 units on the lower levels.

Nonetheless, PUB provided a temporary water supply to the affected residents through a water wagon during the incident.

Understandably traumatised by this incident, Ms Anita’s son had concerns over the possibility of the pipes in their home bursting again.

Ms Anita described the incident as a “nightmare” and hopes that authorities will be more diligent in checking the maintenance of the infrastructure of flats in Singapore to prevent potential damages in future.

PUB to Commence Investigations and Provide Repairs

The PUB has expressed regret over the incident and updated that its contractors are working with the Nee Soon Town Council to clean up the affected unit.

Nee Soon GRC Member of Parliament (MP) Mr Derrick Goh stated that the burst pipe is under PUB’s purview, and the agency is investigating the incident while providing assistance to Ms Anita.

According to Mr Goh, if the repair works require more time than expected, the Yishun Housing Development Board (HDB) branch will look for an interim flat for Ms Anita’s family to settle into.

Additionally, volunteers from the Yishun Clover Residents’ Committee offered to store some of the affected family’s furniture while the repair work was ongoing.

He also mentioned that neighbours supported the family during the incident by helping to fill up pails with excess muddy water.

However, he stated that the root cause behind the burst pipe is still under investigation.

Despite this, Mr Goh emphasised that Ms Anita’s family would have the right to pursue claims arising from the damaged property if the fault lies with PUB.

Cases of Defects in New Flats Getting More Common

Unfortunately, this is not the first time residents have been affected by defects in newer flats in Singapore.

Homeowners of the Fernvale Dew Build-To-Order (BTO) project complained about multiple defects in their newly-built residences in April 2023 after finally receiving their keys in February 2023, five years after the project was launched in May 2018.

They noticed water pooling outside their units whenever it rained due to partially blocked water discharge points at the sky terrace around the flats.

This was caused by debris from ongoing construction work.

Rainwater also splashed heavily onto linkways connected to other blocks due to a gap at the canopy roof of the flat’s landscape deck.

Moreover, the owners identified multiple defects in shoddy workmanship, including hollow and chipped tiles, scratches on the main and bedroom doors and frames, slanted skirtings, distribution box cabinets, and more.

Measures in Place to Ensure the Quality of Newly Built Flats

The HDB states that it closely monitors the construction process to ensure home buyers receive a high-quality standard of flats to live in.

They claim to conduct checks at every stage of the construction process, both within the flat and in the common areas.

The flats are also inspected and certified as suitable for occupation before being handed over to home buyers.

To assess the quality of public and private building projects, HDB uses measures such as the Construction Quality Assessment System (CONQUAS) and the Homeowner’s Guide, developed by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA).

However, despite their best efforts, flaws and imperfections may still occur, and some flats may not meet the expectations of flat buyers.

Incidents like Ms Anita’s can still happen since not all construction processes are fully automated, and flaws can arise from workmanship quality or perceived imperfections in natural materials.

To address cases where construction work may not be up to par, HDB provides a one-year Defects Liability Period (DLP) for all new-home owners.

During the DLP, flaws and defects reported are to be rectified within two weeks by the project contractor.

If more time is needed, such as when materials take longer to be available, flat owners will be informed of the expected completion date.

Additionally, a Building Services Centre (BSC) is on-site within the DLP for every new project so that flat owners can report defects to the BSC, which follows up to arrange for the necessary rectification works.

HDB provides five years of warranty coverage for ceiling leaks in toilets and kitchens, a five-year warranty for water seepage in a flat’s external wall, and a ten-year warranty for spalling concrete.