Singapore’s immaculately clean reputation took a hit yesterday when people started noticing bright green patches of water in the Singapore River due to algae overgrowth. (Although, truth be told, the river isn’t always spotless.)
Witnesses working in the area told The Straits Times that they observed an emerald tint on the water’s surface two days earlier, and some claimed they smelled a pungent stench as well.
Even though several were shocked and wondered if the green hue was due to water pollution, others brushed it off as they’d seen it before, usually after a bout of heavy rain.
Thanks to routine clean-up operations by national water agency PUB, the river was back to normal by 3pm yesterday. (That’s good old Singapore efficiency for ya.)
PUB confirmed that the green waters were caused by algae — microscopic organisms that occur naturally in reservoirs and waterways. The authority also said that algae in the waters of Singapore are removed effectively during the water treatment process for drinking water.
Environmental experts explained that the recent weather changes we’ve been experiencing — sunny rays that come after rain — create an environment that’s conducive for algal blooms, noted ST.
These algal blooms often last up to a week and disappear after the nutrients in the water body have been depleted. Even though most algae are non-toxic, an algal bloom can starve fishes of oxygen and clog up their gills, effectively killing them.
But this isn’t the first time our waters have turned green. If you recall, algal blooms also tinted the waters at Marina Bay outside the Fullerton Bay Hotel in 2015 and Kranji Reservoir last year.
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