Kayak Clean-up @ Kallang Basin

Click here for PDF copy of "Kayak Clean-up Guide".

Click here for PDF copy of Mainland Instructor Training Guide.

[Prepared by: Annie (Feb 2020), Updated by: ______ (date)]

"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man."

– Heraclitus

Framing / Setting

Most of us had been using the waters around Singapore for recreation such as kayaking, dragon-boating. Most of us are aware that Singapore is water-stressed and heavily dependent on imported water. Most of us are also aware of PUB's Active Beautiful and Clean movement for our reservoir. But how many of us are actually doing our part?

This activity is conducted mainly by WWS volunteers and supported by instructors in terms of additional safety, instructions on basic kayaking and logistics
As activities focus a lot on water security and cleanliness, it is good to have bring in related ideas and activities in earlier part of the expeditions (e.g. canals, reservoirs, water rationing and water sourcing activity at Red Cross)

Introduction

Paddling across an iconic stretch of Singapore’s waterways with your watch, working together as a team to clean-up the waterways of Singapore

Do you know which part of Singapore’s waterways are we at now?

An enclosed bay in Kallang, Singapore, The Kallang Basin is connected by the Kallang River, Rocher river and Geylang River. Some areas of which you will be heading towards today.

What’s so iconic about the area?

Area has been actively reclaimed and is an important part of Singapore and now house the Singapore sports Hub. Some sources even stated that the Kallang Riverside Park which is around the park that you guys are right now, is the rumoured actual place of landing for Raffles back in 1819.

Background

In 1977, the Singapore Government initiated a massive 10-year long clean-up project along Kallang Basin and the nearby Singapore River, transforming them into the clean bodies of water today.

But do you think our waterways are truly clean?

Today you will be able to witness how our human actions have affected the waterways in Singapore and how critical they are in providing Singapore’s water supply.

Do you know what are the most common trash found in our waterways and coastal areas? (Styrofoam and plastic)

Or what are some of the unusual trash found in coastal clean-ups? (TV Sets, Old Tyres and even old sofas etc.)

Activity Conduct

The team from Waterways Watch Society and they are integral in helping us to protect the waterways in Singapore. (Let’s welcome them / Introduce the instructors)

WWS facilitators will bring pax around waters and guide them on where to go and the hotspots to pick up trash.

Our Role

OBS instructors to instruct on all info necessary for pax to be able to paddle out. Demonstrate carrying of kayak, entry and exit in water, paddle strokes and raft up. Note that just need to brief the pax on capsize drill and what to do. No need to practise.

After all these is done, handover to WWS instructors to brief on the journey and safety aspects of litter-picking.

Note:

Provide sufficient basic instructions enough for pax to be able to paddle off.
Do not spend too much time on technical explanation.
Remember you only have 0.5 hour on land before launch-off.

Food for Thought: Environment Water Security

Are our waterways/ coastlines truly clean?

Clean and Green Singapore….Really??!!

Where do you think the trash come from?

It’s not just about the cleanliness of the waterways, our trash and actions have also impacted marine life. What have you witnessed today? Marine trash can result in entanglement of animals who then die a slow death. Marine creatures mistake trash for food and eventually die of starvation. Sea turtles often mistake plastic bags for jelly fish and end up eating plastic bags. Marine litter is created by us! At an even more personal level, we all have a part in keeping our waterways clean. Do you know why?

WATER-STRESSED COUNTRY

Clean water is readily available to us in Singapore and we often turn on the taps without much of a second thought as to where our water sources come from. But do you know that in 2015, we were ranked as a “Water-Stressed” country by Water Resources Institute (WRI)? Mainly, imported water from Malaysia which meets half of Singapore’s daily demands for drinking water is under threat and steadily depleting.

IMPORTED WATER

Our current water treaty with Malaysia will end by 2061 (by which our daily water needs would have doubled!). Coupled with limited land space to collect and store water (how many more reservoirs can we build?), Singapore is actually a severely water challenged country.

FOUR NATIONAL TAPS

Beyond collecting water in our own reservoirs and importing water from Malaysia, Singapore has actively sought to explore other water sources. We now have what has been termed as the “Four National Taps. Do you know what these are?

1. Reservoirs

2. Imported Water (Buying water from Malaysia)

3. NEWater (Recycling used water)

4. Desalinated Water (Treating sea water)

The 3rd and the 4th National Taps are critical if we want to move Singapore towards water sustainability. Much efforts have been put into recycling our water into ultra-clean, high-grade reclaimed water (or NEWater), cushioning our water supply against dry weather. So projecting towards 2061, Singapore hopes to be able to supply up till 85% of our water needs through NEWater and desalination.

HOW CAN WE PROTECT OUR WATERWAYS?

We need to also look at our attitude towards water and remember that we were labelled as a “Water-Stressed” country. Start to use water wisely. Every drop counts. Keep our reservoirs, drains, canals and waterways clean so that we can use as much catchment water as possible. Minimise the use of plastic and disposables in our daily lives as plastic and Styrofoam are the main marine trash in Singapore. Join coastal clean-up program if you can! OBS Project-Island-A Hand (PIAH) can be one where you join ex-OBS participants and the public to lend a helping hand!