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SINGAPORE: Water quality at Sembawang Park Beach has improved after two years and is now safe for all water activities, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said on Thursday (Jan 29).
Sembawang Park Beach received a Good grading in the latest beach grading exercise after getting Fair in 2024 and 2025, NEA said in its media release, adding that it is now safe for primary contact activities.
Primary contact activities refer to activities where a person’s whole body or face and trunk are frequently immersed and it is likely that some water will be swallowed. They include swimming, wakeboarding, windsurfing, and water-immersion training.
The public was previously advised against swimming at Sembawang Park Beach due to more frequent readings of elevated bacteria levels in the water.
ALL "GOOD" BEACHES
In the latest exercise, all seven recreational beaches in Singapore received a Good grade and were deemed suitable for all water activities, the agency said.
The seven recreational beaches are in Changi, East Coast Park, Pasir Ris, Punggol, Seletar Island, Sembawang Park and Sentosa Island.
Singapore’s recreational beaches are graded based on World Health Organization recreational water quality guidelines.
The next grading of Singapore’s recreational beaches will take place in July.
The latest assessment takes into account the recent incidences of elevated Enterococcus (EC) bacteria count in beach waters, NEA said.
EC is a type of bacteria that is commonly found in the gastrointestinal tracts of warm-blooded animals, including humans.
An elevated EC bacteria count increases the risk of gastrointestinal infection when the water is ingested.
NEA noted that EC bacteria at beaches could originate from multiple sources, such as discharges from bin centres, food establishments, and construction sites.
Improper hygiene and waste management practices such as pouring wastewater into public drains could impact the water quality in Singapore’s waterways, it added.
“Respective Government agencies have been conducting stepped up inspections and working with stakeholders to ensure proper housekeeping and waste management practices within the residential estates to minimise EC in our waterways,” NEA said.
“Agencies will continue to take enforcement actions against any errant practices.”
NEA warned that there could be occasions when the EC count in the water of beaches is elevated.
Beachgoers are encouraged to refer to the Beach Short-term Water Quality Information (BSWI) on the NEA website or myENV app before engaging in water activities, the agency said.
