Sewerage and Drainage (Trade Effluent) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2024

No. S 546

Sewerage and Drainage Act 1999

Sewerage and Drainage
(Trade Effluent) (Amendment No. 2)
Regulations 2024

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 74 of the Sewerage and Drainage Act 1999, the Public Utilities Board, with the approval of the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, makes the following Regulations:

Citation and commencement

1.—(1) These Regulations are the Sewerage and Drainage (Trade Effluent) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2024 and, except for regulation 19, come into operation on 1 July 2024.

(2) Regulation 19 is deemed to have come into operation on 31 December 2021.

Amendment of regulation 2

2. In the Sewerage and Drainage (Trade Effluent) Regulations (Rg 5) (called in these Regulations the principal Regulations), in regulation 2 —

(a)

in the definition of “organic sludge”, replace the full‑stop at the end with a semi‑colon; and

(b)

after the definition of “organic sludge”, insert —

“ “toxic industrial waste” means any toxic industrial waste specified in the first column of the Schedule to the Environmental Public Health (Toxic Industrial Waste) Regulations (Rg 11);

“toxic industrial waste collector” has the meaning given by regulation 2(1) of the Environmental Public Health (Toxic Industrial Waste) Regulations.”.

Amendment of regulation 3

3. In the principal Regulations, in regulation 3 —

(a)	in the regulation heading, replace “public sewer, etc.” with “public sewerage system”; and
(b)	in paragraph (1), replace “a public sewer” with “the part of the public sewerage system specified in the notice”.

Amendment of regulation 4

4. In the principal Regulations, in regulation 4 —

(a)

in the regulation heading, replace “public sewer” with “public sewerage system”;

(b)

in paragraph (1), replace “a public sewer or any drain‑line or sewer communicating with a public sewer” with “the part of the public sewerage system, or drain‑line or sewer connected to a public sewerage system, specified in the application,”;

(c)

in paragraph (3), after “thinks fit”, insert “, including a condition that the applicant must provide such deposits, performance bonds, guarantees or other forms of security, for such amounts, as the Board may from time to time require, to secure compliance by the applicant with any condition the Board imposes”; and

(d)

replace paragraphs (4) and (5) with —

“(4) Where a person has been granted any approval mentioned in paragraph (1), the person must notify the Board in writing, within 14 days after any change in any of the following if the change affects the amount or the physical, organic or chemical nature of the trade effluent discharged:

(a)	a process or operation mentioned in paragraph (2)(b);
(b)	a raw material or chemical mentioned in paragraph (2)(c), if notified by the Board to the person in writing;
(c)	the layout mentioned in paragraph (2)(d).

(5) The Board must not give a person a notification under paragraph (4)(b) unless the Board is satisfied that the trade effluent discharged from the trade, manufacture, business or building construction of the person is of a nature that is likely (either alone or in combination with or by interaction with another substance) —

(a)

to pose a health hazard or danger to the safety and health of any person at work at, on or in any part of the public sewerage system, drain‑line or sewer mentioned in paragraph (1);

(b)

to render inoperable the part of the public sewerage system, drain‑line or sewer into which the trade effluent has been approved to be discharged; or

(c)

to severely disrupt —

(i)	the proper working of the part of the public sewerage system, drain‑line or sewer mentioned in sub‑paragraph (b), or any facility, machinery or equipment related or connected to the same;
(ii)	any process of treating trade effluent, sewage or other waste for reuse, or any facility, machinery or equipment related or connected to the same; or
(iii)	any process of water reclamation, or any facility, machinery or equipment related or connected to the same.

(6) The Board may, in relation to any approval granted under paragraph (1) —

(a)

modify the conditions in relation to the approval, whether by —

(i)	removing, varying or replacing any condition that was imposed upon the grant of the approval; or
(ii)	imposing any new condition on the approval (including a condition that the person granted the approval under paragraph (1) must provide such deposits, performance bonds, guarantees or other forms of security, for such amounts, as the Board may from time to time require, to secure compliance by the applicant with any condition the Board imposes); or

(b)

suspend or revoke the approval.”.

Amendment of regulation 5

5. In the principal Regulations, in regulation 5, after paragraph (2), insert —

“(3) A person must not tamper with —

(a)	any sampling test point, inspection chamber, measuring device, or recording and other apparatus installed (whether or not by the person) for the purpose of sampling, inspecting, measuring or recording any trade effluent discharged into any sewerage system; or
(b)	any pre‑treatment plant installed (whether or not by the person) for the purpose of treating any trade effluent discharged into any sewerage system.”.

Amendment of regulation 6

6. In the principal Regulations, in regulation 6(1), replace “as the Board may require” with “as may be required in any applicable codes of practice issued by the Board”.

Amendment of regulation 7

7. In the principal Regulations, in regulation 7 —

(a)

in paragraph (c), delete “and” at the end; and

(b)

after paragraph (c), insert —

“(ca)	any record on the inspection or maintenance of an apparatus installed under regulation 5(1) or pre‑treatment plant installed under regulation 5(2), for a period not exceeding 12 months before the date the Board requires the submission of the record;
(cb)	any result issued by a testing laboratory accredited under the Singapore Accreditation Council — Singapore Laboratory Accreditation Scheme (SAC — SINGLAS) for the analysis under regulation 12(1) of the trade effluent, for a result issued in a period not exceeding 12 months before the date the Board requires the submission of the result;
(cc)	any record of the disposal of any toxic industrial waste from his premises by a toxic industrial waste collector, for a period not exceeding 12 months before the date the Board requires the submission of the record; and”.

Amendment of regulation 8

8. In the principal Regulations, in regulation 8 —

(a)	in paragraph (1), replace “caused” with “cause”; and
(b)	in paragraphs (1) and (2), replace “public sewer” wherever it appears with “public sewerage system”.

Amendment of regulation 9

9. In the principal Regulations, in regulation 9 —

(a)

renumber the regulation as paragraph (1) of that regulation;

(b)

in paragraph (1), replace “A person must not discharge or caused to be discharged” with “Subject to any permission granted under regulation 11A, a person must not discharge or cause to be discharged into any public sewerage system, or any drain‑line or sewer connected to a public sewerage system,”;

(c)

in paragraph (1), replace sub‑paragraph (a) with —

“(a)	any toxic industrial waste, unless the toxic industrial waste is treated and does not contain any substance listed in the Second or Third Schedule in a concentration greater than that specified in either Schedule for the substance;”;

(d)

in paragraph (1)(e), replace “into the public sewer by workmen maintaining or repairing it” with “by workmen maintaining or repairing the public sewerage system, into the public sewerage system”;

(e)

in paragraph (1)(m), replace the full‑stop at the end with a semi‑colon;

(f)

in paragraph (1), after sub‑paragraph (m), insert —

“(n)	any biological agent within the meaning given by section 2 of the Biological Agents and Toxins Act 2005;
(o)	any toxin within the meaning given by section 2 of the Biological Agents and Toxins Act 2005;
(p)	any animal waste, except in accordance with paragraph (2);
(q)	any chemical that is classified with hazard statement code H340, H350 or H360 under the ninth revised edition of the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) published by the United Nations in 2021;
(r)	any waste generated from a process that involves tissue digestion or tissue hydrolysis.”; and

(g)

after paragraph (1), insert —

“(2) A person may discharge or cause to be discharged any trade effluent that contains animal waste under paragraph (1)(p) in any of the following circumstances:

(a)

the trade effluent is discharged from a veterinary clinic, pet shop, or pet boarding facility;

(b)

the trade effluent —

(i)	is discharged from a veterinary hospital, equestrian facility, slaughterhouse or farm; and
(ii)	does not contain any solid animal waste;

(c)

the trade effluent —

(i)	is discharged from an animal quarantine facility;
(ii)	does not contain any solid animal waste; and
(iii)	is decontaminated.”.

New regulation 9A

10. In the principal Regulations, after regulation 9, insert —

“Order to stop discharge of trade effluent containing specified substances

9A.—(1) Where a person discharges or causes to be discharged any trade effluent containing a specified substance into a public sewerage system, or a drain‑line or sewer connected to the public sewerage system, the Board may order the person to do any one or more of the following:

(a)	immediately stop the discharge of the trade effluent;
(b)	take any steps that are specified in the order to treat the trade effluent;
(c)	immediately stop the carrying on of any process or work that produces the trade effluent,

and the person must comply with the order.

(2) For an order under paragraph (1)(a) or (c), the Board may specify that the order has effect indefinitely or until any steps that are specified in the order have been taken to treat the trade effluent before it is discharged into a public sewerage system or the drain‑line or sewer connected to the public sewerage system.

(3) In this regulation, “specified substance” means a substance that is of a nature that is likely, either alone or in combination with or by interaction with another substance, to severely disrupt —

(a)	any process of treating trade effluent, sewage or other waste for reuse; or
(b)	any process of water reclamation.”.

Amendment of regulation 10

11. In the principal Regulations, in regulation 10 —

(a)	in paragraph (1), replace “A” with “Subject to any permission granted under regulation 11A, a”;
(b)	in paragraphs (1), (2)(a) and (3), replace “public sewer” wherever it appears with “public sewerage system”;
(c)	in paragraph (1)(e), replace “Grease or Oil” with “Grease and Oil”; and
(d)	in paragraph (1)(e), replace “100 milligrams” with “300 milligrams”.

Amendment of regulation 11

12. In the principal Regulations, in regulation 11 —

(a)

in paragraphs (1), (2) and (5), replace “public sewer” with “public sewerage system, at the part of the public sewerage system specified in the Board’s permission,”; and

(b)

replace paragraph (4) with —

“(4) The Board may, in granting any permission under paragraph (1) or (3) and in addition to the agreed conditions mentioned in paragraph (3), impose such conditions as it thinks fit, including a condition that the person must provide such deposits, performance bonds, guarantees or other forms of security, for such amounts, as the Board may from time to time require, to secure compliance by the person with any condition the Board imposes.

(4A) A person granted permission under paragraph (3) must —

(a)

ensure that any vehicle used to transport the effluent or organic sludge being disposed of is secured with any, or any combination, of the following apparatuses as the Board thinks fit:

(i)	a tracking device;
(ii)	a security lock;
(iii)	any other apparatus that the Board considers is able to adequately secure the effluent or organic sludge;

(b)

record the data collected by the tracking device, security lock or other apparatus;

(c)

keep the record for at least 12 months after the date that the permission is granted; and

(d)

submit the record to the Board as and when the Board requires.

(4B) A person must not tamper with any tracking device, security lock or other apparatus used to secure a vehicle as described in paragraph (4A).

(4C) The Board may, for any permission granted under paragraph (1) or (3) —

(a)

modify the conditions in relation to the permission, whether by —

(i)	removing, varying or replacing any condition that was imposed upon the grant of the permission; or
(ii)	imposing any new condition on the permission (including a condition that the person granted the permission under paragraph (1) must provide such deposits, performance bonds, guarantees or other forms of security, for such amounts, as the Board may from time to time require, to secure compliance by the applicant with any condition the Board imposes); or

(b)

suspend or revoke the permission.”.

Amendment of regulation 11A

13. In the principal Regulations, in regulation 11A —

(a)

in the regulation heading, delete “trace amounts of”;

(b)

replace paragraph (1) with —

“(1) Subject to paragraph (2), a person may, with the prior permission of the Board, discharge any of the following into the part of the public sewerage system, or any drain‑line or sewer connected to a public sewerage system, specified in the Board’s permission:

(a)	trade effluent containing trace amounts of any substance specified in regulation 9;
(b)	trade effluent containing a substance listed in the Second or Third Schedule in a concentration greater than that specified in either of those Schedules for the substance.”;

(c)

in paragraph (2), replace “in the public sewer or the sewerage system to which the public sewer is connected,” with “in the public sewerage system, or any drain‑line or sewer connected to a public sewerage system, in the vicinity of the point of entry of the trade effluent,”;

(d)

in paragraph (2), replace sub‑paragraph (a) with —

“(a)	the proper working of the part of the public sewerage system at which the trade effluent is discharged, or any facility, machinery or equipment related or connected to that part of the public sewerage system;”; and

(e)

in paragraph (2)(b), (c) and (d), replace “public sewer” with “public sewerage system”.

Amendment of regulation 12

14. In the principal Regulations, in regulation 12(1) and (2), replace “public sewer” wherever it appears with “public sewerage system”.

Amendment of regulation 14

15. In the principal Regulations, in regulation 14 —

(a)	in paragraph (1), replace “regulation 5, 6, 7 or 10(1)(e)” with “regulation 4(4), 5(1), (2) or (3), 6(1) or (2), 7, 10(1)(e) or 11(4A) or (4B)”; and
(b)	in paragraph (2), replace “regulation 8(1), 9, 10(1)(a), (b), (c) or (d) or 11(2)” with “regulation 8(1), 9(1), 9A(1), 10(1)(a), (b), (c) or (d) or (3) or 11(2)”.

Amendment of First Schedule

16. In the principal Regulations, in the First Schedule —

(a)

replace the Schedule reference with —

“Regulation 9(1)(d)”; and

(b)

after item (35), insert —

“(36) Cresol (o, m, p)

(37) Cyclopentanone

(38) DMAc (N, N‑Dimethylacetamide)”.

Amendment of Second Schedule

17. In the principal Regulations, in the Second Schedule, replace the Schedule reference with —

“Regulations 9(1)(a), 10(1)(a) and 11A(1)(b)”.

Amendment of Third Schedule

18. In the principal Regulations, in the Third Schedule, replace the Schedule reference with —

“Regulations 9(1)(a), 10(1)(a) and 11A(1)(b)”.

Miscellaneous amendments

19. In the principal Regulations —

(a)	in regulation 2, in the definition of “infectious disease”, in paragraph (a), replace “(Cap. 137)” with “1976”; and
(b)	in regulation 13(1), replace “(Cap. 117A)” with “1993”.

[G.N. Nos. S 30/2008; S 46/2013; S 710/2014; S 73/2015; S 590/2015; S 483/2016; S 919/2021; S 911/2023; S 249/2024]

Made on 25 June 2024.

CHIANG CHIE FOO

Chairperson,
Public Utilities Board,
Singapore.

[MSE C030/01/120; AG/LEGIS/SL/294/2020/2]

(To be presented to Parliament under section 74(3) of the Sewerage and Drainage Act 1999).

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