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Sewerage and Drainage Act

(Chapter 294, Sections 72 and 74)

Sewerage and Drainage (Trade Effluent) Regulations

Rg 5

G.N. No. S 170/1999

REVISED EDITION 2007

(15th May 2007)

[1st April 1999]

Citation

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Sewerage and Drainage (Trade Effluent) Regulations.

Definitions

2. In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires —

“blood waste” includes human blood, animal blood and any fluid, matter or material which is contaminated with blood;

“grease trap” means any interceptor, arrestor, tank or pit situated above or under the ground which allows culinary wastewater to cool and the grease therein to be separated from the wastewater;

“infectious disease” means any disease —

(a)	specified in the First Schedule to the Infectious Diseases Act 1976; or [S 546/2024 wef 31/12/2021]
(b)	which is caused, or is suspected to be caused, by a micro-organism or any agent of disease and is capable of transmission by any means to human beings or animals;

“infectious waste” means any waste which contains or may produce pathogens of an infectious disease and includes —

(a)

cultures and stocks of agents of the infectious disease from a laboratory;

(b)

in relation to a person who has been diagnosed as having or suspected to have the infectious disease, or who has died whilst being diagnosed as having or suspected to have the infectious disease —

(i)	any waste from the person or the body of the person, as the case may be;
(ii)	any waste from a surgery performed on the person or autopsy performed on the body of the person, as the case may be; and
(iii)	any fluid, matter or material that has come into contact with the person or the body of the person, as the case may be; and

(c)

in relation to an animal which is inoculated with an agent of the infectious disease, or which has been diagnosed as having or suspected to have the infectious disease, or which has died whilst being diagnosed as having or suspected to have the infectious disease —

(i)	any waste from the animal or the body of the animal, as the case may be;
(ii)	any waste from a surgery performed on the animal or autopsy performed on the body of the animal, as the case may be; and
(iii)	any fluid, matter or material that has come into contact with the animal or the body of the animal, as the case may be;

“organic sludge” means organic matter in trade effluent which has a minimum solid content of 3% by weight or a maximum moisture content of 97% by weight;

[S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

“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);

[S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

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

[S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

Lawful discharge into public sewerage system

3.—(1) The Board may, by notice in writing, require the owner of any premises to cause all trade effluent from those premises to be discharged into the part of the public sewerage system specified in the notice in accordance with these Regulations.

[S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

(2) [Deleted by S 46/2013 wef 01/02/2013]

Approval for discharge into public sewerage system

4.—(1) An application for approval to discharge trade effluent into the part of the public sewerage system, or drain-line or sewer connected to a public sewerage system, specified in the application, made pursuant to section 16(1) or 16A(1) of the Act, as the case may be, shall be in such form as the Board may require.

[S 46/2013 wef 01/02/2013]

[S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

(2) The applicant shall, in his application, furnish to the Board —

(a)	particulars of the trade, manufacture, business or building construction carried on or to be carried on by him and in the course of which the trade effluent is wholly or partly produced or of which the trade effluent is the waste or refuse;
(b)	details of all the processes or operations employed or to be employed by him to produce the final products of the trade, manufacture, business or building construction;
(c)	particulars of all the raw materials and chemicals used or to be used in the processes or operations;
(d)	details of the layout of all the machinery, plant and equipment used or to be used in the premises in which the trade, manufacture, business or building construction is being or is to be carried on, as the case may be;
(e)	an estimate of the amount of water consumed or used or to be consumed or used in the trade, manufacture, business or building construction;
(f)	particulars of the physical, organic and chemical nature of the trade effluent; and
(g)	such other information relating to the trade effluent and the discharge thereof as the Board may require.

(3) The Board may, in granting any approval referred to in paragraph (1), impose such conditions as it thinks fit, 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.

[S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

(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). [S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

(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. [S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

(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.

[S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

Pre-treatment plant, monitoring and control devices, etc.

5.—(1) Any person who discharges trade effluent into any sewerage system shall, in connection with such discharge, install such sampling test points, inspection chambers, measuring devices, and recording and other apparatuses as the Board may require.

(2) Any person who discharges trade effluent into any sewerage system shall install a pre-treatment plant if the Board so requires and shall —

(a)	use or operate the plant to treat trade effluent before discharging the trade effluent into the sewerage system; and
(b)	maintain the plant in an efficient condition at all times.

(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. [S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

Installation of grease trap

6.—(1) Any person who discharges trade effluent into any sewerage system shall, in connection with the discharge, install a grease trap, as may be required in any applicable codes of practice issued by the Board.

[S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

(2) The person referred to in paragraph (1) shall ensure that the grease trap is maintained from time to time as the Board may, by notice in writing, require.

Particulars to be furnished

7. Any person who discharges trade effluent into a sewerage system shall, at such times as the Board may require, submit particulars of —

(a)	the amount of water consumed or used for the purposes of any trade, manufacture, business or building construction carried on by him and in the course of which the trade effluent is wholly or partly produced or of which the trade effluent is the waste or refuse;
(b)	the physical, organic and chemical nature of the trade effluent;
(c)	the raw materials and chemicals used in the trade, manufacture, business or building construction and the direction of the flow of any liquid or the trade effluent from or produced by any machinery, plant or equipment used in the trade, manufacture, business or building construction; [S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]
(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; [S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]
(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; [S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]
(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 [S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]
(d)	such other matters relating to the trade effluent and the discharge thereof as may be required by the Board.

Nature and type of trade effluent to be discharged

8.—(1) A person must not discharge or cause to be discharged into any public sewerage system any trade effluent —

(a)	which is not of a nature or type approved by the Board;
(b)	the temperature of which exceeds 45° Celsius at the point of its entry into the public sewerage system; [S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]
(c)	the pH value of which is less than 6 or more than 9 at the point of its entry into the public sewerage system; or [S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]
(d)	the caustic alkalinity of which is more than 2,000 milligrams of calcium carbonate per litre at the point of its entry into the public sewerage system. [S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

(2) The Board may require any person who seeks to discharge any trade effluent into any public sewerage system to treat the trade effluent before discharging the trade effluent into the public sewerage system, and such person must comply with the requirement.

[S 73/2015 wef 13/02/2015]

[S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

Trade effluent to be free of certain substances

9.—(1) 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, any trade effluent which contains any of the following substances:

(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; [S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]
(b)	calcium carbide;
(c)	petroleum spirit or other inflammable substance;
(d)	any organic compound specified in the First Schedule;
(e)	any substance that either by itself or in combination or by reaction with other waste or refuse may give rise to any gas, fume, odour or substance which is or is likely to be a hazard to human life, a public nuisance, injurious or otherwise objectionable, or which prevents or is likely to prevent entry by workmen maintaining or repairing the public sewerage system, into the public sewerage system; [S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]
(f)	yeast, spent or unspent molasses, crude tar, tar oil, crude oil, carbon disulphide, hydro-sulphide and poly-sulphide;
(g)	any radioactive material;
(h)	any waste or refuse liable to form a viscous or solid coating or deposit on any part of the public sewer or sewerage system;
(i)	any excessively discolouring substance;
(j)	[Deleted by S 46/2013 wef 01/02/2013]
(k)	any pesticide, fungicide, herbicide, insecticide, rodenticide or fumigant;
(l)	blood waste;
(m)	infectious waste;
(n)	any biological agent within the meaning given by section 2 of the Biological Agents and Toxins Act 2005; [S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]
(o)	any toxin within the meaning given by section 2 of the Biological Agents and Toxins Act 2005; [S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]
(p)	any animal waste, except in accordance with paragraph (2); [S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]
(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; [S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]
(r)	any waste generated from a process that involves tissue digestion or tissue hydrolysis. [S 73/2015 wef 13/02/2015] [S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

(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. [S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

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. [S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

Maximum concentrations of certain substances

10.—(1) Subject to any permission granted under regulation 11A, a person must not discharge or cause to be discharged into a public sewerage system any trade effluent which —

(a)	contains any substance listed in the Second or Third Schedule in a concentration greater than that specified therein for the substance;
(b)	has a 5‑day Biochemical Oxygen Demand at 20° Celsius (referred to in this regulation and regulation 11 as BOD) greater than 400 milligrams per litre of the trade effluent;
(c)	has a Chemical Oxygen Demand (referred to in this regulation and regulation 11 as COD) greater than 600 milligrams per litre of the trade effluent;
(d)	has Total Suspended Solids (referred to in this regulation and regulation 11 as TSS) greater than 400 milligrams per litre of the trade effluent; or
(e)	has Grease and Oil, which is not hydrocarbon in nature, greater than 300 milligrams per litre of the trade effluent. [S 73/2015 wef 13/02/2015] [S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

(2) The Board may stipulate —

(a)	the maximum volume and quantity of a substance which may be discharged into a public sewerage system under this regulation; and [S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]
(b)	the maximum rate at which the substance may be so discharged.

(3) Where the Board stipulates the maximum volume and quantity of a substance which may be discharged into a public sewerage system under this regulation and the maximum rate at which the substance may be so discharged, no person who has been informed by the Board by notice in writing of the volume, quantity or rate may discharge the substance into a public sewerage system in a volume or quantity or at a rate in excess of that so stipulated.

[S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

Permission required to discharge certain trade effluent, etc.

11.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), any person may, notwithstanding regulation 10, with the prior permission of the Board discharge into any public sewerage system, at the part of the public sewerage system specified in the Board’s permission, trade effluent containing BOD or TSS greater than 400 milligrams per litre of the trade effluent or COD greater than 600 milligrams per litre of the trade effluent.

[S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

(2) No person shall discharge into any public sewerage system, at the part of the public sewerage system specified in the Board’s permission, trade effluent containing —

(a)	BOD greater than 6,000 milligrams per litre of the trade effluent;
(b)	TSS greater than 6,000 milligrams per litre of the trade effluent; or
(c)	COD greater than 10,000 milligrams per litre of the trade effluent or 3 times the concentration of BOD in the trade effluent, whichever is the lower. [S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

(3) Any person may, with the prior permission of the Board, dispose of effluent or organic sludge that is transported by vehicle to any sewage treatment works specified by the Board, upon such terms and conditions as may be agreed by the Board and such person.

[S 46/2013 wef 01/02/2013]

(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.

[S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

(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.

[S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

(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).

[S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

(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.

[S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

(5) A person who has discharged into any public sewerage system, at the part of the public sewerage system specified in the Board’s permission, trade effluent containing BOD or TSS greater than 400 milligrams per litre of the trade effluent or COD greater than 600 milligrams per litre of the trade effluent, shall pay to the Board a fee for the disposal of the trade effluent (including any treatment necessary or incidental thereto), in accordance with a bill issued by the Board for such payment.

[S 710/2014 wef 23/10/2014]

[S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

(6) Subject to paragraph (7), the fee mentioned in paragraph (5) must be calculated as follows:

(a)	for a bill issued on or after 1 January 2024 but before 1 April 2024 — in accordance with the scale set out in the Fourth Schedule as in force immediately before 1 April 2024;
(b)	for a bill issued on or after 1 April 2024 but before 1 April 2025 — in accordance with the scale set out in the Fourth Schedule;
(c)	for a bill issued on or after 1 April 2025 — in accordance with the scale set out in the Fifth Schedule. [S 249/2024 wef 01/04/2024]

(7) For the purpose of paragraph (6), any fraction of a dollar of a fee calculated pursuant to that paragraph is to be ignored.

[S 919/2021 wef 01/01/2022]

Permission required to discharge trade effluent containing certain substances

11A.—(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. [S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

(2) The Board may refuse or revoke any permission under paragraph (1) if the Board considers that the discharge is likely to be a hazard to the safety or health of any person at work 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, or interfere 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; [S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]
(b)	the proper working of any facility, machinery or equipment which treats sewage from the public sewerage system for reuse; [S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]
(c)	any process of treating trade effluent or other waste or refuse from the public sewerage system; or [S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]
(d)	any process of treating sewage from the public sewerage system for reuse. [S 30/2008 wef 01/02/2008] [S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

Method of analysis and collection of samples

12.—(1) For the purposes of these Regulations, trade effluent discharged into a public sewerage system or any drain-line or sewer to which the public sewerage system is connected shall be analysed in accordance with the latest edition of “Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater” published jointly by the American Public Health Association, the American Water Works Association and the Water Environment Federation of the United States, as amended from time to time, or in accordance with such other method of analysis as the Board thinks fit.

[S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

(2) Trade effluent samples required by the Board shall be collected from any sampling test point or inspection chamber installed under regulation 5(1), or any drain-line or sewer to which a public sewerage system is connected, as determined by the Board.

[S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

Payment of fees

13.—(1) The fees payable under regulation 11(5) are inclusive of the goods and services tax chargeable under the Goods and Services Tax Act 1993 on the services in respect of which such fees are payable.

[S 46/2013 wef 01/02/2013]

[S 546/2024 wef 31/12/2021]

(2) The fees payable under these Regulations shall be paid to the Board by interbank GIRO or such other means as the Board may from time to time specify.

Late payment of fees

13A.—(1) Where —

(a)	a person who is liable to pay any specified fee fails to pay the whole or any part of the fee in accordance with a bill issued to him; and
(b)	the whole or any part of the specified fee remains unpaid immediately prior to the issue to him of the next bill,

that next bill shall include, and the person shall be liable to pay, a late payment charge of 1% of the amount remaining unpaid.

(2) In this regulation, “specified fee” means —

(a)	any fee referred to in regulation 11(5);
(b)	any late payment fee to which section 35 of the Sewerage and Drainage (Amendment) Act 2012 (Act 10 of 2012) applies in relation to the fee imposed under regulation 11(5) in operation immediately before 1st February 2013; or
(c)	any late payment charge imposed pursuant to this regulation. [S 46/2013 wef 01/02/2013]

Offences

14.—(1) Any person who contravenes regulation 4(4), 5(1), (2) or (3), 6(1) or (2), 7, 10(1)(e) or 11(4A) or (4B) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000 and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding $500 for every day or part thereof during which the offence continues after conviction.

[S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]

(2) Any person who contravenes regulation 8(1), 9(1), 9A(1), 10(1)(a), (b), (c) or (d) or (3) or 11(2) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $15,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or to both and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding $500 for every day or part thereof during which the offence continues after conviction.

[S 73/2015 wef 13/02/2015]

[S 546/2024 wef 01/07/2024]