Water features in condos risk becoming dengue breeding sites

SINGAPORE: More condominiums in Singapore are adopting unique water features, and some of these have become mosquito breeding areas.

Mr Theodore Chan, President of the Singapore Institute of Architects said the challenge lies in convincing developers not to use devices that retain water. "When something becomes more difficult to maintain, there is always a cost implication. For example, you need to provide more covers for open drains - and any cover that you install will cost money."

He believed that this was an issue that the whole industry should be thinking more about. "We live in very close proximity and Singapore's environment is going to get even more dense. So everybody has got to play their part," said Mr Chan. "I hope developers and clients can see this is something worth spending the money on, so we won't have any water retention problems.

To prevent potential mosquito breeding sites, the contractor for the Arc @ Tampines ensures that the ground on which the air-conditioner is placed slopes slightly, in order to prevent water retention.

The Association of Property and Facility Managers said one way to prevent mosquito breeding is to ensure that areas are designed in a way that facilitates maintenance and cleaning.

The most common mosquito breeding sites in condominiums are flower pots and trays, as well as stagnant water.

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Water features in condos risk becoming dengue breeding sites