Pipes still on Changi after excavation work

Not only was this Changi shore impacted by the 300-tonne oil spill in the East Johor Strait, but a huge excavator was also seen digging it up a few months afterwards.

If the excavator works was to remove pipes on the shores (that have been there for years), was it done properly? Because today, there were still pipes, albeit in pieces, on the shore. What is going on?


In January 2017, one of our favourite Changi shores was badly impacted by the oil spill.

Here's a video clip of what I saw the day the oil spill landed on the shores.

The best thing to do for the shore following this oil spill impact would have been to leave it alone to recover. So it was shocking to see an excavator on the shore in May 2017, ostensibly removing the pipes that have been there for years.  

It is even more surprising to see this morning, that many pipes are still on the shore.

There were pipe pieces near the high shore.

Pipe pieces at the mid-shore.

And pipe pieces in deeper water too. If the pipes were to be removed, why are they still there? If they were not to be removed, why drive the excavator onto the shore? Were the shore works done incompletely or improperly? I do hope the shore will not be further traumatised by more shore works.

Large trash clearly NOT from recreational users of Changi continue to be seen on the shore. Large bags of detergent, rice, sugar. Possibly from nearby Singapore fish farms? Our fish farms are not provided with door-to-door trash collection.

Our living shores are impacted by many stressful happenings. Some can probably be moderated by more holistic and thoughtful management of our shores.

Despite these impacts, the shores were still alive, although not as lively and rich as before. Here's more of what we saw today.


Posts about the Jan 2017 Johor Strait oil spill

• Survey on 13 Jul, seven months after the oil spill
• Survey on 14 Jun, six months after the oil spill
• Survey on 15 May, five months after the oil spill
• Survey on 27 Apr, four months after the oil spill
• Survey on 31 May, three months after the oil spill
• Survey on 13 Mar, two months after the oil spill

Survey on 10 Feb, one month after the oil spill

• Changi Creek
• Changi Creek mangroves
• Changi Beach at Carpark 2 and 3
• Changi seagrass meadows near Changi Point Ferry Terminal

Other surveys and news posts

• Round Ubin survey for oil spill impact and long-term monitoring
• Changi Creek and Sungei Ubin after the oil spill
• Oil spill at East Johor Strait: YOUR sightings part 2
• Changi Creek
• Changi Creek mangroves
• Changi Beach at Carpark 1 and 2
• Changi seagrass meadows near Changi Point Ferry Terminal
• How are Pasir Ris mangroves and seagrass meadows after the oil spill?
• Are we helping or harming when we 'clean' oiled mangroves?
• Oil spill at East Johor Strait: YOUR sightings
• Key happenings: Oil spill at East Johor Strait, Jan 2017
• Survey of oil spill spill impact on Ubin and mainland Singapore, 5 Jan 2017
• Oil spill near Pulau Ubin, 4 Jan 2017