Alexandra Wetlands

Another day, another kopi ice in a bag!

A third beautiful day in Singapore started the same as the previous two: with a life-saving roti prata and kopi (coffee) from the Cheese Prata shop next door to our hotel. Mushroom, egg and cheese fill a delicious flatbread and offer sustenance for the day ahead.

After breakfast, we were off to the Alexandra Canal and wetlands to observe ways in which Singapore has worked to greenify canals. The top of the canal features stacked wetlands which biotreat water before entering Marina Bay.

I walked along the canal, concrete yet beautifully lined with vegetation and well-suited for strolling and biking. The canal contained a few floating structures, which Tom said are for collecting debris.

I wondered about how the Alexandra Canal compares to canals in U.S. cities – methods of water quality management, importance of aesthetics, how the water is utilized. The signs posted along the way helped to answer some of my curiosities!

The Public Utilities Board (PUB) oversees Singapore’s water supply system. PUB’s Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters (ABC Waters) Programme allowed the canal to be transformed into this unique urban wetland space.

We reached the wetlands at the top of the canal. Several wetland sections with varying amounts of water contained aquatic plants, insects, and animals (sadly, no otters – but we did see a huge reptile called an Asian water monitor!). We even spotted dragonfly eggs on some of the wetland plants.