• Residents were concerned for their safety after the crack appeared
• The HDB called in a contractor which completed rectification works on Friday (Sept 11)
• Residents have been assured the structural integrity of the building is uncompromised

SINGAPORE — A month after a large, highly-visible crack on the exterior wall of a public housing block in Punggol raised concerns among residents on the structural integrity of the building, rectification works were completed by the authorities on Friday (Sept 11).

The Housing and Development Board (HDB) said earlier this month, in response to TODAY’s queries, that it had engaged a contractor to address the misaligned panels at Block 310A Waterway Terraces II.

The Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council earlier said it had repaired the plaster crack and painted the joint line, but residents were not satisfied with this initial repair.

TODAY first reported on the cracked facade of the block in early August after pictures of the fault were uploaded in a closed Facebook group made up of residents, causing many to express grave concerns.

The highly visible crack in the facade when TODAY first reported on residents' concerns on Aug 7, 2020. Photo: Nabilah Awang/TODAY

The town council and the HDB later ascertained that there was no issue with the safety of the building after an inspection at the block had been carried out.

They added that the fault line was the result of a slight misalignment of precast panels.

In a notice put up at the lift lobby of the block informing residents about the rectification works to the block’s facade, the contractor — Tiong Seng Contractors Pte Ltd — said it had received feedback from residents who were concerned about the misaligned panels posing a safety risk.

It added that the rectification works, which started last Monday, were done to address residents’ concerns. It also advised residents of the dates and time the works would be done.

The affected area photographed on Sept 14, 2020, after rectification works had been completed. Photo: Nabilah Awang/TODAY

“We would also like to assure you that we have inspected the facade and have ascertained that this is not a structural defect, and will not affect the structural integrity of the building,” the notice read.

The rectification works were welcomed by residents of the block, who had been troubled for months over whether the crack could have given way and endangered lives.

One of them was Ms Suhaila Shariff, 37, who said the initial repair by the town council was unsatisfactory as the panels were still misaligned and fragmentation on the structure of the floors above it was still visible.

The preschool teacher is more satisfied with the rectification works done by the contractor this time round as the panels have been aligned, plastered over and given a fresh coat of paint.

“They also plastered and painted over smaller cracks on other parts of the block’s (facade). At least they’re doing something (in response to) all the feedback,” she said.

Other residents such as homemakers Ms Fizah Yusoff, 41, and Ms Sarah Yeo, 34, agreed that their concerns have been eased by the rectification works.

Ms Yeo said she is relieved that the cracked facade has been rectified and is looking forward to the next time the estate will be refurbished.

Ms Fizah, on the other hand, still has her doubts over the structural integrity of the building, pointing to other cracks around the block that are still visible and have yet to be repaired.

The Waterway Terraces estate — made up of Waterway Terraces I and II — is the first public housing project along the Punggol waterfront, comprising 2,000 units, and was completed in 2015.

The project, won by Geneva-based architectural firm Group8asia in an international competition, boasts undulating balconies and cascading roof gardens, and is within walking distance to a mall and Punggol MRT Station.

The design of the estate also won the HDB Design Awards in 2016, and was among 15 Singapore projects shortlisted in the World Architecture Festival the same year.