As a result, every home at P.E.Estate had a W.C. flush toilet, something we take for granted today, but it was a real blessing at that time. The sewer system led to a treatment plant that was located within Princess Elizabeth Estate itself.
There was only a single access to the estate from Upper Bukit Timah and this was Hillview Road passing the Union Carbide factory. Whether you drove or walked in, you would pass a remarkable landmark on entering the estate from Hillview Road.
You would be greeted by an unusual structure. Two huge circular tanks. Each with a rotating arm like the hands of a clock that was constantly pouring water out from holes along the rotating arm. The spray of water was onto a bed of granite stones that seem to fill the entire tank to the top.
As a child growing up in P.E. Estate, I didn't know what these were at that time.
I recalled my mother used to say it was the 'septic tanks' but it was meaningless to me.
All I knew was that when we were going home from an outing and saw this 'landmark', it meant that we were about to arrive home!
Thankfully, these septic tanks were screened a little from sight by oil palm trees and a high bush.
The garbage disposal area was also beside these tanks.
In later years, these septic tanks were replaced by a more modern enclosed sediment treatment plant on the same site.
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| Construction of the Sewage Treatment Plant in 1951. The primary school and Blk 23 & Blk 24 have yet to be built. |
