DOCSLIB.ORG

UNLEASH Innovation Lab and Singapore Newater by Taylor Brown

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
UNLEASH Innovation Lab and Singapore Newater by Taylor Brown UNLEASH Innovation Lab and Singapore NEWater by Taylor Brown f you had asked me at the beginning of this year to find if the water tested above the Bangladesh standard (50 μg/L) or Singapore on a map, I wouldn’t have been able to. That green if the water tested below the Bangladesh standard. By 2006, Ichanged when I was selected by the United Nations to attend the an estimated 100,000 alternative sources were installed in arsenic- UNLEASH Innovation Lab in Singapore in June 2018. UNLEASH affected areas and 70 percent of new installations were deep tube is a global initiative that annually brings together 1,000 young aca- wells (Inauen, et al. 2013). Technologies that avoid arsenic contam- demics, entrepreneurs and technical experts (talents) from around ination, rather than remove arsenic, are more cost-effective in the the world; the talents this year represented 110 countries. Over one long term and maintenance of arsenic removal technologies can be week, talents are tasked with developing an innovative, practical cumbersome. and scalable solution to one of the United Nations Sustainable A study conducted in 2013 (Inauen, et al. 2013) used the RANAS Development Goals (SDGs). model (Risks, Attitudes, Norms, Abilities, and Self-regulation) to The SDGs were agreed upon in 2015 by all United Nations mem- report that one-third of households in Bangladesh who are both at ber states and consist of 17 goals (Figure 1) and 169 targets to end risk of drinking arsenic-contaminated water, and who have access poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace to an arsenic-safe water option, do not use these safer options. and prosperity by 2030. To realize the SDGs, it is estimated that Users and non-users both understood the negative impacts of the world will need to invest a staggering $5 trillion to $7 trillion drinking arsenic-contaminated water, but many non-users reported per year, or roughly 7 percent to 10 percent of global annual gross that their safe water option involved more time, effort, and/or cost. domestic product. This will require new and innovative solutions My working group team used the UNLEASH five-step Innovation that will challenge traditional business models and approaches. Process to build a complex problem tree and look at how to influence household decision-makers to create long-term behavior change. The five phases of the UNLEASH Innovation Process are: Problem Framing; Ideation; Prototyping; Testing; and Implementing (Drain 2018). The process ensures that we are not solving for a problem that doesn’t exist and ultimately leads to the implementation of solutions that can help address the Sustainable Development Goals. Through the UNLEASH Innovation Process, we determined that the top-down blanket-testing approach of the past left no infrastructure in place for monitoring existing wells or for testing new wells. Based on this framing of the problem, my team devel- oped a solution that would build testing capacity locally, leading to sustained awareness in areas with high arsenic exposure and giving people more control over their water supply. At the end of the conference, we pitched our solution to judges, peers and potential Figure 1. The 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals funders. I am still working with my team to publish a paper and (SDGs). United Nations (United Nations n.d.) I am also exploring this emerging issue in Pakistan. UNLEASH Working Group For the conference, I was put into the working group for SDG #6: NEWater: Recycled Water in Singapore Ensure access to water and sanitation for all. I worked with a diverse Built into the conference were field trips to explore Singapore. team to address the issue of arsenic-contaminated groundwater in The SDG #6 working group was able to visit the NEWater Visitor Bangladesh. Centre, a water museum showcasing Singapore’s journey towards In Bangladesh, 39 million people are consuming water with water sustainability and how NEWater is produced. arsenic concentrations above 10 μg/L. This problem was discov- The NEWater process recycles used water into ultra-clean, high- ered in the 1990s and 46 percent of shallow tube wells exceeded grade reclaimed water, cushioning Singapore’s water supply against the limit. There was a massive tube well screening campaign from dry weather and moving the country towards water sustainability 2000 to 2006, where wells were tested for arsenic and painted red (Figure 2). Today, there are five NEWater plants supplying up to 40 percent of Singapore’s current water needs. By 2060, NEWater is Arsenic in Drinking Water expected to meet 55 percent of Singapore’s future water demand. Inorganic arsenic is naturally present at high levels in the ground- In the 1970s, the Singapore government commissioned a study water of several countries; at least 140 million people in 50 countries to determine the feasibility of producing reclaimed water. At that drink water containing arsenic at levels above the World Health time, the necessary technology had a much higher cost and unprov- Organization provisional guideline of 10 micrograms per liter (μg/L). en reliability. By the 1990s, the cost and performance of membrane Long term exposure to arsenic from drinking water can cause many technology had improved greatly. The energy cost of reverse osmo- health issues including cancer, skin lesions, cardiovascular disease, sis has come down by 75 percent since the 1970s. diabetes and impaired intellectual function. In utero and early child- As it is ultra-clean, NEWater is used mainly for industrial and hood exposure has been linked to negative impacts on cognitive air-conditioning cooling purposes at wafer fabrication plants, development and increased deaths in young adults. industrial estates and commercial buildings. NEWater is delivered (World Health Organization 2018) to industrial customers via a dedicated pipe network. The biggest users of NEWater are wafer fabrication plants, which create the sil- 50 Clear Waters Fall 2018 Figure 2. Diagram of the NEWater collection and treatment process. Public Utilities Board, Singapore’s National Water Agency (Public Utilities Board 2017) icon base for circuitry used in electronics and for microprocessors Recycled Water in the U.S. used in computers. Wafer fabrication occurs under clean-room con- The introduction of reuse systems can be difficult due to a ditions and requires water quality that meets even more stringent high degree of public skepticism. There have been attempts to metrics than drinking water. recycle sewage in the most water-scarce areas of the United States. During dry periods, NEWater is added to Singapore’s reservoirs California’s Orange County Water District (OCWD) began recy- to blend with raw water. The raw water from the reservoir is treated cling sewage water for non-potable use in the 1970s. It was not until before it is supplied to consumers as tap water. This is done to be 2008 that the recycled water was brought into the drinking supply, mindful of public attitudes and acceptance of reused water, as well which required extensive public relations and education campaigns as to provide an additional environmental buffer and allow for (Monks 2015). trace minerals to be reintroduced by blending with reservoir water. Texas aims to generate 10 percent of all new water supplies When then United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon through reclaimed water by 2060. Big Spring, Texas, has the first visited a NEWater plant in 2012, he said he would recommend the Direct Potable Reuse system in the United States, which sends strategy of recycling wastewater to other countries suffering from reclaimed water to the final treatment without passing it through water scarcity. Instead of toasting Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong groundwater reserves first (Monks 2015). Mixing reclaimed water with the traditional glass of wine, Mr. Ban toasted him with a bot- with groundwater is unnecessary, as it has the potential to re- tle of NEWater calling it something far more valuable than a glass contaminate the reclaimed water, but it is done to ease the minds of wine. continued on page 56 My team from left to right: Lucky Musonda from Zambia, myself, Vismit Bansal from India, Anna Thyssen from Australia, Bulbul Ahmed from Bangladesh and Anita Etale from Kenya. Taylor Brown Clear Waters Fall 2018 51 continued from page 55 References Drain, Andrew. 2018. “The Five-Step Innovation Process: UNLEASH’s Design Workshop, Introduced and Critiqued.” Engineering for Change. June 19. https://www.engineeringfor change.org/news/five-step-innovation-process-unleashs-design- workshop-introduced-critiqued/. Inauen, J., M.M. Hossain, R. Johnston, and H-J. Mosler. 2013. “Acceptance and Use of Eight Arsenic-Safe Drinking Water Options in Bangladesh.” Edited by J. Christopher States. PLoS One 8 (1): e53640. http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0053640. Monks, Kieron. 2015. “From toilet to tap: Getting a taste for drink- ing recycled waste water.” CNN – World – U.S. Edition, November 17. https://www.cnn.com/2014/05/01/world/from-toilet-to-tap-water/ index.html. Public Utilities Board. 2017. “PUB Singapore’s National Water Agency Corporate Brochure.” Accessed August 21, 2018. https:// www.pub.gov.sg/Documents/PUBcorporatebrochure2017.pdf. United Nations. n.d. “Communications Materials.” Sustainable Development Goals. Accessed August 21, 2018. https://www.un.org/ Me at the NEWater visitor center with my NYWEA t-shirt that says sustainabledevelopment/news/communications-material/. “WATER’S WORTH IT”. Taylor Brown World Health Organization. 2018. “Arsenic.” WHO News-Fact Sheets- of the public. Detail. February 15. http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ With improved awareness, reclaimed water can be brought to arsenic. drinking water supplies directly, which would decrease energy use and costs. In the coming decades, drinking water that comes from recycled sewage will be normalized and be a great defense against water scarcity.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Transitions to Freshwater Sustainability PERSPECTIVE
    PERSPECTIVE Transitions to freshwater sustainability PERSPECTIVE Peter H. Gleicka,1 Edited by B. L. Turner, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, and approved July 13, 2018 (received for review May 23, 2018) Fundamental transitions in natural resources technologies, institutions, and management approaches are often difficult to see in advance, or even in the midst, of actual changes. Such a transformation now appears to be underway for freshwater resources, driven by increasingly severe water-related crises around the world. These include mismatches between supply and demand; the continued failure to meet basic human needs for water and sanitation; expanding ecological degradation due to extraction of water from natural systems and human-caused climate changes; the development of new technologies for using, treating, monitoring, and reporting on water use; new conceptual work; and growing attention given to water issues by the public and scientific communities. Similar transitions, with additional implications for water, also appear to be underway in the energy and climate fields. For such transitions to be successful, it is important to understand what drives deep changes in the perceptions, management, and use of natural resources; the factors that encourage or discourage changes; and whether strategies can be developed to improve and accelerate those changes that lead to social, economic, and environmental sustainability goals. This paper addresses the concept of resource or environmental transitions in the context of freshwater; reviews theories, data, and frameworks for identifying and analyzing transitions; offers some examples; and identifies key policies to help manage effective and successful transitions. water | freshwater | sustainability | transitions | peak water Transitions are fundamental shifts in a policy, be- The Concept of Sustainability lief system, technology, institution, or management There is an extensive literature on both “sustainability” strategy from one baseline condition to a new one.
    [Show full text]
  • The Water-Energy Nexus: Challenges and Opportunities Overview
    U.S. Department of Energy The Water-Energy Nexus: Challenges and Opportunities JUNE 2014 THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY BLANK Table of Contents Foreword ................................................................................................................................................................... i Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................................. iii Executive Summary.............................................................................................................................................. v Chapter 1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ................................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 DOE’s Motivation and Role .................................................................................................................... 3 1.3 The DOE Approach ................................................................................................................................... 4 1.4 Opportunities ............................................................................................................................................. 4 References ..........................................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • The Water Tales of Hong Kong and Singapore: Divergent Approaches to Water Dependency
    Liquid Assets V: The Water Tales of Hong Kong and Singapore: Divergent Approaches to Water Dependency Su Liu Jessica Williams January 2014 About Civic Exchange Civic Exchange is a Hong Kong-based non-profit public policy think tank that was established in 2000. It is an independent organisation that has access to policy makers, officials, businesses, media and NGOs – reaching across sectors and borders. Civic Exchange has solid research experience in areas such as air quality, energy, urban planning, climate change, conservation, water, governance, political development, equal opportunities, poverty and gender. For more information about Civic Exchange, visit www.civic-exchange.org. About the Authors Su Liu is Head of Great China & Water Policy Research of Civic Exchange. Her work in Civic Exchange covers mainly water related policy research and China related project coordination. Su has produced several water policy reports, including; Liquid Assets II, Industrial Relocation in Guangdong Province, Liquid Assets IIIA, Dongjiang Overloaded, Liquid Assets IIIB, A Photographic report of the Dongjiang Expedition and Liquid Assets IV Hong Kong’s Water Resources Management under “One Country, Two Systems”. Su was a former public opinion researcher (Deputy Managing Director of the Gallup Organisation Hong Kong), and a communication strategist (Deputy Managing Director of Wirthlin Worldwide Asia). Jessica Williams grew up and lives in Hong Kong. She completed her MSc in International Relations at Cardiff University and has a BA in law from Exeter University. For her Master’s thesis, Jessica researched and assessed China’s water policies and their international implications. Her research is primarily focused on Asian water security, particularly on China’s water situation and national and international implications this will have.
    [Show full text]
  • Dealing with Water Scarcity in Singapore: Institutions, Strategies, and Enforcement
    37746 World Bank Analytical and Advisory Assistance (AAA) Program China: Addressing Water Scarcity Background Paper No. 4 Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Dealing with Water Scarcity in Singapore: Institutions, Strategies, and Enforcement Public Disclosure Authorized __________________________________________________________________________ July 2006 Public Disclosure Authorized Environment and Social Development East Asia and Pacific Region The World Bank World Bank Analytical and Advisory Assistance (AAA) Program The paper is one of the international experience background study papers of the World Bank’s Analytical and Advisory Assistance (AAA) “China: Addressing Water Scarcity.” The study is under the management of Jian Xie of the World Bank’s East Asia Environment and Social Sector Unit. For more information on and other reports of the World Bank AAA Program “China: Addressing Water Scarcity”, please contact Dr. Jian XIE, The World Bank, 1818 H Street, NW, Washington D.C, 20433, USA, Fax: 202-522-1666, Email: [email protected]; or visit the program website at http://www.worldbank.org/eapenvironment/ChinaWaterAAA Environment and Social Development Department East Asia and Pacific Region The World Bank Washington, D.C. July 2006 This volume is a product of the staff of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper do not necessarily reflect the views of the Executive Directors of The World Bank or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries.
    [Show full text]
  • Casting the Shadow of Our Past to Illuminate the Future of Singapore
    International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, Vol. 6, No. 5, May 2016 Casting the Shadow of our Past to Illuminate the Future of Singapore Selina Lim and Chan-Hoong Leong What then are the key factors that determine the likely Abstract—Historical events are the repository of a nation’s shape and form of Singapore‟s future social representations? culture and identity. The interpretation of shared narratives What influences the national narrative and identity? Are offers a unique socio-cognitive lens to understanding the social there sufficiently shared experiences and corroborated ties that bind citizenry and country, and point us to the likely historical representations among the people to bind the trajectory for the future. This study examines how historical events in Singapore are viewed, with intersections on attitudes citizenry to the nation-state? to immigration, national pride, and political orientation. As the city-state enters the next phase of socio-political development, issues pertinent to population, rootedness, and political values II. THE CASE OF SINGAPORE are paramount to the management of social diversity and identity politics. A survey of 470 undergraduates rated their Singapore, a relatively young nation-state, gained its affective opinion and perceived importance of 38 historical independence from Britain, and the then-Federation of events in Singapore. Interestingly, the social representation of Malaya half a century ago. An island with almost no natural history varies according to individual political ideology. resources, the mainly ethnic Chinese populated Singapore is Respondents with conservative beliefs more readily affirmed flanked by two large Muslim neighbours – Malaysia and the importance of events that exemplify nation building Indonesia – and located in a politically turbulent region.
    [Show full text]
  • Ce4104 B. Eng. Dissertation
    ASSESSMENT OF FUTURE WATER RESOURCES SUSTAINABILITY BASED ON 4 NATIONAL TAPS OF SINGAPORE FOO CHIOU LOOI DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE 2014/2015 ASSESSMENT OF FUTURE WATER RESOURCES SUSTAINABILITY BASED ON 4 NATIONAL TAPS OF SINGAPORE FOO CHIOU LOOI A THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE Acknowledgement I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr Pat Yeh for the guidance in this project. He taught me what is independent research and learning. Also, Dr Vladan Babovic, who provided valuable feedback and encouragement as my examiner. I would also like to mention the following people: Ying Jie: I am glad to have known you and I wish you all the best in your studies. I will remember that I made a friend during my last year of study in the university. Jeslyn: Thank you for listening to me. You are the only one who understands those. You might not remember, but I appreciate the help you provided over the three years. I hope that you can attain your academic goal and all the best to your future. Li Ying, Yveline, Iao Tim, Guijin, Jie Ying, Yi Ru: You people add colours to my otherwise mundane life. You know how I always say that it is difficult to achieve my goals but you give me encouragement and believe I can do it (at least you said so). To Iao Tim, suddenly we had a lot more to talk after I know that we have a similar project topic.
    [Show full text]
  • Singapore, a Case Study
    RECENT DEVELOPMENT DOMESTIC SOLUTIONS TO THE INTERNATIONAL PROBLEM OF WATER SCARCITY: SINGAPORE, A CASE STUDY Suzanne Timmons Lewis* TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................... 248 II. WATER SCARCITY: AN INTERNATIONAL PROBLEM ....................... 249 III. SINGAPORE ...................................................................................... 254 A. A Water-Poor State .................................................................. 254 B. A Domestic Solution ................................................................. 258 IV. IS SINGAPORE’S SOLUTION EXPORTABLE TO GEORGIA? ................ 261 V. CONCLUSION ................................................................................... 266 * J.D. University of Georgia, 2014; B.A. University of Georgia, 2010. 247 248 GA. J. INT’L & COMP. L. [Vol. 42:247 I. INTRODUCTION Water scarcity is a critical international problem. The United Nations (UN) is calling 2005–2015 the International Decade for Action “Water for Life.”1 To address the water scarcity issue, the U.N. considers both resource-poor countries and countries with limited infrastructure capabilities to yield existing water resources from above- and below-ground sources.2 Nations across the globe face severe water shortages, especially in Africa.3 While the most severe shortages are in developing countries, water scarcity also occurs in developed nations. Besides providing for basic human necessities, access to water also has security and economic implications. In war time, water resources may be attacked, or if one side usually provides water to the other, water supplies may be cut off.4 When one nation controls water access for another state, tension remains even in the absence of military conflict and creates an imbalance of power. That discrepancy in turn influences those nations’ relations and any negotiations. Naturally, states wish to be independent of such pressure in political relations and to be in control of their own access to resources.
    [Show full text]
  • Cheryl Narumi Naruse November 19, 2007 MA Project Project Committee
    Cheryl Narumi Naruse November 19, 2007 MA Project Project Committee: S. Shankar (chair), C. Bacchilega, J. Zuern Singaporean Identity and Contemporary Culture: The Nationalization of Capitalism and Modernity What makes a place unique, that gives it its distinct identity? Its people. Its landscape. Its place in the world. Its passage through time. Promotional Ad Campaign by ‘Uniquely Singapore,’ Singapore Tourism Board Becoming independent and sovereign only in 1965, Singapore has emerged as one of the most economically successful and controversial nations in South East Asia. While Singapore is often celebrated for its remarkable economic success, measured through its passage from Third-World to First-World status in a short time, it is also notorious for its controlling, socially conservative government. Despite the controversy, the Singapore government makes no apologies for their state policies. Instead, it celebrates what is perceived as the unique foundation for its success. It is from this notion of uniqueness that this project begins. As someone who has lived in Singapore for a number of years, my time away has also enabled me to look back at Singapore with a critical eye; indeed, what is it that makes Singapore unique and gives it a “distinct identity”? I turn back to the promotional campaign’s top answer: “its people.” How are the people of Singapore, its citizens, fashioned? What is the relationship between the state and the citizens of Singapore? Naruse 1 Through this paper, I examine three components of citizenry in Singapore – capitalism, modernity and (ethno)nationalism – that construct the ideal Singaporean citizen. The relationship between these three components, I believe, can be understood as a triad: The Singaporean Citizen Triangle (ethno)nationalism The nation- state Singaporean citizen capitalism modernity Each of these imaginaries – nationalism, capitalism, modernity – figures in the Singaporean citizen’s identity as registers and logics through which the Singaporean citizen’s identity is read.
    [Show full text]
  • Sembcorp Changi Newater Plant Begins Commercial Operations
    PRESS RELEASE SEMBCORP CHANGI NEWATER PLANT BEGINS COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS Singapore, 3 August 2009 – The Sembcorp Changi NEWater Plant (SCNP) has now begun its first phase of commercial operations. This milestone was achieved last Friday, after an uninterrupted seven-day plant-proving process, which saw the SCNP successfully meet the stringent quality criteria set out by the PUB. Following this, the SCNP is now delivering NEWater to the PUB, Singapore’s national water agency, with which Sembcorp has a 25-year water supply contract. The SCNP has an initial production capacity of 69,000 cubic metres (15 million imperial gallons) of NEWater per day. When fully completed in mid-2010, the entire facility will be capable of producing a total of 228,000 cubic metres (50 million imperial gallons) of NEWater per day. This will make it Singapore’s largest NEWater plant and one of the largest water recycling plants in the world. “We are pleased with our successful completion of final testing at the first phase of the plant, as well as the smooth delivery of our first flow of NEWater. We are continuing to make good progress and are ahead of schedule on the execution of the second phase of the facility,” said Mr Tang Kin Fei, Sembcorp’s Group President & CEO. 1 The Sembcorp Changi NEWater Plant will supply roughly 15% of Singapore’s current water needs. With this, NEWater will meet 30% of Singapore’s current water needs by 2010. - END - For media enquiries please contact: April Lee (Ms) Fock Siu Ling (Ms) Senior Vice President PR Counsel Group Corporate Relations Group Corporate Relations DID: +65 6723 3160 DID: +65 6723 3152 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] ABOUT SEMBCORP INDUSTRIES Sembcorp Industries Ltd is a leading utilities and marine group.
    [Show full text]
  • Singapore's Water Story a Streamflow Towards Self-Sufficiency and Sustainable Development
    Water Singapore Singapore's water story A streamflow towards self-sufficiency and sustainable development From water scarcity and rationing, Singapore has come a long way in coping with its water security and water management issues and has now become an International Water Hub. Singapore’s water story points at the importance of constant innovation and investment in new technologies that use and reuse all available resources as many times as possible. Writers: Katarina Uherova Hasbani & Elisa Asmelash Singapore River and skyline. 56 | Winter 2016/17 www.revolve.media 57 Water Singapore Water security is identified as one of the employing regulatory instruments, pro- threats emanating from failing global active industrial support policies and direct A world efforts to stop climate change. As of engagement with water consumers. This a 2015, two-thirds of the world’s popula- story which should serve as an example leader and tion will be affected by water scarcity in for Singapore’s neighbours to follow, as the coming decade if no impactful action well as the increasing number of countries international is taken.¹ Ambitious action requires role- facing water challenges in years to come. models, and Singapore’s water story is water hub an example of a successful development policy. Singapore dramatically reduced its Singapore currently consumes about 1.36 external water supply dependency while billion liters of water per day.5 The long-term agreements signed in 1961 and 1962 with Malaysia gave Singapore the drawing rights up to 391 million liters per day until 2011 Singapore’s historical and up to 1,136 million liters per day until 2060.6 Negotiations on the possible exten- sion of the water agreement are now stalled water challenges as Singapore has asked for an extension beyond 2061.
    [Show full text]
  • Fact Sheet – Newater in Singapore
    Fact Sheet NEWater in Singapore Research Office Legislative Council Secretariat FSC22/15-16 1. Introduction 1.1 Singapore opened its first plant to produce NEWater (high-purity reclaimed water) from treated used water in 2003 to diversify its sources of water supply. Over the past decade or so, NEWater has been developed to the extent of becoming Singapore's "third National Tap", accounting for about 30% of its country's current water demand.1 In order to attain self-sufficiency in water supply in the long run, the Singapore government has planned to further expand the capacity of producing NEWater so that it can meet up to 55% of Singapore's future water demand by 2060. This fact sheet aims to provide information on the development of NEWater plants in Singapore, including the production process of NEWater and its usage in the country. 2. NEWater plants in Singapore 2.1 The Public Utilities Board ("PUB"), Singapore's national water agency,2 started as early as in the 1970s exploring the feasibility of producing drinking water from treated used water to supplement Singapore's water supply. However, PUB only decided to adopt NEWater as an alternative water source in the early 2000s, when the necessary water treatment technologies had matured and the production cost of producing reclaimed water came down significantly. There are currently four NEWater 3 plants operating in Singapore with a combined capacity of producing over 4 500 000 cubic metres ("cu m") of NEWater per day. 1 The other three National Taps are: (a) rainwater collected from local catchment areas; (b) imported water from Malaysia; and (c) desalinated water.
    [Show full text]
  • The Case of Water Management in Singapore
    On the Road to Independence: The Case of Water Management in Singapore Source: (PUB 2014a) “Local Catchment Water.” Singapore. http://www.pub.gov.sg/water/Pages/LocalCatchment.aspx. Jessica Gordon 11.308 Ecological Urbanism December 8, 2014 Abstract: Singapore is a small densely populated tropical island. While there is plentiful rainwater, Singapore is considered a water scarce country due to the limited land area available to catch water, lack of groundwater resources and increasing population (Khoo 2009). Singapore has taken this challenge as an opportunity and has developed a governance and institutional infrastructure to move from water scarcity to water sufficiency by 2061 through forward thinking and comprehensive planning. While once entirely reliant on Malaysia for its water supply, the country has transformed to become an innovator and a model for successful water management. It has been able to deliver one of the best urban water records in the world with access to water and sanitation reaching the entire population in less than fifty years (Tortajada, Joshi, and Biswas 2013). Drawing on an analysis based on integrated water resource management principles, a range of factors are key to Singapore’s success. This includes integrating water into development planning, building supportive institutional structures with the mandate to control, regulate and learn, adaptability and managing both supply and demand. It has successfully diversified its water supply through expanding and building reservoirs, importing water, desalination and water reuse. This has been combined with managing water demand through pricing, enforced water conservation measures and widespread public campaigning. The focus on a comprehensive, integrated water management approach provides a useful model for other urban areas around the globe to build systems based on their strengths and within their environmental constraints.
    [Show full text]