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Giving Water Worth Through Community Engagement in Singapore

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Giving Water Worth Through Community Engagement in Singapore Buying into Water: Giving Water Worth Through Community Engagement in Singapore A critical look at the ABC Waters Program 1. Bishan Park 2. Lorong Halus Wetland 3. Marina Barrage Jessica Pace . Urban Natures . Fall 2013 How can we affect mass change in how we approach water management at the How do we bridgescale of the theindividual? gap This between paper establishes the the individual crucial role of community and the global? involvement in bridging the gap between the larger global “water crisis” and the individual ABSTRACT: Water resources are becoming scarce. The pending “Water Crisis” is a global issue that has increasingly more complex political ramifications each year. How can we affect mass change in how we approach water management at the scale of the individual? This paper establishes the crucial role of community involvement in bridging the gap between the larger global “water crisis” and the individual by analyzing Singapore’s numerous water programs designed to engage, educate and inspire the public. In spite of its complex political climate and problematic geographical characteristics, Singapore has become a very successful testing ground for new and better approaches to water management. By looking specifically at how three ABC Waters projects engage the public while simultaneously managing water, analysis will be made on how Sin- gapore is effectively “marketing” water to the community. This paper seeks to further explore the question of how Singapore is successful at managing their water and whether their method can viably be applied in other cities. What can we learn from Singapore? 1 Is Water a basic human right or an economic good that should be charged at a cost that reflects its true worth? TABLE OF CONTENTS How many times a day do you turn on your faucet? Of these times, 1. GLOBAL WATER how often do you reflect on where your water is coming from and where the unused water is going? How often do you think about Is There a Crisis? 3 what life would be like if water was not so readily available to you? Unequal Distribution of Water 4 Water Wars 5 A large percentage of the world’s population has never had to grap- ple with these thoughts, but this is not indicative of an attitude that 2. REGIONAL WATER we can afford to maintain in our future. Water resources are be- coming scarce. South East Asia: The Issues 6 3. SINGAPORE WATER If you are a resident of Singapore you are incredibly aware of these issues. You know where your water has come from, where it is Singapore: An Island City State 7 going and you care about what happens to it along the way. Sin- The National Challenge 8 gapore has successfully raised awareness for water management Urbanization 8 to an unprecedented degree. How have they been so successful? Supply 10 Demand: Singapore Over Time 11 This paper argues that their success is the direct result of their ability to engage the community through projects that embed water 4. THE ABC WATERS PROJECTS value within their culture. By building a culture around water, they have changed how the public views and uses water for the better. What is it? 13 Why ABC Waters? 14 Central Watershed and Bishan Park 15 As a result, in Singapore, water is not a basic human right but a Lorong Halus Wetland 21 valued economic good that is paid for and treated as a precious Marina Reservoir 25 commodity. 5. CONCLUSION 30 2 Global Water: Is There a CRISIS? To understand Singapore’s unique stance on water, the first step must be to put water in a global context. Is there really a “Water Crisis?” At first glace our blue planet looks to have an abundance of water with 70% percent of the planet covered in oceans; according to NASA this equals about 326 million trillion gallons. However, of those 326 million trillion gallons only 2.5 % is fresh water and 70% of that is frozen in ice caps (UN Water Statistics). According to the United Nations, this 2.5% is enough water for 7 billion people, however 1.2 billion people live in areas of physical scarcity due to the uneven distribution of water. This is roughly one fifth of the world’s current population. Five hundred million people live in areas approaching physical scarcity and 1.6 billion people lack the economic ability to manage their water (Water Scarcity, Unit- ed Nations). In addition, according to a UN report, statistics show that our population is expected to reach 9.6 billion by 2050. Further more, climate change is expected to drastically alter the distribution of water with rising temperatures affect- ing the severity of flooding and droughts. According to an MIT study done in 2008, analysis showed that in some cases just a 20 percent decrease in rainfall could lead to a 70 percent UNITED NATIONS on Water Scarcity: decrease in the recharging of local aquifers. To make matters worse, according to the UN, water use is increasing at more 1.2 Billion People (1/5) population live in areas of physical scarcity than twice the rate of population. As a result, while we theo- 500 Million are approaching physical scacity retically have enough water for earths current population, the 1.6 Billion (almost 1/4) economic water shortage future of water is in crisis due to the rapid increase in popula- tion, rise in temperature due to global warming, and skyrock- Water Use is increasing at more than twice the rate of eting demand for water. population increase 3 Water: Where is it and What is it used for? The World Population Prospects: the 2012 Revision states that the 49 least developed countries are expected to double in population by 2050 while the more developed countries remain about the same. “Rapid growth is ex- pected to continue over the next few decades in countries with high levels of fertility such as Nigeria, Niger, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia and Uganda but also Afghani- stan and Timor-Leste, where there are more than five children per woman.” (World Popula- tion Projection) All of these nations are already suffering from water scarcity. http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/scarcity.shtml The map above from the United Nations website depicts the uneven dis- Why is the amount of water we use increasing tribution of water. As clearly illustrated, water scarcity is most prevalent so dramatically? Water is one of the most es- in lesser-developed countries and is concentrated around the equator. sential requirements for life. The human body These areas are predicted to be both most intensely affected by climate is made up of 70% water and can only survive change and increase in population. unevenly distributed about 3 days without it. However, water has many uses besides just for drinking. Water is used for sanitation, farming, and energy pro- duction, all of which are predicted to increase dramatically by 2050. United Nations Website 85% of the world population lives in the driest half of the planet 783 million people do not have access to clean water 2.5 Billion do not have access to adequate sanitation 70% increase in food demand by 2050 1 kg of rice requires ~3,500 L of water, 1 kg of beef ~15,000 L 1 cup of coffee ~140 L 60% increase in water as an energy source http://www.unwater.org/water-cooperation-2013/water-cooperation/facts-and-figures/ 4 Global Water Regional Water Singapore Water ABC Water Conclusion Water Wars? A Resource Without Borders Water Disputes in 2012 : Syria Libya Afghanistan India Pakistan Brazil Peru Egypt Somalia Kenya Tajikitstan Uzbekistan Sudan South Sudan Ethiopia Mali Mauritania Uganda Tanzania South Africa Indonesia With this dramatic increase in demand of a scarce re- just in 2012. For example, in water strapped countries like source, are Water Wars in our future? While it is difficult Syria, pipelines used to import water from surrounding re- to imagine entire wars being waged over water, we have gions become military targets. In 2012 a pipeline delivering already seen disputes that include the resource as either a water to the city of Allepo was badly damaged resulting in factor or a means of control. Due to the fact that water does 3 million people suffering from severe shortages of drinking not adhere to political borders and is becoming increas- water(Water Conflict Chronology List). Anytime a country ingly more scarce, the resource has been involved in politi- relies on water sources outside of its political borders, there cal disputes for thousands of years. The map above shows is potential for violent dispute. the countries that experienced violence in relation to water 5 Regional Issues: Southeast Asia The tropical region of Southeast Asia has a high average rainfall, with high temperatures and hu- midity year round. The region ex- periences wet and dry seasons caused by cyclic shifts in winds, Japan: also known as monsoons. Mon- Narrow surface area Rapid runoff soon season brings with it ad- High Population Density ditional rainfall causing floods. (Walsh,Chintraruck) Japan’s narrow surface area leads to rapid runoff and a lack of area to hold rainwater. High population density increasingly Thailand: puts pressure on un-urbanized Tropical monsoon region Flooding areas to catch and hold water. Rabid modernization, urban- (Walsh,Chintraruck pg 223) ization and industrialization Thailand also suffers from high Singapore: Small Land area levels of urbanization, industrial- Tropical Climate ization and modernization. Flood- ing as a result of monsoon season is a main issue for water manage- ment. (Walsh,Chintraruck pg 225) Austrialia: Driest continent (after Anarctica) Australia on the other hand is the Highly Variable Flows (floods/ droughts) second driest continent in the Inefficient Water Use (Main prob- world and is subject to highly vari- lem) able flow and very inefficient wa- ter usage.
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