Our Water, Our Future - Public Utilities Board

1 Our water , Our Future CONTENTS. 02 FOREWORD. 04 CHAPTER 1. water FOR ALL. 18 CHAPTER 2. IN THE PIPELINE. 26 CHAPTER 3. KEEPING SINGAPORE. SUSTAINABLE AND. RESILIENT. 32 CHAPTER 4. water AND A. LIVEABLE CITY. 40 CHAPTER 5. OUR water Future . First published in June 2016 by PUB Singapore. Revised edition reprinted in January 2018. No reproduction is permitted in whole or in part without written permission from PUB. Copyright is held by the publishers. FOREWORD. A water -Stressed Country crow flies, these districts in Johor continued ability to ensure In 2015, the water Resources Bahru would have received pretty water security and sustainability Institute (WRI) ranked Singapore much the same amount of rain as we guarantees our national survival and as one of the most water -stressed did in Singapore.

2 Even so, more than economic prosperity. This was the countries in the world. It thinks half a million there had to endure the case at independence, as it is now, as that, by 2040, Singapore would be agony of a one-day-on-two-day-off it will be in the Future . one of eight countries in the world scheduled supply for months on end. The simple fact is that there is most vulnerable to disruptions in The fact that imported water not enough room on Singapore to water supply. which can meet half of Singapore's collect and store all the water that water planners in PUB are daily demand for drinking water we need.

3 As such, although right not in the least surprised by the is under threat and steadily on the equator and in the tropics, WRI's conclusion, although I suspect depleting, but has no impact for the Singapore is actually a severely that even a reasonably well- Singaporean end consumer is an water -challenged country, as the informed Singaporean would find it unappreciated blessing. For sure, this WRI has observed. Fortunately, as incredible. Because the notion that happy outcome is not due to good long as we remain clear-eyed about our water taps could run dry is just fortune, but the direct consequence our nation' s water situation, are able inconceivable to most Singaporeans of long careful planning and careful to devise an intelligent strategy and alive today.

4 Implementation by PUB and other then execute it conscientiously, there These same Singaporeans parts of government. should always be enough water . would probably be taken aback We expect total demand for This updated edition of Our water , when told that, for a good five water to double by 2061, when our Our Future explains how. months from August 2015 to remaining water agreement with January 2016 some 600,000 Malaysia will end. This is water that Our water Strategy consumers went without water we do not have now. water that we Singapore' s water strategy comes as rationing was imposed in Pasir will need to find and to treat.

5 In three parts. First of all, we have Gudang and Kota Tinggi. Just 30 km The reader will readily to maximise our own yield. And so across from the causeway as the appreciate that Singapore's we strive to collect every drop of 02 Our water , Our Future rain that falls on Singapore. This good water , reclaiming used water This is entirely practicable, as means turning as much of Singapore and taming stormwater , PUB officers long as we remain coldly realistic as possible into a water catchment, make everyday life possible. In the about our circumstances and do and keeping our drains, canals and PUB, our vision is a Singapore that not shy away from pursuing and waterways pristinely clean.

6 Will always have enough water and employing hard-nosed policies. It will Secondly, we have to think for Singaporeans to cherish every require that we apply our intellect of water as an endlessly reusable drop of water . and imagination, researching and resource. In our minds, the H2O testing continuously, and use science molecule is never lost. water can A Good Outcome and technology to overcome our always be reclaimed and retreated This Our water , Our Future water challenges. And it will require so that it can be drunk again. PUB publication describes, in some judicious consumption and increased is a world leader in this.

7 We reclaim detail and in an engaging way, frugality on the part of Singaporeans every drop of sewage and turn much how we manage the water system and residents. of it into potable water again. in Singapore so that we can Then, in this remarkable way, And thirdly, because Singapore guarantee everyone in Singapore Singapore will be always able to is surrounded by sea, we can turn will have enough clean water , so that turn what is a disadvantage into seawater into drinking water . And wastewater is collected and properly strength, and what seemed an we continue to research better treated, and that stormwater is unsurmountable vulnerability into desalination technology to find even properly channelled and stored.

8 Endless opportunity. cheaper ways of desalting water . It will become quickly apparent to the reader that the Future of PUB, Singapore' s water Agency Singapore' s water security lies PUB is the national water agency, with desalination and reuse. At NG JOO HEE. the sole water utility and the agency the same time, he will also realise Chief Executive responsible for realising Singapore's that the Singapore water system PUB, Singapore's National water Agency water strategy. Our mission is a must forever remain adequate, straightforward one. By supplying sustainable and resilient.

9 Our water , Our Future 03. CHAPTER 1. water . FOR ALL. Turn on a tap at home at any time and you can get all the drinking water that you need. While some countries are struggling to provide enough clean drinking water for their people, Singaporeans have little fear that their homes and workplaces will run dry. T. his was not always the case. At first, we took nature's bounty More than 50 years ago, some by storing and treating rainwater. of us queued in the streets for Then, we collected the used water water during water rationing caused that flows into sinks and sewers as we by prolonged dry spells.

10 At other go about our daily lives, and turned times, heavy downpours led to it into NEWater, our own brand of widespread flooding that wrecked ultra-clean, high-grade reclaimed homes and destroyed lives. water . Ten years ago, we began In just a few decades, PUB, building desalination plants, turning Singapore's national water agency, seawater into drinking water . has transformed Singapore' s water In Singapore's 50 years of management by tapping technology independence, we have turned and embarking on ambitious our water vulnerability into a engineering projects.