WATER MANAGEMENT IN SINGAPORE
AS Singapore is an
island country, it has rather limited water resources amongst other resources.
It is a nation that is 'stressed for water' as its population of 3.80 million
occupies 699 square kilometers. Its water availability amounts to less than
1,000 cubic meters per person every year.
Its only internal
resource of fresh water comes from its average rainfall of 2400 mm per year.
Its neighbor Malaysia provides 40 percent of its water requirements. India's
urban areas can learn a lesson from the way Singapore handles its water needs.
It has what it calls '4
taps water strategy' which forms the key to its management of water. These
consist of its own catchments management and water harvesting in reservoirs,
importing water from Johore, Malaysia,
desalination plants to provide water and recycling of waste water by its new
and motivated NEW water plants.
The first of the taps
consists of harvesting rainwater that falls on its land and storing it in
reservoirs. Almost 60 percent of the country is now a catchment for its own
water reservoirs. Earlier most of the rainwater used to flow into the sea,
whereas now it is channelised for collection in 14 reservoirs that are
separated from sea water, treated and sent back to the city. Earlier storm
water channels were only concrete drains made to flush out the downpour, they
are now being given ecological treatment to foster softer landscapes, flora and
fauna to enhance the biological tendency that natural rivers possess in
comparison to concrete drains.
Beginning with the
Singapore and Kalang rivers, all the 32 rivers, 7000 km of canals and drains
will slowly be ecologically restored. They aim to make it possible for fish to
return to these rivers. Seventeen reservoirs will be in place and 70 percent of
the city will form the catchment for these reservoirs by the end of 2009.
Water bought from Malaysia
comprises the second tap which forms 40 percent of its requirement at present.
In the 1960s two agreements for purchased water were signed and have led to
arguments at times but despite all the strains Malaysia has never ceased to
supply water to Singapore.
In 2011 one of the
agreements will come up to be renewed and the other wi II come up in 2061. As a
diplomatic measure and for good relations Singapore will continue sourcing
water from Malaysia.
Recycled sewage water
called NEW water comprises the third tap. Each day three waste water recycling
plants recycle almost 90 million litres. This water is returned to the freshwater
reservoirs, further treated and supplied back to the city for all its needs.
Before treated waste water is sent to reservoirs it is subjected to a further
three-step process of membrane-based ultra filtration, reverse osmosis and
ultraviolet treatment.
Nearly 20,000 tests
have been carried out before the water was declared suitable for onsumption.
This water is slowly being
integrated into the city's water needs through at first for non-potable use and
also through blending with reservoirs for potable use. In supermarkets bottled
NEWater is available for consumers to let them know of its safety and good
taste. Desalination is the fourth tap.
In 2005 the first
desalination plant was specially made having a capacity to produce 136 million
litres of desalinated water per day that is about 10 per cent of water needs.
Desalination will provide 400 million litres of water per day by 2011 or
approximately 30 per cent of Singapore's water need.
As Singapore has a
water demand of around 1,400 million litres daily and its natural resources are
limited, it has concentrated on multiple sourcing of water that includes
rainwater harvesting, purchasing water, recycling treated sewage water and
desalination. By means of proper water tariff the demand for water per capita
is held at 163 litres per person each day.
The sewage network is
connected with every household and wastewater is treated for potable use. It is
now moving towards increased self-sufficiency and has an ecological and
technological approach towards management of water.
India needs to have a
vision of self-sufficiency in the future times as urban areas will require
political skill to manage water, a professional approach for technological
choices and an ecologically sound approach to rivers, streams, lakes and ground
water for keeping up water quality. This is the only way to make water
available for all.
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