WATER MANAGEMENT IN SINGAPORE

WATER MANAGEMENT IN SINGAPORE

AS Singapore is an island country, it has rather limited water resources amongest 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.