by Grace Chua
IN THE next 50 years, Singapore will dramatically ramp up its
desalination and NEWater capacity in a bid to become self
sufficient in its water supply. Over the next half century, the
nation's water demand is projected to double from 380 million
gallons per day (mgd) to 760 mgd.
Most of it will be met by the increased production of the
reclaimed used water NEWater, and desalinated water. These two
forms of water currently meet only 40 per cent of the country's
water needs.
By 2060, national water agency PUB aims to increase this
proportion to 80 per cent, it announced on Monday evening at the
Singapore International Water Week conference and trade show.
Singapore's two other sources of water are from catchment areas
like reservoirs as well as imported water from Malaysia. The drive
to produce more NEWater and desalinated water will enable Singapore
to be self-sufficient in water by 2061, when its water agreement
with Malaysia runs out.
An earlier water agreement, signed in 1961 to allow Singapore to
buy water from its neighbour at 3 sen per 1,000 gallons (about 1.3
Singapore cents), will run out next year (2011) and is not being
renewed.
Besides desalination and reclaiming used water, the PUB will
also increase Singapore's water catchment from the current
two-thirds of land area to a whopping 90 per cent. It will tap even
minor rivulets across the island and treat water there with
variable salinity plants, which can treat fresh water and
desalinate brackish water and saltier sea water.
