Singapore's Water Sufficiency during Dry Spell

Mr David Ong asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) what is the impact of the current prolonged dry and hot spell on our supply and availability of water; (b) how will our water reserves cope with the further absence of rain; and (c) at which point will the situation be considered a crisis.

Mdm Speaker, we have been experiencing a dry spell since January 2014. In response, PUB has stepped up desalination to its full capacity of 100 million gallons per day. PUB has also increased NEWater production to more than 100 million gallons per day. The NEWater produced is a very pure source of water, and is mainly used by industries. Nevertheless, we have been able to produce additional NEWater which we have used to top up our reservoirs by as much as 35 million gallons a day. That is why we have been able to keep our reservoir stocks at a healthy level despite the lack of rain.

It is sobering to bear in mind that all this additional capacity has only come about in the last decade. In fact, the most recent desalination plant which added 70 million gallons a day only came on line six months ago, in September last year.

PUB has been making major investments to build up and diversify our water supply sources in order to strengthen our water security. This led to the introduction of NEWater and desalinated water into our water supply in the last decade. This supplements our local catchment – the 17 local reservoirs – as well as the water that we import from Johor. All these investments have borne fruit. Today, desalination and NEWater are sources which are resilient against drought or dry spells.

Ms Ellen Lee asked a question yesterday, which I promised to answer today, on whether we still need to buy raw water from Malaysia, given the capabilities that we have developed in NEWater and desalination.

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Mdm Speaker, we have invested considerably in developing all our water sources – the Four National Taps. I want to state that imported water remains an essential part of our overall water supply. It is also worth bearing in mind that we have spent over S$300 million to build the Linggiu Dam and Reservoir in the upstream portion of the Johor River in order to increase the yield of the Johor River, and ensure that there remains sufficient water in Johor River even during a dry period, like what we are experiencing now. These investments on the Linggiu Dam and reservoir have enabled Singapore to continue to draw the 250 million gallons of raw water per day, and indeed, for the Malaysian plants upstream of us to continue drawing water for their own local production.

In other words, all these additional investments have been a premium that we have paid for greater security and diversity of our water supply. Whilst we aim to attain self-sufficiency in our water supply before the expiry of the 1962 Water Agreement, which expires in 2061, in the mean time, we expect all parties to uphold the current agreement for as long as it is in force.

Having said that, it is also worth emphasising that there is still a need for everyone in Singapore to play a part in water conservation. Non-household users – the Town Councils, MCSTs which manage the condominiums and private areas, commercial and industrial buildings – can reduce their water use through measures like only watering heritage trees or essential landscaping, reducing or stopping the operation of water features and carrying out washing activities only when absolutely necessary. This is related to the other point – that if we litter less, and we contaminate the environment less, washing and use of water will also be reduced. I will also be announcing other measures to encourage longer term water conservation efforts in the non-domestic sector next week during my Ministry's Committee of Supply session.

All of us can do more to save water. Even small adjustments in our daily life can make a difference. For instance, we may not be aware that each minute that you leave the shower running, it is nine litres of water used. Similarly, making sure that we only wash clothes when the machine is full in order to optimise economies of scale or even things like washing dishes in a container rather than leaving the taps running – all these little measures add up and can save a significant amount of water for us.

This current dry spell is a stark reminder for all of us not to take our water for granted. It is a reminder for us to be more conscious to save water; and it is also a vindication of the decades of planning, hard work, enforcement and significant investments that have been made into our water supply

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infrastructure, in order to give us the security that we currently enjoy.

Mdm Speaker, I would like to thank the Minister for a very comprehensive reply. It is very assuring to know that whatever we have invested in technologies for water has borne fruit. We would still need to look at conservation, and to see what the Ministry will be doing to conduct more public education, both to educate the public and the industries on water conservation. At what point does the Ministry deem it is necessary for us to start conducting water rationing exercises?

I thank the Member for the very useful comments. First, the emphasis on conservation: the Member is right that we need to step up on publicity. We have actually already commenced on that. About a week or so ago, we issued letters to over 25,000 establishments in the non-domestic sector to remind them of the importance of water conservation. The mass media has also helped. Apart from the reports, there has also been an editorial in The Straits Times today.

On our part, we need to get this message out at an individual and at a collective level. As I said earlier, every drop is precious and every action helps.

I am glad the Member brought up the point on water rationing. This illustrates one of the uniquely peculiar challenges that Singapore faces. On the one hand, we are in an extremely fortunate position but it is fortunate not because of luck; it is because of decades of planning, which we have been able to implement effectively. On the other hand, we have what I define as a margin of safety; but I am also equally aware that conveying to Singaporeans that there is a margin of safety carries a risk of complacency. In particular, if during a dry spell, our water usage goes up – and in fact, it has gone up. According to our latest water demand figures, we are currently consuming about 420 million gallons of water a day. If the demand figure continues to increase, then certainly, I will have to re-evaluate the adequacy of our current practices.

Assuming all of us do our part, and we can keep a lid or even better, bring down the demand, then I can tell you, that for the foreseeable future, there will be no operational need for water rationing.

I have also received feedback from other well-meaning members of the public. They say, "Even if you do not have an operational need for rationing, perhaps you should consider some exercises as a means of public education". This is a suggestion that I am thinking seriously about, to remind people the

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value of water. It may not be a bad idea for us to rehearse procedures and processes which are needed if we ever got to a point where water rationing is needed.

I am looking at it right now as more of a public education tool. Fortunately, we are not at a point where it is an operational necessity.