Water Policy And Technology In Singapore

Singapore is a city-state that will be celebrating its 49th year of independence in August. With a size of only 269 square miles, Singapore is smaller than New York City -- so from a water standpoint, a comparison between Singapore and the United States seems difficult. Yet, both Singapore and the U.S. are concerned about pressing water issues such as securing an adequate water supply for the population and ensuring clean catchments and waterways, while addressing the rising costs of water production.

Unusual weather conditions add to the challenge. While not on the same scale as the state of California and other areas in the U.S which are experiencing a drought, Singapore recently went through one of the longest periods of dry weather in its history. With climate change, extreme weather events may become more frequent.

I hope that by sharing some of what we have learned in Singapore, we can contribute to a discussion of global best practices which all of us can benefit and draw lessons from.

From the days of trying to overcome its water challenges (no natural aquifers and limited land to collect and store rainwater), Singapore has turned its vulnerability into a strategic asset. Our water management strategy, with its strong technology focus that has helped us develop NEWater, our own brand name for high-grade reclaimed water produced by Singapore's public utilities board (PUB), and desalination, yields some useful lessons in terms of addressing general water issues as well as responding effectively to unusual events.

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