1. Water Wells

Back in the 1900s, walking long distances to collect water from wells was a daily affair. The water was used for a variety of purposes, such as drinking, cooking, bathing and cleaning. As Singapore continued to develop, the wells were eventually replaced by piped water supply in the 1960s.

Image Source: New Nation © Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Reprinted with permission

2. Water Rationing

In 1963, a severe drought hit the nation which led to Singapore’s longest water rationing period in history. Water access to homes were cut off for 4 days a week, for 6 hours each day. Residents had to rely on water trucks to distribute a limited supply of water to them. This went on for 10 months.

1. Singapore River Clean-up

In the past, the Singapore River was a main port of call for global and regional trade in Southeast Asia. The River became severely polluted as garbage, sewage and industrial waste were discarded there daily.

The Singapore River Cleanup was initiated by then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew in 1969. The project was a massive 10-year undertaking which gave birth to the pristine clean River that we see today.

2. Floods in the Nation

Singapore’s tropical climate and high rainfall make her susceptible to flash floods. In December 1978, Singapore was hit by one of the worst floods in history with a record rainfall of 512mm — that is 3 months’ worth of rain that fell in a single day. The island-wide flood caused deaths, and more than 1,000 people had to be evacuated from their homes.

1. Floating Solar Panels

By mid-2020, PUB will have deployed two brand new 1.5MWp (megawatt peak) solar PV installations—one at Bedok Reservoir and another at Lower Seletar Reservoir. This is part of PUB’s aim to move towards sustainable energy use in its operations.

2. The Four National Taps

Singapore has built a robust, diversified and sustainable water supply from four water sources known as the Four National Taps — 1) Water from Local Catchment 2) Imported Water 3) high-grade reclaimed water known as NEWater and 4) Desalinated Water. Today, we have five NEWater plants that meet up to 40% of our current water demand. By 2060, NEWater will meet up to 55% of our water needs.

3. Innovating for the Future

As PUB continues to build on water infrastructure and expand capabilities to develop weather-resilient water resources, you can make water conservation a way of life. You can do your part by monitoring your water usage when showering, using innovative devices developed by PUB, such as the Smart Shower device.

Stage 1: Coagulation & Flocculation

A lot of effort goes into ensuring that our tap water is clean and safe to drink. There are 4 main processes involved.

Stage 1: Coagulation & Flocculation
Coagulants are first added into water to bind silt, sand and other suspended matter together to form larger and heavier clumps.

Stage 2: Sedimentation

The larger, heavier particles then sink down to the sedimentation tank, where they will be removed.

Stage 3: Filtration

The water then passes through rapid sand filters or membranes to remove finer residual particles of up to 0.02 microns. As a comparison, the thickness of a strand of human hair is around 50-120 microns.

Stage 4: Disinfection

In this final stage, the water is disinfected with chlorine or ozone to ensure no harmful bacteria or viruses are present. The disinfection is carried out in accordance with World Health Organization’s guidelines.