Reclaimed wastewater meets 40% of Singapore’s water demand

SINGAPORE – Singapore’s fifth wastewater reclamation plant has been opened, which together with four existing facilities means NEWater can now meet 40% of Singapore’s total daily water demand.

The 228,000 m3/day project has been delivered by BEWG International, a subsidiary of Beijing Enterprises Water Group Limited and UES Holdings, under a Design-Build-Own-Operate (DBOO) contract awarded in 2014.

It is one of six DBOO projects between national water agency PUB and the private sector, the others being the SingSpring Desalination Plant, Tuaspring Desalination Plant, Keppel-Seghers Ulu Pandan NEWater Plant, SembCorp NEWater Plant, and the recently announced desalination plant that will be built in Marina East (read story).

NEWater (high-grade reclaimed water) is one of Singapore’s Four National Taps, along with local catchment water, imported water and desalinated water.

Attending the facility opening, Masagos Zulkifli, minister for the environment and water Resources, said: “This plant is one of the many major pieces of infrastructure that the Singapore Government will be developing in the coming years. In the context of rising uncertainties, such as the drying up of Linggiu Reservoir, and rising costs of production and conveyance, we need to take necessary measures to strengthen water supply and sustainability. I also urge all to continue to use water prudently.”

Ng Joo Hee, chief executive of PUB, said: “Reuse is a plank of Singapore’s water strategy. In our minds, the H2O molecule is never lost and water is an endlessly reusable resource. Used water can always be reclaimed and retreated so that it can be consumed again. Singapore leads the world in this. Today, with this newest plant, we have enough NEWater capacity to supply 40% of Singapore’s daily demand.”

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