Turn sewage into drinking water in Singapore

From where have to depend on water purchased from Malaysia, Singapore sought to rainwater harvesting, water recycling, desalination of sea water ... ready for the future is no longer dependent on water from neighbors.
 
Singapore turn sewage into drinking water

MacRitchie water reserves in both national parks where people practice kayaking, walking, jogging around the lake - Photo: Le Nam
According to calculations by the National Water Authority of Singapore (PUB), to 2060, its own water recycling program (NEWater) will meet 85% of demand for Singapore's water.

Open NEWater bottle 330ml capacity, Mr. George Madhavan, director of 3P (People - Public - Private: people - infrastructure - privatization) of the PUB, invited us to drink and provides drinking water bottle to his mouth a few sips Mr. Madhavan asked: "do you see how this water bottle?".
 

 

Swallow sips finished, we looked at the bottle seems a bit surprised to not see the same water bottles on the shelves of supermarkets and convenience stores.

"We do not sell this country because this is the country's reserves in the future" - he revealed.
Every drop of water used twice

"The bottle of water you drink is also similar to that of the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon had been drinking when he visited the Centre NEWater 2012" - Mr. Madhavan said. Back then, after listening to presentations, tours and drinking NEWater, Mr. Ban Ki Moon when the carrying two bottles.

Singapore Press recounted after a speech at the reception of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, praised the achievements of the Singapore development including storage, reuse and water filtration, Mr Ban Ki Moon suggested everyone toasted to this achievement.

The waiter brought the tray with two glasses of wine quickly approached him and Ban Ki-moon Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

At this moment Mr. Ban Ki Moon hook in his pocket NEWater two water bottles, a Lee gave him, a keep for themselves. A photograph in the newspaper showed a corner of Singapore Mr. Ban Ki Moon, the other corner is Mr Lee Hsien Loong and holding two bottles of water to toast.

According to Madhavan, NEWater water is filtered and re-filtered and treated with ultraviolet light from rain water stored in the reservoir, the water collected from households, factories ... ensure qualified to drinkable.

"We use the term" used water "instead of the term" waste water "to avoid unnecessary feelings and, more important is that people understand that water despite bathing, washing ... well is a national resource, can fully reuse ".

Used water from households, factories were collected through underground pipe system beneath the ground from 20-55m (deeper than the metro system) and then sent back to the recycling plant for disposal, purification by microfiltration, the osmosis, ultraviolet disinfection.

Mr. Madhavan confirmed NEWater water completely drinkable but not sold outside PUB which provides reverse pumping plants in the north, the dry season is about 2.5% of the demand for the island is PUB NEWater pumping into the reservoir for reserves.

To 2060, the program only NEWater will meet 85% of demand in the country.

Water is actively protecting the sovereignty

In the late 1960s, the system of lakes across the island nation heavily polluted, filled with trash, only a few lake water and water used to buy the whole of Malaysia.

Singapore government decided to clean up the reservoir, creating new reservoirs to store fresh water, clean rain water, put the whole agricultural sector, the poultry farm to the east. By the end of the 1980s, the entire cleaning process is completed aquatic environment.

"It's lucky we are only a whole PUB management related to water what so everything is smooth, fast" - Mr. Madhavan share.

So far Singapore has 17 reservoirs, over 8,000 kilometers of stormwater drains cumulative water storage lakes has recently regulate avoid flooding rainfall.

In reservoirs, the Marina artificial reservoirs with a total investment amount of over 226 million SGD (about 160 million) are the most important when creating a new landscape, environment and expand the area of ​​clean water keep the fresh water from 1/2 to 2/3 of the Singapore national area.

Singapore still buy 250 million gallons of water (about 1.14 million m3) per day, equivalent to 60% of the water needed, from Johor River in Malaysia.

This agreement will end in 2061 and is expected to be autonomous while Singapore is 80% of the water needed by seawater desalination and wastewater treatment.

"The important thing is that we want Singaporeans to understand, appreciate and save its water resources. We each learn valuable lessons about the passive water so cherish what you have "- he recalled the history Madhavan.

That's when the Japanese siege of Singapore in 1942, they blew up the pipeline from Malaysia to soldiers dying of thirst, weakened ability to fight.

By 1965, when the federal Singapore leaving Malaysia, Malaysian Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman was then a private with the British High Commissioner in Singapore if Singapore does not do the will of him, he would water valve to Singapore.

"We must do everything possible to proactively its water, that means safeguarding sovereignty" - his favorite Madhavan.

Average daily consumption of about 1.62 million Singapore m3, which serve the needs of family activities account for about 45%. PUB 2060 to calculate this figure will double.

Singapore currently has four water supply: import from Johor (Malaysia), water reserves from the reservoirs, NEWater and water from sea water.

In the model that uses water from sea water makes up only a small part but using reverse osmosis membrane technology advanced, energy-saving, cost.