The Marina Barrage, which is a dam built across the mouth of the Marina Channel (350metres wide) to keep out seawater, creates Singapore’s 15th reservoir and the first in the heart of the city. The Marina Barrage is the result of Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew’s vision nearly two decades ago when he envisaged damming the mouth of the Marina Channel to create a freshwater reservoir. With a catchment area of 10,000 hectares which makes up one-sixth the size of Singapore, the Marina catchment is the island’s largest and most urbanised catchment. Together with the future Punggol and Serangoon reservoirs, these reservoirs will boost Singapore’s water catchment from half to two-third of the country’s land area.

With the barrage in place, the Marina Basin will turn into a body of freshwater through natural flushing in one two to years. The freshwater will then be treated using advanced membrane technology before consumption.

Local catchment water, being one of the Four National Taps, with the other three National taps-- imported water from Malaysia, NEWater and desalinated water, Marina Reservoir will meet more than 10% of Singapore’s current water demand.