SS project

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2009-04-19T23:03:00.004+08:00

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A picture of a well...(click for a larger view)

Alternative Water Sources

2009-04-19T22:44:00.002+08:00

Singapore is a country which can be considered to be IT savvy. We have the latest technology of treating water sources like that of seawater and also got hold of the idea of treating waste water into potable drinking water, lastly the different methods of treating water sources to make them safe for consumption. So our group feels that though there can still be many other ways to treat water for consumption purposes, we may not be able to think of them now since we are still not up to that level where we can implement new ways to treat water. Therefore we can only think of digging well to get water which is actually a method commonly used in the past but negelcted now due to the technology available on earth now.

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Alternatives water source that our group has proposed:

1) Digging of wells to retrieve water from underground

Evidence: It is very clean because people in the past, who drank water from the wells which is untreated, has minimum impact on their health. And with our current technology, our group believe that the water retrieved from the well can be much cleaner and is safe for consumption.

2009-04-19T15:48:00.004+08:00

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Desalination

The SingSpring Desalination Plant, located at Tuas, is a 20-Year Build-Own-Operate Project, undertaken by Hyflux for the Singapore PUB, to supply drinking water to the western part of Singapore. This is Singapore’s first seawater desalination plant and was completed 3 months ahead of schedule in September 2005. It produces 30 million gallons of water (136,380 m³) each day. Worth S$200 million, it is one of the biggest in the world and meets 10 percent of the country's water needs. The plant also produces bottled water called the Desal H2O. Hyflux undertook the design, engineering, procurement and construction as well as the operation and maintenance of the plant.

At the desalination plant, sea water is forced through plastic membranes with microscopic pores to extract dissolved salts. Silt is removed by dousing the seawater with chemicals that coagulate the particles.

The SingSpring Desalination Plant also claims many distinctions:
- The largest reverse osmosis seawater desalination plant in Asia
- One of the largest single reverse osmosis trains in the world
- One of the largest in-filter dissolved air flotation and filtration in the world
- One of the most energy-efficient desalination plants in the world

2009-04-19T15:42:00.002+08:00

NEWater

NEWater is the brand name given to reclaimed water produced by Singapore's Public Utilities Board. More specifically, it is treated wastewater or called sewage that has been purified using dual-membrane, via microfiltration and reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet technologies, in addition to conventional water treatment processes. The water is potable and is consumed by humans, but is mostly used for industry requiring high purity water.

The Singapore Water Reclamation Study was initiated in 1998 by the Public Utilities Board (PUB) and the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR). The aim of this study was to determine if NEWater was a viable source of raw water for Singapore's needs. NEWater and desalination were explored as means to reduce reliance on water imported from Malaysia, which has been a source of friction over the years. Also, while the Malaysian government is treaty-bound to sell Singapore water until 2061, it is under no obligation to do so after this.

In 2001, PUB began an effort to increase water supplies for non-potable use. Using NEWater for these applications would reduce the demand on the reservoirs for potable water.

Singapore has a total of four operational NEWater factories, at Bedok, Kranji, Ulu Pandan and Seletar Water Reclamation Plants, with the former two completed at the end of 2002, and the latter in February 2004 and the Ulu Pandan plant on March, 2007. There is a Visitor Centre near Tanah Merah MRT Station, which contains a working NEWater factory for educational purposes. Tours and a private shuttle from Tanah Merah MRT station may be booked through the Visitor Centre.

PUB claims that the main reason why NEWater is not used as potable water directly is the psychological barrier of consuming (treated) sewage. Adding treated NEWater into the reservoirs helps to ameliorate this problem. The second reason PUB gives is that NEWater lacks minerals removed during the reverse osmosis process, and this changes the taste of the water.

2009-04-12T17:13:00.004+08:00

Singapore is merely a small dot on the world map, with limited resources especially water.

Do You Know?

In 1950, when Singapore's population was 1 million, our daily consumption averaged 142,000 cubic metres. In 1995, with a population of about 3 million, our consumption rose, not 3 times in proportion with population growth, but nearly 8 times.

Singapore's ever-increasing population uses water frequently and without thought such as leaving the water on when they bathe and brush their teeth. Thus, they are actually using water that could be saved! This is one of the main reasons why Singapore's water supply is so high. Another of the reasons is that Singapore has a dense population on scarce land, hence the land cannot provide enough water for the people.

Although the government have thought of measures such as constructing reservoirs in the nation and signing water treaty with malaysia, it is still not sufficient.If the water supply decreases, the price of water will increase. Industries using water to cool down their machines will have to pay more for the water, thus either they raise their prices or they suffer in silence.

As a result, foreign companies will not chose to set up their industries here. Therefore there will be unemployment problems in Singapore and a lot of Singaporeans will suffer. What's more, Singaporeans will have to pay more for their water and, already having lost their jobs, will have to dig into their savings to pay.

Do You Know?

One of those water treaties expires in 2011. And the second treaty expires in 2061.

2009-04-05T21:02:00.003+08:00

More on the IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING WATER SUPPLY

When I say reducing our usage of water, I am not talking about drinking less water! Drinking water is important and thus, drinking less water is definitely not an appropriate method to maintain the water supply. Singapore's weather is very warm, and so, everyone living here needs a relatively high amount of water per day. So in order to have adequate amount of drinking water for everyone, we needs to maintain water supply!

Besides needing enough water for everyone, maintaining water supply is also to maintain the population of marine animals. Most of the marine animals can only survive well in clean and an abundance amount of water. So we not only have to keep water clean, we also need to maintain the water supply.

If the population of Singapore is increasing at a rapid rate, sufficient amount of water is one of the most important factor to maintain our population size. Everyone need a high amount of water a day. Water, in our daily lives, is used for drinking, washing, cooking, etc, etc. Thus, everyone needs to minimise usage of water so that everyone is able to have enough water supply.

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Other than getting water from other countries such as Malaysia or spending a lot of money making water potable, we can also save water. From this cartoon, we know that water is very important for us and marine animals. If water is not enough or contaminated, marine animals will die and may become extinct. We will also not have enough clean water to carry out normal activities.

A definite way to have more clean water is to reduce unnecessary water usage. We can save water just by making some changes to our daily lives. We can use a cup to contain water while brushing our teeth instead of keeping the tap running. Also, we can wash dishes by hand and don't let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water.

Let's save water as water is PRECIOUS! :D

2009-04-05T12:27:00.009+08:00

In just four decades, Singapore has overcome water shortages despite its lack of natural water resources, flooding and pollution in its rivers in the 1960s and 1970s.

Driven by a vision of what it takes to be sustainable in water, Singapore has been investing in research and technology. Today, the nation has built a robust, diversified and sustainable water supply from four different sources known as the Four National Taps (water from local catchment areas, imported water, reclaimed water known as NEWater and desalinated water).
By integrating the system and maximising the efficiency of each of the four taps, Singapore has ensured a stable, sustainable water supply capable of catering to the country’s continued growth.

Closing The Water Loop
From rainwater collection to used water treatment, the entire water loop is managed by PUB.

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2009-04-05T12:08:00.002+08:00

The Marina Barrage

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.