Summary: Reader Response

The article “PUB Singapore's Water Story” by the Public Utilities Board (PUB) (2020), reports that there should be a well established water infrastructure, as the water demand for the citizens is expected to double by 2060. PUB is initiating a few strategies to aid the demand, which is “collect every drop of water, reuse water endlessly, and desalinate seawater”. For that matter; imported water, local catchments, NEWater, a subsidiary of PUB, as well as desalinated water, are two of the national taps that provide the country with the supply of water. Local catchments, under PUB’s Programmes, play a part in engaging the citizens to have closer proximity with water, and learn to appreciate the finite supply. As the Singapore-Malaysia water agreement is set to expire in 2061, focusing on local catchments is crucial. Based on the article, NEWater and Desalination plants will be the main solutions to solve the water shortage in Singapore, although PUB has failed to mention the potential problems that can be caused, such as these plants being harmful to the environment. 

To start, PUB does not mention that NEWater and the desalination plants are energy intensive. Energy, which stems from fossil fuels, is one of the finite resources on Earth that is being quickly depleted. Siau (2016) has stated that the desalination process burns up more fossil fuel than sourcing for the same amount of fresh water from fresh water bodies. This contributes further to the world’s current biggest problem, global warming. PUB mentions recycling of water is done, to curb the water wastage as well as the water shortage issue, but this does not benefit the environment. Solving the water shortage issue causes another by contributing to the global warming effect, as energy requires the burning of fossil fuels. In order to use these methods, further research should be conducted, to remedy the harm caused on the environment. While this method solves the incoming water demand due to double in 2060, it causes a potential hazard to the already deteriorating environment.

Secondly, desalination plants produces brine⁠—concentrated salt water that’s left after desalination⁠—that is released back into the sea, harms marine life. Root (2019) brought up the fact that brine will be substantially higher in salinity than normal oceanic water, and such discharge is also warm. Under such conditions, can make it more difficult for marine life in the immediate vicinity of the discharge to survive or thrive. An average desalination plant produces 1.5 times more brine than desalinated water, which brings us to the point where the high amounts of water that Singapore requires, will eventually cause a huge negative impact on the marine life surrounding us. The marine life around indirectly affects the citizens, as people consume a small part of it. As such, information like these should be posted, to create awareness on the impacts.

Lastly, the article does not put enough emphasis on how citizens should be doing their part to reduce the water demand. Although the article mentions that there is an aim to reduce the water consumption per capita, there is not enough information to instill the importance of the conservation of water. Khew (2016) mentions that world renowned water expert, Professor Biswas, has commented that the authorities here are so efficient at making such effects⁠—water drying up at an unprecedented rate⁠—invisible at the turn of the tap, Singapore residents continue to take a free flow of fresh, clean water for granted. Since the authorities can easily and quickly solve the issue of water shortage, Singaporeans would continue to assume that the current high usage of water is an entitlement, not a privilege.

Although PUB has provided chunks of information on the national taps that would support the water demand, it has failed to educate Singaporeans on the importance of water conservation. Additionally, more research should be done to reduce the reliance on energy in NEWater and desalination plants, and how the impacts can be curbed.

References

Khew, C. (2016, March 20). Singapore’s water success has H2O expert worried. The Straits Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/environment/singapores-water-success-has-h2o-expert-worried

Root, T. (2019, January 14). Desalination plants produce more waste brine than thought. Environment. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/desalination-plants-produce-twice-as-much-waste-brine-as-thought

Siau, M. E. (2016, April 23). The Big Read: Water security, energy use a difficult trade-off. TODAYonline. https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/water-security-energy-use-difficult-trade