SINGAPORE – Singapore is seeking the best water technologies to improve energy efficiency in the sector and strengthen resilience against the impacts of climate change, said Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu.
Speaking at a ministerial panel on water governance at Singapore International Water Week on June 16, she warned that climate risks could affect two of the nation’s four water sources – water from local water catchment areas and imported water. These are dependent on rainfall.
Singapore’s other water sources are reclaimed water, or Newater, and desalinated water.
Climate risks could affect the amount of rainwater that is captured through waterways and reservoirs here and in Malaysia, which supplies Singapore with some water.
“If there’s a drought in Singapore, there’s probably a drought in Malaysia, and then what do we do? The first tap will be affected, and second tap will be impacted. So we really have to think about how to generate new sources of water,” she said.
This is why recycled and desalinated water are critical to ensuring water resilience. However, how much water flows from these taps hinges on resources such as equipment, technology, knowledge and capital. Desalination in particular is energy-intensive and uses large amounts of electricity.
“We are not satisfied with just getting what’s available. We want to invest with the best technology available, so for every new water infrastructure that we put in place, we want to aim for improvement,” she said.
Noting that climate change is a big challenge and that the nation wants to keep to its net-zero targets, she said that energy efficiency is a priority.
“The next phase of our investments is indeed very critical. We want to partner again with the industry, international players that can bring to us new energy efficiency management tools,” she said.
Beyond investing in newer water plants, Fu noted that innovation in planning and policy is also crucial.
For instance, big industrial players such as semiconductor plants and data centres should also recycle water on-site, she said.
This will not only help to reduce overall water demand and increase the resilience of the system but also allow waste and contaminants to be treated locally, which is more energy efficient.
“When all the industries discharge into one common system, PUB has to deal with a whole host of contaminants to recycle. But if you are able to do it at the local level… that’s actually dealing with fewer chemical discharge, fewer types of waste, and therefore actually requires less energy, less chemicals to recycle,” she said. PUB is the national water agency.
She noted that there is currently a requirement for large water users here to recycle water where they are.
Since January 2024, PUB has mandated recycling requirements for new projects in water-intensive sectors, with projects such as wafer fabrication, electronics and biomedical industries.
Grants are also given to encourage companies to adopt water- and energy-efficient technologies, said Fu.
For example, PUB’s Water Efficiency Fund launched in 2007 had its funding enhanced in 2023 to further encourage companies to continuously improve water efficiency.
The ministerial panel also included representatives from China, the United Arab Emirates and Nigeria, and was moderated by the World Bank Group’s regional vice president for East Asia and Pacific Carlos Felipe Jaramillo.
At the panel, Abu Dhabi Department of Energy’s chairman Abdulla Humaid Saif Al Jarwan also outlined the water strategy in Abu Dhabi, including having a one unified water system which focused on security of water supply, water sustainability and affordability.
“Having the right water system will enable the economy to grow. It will guide the trust and to make sure that the growth is sustainable,” he said.
(From left) World Bank Group’s regional vice-president for East Asia and Pacific Carlos Felipe Jaramillo moderating a ministerial panel on water governance with Abu Dhabi Department of Energy’s chairman Abdulla Humaid Saif Al Jarwan, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu, Nigerian Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation Joseph Utsev and China’s Vice-Minister of Water Resources Zu Leiming on June 16.
ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
China’s Vice Minister of Water Resources Zu Leiming spoke about China’s flood management strategies against the intensifying impact of climate change which has led to extreme weather events.
He said that China has continuously upgraded its capacity to defend against floods and droughts and accelerated the development of a reliable flood and drought prevention system.
For example, the country conducts systematic, scientific and safe water-control projects in river basins and follows the patterns of flood occurrences and evolution to strengthen forecasting, early warning and contingency planning.
“Over the past five years, we have successfully defended against 4,136 river floods exceeding the warning…
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