Saturday, April 4, 2009

Singapore's Current Water Supplies (NEWater)

Lets talk about NEWater. I heard that Singaporeans do not like it as it does not taste nice. However, do you know about the hard work behind this ubiquitous water? LET me tell you.The Singapore Water Reclamation Study (NEWater Study) was initiated in 1998 as a joint initiative between the Public Utilities Board (PUB) and the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR). The primary objective of the joint initiative was to determine the suitability of using NEWater as a source of raw water to supplement Singapore's water supply. NEWater is treated used water that has undergone stringent purification and treatment process using advanced dual-membrane (microfiltration and reverse osmosis) and ultraviolet technologies. NEWater could be mixed and blended with reservoir water and then undergo conventional water treatment to produce drinking water (a procedure known as Planned Indirect Potable Use or Planned IPU).In 2001, PUB embarked on a new initiatives to increase water supply from unconventional sources for non-potable use. The use of NEWater for wafer fabrication processes, non-potable applications in manufacturing processes as well as air-con cooling towers in commercial buildings would free large amount of potable water for other potable purposes.The NEWater Factories at Bedok and Kranji Water Reclamation Plants was commissioned at the end of 2002. Following that since Feb 2003, NEWater has been supplied to wafer fabrication plants at Woodlands and Tampines/Pasir Ris and other industries for non-potable use. In Jan 2004, another milestone in the NEWater initiative was accomplished with the commissioning of the third NEWater Factory at Seletar Water Reclamation Plant which began supplying NEWater to the wafer fabrication plants at Ang Mo Kio. The total capacity of the 3 NEWater factories is 92,000 m3/day or 20 mgd.

No comments:

Post a Comment