Seawater fit for drinking now a reality

PM hails milestone in history of S'pore's water supply' . Water from the sea that is safe to drink and affordable.

OPENING TOAST: In tune with the celebratory mood, fireworks lit up the sky over Tuas as Mr Lee completed a tour of the plant with (from left) PUB chairman Tan Gee Paw, Environment and Water Resources Minister Yaacob Ibrahim and Hyflux's Ms Lum. The bottles have labels saying "Desal H2O". -- Photo by TERENCE TAN

That is now a reality, and in record time too, with yesterday's opening of the first plant in Singapore to turn seawater into drinking water.

Before some 600 guests, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong turned on the tap at the desalination plant in Tuas, one of the world's largest. Built by homegrown water-treatment firm Hyflux, it was finished just 20 months after construction began in January last year, and three months ahead of schedule. Its opening is a milestone in the history of Singapore's water supply, Mr Lee said.

Over the next few days, the purified seawater will flow to homes and businesses in the west after it is mixed with water from reservoirs. The $200-million plant can meet up to 10 per cent of Singapore's daily water needs. Its energy-efficient design allows it to supply desalinated water at one of the cheapest rates in the world: 78 cents per cubic metre, about half the cost elsewhere.

Desalination is the fourth national tap in Singapore's plan to ensure it does not become too reliant on any one source for water. The other three taps are local reservoirs, water from Johor and NEWater. With all four national taps flowing, Mr Lee said Singapore will have a 'diversified, reliable and cost-effective supply of water'.

He also announced an investment of S$1.5 billion over the next two years to further develop water infrastructure through projects such as the Marina Bay reservoir and NEWater factories. A smiling Mr Lee led dozens of MPs in a toast as they held aloft small bottles labelled 'Desal H2O'. It was reminiscent of scenes from three years ago, when Singapore also took a giant stride towards self-sufficency in water supply with the launch of NEWater.

Earlier, Mr Lee spoke of how far Singapore had come in tackling its water challenge. He put it down to the determination and ingenuity of its people. All Singaporeans did their part over the years to conserve and make the most of water resources.

'We must continue to work together to secure our future water needs. For Singapore, water will always be a strategic resource, and not just an economic commodity,' he said. But this vulnerability also became a strength, as the water industry grew into a dynamic part of the economy.

Hyflux, which started out as a small-scale water treatment company, has built its capabilities through research and development (R&D) and is now expanding overseas. Others, such as Keppel Engineering, SembCorp and Aromatrix Technologies, have also grown, he said. And international water firms are setting up here, to partner the Public Utilities Board in pilot R&D projects and to test new technology.

'As our water industry grows, it will not only benefit our economy and provide jobs for Singaporeans, but also give us a more robust and resilient water supply.'

Despite rising oil prices, Hyflux chief executive Olivia Lum is confident of supplying desalinated water at the same price for the next three years. This is because the firm hedged or insured itself against fuel-price hikes.

Potong Pasir opposition MP Chiam See Tong said it was good for Singapore to be less dependent on Malaysia for water: 'It will help the relationship. Both sides would be more amenable to speaking rationally rather than playing politics.'

Lydia Lim
lydia@sph.com.sg
Senior Political Correspondent
The Straits Times Interactive, 14 September 2005