#TD Make Every Drop Count
Singapore is one of the most water-stressed countries in the world because we lack groundwater and natural freshwater bodies, and have limited land for water storage facilities of harvested rainwater.
We have gone through dry spells in the past that reduced our water stocks so drastically that our taps sometimes ran dry: in 1963 to early 1964, water levels in Singapore and in the Tebrau River area of Johor plummeted so low that authorities had to impose restrictions on water use. Another dry spell in early 1971 led to warnings of water rationing and the launch of our first “Water is Precious” campaign as part of our public education programmes to encourage water conservation.
Singapore’s water demand is currently about 430 million gallons a day — roughly 782 Olympic-sized swimming pools — with homes consuming 45% and the non-domestic sector taking up the rest. By 2065, our total water demand could almost double, with the non-domestic sector accounting for about 60%. And with more erratic weather changes, water shortages could potentially happen again.
Singapore manages water stress by having a robust, diversified and sustainable water supply from Four National Taps – water from local catchments, imported water, NEWater and desalinated water. And every one of us can help to reduce our nation’s water stress by making water conservation a way of life.
At the individual level, we can form good habits in water consumption. For example, we could: (1) wash clothes on full load; (2) use half-flush when possible; (3) turn off the shower when soaping; (4) ensure tap is off when brushing teeth; and (5) rinse our vegetables in a container, and then use the excess water to water our house plants.
We can all play a part. Together, we keep Singapore strong.
#WeAreTotalDefence #TogetherWeKeepSingaporeStrong #MakeEveryDropCount #GoBlue4SG