lessons on Water management from Singapore, water scarce nation for India to manage its water resources more judiciously for future sustainability.

1. Lessons from the Little Red Dot
Observations on the effective
management of water in Singapore

2. Singapore
Land Area 707 km2
Population 4.8 mil
Average Annual Rainfall 2,400 mm
Average Water Demand 1.6 mil m3/day

3. Rivers
extremely
polluted
Draught lead to
severe
rationing being Master plan
imposed for Singapore
River
Water supply
treaties signed Kallang Basin
with Malaysia Cleanup
1950 1960 1970
Reservoirs not 1965-
sufficient to Singapore
supply water to becomes
population of independent
1 million
Water has to be
imported Johar
Malaysia

4. •Sewerage
Rehabilitation
Program
•Catchment
Expansion Program
PUB and MoE •Initiated
commission conjunctive use of
extensive water by blending
reclamation NEWater in
study reservoirs
1980 1990 2000 2010
Singapore River Singapore gets Achieves
and Kallang its first water • 100% access to
Basin Cleaned reclamation clean drinking
up plant at Bedok water
•100%
Waste water wastewater
gets treated to treatment
very high •100% metered
standards – water supply
NEWater

5. Singapore River – Shifting of ports activity and boats
Courtesy: Remote Sensing of Earth Observation, Urban Development of Singapore Project

9. Courtesy: Public Utility Board
Courtesy: Public Utility Board

10. Monitoring of Water Quality
• Real time monitoring of multiple water
qualities. Turbidity, TOC, DOC, BOC, COD, NO3
• System Setup:
– Spectrometry Water quality sensor, Multi-
parameters.
– Logging computer and wireless communication
system.
– Web access and real time data publishing.
Resource: Choo Chun Keong SysEng (S) Pte Ltd

11. Integrated Water Quality Management System and Real Time Monitoring
Courtesy: Public Utility Board

12. LESSONS
Supply and Demand Management
Institutional Effectiveness and Political Will
Effective and Functional Legal and
Regulatory Framework
R & D , Training and Technology in Water Sector

13. Sources of water
(National Taps) Demand
Management
Local Catchment
Imported Water AIMS
Using Water Network
NEWater Automated
Models and Water
Desalinated Water Mapping and
Tariff Scheme
Information System
Supply and Demand Management

15. Strategies to Manage Catchment Water Quality
Courtesy: Public Utility Board

16. Automated Mapping and Information System
Courtesy: Public Utility Board

17. Effective demand has reduced over the years !
Demand has
actually gone
down!

18. Institutional Effectiveness
“Water management institution in a country can
only be as efficient as its management of other development
sectors.” – Cecilia Tortajada
Public Utility Board ( PUB)
– Autonomous
– Significant political and public support
– Financially viable (PUB tapped the commercial market for S$400
million bond issue)

19. R &D , Training and Technology
• Attract leading research institutes, universities, corporate labs to Singapore
• Collaborate with leading research institutes, universities, corporate labs

21. So What?

22. Balancing ACT

23. Singapore has successfully managed to find the
right balances between:
• water quantity and water quality considerations;
• water supply and water demand management;
• public sector and private sector participation;
• efficiency and equity considerations;
• strategic national interest and economic
efficiency; and
• strengthening internal capacities and reliance on
external sources.

24. India’s Journey to Clean Water ?

25. • Woke up to Water ‘CRISIS’ late
• Unreliable & poor quality water supply
NOT ALL IS BAD NEWS
Although Slow ,
Changes are Happening!

26. Thank You!

27. IUWM is an Integrated & Sustainable Model for Water
Management
PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
Water Resources
Surface sources,
Regional domain
Ground water
sources
Water Supplies Sanitation GOVERNANCE
Reliable, Toilet facilities, Solid Policy, Administration,
equitable waste management Community Participation
Wastewater Storm Water Drains
Domestic, Infrastructure,
Industrial maintenance
City domain