NEWater: Singapore Bottles Wastewater
11 March 2011
NEWater_bottles-1Recycled treated wastewater will help Singapore to base its water provision on local resources.
The Southeast Asian island city-state lacks sufficient watersheds and natural rivers to withdraw potable water. Up until now, the country resorted to freshwater imports from Malaysia to overcome this problem. However, as the government has decided not to renew the import contracts (signed in 1961 and which expire in 2011 and 2061) the country will have to base its water provision on local resources alone: rainfall harvesting, desalination, and recycled treated wastewater (branded NEWater).

NEWater results from used water that has undergone stringent purification and innovative treatment processes based on a first conventional wastewater treatment, microfiltration, reverse osmosis and finally an ultraviolet disinfection. This multiple barrier process, applied in five NEWater plants in Singapore provides a means to obtain clean and safe water which responds to 30% of the national total water demand.

NEWater is distributed by Singapore's water utility through the tap, and is distributed in bottles (picture) at the NEWater visitor center and at community promotional events.
 

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