Singapore Opens Fourth
Recycling Plant to Turn Sewage into Water
July 12, 2005 — By Associated Press
SINAGPORE — Singapore on Tuesday
opened its fourth recycling plant designed to turn sewage into water, as
part of the water-scarce island nation's move to self-sufficiency.
The plant in Ulu Pandan, just outside the Central Business District, is
the largest in the country and will supply water for downtown business
air conditioners by 2006, Junior Finance Minister Raymond Lim said at
its opening.
No further details on the plant's capacity were provided.
Singapore, which has for decades been largely reliant on neighboring
Malaysia for its water, has made self-sustainability one of its national
priorities since a recent breakdown in talks over water imports. The
first of its water import deals with Malaysia ends in 2011.
Separately, the country's environment minister, Yaacob Ibrahim, said
Monday the administration was looking to turn 90 percent of the entire
island into fresh water catchment areas.
Both Lim and Yaacob said there was a need to get Singapore's 4.2 million
citizens to conserve and appreciate their water sources.
"The intention is to get more people closer to water, to build a
relationship with it so that they will regard the reservoirs as a
resource to cherish," Yaacob said.
Source: Associated Press |