Singapore
This international port city is no stranger to shifting tides. With limited land to collect and store rainwater, Singapore has faced drought, floods and water pollution in their early years of nation building.
4 Levels of Action - Singapore’s Progress Towards the Principles
Regenerative Water Services
• Capturing rainfall & injection of NEWater into reservoirs to augment yield
• Water Conservation Awareness Programme – through mass media outreach and public engagement programmes
• Conscientious programmes to reduce Unaccounted-For-Water
• Deep Tunnel Sewerage System – using gravity to convey wastewater, eliminating the need for pumping stations
• NEWater, (high-grade reclaimed water) from advanced purification of treated used water
• Reclaiming bio-gas from wastewater treatment & converting it to produce energy for the waste water treatment plants
• PUB is the sole entity managing water, wastewater & drainage
• Co-locating a Water Reclamation Plant with an Integrated Waste Management Facility, to harness their synergies in water & solid waste management
• Four National Taps: Local catchment water, imported water, NEWater, Desalinated water with multiple plants and conveyance options
Water Sensitive Urban Design
• Encouraging rain gardens, swales in new & existing developments that are being upgraded for storm water treatment
• “Source-Pathway-Receptor” approach to enhance flood protection
• Code of Practice on Surface Water Drainage: stipulates minimum land reclamation, platform and crest levels for new development and redevelopment sites
• Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters (ABC Waters) Programme developed by PUB - transforming drains, canals & reservoirs into community spaces in partnership with private developers and public agencies
• The National Environment Agency (NEA) evaluates all pollution impacts from all proposed development. PUB works with NEA to ensure minimum environmental impact
• Earth Control Measures (ECM) guidelines to minimise silt runoff from construction sites into drainage system.
Basin Connected Cities
• Building infrastructure ahead of demand, and expanding NEWater and desalination capacities in the long run
• Designated protected catchment area, and regulations to minimise risks of pollution to water supply sources. Separate systems to convey rainwater and used water
• Marina Barrage, a barrage at the heart of the city, protects the upstream low lying land areas during heavy rainfall coupled with high tide
• “Source-Pathway-Receptor” approach to strengthen overall flood resilience
Water-Wise Communities
• The SGfuture engagement series: a platform for citizens to share their views, aspirations and ideas for the future
• The “Friends of Water” programme to encourage community stewardship of water resources
• The PUB holds regular dialogues with Professional Bodies e.g. the Singapore Institute of Architects, Institute of Engineers Singapore and Professional Engineers Board, to bring them on board and at the same time gather feedback from the practitioners.
• The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) oversees city development plans and engages various stakeholders and other government agencies on these plans, with key inputs from PUB, thereby integrating water considerations into urban planning
• Strong political will and policy direction. This enables PUB to continually monitor, evaluate and adjust water policies based on future needs
• Leaders provide progressive vision and governance structure to enable sustainable urban water management through coordination and integration
City Water Stories
Amsterdam
Since a cloudburst in the summer of 2014 and many more severe cloudbursts since then in other regions of the Netherlands, the urgency for a way to adapt this buzzing international city grew. Hence Waternet, the well-known innovative water utility of Amsterdam and its surroundings, created Amsterdam Rainproof.
Brisbane - Australia
In the past two decades, Brisbane has experienced the millennium drought (1995 – 2009) and two significant floods (2011 and 2013), and as a subtropical city it is also affected by frequent and severe storms.
Copenhengen
Copenhagen is a northern harbour city which has experienced a number of severe rainfall events, namely cloudbursts, with the largest pouring down in July 2011. The damages amounted to around 1 billion US dollars, and climate projections predict even larger events in the future. Protecting citizens and businesses from the impacts of climate change, while also continuing to secure high quality drinking water for a growing population are the concerns related to water.
Dakar
Dakar’s urban population is exploding with an annual growth rate of 2.5% and urbanisation rate of 97.2%. This massive urban expansion leads to overpopulation and construction in restricted areas, creating illegal slums without planned infrastructure including proper drainage and sewage systems.
Gothenburg
Built into a low-lying swamp area near the Göta River estuary, Gothenburg finds itself in a strategic yet vulnerable place. Flood risks and sea level rise are the two most important challenges the city is now facing.
Kampala
Kampala is Uganda’s largest city and is located at the periphery of Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest fresh water lake. Kampala is rapidly growing, with economic opportunities driving the rural-urban migration, and consequently increasing the rate of informal settlements.
Kunshan
Due to the city’s low-lying nature, Kunshan, a city in China’s Jiangsu Province, has faced frequent inundation throughout time.
Lyon
Lyon, the beautiful French city at the intersection of the Rhone and Saone rivers, is expecting some changes.
Perth
Perth is on the frontier of extremes, isolated from all other major cities in Australia on the largely wild west coast. Perth’s declining water availability from both surface and groundwater sources is well recognised.
Shenzhen
The city of Shenzhen was established in 1979, and in a swift 36 years, this tiny border town of just over 30,000 people has grown into a modern metropolis. However, rapid urbanization has brought with it many challenges, including serious water crises in the form of stormwater pollution and flood risks.
Sydney
The millennium drought affected all of Australia, and certainly it’s star city Sydney. This drought caused serious water security concerns for Sydney in the past, and further strain on the current water supplies is expected into the future.
Xi'an
Xi’an is located in the middle of the Yellow River basin, one of the largest river basins in the world. Even with all this water around, the city still faces severe water shortages for a growing population.
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