Policy Management Report
Singapore Water Crisis
PLAN30001 Planning Scenario and Policy Workshop ZHIYI LIANG 1118499
Water Crisis in Singapore
Contents Introduction Scenario Evaluation Policy Recommendation
2 3-6 7-11
Conclusion
12
Reflaction
13
Reflaction
14
1
Water Crisis in Singapore
1.0 Introduction
S
ingapore is facing water scarcity which is triggered by limited land
to store water and the absence of aquifers (Tortajada, 2006). In order to equilibrate the discrepancy between water demand and supply, Singapore has to import the entitlement of water from Johor, Malaysia as one of the major water sources to guarantee adequate water provision (Tortajada & Buurman, 2017). The ever-increasing urbanization and climatic uncertainty also deteriorate the sustainability of the water supply for sequent projected population growth and human activities. Besides, these urban issues do not merely exist in Singapore, but also in Johor. The dual influence induces nationwide attention to achieve water sensitivity and self-sufficiency in Singapore. Nowadays, Singapore has a robust water supply system which is recognized as Four National Taps includes imported water, NEWater which is recycled water, desalinated water, and collected water from the local catchments. Although this project can sustain the current water demand of Singapore, far-reaching planning is still required for uncertainties. This report will research and discuss the main implications of Singapore’s water shortage and identify influential driving factors. Additionally, to justify one formed scenario after exploring strategical implications and evaluations. Consequently, some corresponsive policy recommendations will be proposed to facilitate fulfilling the desired outcomes by 2061, which is the expired year of Singapore’s and Malaysia’s Water Agreement (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2021).
2
Water Crisis in Singapore
2.0 Scenario Evauation As the problem statement described, Singapore and Johor both encounter climate problems which lead to a prolonged hydro-meteorology drought in Johor River Basin (JBS) (Tan et al., 2019) and frequent flash flooding in Singapore (Chow et al., 2016). Additionally, the JBS is a primary water source of Singapore’s water supply, thus, the drought of Johor does not merely affect domestically, as well in Singapore. Besides, these pernicious urban issues lead Singapore to quicken the progress of technology enhancement (Jamshed, 2019), for the sake of promoting the aim of water self-sufficiency and facilitating climate-independency water sources. Therefore, technological advancement and drought in Johor, two uncertain factors, are utilized to generate a scenario matrix (Fig. 1).
Figure1. Scenario Matrix
3
Water Crisis in Singapore
2.1 Strategic Implications
4
Water Crisis in Singapore
5
Water Crisis in Singapore
2.2 Quantitative Assessments
FIgure 2. Quantitative Asessement
Based on the quantitative assessment and analysis of opportunities and risks for four scenarios, Scenario 1 - Better Together is selected to be further investigated and given policy recommendations. The quantitative assessment’s iniatives is divided into three main pillars, economic, environmental, and social aspects which are connected to Singapore’s current society and water shortage. Also, the strategic implication analysis considers the scenarios’ plots and their advantages and risks. Combining the results of two categories of analysis, scenario one is the most desirable outcome for future Singapore. Although the first scenario will take a long-term to make progress, it is the quickest method to achieve water sustainability and water dependency by the expiration year of the Water Agreement which is a goal of Singapore (PUB, 2020). At the same time, Johor can avoid drought by climate change as much as possible with technological advancement. 6
Water Crisis in Singapore
3.0 Policy Recommendation 3.1 Current Policies 1. Water Efficiency Management Plans - PUB PUB launched a well-thought-out water demand policy to conserve water (Tortajada & Buurman, 2017). Every organization consuming water over 60000 m³/ year will be regulated and required to submit their Water Efficiency Management Plans to PUB annually. This policy stimulates the implementation of water efficiency and water storage. 2. National Fifth Tap PUB has relentlessly driven for innovative methods and collaborated with R&D (), and they attempt to find underground reservoirs of water in teh Jurong Island which is able to solve the problem of unavailability to store rainwater (Channel News Asia, 2013). Also, this fifth tap can be completely domestic water source supply. 3. Public Education and Incentives Water conservation constitutes part of the syllabus of primary school education. There is basic knowledge about saving water and water-related programs highly mentioned through daily education (PUB, 2021), like ABC Waters (Active, Beautiful, Clean Water Program). In addition, Singapore establishes a prestigious Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize to hornor contributors who develop innovative policies or programs (WaterWorld, 2019) and stimulate technology advancements. 7
Water Crisis in Singapore
S
Comprehensive and mature water supply network and system which guaranteed water quality and current quantitative. At the same time, the government is working on regulating water demand which is a parallel behavior.
The absence of groundwater and aquifer pressurizes Singapore's future water supply and its water-sufficiency.
O
W
Singapore has a solid foundation of economics and a massive number of technicians which can promote aiming development.
The relationship between Malaysia and Singapore is the most uncertain for the water supply and water selfreliance in Singapore. Also, speeding climate change is uncontrollable and difficult to predict.
T
Singapore's water-related policies are holistic and substantial. Associating with future policy recommendations, they ought to more likely refer to upgrading existing urban amenities and public facilities and motivating technological advancement.
8
Water Crisis in Singapore
2021
2025 Policy 1
2030 Policy 2
Policy 3
2061
3.2 Policy Recommendations Policy #1 Urban water-related infrastructure upgrading project stormwater harvesting with biofiltration & drop irrigation
Problem:
If the stormwater is not regulated well, the flash flooding may paralyze existing local catchments and urban water supply systems and urban constructions (PUB, 2013).
Benefits:
1. Potentially valuable source - well-managed stormwater can be an effective source to irrigate urban green space. 2. Water-quality: the membrane and process of biofiltration is the same process for producing NEWater which is drinkable, therefore, water quality is guaranteed.
Feasibility:
Singapore has a thorough system to manage stormwater runoff (Wang et al., 2016) and network of drains and canales, with the target of regulating flooding and potable water supply (Zhang et al., 2015). Hence, stormwater can be transferred to a kind of potential valuable source to irrigate. Drop irrigation is a mature technology in current global society. Singapore is advantageous in some high-tech fields, advanced drop irrigation is not infeasible in this smart country. Also, the land use of agriculture has no great proportion.Through World Bank's statistics (2018), there is 0.931% of land utilized for agriculture, which occupies a subtle percentage of land use in Singapore. Thus, these two advantageous conditions in Singapore can facilitate the achievement of this project by 2025.
<1%
>99%
9
Water Crisis in Singapore
2021
2025 Policy 1
2030 Policy 2
Policy 3
2061
Policy Recommendations Policy #2 Green rooftop catchments Problem:
1. Management: Singapore is located in tropical areas, extensive green space easily attracts diverse insects (Threlfall et al., 2017). Management is problematic, because sometimes managers cannot reach every aspect of matters. Also, rooftop leakage is a common problem (Dauda & Alibaba, 2019), this only can be solved by meticulous design and sophisticated management. 2. Expenditure: Completely renovating existing buildings is a massive project which requires a large amount of initial funds.
Benefits:
1. Enhancing public awareness - Integration with innovative technology and daily life 2. Mitigating adverse climate effects - Increasing areas of green space, consequently mitigating the speed of climate change universally (Zhang et al., 2015). 3. Heightening productivity & collection diversity - Being other forms of local catchment 4. Potential Advantages - Artificial irrigation, Maintaining soil moist, Developing water balance model (Bandara et al., 2016)
Feasibility:
Making rooftops be utilizable and aesthetic. According to Hill (2017), Singapore possesses 30% of green rooftop buildings which occupies the highest rate among Asian countries. This is a well-thought-out foundation to build green rooftop catchments with low expenditure, therefore, existing green rooftops can be renovated to rooftop catchments by 2030. Moreover, this policy should be sustainably developed for future constructions. 30%
10
70%
Water Crisis in Singapore
2021
2025 Policy 1
2030 Policy 2
Policy 3
2061
3.2 Policy Recommendations Policy #3 Improvements on desalination and reused water technology with incentives Problem: 1. Expenditure: Requiring a large amount of financial funds to sustain incentives and support research projects.
2. Collaboration: Incentives will lead to competitions which can bring progress on technology, but also unstable collaboration.
Benefits:
1. Enhancing poductivity -Desalination technology will double provision of water than current demand (Lin, 2018). Domestic provision productivity will push the schedule of water domestic dependency.
2. Dual progress - As long as Singapore achieves water self-reliance, the pressure of Johor's water supply can be reduced.
3. Water Quality - Due to contend, high-tech companies are required to heighten water quantitative and quality. Based on Singapore's standard of drinkable water now, NEWater's quality will be further promoted.
Feasibility: By the expiration year of the Water Agreement, Singapore's government aims to achieve the target of water self-dependency and supplying water domestically. On account of prestigious and well-quality technology in Singapore, the capability of completeness is highly feasible. Furthermore, Singapore is an economically prosperous country. Thus, Singapore is completely capable of advancing in the field of desalination and recycling.
11
Water Crisis in Singapore
Conclusion
S
ingapore’s water shortage is well-managed under well-thought-out
overall governance with the strategies of national four taps. However, the non-domestic sectors occupy 55% of all water demand, and imported water from Johor, Malaysia is the dominant supply source. In order to achieve water-sufficiency, the Singapore government is collaborating with different private sectors to expand water demand. For example, PUB is endeavoring to discover appropriate aquifers to make it as the fifth tap. Also, multifaceted aspects are developing like incentives to encourage innovative methods. During the development phase, the problem of water shortage is still facing distinctive uncertainties. Among them, drought in Johor and technological advancement are two major uncertainty influential elements. The generated scenarios with different conditions of two elements are evaluated and this report offers some policy recommendations for the future which can facilitate fulfilling the aim of water-dependency and water-sustainability. First two strategies are feasible in Singapore as this nation has robust and solid foundations. In terms of green rooftop catchment, this is a dually-influential plan which is beneficial to alleviating climate change and enhancing diversification of water sources. Indeed, the incremental green space can promote aesthetics of the city. Secondly, Singapore can utilize the potential function of stormwater to irrigate the urban natural environment, and to apply drop irrigation technology to cultivate crops. Finally, improving capability and productivity of existing technologies to enhance water demand to cater to projected future increasing population and human activities.
12
Water Crisis in Singapore
Reflection
T
his course has taught me the academic process of scenario planning
and related methods which are effective during planning the target city and offering structural policy recommendations. For example, I have acquired and investigated the issue of water shortage in Singapore to understand the driving forces and key elements to cause and worsen the conditions. Also, scenario planning is a brand new field that I never touched before which is intriguing and detailed. The application of SP is practical in the majority of planning and different scenes.
13
Water Crisis in Singapore
Reference
Bandara, A., Balasooriya, B., Bandara, H., Buddhasiri, K., Muthugala, M., Jayasekara, A., & Chandima, D. (2016). Smart irrigation controlling system for green roofs based on predicted evapotranspiration. 2016 Electrical Engineering Conference (Eecon). https://doi.org/10.1109/eecon.2016.7830931 Chow, W., Cheong, B., & Ho, B. (2016). A Multimethod Approach towards Assessing Urban Flood Patterns and Its Associated Vulnerabilities in Singapore. Advances In Meteorology, 2016, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/7159132 Dauda, I., Alibaba, H. (2019). Green roof benefits, opportunities and challenges. International Journal of Civil and Structural Engineering Research, 7 (2), 106-112. https://www. researchgate.net/publication/338231117_GREEN_ROOF_BENEFITS_OPPORTUNITIES_ AND_CHALLENGES Hill, T. (2017). Why has Asia been slow to catch on to green buildings? Eco-Business. https:// www. eco-business.com/news/why-has-asia-been-slow-to-catch-on-to-green- buildings/?sw-signup=true Jamshed, Z. (2019). How Singapore is using technology to solve its water shortage. CNN Business. https://edition.cnn.com/2019/09/25/tech/singapore-water-technology-innovative-cities/index.html Lin, C. (2018). Tuas Desalination Plant opens, another milestone in Singapore’s water quest. TodaySingapore.https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/first-government-owned-desalination- plant-officially-opens Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (2021). Water Agreement. https://www.mfa.gov.sg/SINGAPORES- FOREIGN-POLICY/Key-Issues/WaterAgreements PUB. (2016). Innovation in Water Singapore. https://www.pub.gov.sg/Documents/PUB_Innovation%20 in%20Water%20Singapore%2008_web%20%2016%20June%202016.pdf PUB. (2020). Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters Programme. https://www.pub.gov.sg/abcwaters/about Tan, M., Juneng, L., Tangang, F., Chan, N., & Ngai, S. (2019). Future hydro-meteorological drought of the Johor River Basin, Malaysia, based on CORDEX-SEA projections. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 64(8), 921-933. https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2019.161 2901 Threlfall, C., Mata, L., Mackie, J., Hahs, A., Stork, N., Williams, N., & Livesley, S. (2017). Increasing biodiversity in urban green spaces through simple vegetation interventions. Journal Of Applied Ecology, 54(6), 1874-1883. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12876 Tortajada, C., & Buurman, J. (2017). Water Policy in Singapore. https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/docs/default- source/gia-documents/water-policy-in-singapore-graphics-3.pdf?sfvrsn=38446c0a_2 Wang, M., Zhang, D., Adhityan, A., Ng, W., Dong, J., & Tan, S. (2016). Conventional and holistic urban stormwater management in coastal cities: a case study of the practice in Hong Kong and Singapore. International Journal Of Water Resources Development, 34(2), 192-212. https://doi. org/10.1080/07900627.2016.1258355 Zhang, D., Gersberg, R., Ng, W., & Tan, S. (2015). Conventional and decentralized urban stormwater management: A comparison through case studies of Singapore and Berlin, Germany. Urban Water Journal, 14(2), 113-124. https://doi.org/10.1080/1573062x.2015.1076488 14
