CLEAN WATER SUPPLIES TO SINGAPORE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY IN SOUTHEAST ASIA KOG Yue Choong KOG Yue Choong EAST WEST ENGRG CONSULTANTS & NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

INTRODUCTION n Most SE Asian countries struggle to clean up their major rivers polluted by industries and households because of inadequate infrastructure n Despite globalization, the ownership and management of natural resources remains a strictly national concern n Singapore needs resources of many times its size for food, water and energy to sustain its people and economy n Sharing of water resources is a source of tension between Singapore and its neighbours Malaysia and Indonesia.

FUTURE WATER CRISIS? n Many signs: n 1. 1% available while current use more than half of the available quantity and by 2025 three times the current supply expected to be needed n 2. Mismanagement of water resources, high UFW n 3. Excessive ground water withdrawals n 4. Fertilizers and pesticides pollute rivers and lakes, e.g. Cambodia n 5. Rapid urbanization results in polluted water because of lack of waste disposal, e.g. SE Asia n 6. Global warming: lakes and reservoirs submerge by rising water levels n 7. Industrial waste pollutes rivers, e.g. China n 8. Paleoclimatologists: last 140 yrs very wet periods compared to the last 4000 years: what if normalcy returns?

FUTURE WATER CRISIS? n World Bank estimated that 1 person out of 3 will have poor access to clean water by 2025 unless governments invest more in water supply systems n Asia has the lowest per capita availability n Per capital availability in Asia declined by 50% between 1955 and 1990 n 21st century: water replaces oil as source of geopolitical tension and determines power or decline. Countries with a well-developed water infrastructure and low operation costs have competitive edge.

WATER SUPPLIES AS A SECURITY ISSUE n Malaysian Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman informed the British High Commissioner Anthony Head of possibility of turning off the water supply to Singapore in Johor. n Lee, Singapore’s first PM, threatened his Malaysian counterpart, Mahathir, to send the Armed Forces to Johor to restore water supply n Indonesian PM Wahid told Mahathir that Indonesia and Malaysia had thought of jointly withholding Singapore’s water supply.

MANAGING SINGAPORE WATER DEMAND n Education and persuasion n Pricing and fiscal incentives n Legislative and administrative control n Improvement in water distribution system n Per capita consumption reduced from the peak of 142 m 3 in 1997 to 107 m 3 in 2003 n Singapore’s annual water consumption of 0.5 billion m 3 per yr (1.2 million m 3 daily) increases with approximately 4% annually (half of the supply from Singapore and half from Johor). n Total storage capacity of 14 reservoirs in Singapore and Johor is 142 million m 3 (4 mths supply) and 788 million m 3 (1.5 yrs supply) respectively.

PROCURING SINGAPORE WATER SUPPLIES n Singapore suffers from scarcity of water: annual per capita internal renewable water resources = only 172 m 3 n From , Singapore spent US$2 billion to dam 7 rivers and develop the Bedok and Lower Seletar Scheme: SE Asia 1 st urban storm water collection system n Half of Singapore is catchment. On completion of the Marina Barrage scheme in 2007, two-third will be catchment n Under the 1961 and 1962, the Johor River Water Agreement which will expire in 2011 and 2061, Singapore can draw from the Johor 0.4 million m 3 and 1.15 million m 3 a day respectively.

PROCURING SINGAPORE WATER SUPPLIES n Water agreement with Indonesia on the supply of a daily 4.5 million m 3 from Riau in Also identification of the Sungei Kampar in West Sumatra to supply water to Riau in A subsequent study concluded that infrastructure costs of water transport to Singapore are high. n Projected demand for a population of 7 million in 2061 is 4 million m 3 daily n Singapore has yet to secure Malaysian agreement for a new 100 yrs water agreement after 2061 because Malaysia cannot commit itself in view of increased water demand, pollution and urbanization n Sensitive issue for some Malaysians n Singapore needs to resolve this because of the long lead time of alternative sources.

SECURING SINGAPORE’s WATER SUPPLIES n Water supplies to Singapore must be secured by reducing level of dependency n 3 desalination plants by 2011 with 1 st plant operational in 2005 with a capacity of 0.14 million m 3 daily million m 3 a day by 2010/2011 n 1 water plant of treated used water (NEWater plant) of 0.01 million m 3 a day operational since NEWater plants each with million m 3 daily operational in By 2010, NEWater 0.2 million m 3 daily. n Urban storm collection scheme duplicated in other areas. Infrastructure in place, operation ready but not operated at full capacity when cheaper sources are available.

SECURING SINGAPORE’s WATER SUPPLIES n Explore use of tankers to transport fresh water from water rich countries such as Laos and Papua New Guinea. Singapore can be a trading hub for water like oil n Identify appropriate use for more polluted surface runoff not collected by storm collection system or treated effluent from sewage treatment works. At worst, this is the contingency plan in case of emergency n From security viewpoint, totally self-sufficient in water crisis. From economic competitiveness viewpoint, the least expensive water supply system. Singapore must maintain political environment in SE Asia receptive for sharing of water.

CONCLUSION n With technology, water should be secured to eventually become a pecuniary issue by desalinating/recycling water or buying water from Malaysia, Indonesia and other countries n If Singapore can be impervious to Malaysia’s threat to cut off water supply, water could end to be a contentious issue in Singapore-Malaysia relations n The securing of water widens policy options, makes negotiation possible, contributes to reduction of threat perception and may bring a diplomatic resolution to difficulties n Ample political will and rationality of the national leadership of Singapore and Malaysia to resolve water issue