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By Lim Tin Seng

Thanks to land reclamation, the tiny red dot has broadened its shores substantially. Lim Tin Seng discovers just how much Singapore has grown since colonial times.

Boat Quay: The First Reclamation Project
Many people think of land reclamation in Singapore as a fairly recent phenomenon, but in actual fact the earliest reclamation project took place in colonial times. When Stamford Raffles landed at the mouth of the Singapore River in January 1819, the lay of the land was vastly different from what we see today. The river was flanked by mangrove swamps and mosquito-infested jungle, and what is now Telok Ayer Street and Beach Road were coastal areas that hugged the sea.

First Reclamation at Telok Ayer: Redrawing the Coastline
In the late 1800s, Collyer Quay was further expanded when the Telok Ayer Reclamation Scheme was commissioned. Carried out between 1879 and 1897, it altered the shoreline of Telok Ayer by extending it seaward with a 42-acre tract. The aim was to create new land so that thoroughfares, including Cecil Street, Robinson Road and Raffles Quay, could be built to link the commercial district and the new port at Tanjong Pagar via Telok Ayer. Previously, these two areas were cut off by the hills of Mount Wallich, Mount Palmer and Mount Erskine, making the movement of goods between the port and town cumbersome.

To salvage the project, engineers reinforced the foundations of the seawall and allowed it to settle for the next 10 years. Thereafter, the unclaimed area would be converted into a tidal basin for anchoring small vessels with the gap in the seawall serving as an entrance. Construction resumed in 1930 and was completed in 1932. By then, the cost of the project had ballooned from 2.5 to 15 million Straits dollars.

Other Reclamation Projects by HDB
While the east coast was being reclaimed, the HDB simultaneously carried out reclamation projects elsewhere on the island. In 1963, the reclamation of Kallang Basin began, with some 400 hectares of its swampland filled using earth taken from Toa Payoh. Completed in 1971, the site was used for public housing and industrial development. Next, the HDB reclaimed a stretch along Singapore's west coast between 1976 and 1978 to create 89 hectares of land for the development of Clementi New Town. Along with it, the West Coast Highway was constructed to link Jurong with the eastern part of the island. The fill materials for this project were excavated from Clementi.

Between 1972 and 1979, some 61 acres of foreshore along Pasir Panjang were reclaimed by the PSA. This was part of a larger effort to move lighter cargo operations from Telok Ayer Basin, Rochor River and Kallang River to a new wharf with warehousing and berthing facilities for lighters and coastal vessels. A decade later, PSA announced additional reclamation works at Pasir Panjang to construct a new container terminal. The first two phases were carried out from 1993 to 1999. In June 2015, reclamation works under the final two phases were launched and are slated for completion by the end of 2017.
Notes
MPA also undertook the first reclamation of Pulau Tekong (formerly known as Pulau Tekong Besar). Carried out between 1981 and 1985, it reclaimed 540 hectares of foreshore using fill materials from Changi and imported from neighbouring countries. The enlarged island was subsequently used by the Ministry of Defence as a training site for the military. In 2000, another reclamation effort to enlarge Pulau Tekong by a further 3,310 hectares was approved. Overseen by the HDB, it involved merging the smaller Pulau Tekong Kechil island with Pulau Tekong.

The Future
It is certain that land-scarce Singapore will press ahead with reclamation to meet the demands of its growing population in the foreseeable future. In the 2013 Land Use Plan, the Ministry of National Development has noted that there is a need to provide an additional 5,600 hectares of land by 2030. This is to accommodate the expected increase in population, rising from the present 5.7 million to between 6.5 and 6.9 million.

Land Reclamation: How Does it Work?
The proposed site for reclamation is first investigated to determine seabed conditions, availability of fill materials as well as the shape and alignment of the reclaimed area. Environmental studies are then carried out to assess the impact on water quality, water level, tidal flow, sedimentation and marine life. Work proper begins with the erection of containment dykes made of sand and rock around the perimeter of the area to be reclaimed. Materials such as cut-hill soil, sand and clay are then transported from other sites to fill the enclosed area. The newly reclaimed land must be allowed to settle naturally over time before any structures can be built. In most cases, however, the process is speeded up with soil improvement methods.

Since the first reclamation project carried out in 1822, fill materials have traditionally comprised soil excavated from inland hills and sand dredged from surrounding seabeds. By the mid-1980s, however, these resources began to run out and Singapore had to import sand from neighbouring countries. This soon became a problem when the cost of foreign sand skyrocketed from less than $20 per sq m in the 1970s to $200 per sq m in the 90s. The situation hit crisis levels when Malaysia and Indonesia banned the export of sand to Singapore in 1997 and 2007 respectively.

Although Singapore had to turn to other countries for sand, it recently developed a more sustainable method that has reduced the amount of sand needed for reclamation works. Called empoldering, it has since been successfully deployed by the HDB for the on-going reclamation of Pulau Tekong.

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Land From Sand: Singapore's Reclamation Story | BiblioAsia

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By Lim Tin Seng Thanks to land reclamation, the tiny red dot has broadened its shores substantially. Lim Tin Seng discovers just how much Singapore has grown since colonial times. Boat Quay: The First Reclamation Project Many people think of land reclamation in Singapore as a fairly recent phenomenon, but in actual fact the earliest reclamation project took place in colonial times.

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Food

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The Food We Eat

With little farming land and limited fishing grounds, Singapore imports over 90% of the food consumed in the country. The food at our local markets mainly comes from overseas. Our local farms produce only a small amount of food that we eat in Singapore:

8% of all the vegetables

8% of all the fish

26% of all the eggs

Relying so heavily on food supplied from overseas means that we face unique challenges in ensuring a steady supply of food for the population of Singapore, especially given our great love of food.

As a nation that produces little food, Singapore must accept prices set by food producers. This means that any shifts in global food supply will affect Singapore, including increases in food prices.
Our challenges include:

Danger of our food supply running short

Due to outbreaks of food diseases in countries that we export our food from

Danger of our food supply being cut off

Due to the closing of a port in countries that we export our food from

Supply problems

Caused by political changes in neighbouring countries.

To lower the chances of Singapore being hit hard by interruptions to food supply and price inflation, AVA has implemented strategies to ensure a steady, uninterrupted supply of food in Singapore.

AVA also works hard to make sure that all food sold in Singapore's markets is safe to eat and affordable to all.

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The Food We Eat With little farming land and limited fishing grounds, Singapore imports over 90% of the food consumed in the country. The food at our local markets mainly comes from overseas.

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Food

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AVA's Role in Meeting Singapore's Food Supply

AVA's primary strategy to ensure a continuous supply of safe food is to diversify our food sources. This is to reduce reliance on any single country and allow us to switch quickly to alternative sources when the need arises.

AVA constantly builds up efforts to enhance food safety and supply through active participation at every stage in the food chain. AVA's takes on a multi-faceted approach through close collaboration with other government agencies and industry players.

This includes activities such as:

Business cluster meetings

CEO's dialogues with associations, supermarket retailers and importers

These issues are usually discussed:

food supply challenges

potential new sources

consumer trends

plans in place to mitigate any supply disruption

AVA's Food Fund

The food fund is for local companies to conduct studies on potential food zones and contract farming overseas. This helps us strengthen our source diversification efforts and enhance Singapore's food supply resilience.

Ensuring Variety, Abundance & Constant Supplies of Food

As a small nation with limited agricultural output, Singapore depends heavily on imported food supplies, especially from regional countries. To ensure that Singaporeans enjoys a wide variety of food, AVA continuously works to identify new and potential food sources.

This includes outbound trade missions for food sourcing and fostering new business relationships.

Apart from imports, our local farms too provide a modest supply of eggs, fish, fruit and vegetables, cultivated at our high-tech, intensive farms. AVA also enhances the productivity of local farms through R&D and capability development.

Public Education

AVA educates consumers on the use of liquid eggs, egg powder, and frozen meat as viable alternatives to shell eggs and chilled meat. To complement the efforts of local farms in increasing productivity, we also encourage consumers to choose local produce and support our farmers.

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AVA's Role in Meeting Singapore's Food Supply AVA's primary strategy to ensure a continuous supply of safe food is to diversify our food sources. This is to reduce reliance on any single country and allow us to switch quickly to alternative sources when the need arises.

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Water

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Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad criticised the price of raw water sold to Singapore as "ridiculous" on Monday (June 25), and said he planned to renegotiate the pact's terms. In separate interviews with Channel NewsAsia and Bloomberg Television, Tun Dr Mahathir revived the water price issue which was a recurring source of tension between both countries, especially during the later half of his previous term as prime minister from 1981 to 2003.

While Malaysia has been an important source of water for Singapore, the country has been investing in research and development to create alternative sources of water over the years. So where does Singapore get the estimated 400 million gallons a day that it consumes?

According to the national water agency PUB, Singapore had just two water sources 50 years ago. Today, there are four, and the water supply can be divided into "four national taps": local catchment water, imported water, NEWater and desalinated water.

Local catchment water

Local catchment water, which relies on rainwater, is a pillar of Singapore's sustainable water supply. Since 2011, the water catchment area has been increased from half to two-thirds of Singapore's land surface with the completion of the Marina, Punggol and Serangoon Reservoirs. The Marina Reservoir, the island's most urbanised catchment, can meet about 10 per cent of Singapore's water needs.

Imported water

Singapore has been importing water from Johor, under two bilateral agreements. The first agreement was officially signed on October 1961 and expired in August 2011. The second agreement was signed on September 1962 and will expire in 2061. A maximum of 250 million gallons of water a day can be drawn from the Johor River under the agreement. Imported water can supply up to 60 per cent of Singapore's water needs.

NEWater

NEWater is high-grade reclaimed water produced from treated used water that is further purified using advanced membrane technologies and ultra-violet disinfection, making it clean and safe to drink. Singapore's four NEWater plants can meet up to 30 per cent of the nation's current water needs.

Desalinated Water

Singapore opened its first desalination plant in September 2005, SingSpring Desalination Plant, in Tuas. This was one of Asia's largest seawater reverse-osmosis plants, which produces 30 million gallons of water a day to meet about 10 per cent of Singapore's water needs. A second and larger desalination plant with a capacity of 70 million gallons of water a day, the Tuaspring Desalination Plant, in Tuas as well, opened in September 2013. Desalinated water, with a total capacity of 100 million gallons of water a day, from two plants can meet up to 25 per cent of Singapore's current water demand.

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Singapore's water supply: Where does it come from?

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Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad criticised the price of raw water sold to Singapore as "ridiculous" on Monday (June 25), and said he planned to renegotiate the pact's terms. In separate interviews with Channel NewsAsia and Bloomberg Television, Tun Dr Mahathir revived the water price issue which was a recurring source of tension between both countries, especially during the later half of his previous term as prime minister from 1981 to 2003..

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Water

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Water demand in Singapore is currently about 430 million gallons a day (mgd) that is enough to fill 782 Olympic-sized swimming pools, with homes consuming 45% and the non-domestic sector taking up the rest. By 2065, Singapore's total water demand could almost double, with the non-domestic sector accounting for about 60%. By then, NEWater and desalination will meet the majority of Singapore's future water demand.

As demand for water continues to increase in tandem with population and economic growth, we will need to plan and implement water infrastructure well ahead to secure an adequate and affordable supply of water for the future generations.

Growing from Strength to Strength

Through the years, we have embarked on an integrated, effective and cost-efficient way to meet the nation's water needs with investments in research and technology to treat, recycle and supply water. We believe everyone in Singapore has a stake in water - as a necessary resource, an economic asset and an environmental treasure.

Today, Singapore is internationally recognised as a model city for integrated water management and an emerging Global Hydrohub - a leading centre for business opportunities and expertise in water technologies.

Our holistic approach to water management can be distilled into three key strategies:

Collect every drop of water

Reuse water endlessly

Desalinate seawater

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Watch our video on The Water Loop below:

Diversifying Water Supply

Over the last 50 years, we have built a robust and diversified supply of water known as the "Four National Taps", as listed below. Our tap water is well within the World Health Organisation (WHO) drinking water guidelines and is suitable for drinking without any further filtration.

1. Water from Local Catchment

Water from local catchment is a pillar of our sustainable water supply. Since 2011, the water catchment area has increased from half to two-thirds of Singapore's land surface with the completion of the Marina, Punggol and Serangoon Reservoir.

PUB continues to explore ways to maximise our rainwater collection yield and strives to collect every drop of water that falls on Singapore.

Reservoir in the City
An iconic structure at the mouth of Marina Channel and the vision of the first Prime Minister of Singapore Mr Lee Kuan Yew more than twenty years ago, Marina Barrage creates Singapore's 15th reservoir, Marina Reservoir.

Managing water demand is as important as securing an adequate supply of water. Achieving a sustainable level of water consumption and managing the impact of water on the environment take the commitment and participation of the community.

PUB has initiated a wide range of water conservation plans to encourage prudent water usage. Programmes such as Mandatory Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme, Water Closet Replacement Programme, Water Efficiency Awards etc., cover both the domestic and non-domestic sectors.

On a personal level

Singapore's per capita household water consumption was reduced from 165 litres per person per day in 2000 to 141 litres per person per day in 2018. The target is to lower it to 130 litres by 2030.

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Find out about how we can save water.

Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters Programme

Under the Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters (ABC Waters) Programme, we have optimised reservoirs, rivers and canals beyond their traditional functions of channelling water and water storage. Pockets of community spaces now offer a host of recreational options for people to enjoy, transforming Singapore into a vibrant City of Gardens and Water. More than 100 potential locations are identified for the implementation of this programme by 2030.

Launched in April 2006, this programme is part of PUB's larger strategic objective to bring people closer to water so that they can better appreciate and cherish this precious resource.

Watermark Awards recognises individuals and organisations for their outstanding contributions towards the water cause.

Organisations and members of the public who are keen in raising awareness on water conservation and organising water related activities are welcome as Friends of Water.

Recognition and Volunteerism

Becoming a Global HydroHub

As Singapore continues to innovate and harness cutting-edge water and environment technologies, we play a key role in sharing water sustainability solutions. With Singapore's water management experience and a vibrant local water industry, we welcome local and international collaborations to develop and commercialise new products and solutions. Read more about Global HydroHub.

Research & Development

The environment and water industry is a key growth industry for Singapore. Since 2002, the government has committed S$670 million to foster leading edge technologies and spearhead the growth of the industry. Today, Singapore is a leading global hydrohub and home to a vibrant and thriving ecosystem of 180 water companies with more than 20 water research centres spanning the entire water value chain.

Singapore International Water Week

Beyond providing an environment for business and research, Singapore plays a key role in forging dialogue amongst the policymakers, water experts and industry leaders on water issues, challenges and solutions. To raise our profile as a global hydrohub, we host the Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) on a biennial basis. Held in conjunction with the World Cities Summit and CleanEnviro Summit Singapore, this platform allows for the water industry players to showcase innovations, share policy developments and form partnership in research and development.

Key Events at SIWW

Water Leaders Summit

Water Convention

Water Expo

Business Forum

Smart Roadmap for Intelligent Water Management

Driven by increasing water demand, rising operational costs, manpower constraints and new challenges like climate change, PUB is leveraging digital solutions and smart technologies to strengthen its operational resilience, productivity, safety and security. The integration of Smart water technology will be a key pillar in Singapore's water resource management to achieve greater efficiencies, and faster response time in planning, operations and service delivery.

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PUB launched its SMART PUB roadmap, in its move to digitalise Singapore's entire water system to improve operational excellence and meet future water needs. This is part of PUB's continual investment in digital solutions to achieve smarter water quality management, network improvements, integrated customer engagements, and smarter work processes.

View press release on SMART PUB roadmap

NEWater: A Singapore Success Story

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Water demand in Singapore is currently about 430 million gallons a day (mgd) that is enough to fill 782 Olympic-sized swimming pools, with homes consuming 45% and the non-domestic sector taking up the rest. By 2065, Singapore's total water demand could almost double, with the non-domestic sector accounting for about 60%.