While reading an article regarding desalination technology and how it could actually provide an alternative solution to the water shortage problem in the Middle East, I couldn’t help but think about how Singapore herself has benefited from using this technology.

Freshwater itself has always been a precious commodity. Despite the fact that three-quarters of the Earth’s surface is covered in the critical ingredient to human life, more than 95% of it is tied up in the seas, and undrinkable, and more still sequestered in the ice caps, or otherwise unreachable.

Singapore being a small country has always depended on both local sources and also her neighbour, Malaysia for water supply. However, in recent years, Singapore is working towards desalination to provide for a portion of the citizens water demand.

The Singapore-Tuas Seawater Desalination plant is one of the most energy-efficient SWRO plants in the world, producing treated water at a total energy consumption for the plant of only 4.2kWhr/m³. This has resulted in an expected first-year selling price of $0.49 per cubic meter — the lowest of any comparable project in the world.

Designed by Black & Veatch, a leading global engineering, consulting and construction company, 36 million gallon per day (mgd) — 136,380 cubic meters per day (m³/day) — seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) plant is the largest of its kind in Asia and one of the largest in the world, accommodating 10% of Singapore’s national water demand.

Desalination maybe one of the solutions available and that is really good news. But I guess we too need to do our part and use whatever resources we have wisely. So think again when you are leaving the tap open.

Via - Ecotech & Pennet