Singapore is an island surrounded by water as far as the eye can see. Yet, water and specifically drinking water is a chief concern for Singaporeans who number over 5 million. Currently there are four sources of drinking water in Singapore: water catchments (reservoirs...you all may remember one of my older blogs about visiting Upper Pierce Reservoir), imported water from Malaysia, desalinized water, and NEWater. Reservoirs comprise water from rain, ground water, and natural streams, but this source alone is not enough to meet Singapore's needs. Importing water from Malaysia is expensive and renders Singapore reliant on a foreign source. There are currently two water contracts with Malaysia, one of which expires this year, and the other in 2061. Desalinized water is unpopular for drinking due to the taste. However, for bathing and cleaning purposes, at least in my mind, this is a great source. NEWater is treated water which is purified through treatments centers.
So, this past Friday, Meghan, Henry, and I went for a plant visit to NEWater. (See above for an outside shot of the plant).
IPU - this acronym stands for indirect potable water. When NEWater is purified for IPU usage, it is either put into reservoirs to be remineralized, or it is used for industry. Industry means that certain labs like clean water for experiments and the like. This purified water is as close to being distilled as possible making it an ideal choice. Other industry uses include decorative usage such as fountains and man made water displays. A portion of NEWater is also used for direct potable use. I drank two bottles on the spot!!!
The real fun was learning how the water purification process worked. The first step in the purification process is called ultra purification. (Not pictured) Hundreds of tiny holes many times smaller than a human hair line clusters of filters that look like spaghetti noodles. Water molecules are small enough to get through, but most others are not. The water moves through the system by being sucked up, just like the action of using a straw. Our guide Ilya, told as that even after this initial filtration, most of the impurities have been removed.
The next step in the purification process is called reverse osmosis. (See photo directly below). In this phase, high pressure pushes the water through the collection of membranes. This is done twice. Here, the membranes serve as sponges. Again like the prior step, only the water molecules can get through, while everything else cannot. By this phase, everything besides water molecules has been removed. But because people may be drinking this water source, the purification process has two more steps.
The next step involved is ultraviolet light. This light kills any remaining particulars. Water only passes through this phase for a second or two, but it is long enough to do the job.
Finally, a small amount of sodium is added. This is because the water at this point is slightly acidic, and this is mostly a precaution to protect the water pipes.
So there you have it, the NEWater process. Thanks to the new technology which is only two decades old and constantly improving, there is this new water source for drinking use. This along with desalinization are aspects of technology at its best, helping humans survive in numbers in which would not have been possible previously.
Singapore fun fact day 41: NEWater is run by PUB, a government agency
