<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=452><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>Published June 24, 2009
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>New water plant underlines old theme
It shows that environment and economy can go hand in hand
By LEE U-WEN
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</TD><TD>Feedback</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>(SINGAPORE) The Republic's population may have tripled over the last 50 years - from 1.6 million people in 1959 to over 4.8 million today - but the quality of the environment here has not suffered at all, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
<TABLE class=picBoxL cellSpacing=2 width=100 align=left><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR class=caption><TD>Another major step: PM Lee at the exhibition section of the Changi Water Reclamation Plant which he officially commissioned yesterday. The $2.2 billion facility is the largest and most advanced of its kind in Singapore </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Rather, the standards have improved over time because the government has adopted the basic attitude that environmental sustainability can, in fact, be compatible with economic development, he said last night before he officially commissioned the new Changi Water Reclamation Plant.
The ceremony was one of the highlights of the ongoing Singapore International Water Week, which runs until this Friday.
The $2.2 billion facility is the largest and most advanced of its kind in Singapore, and can treat 176 million gallons of water per day - equivalent to the volume of water in about 320 Olympic-sized swimming pools. It is another major step forward in Singapore's journey towards self-sustainability in water.
'This project is part of our overall strategy for sustainable development,' said Mr Lee. 'We have systematically and resolutely tackled used water and other issues faced by cities all over the world.'
'Singapore has become a clean and green city with a high-quality living environment. Singaporeans enjoy fresh air, clean water and good public health, and almost half the island is covered with greenery, parks and nature areas,' Mr Lee said.
A new NEWater plant - the fifth and the largest in Singapore - is currently being built on the rooftop of the Changi reclamation plant. And together with the other four NEWater plants, Singapore will have enough capacity to meet a third of the country's water needs by next year, said Mr Lee.
The challenge that the government is now meeting head on is how to sustain the environment as the city grows and gets even denser, said the Prime Minister. 'To do so, we must take the long view, prepare well ahead and align our efforts across the whole government.'
The Changi plant is part of the first phase of the Deep Tunnel Sewerage System, which will channel all used water through deep tunnels to two water reclamation plants, one at each end of the island.
'This will free up land occupied by the existing used-water plants and pumping stations, as well as the buffer land surrounding them,' said Mr Lee. In total, nearly 1,000ha of land - about the size of the Central Business District - will be released for development.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>New water plant underlines old theme
It shows that environment and economy can go hand in hand
By LEE U-WEN
<TABLE class=storyLinks border=0 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=1 width=136 align=right><TBODY><TR class=font10><TD width=20 align=right>
</TD><TD>Email this article</TD></TR><TR class=font10><TD width=20 align=right>
</TD><TD>Print article </TD></TR><TR class=font10><TD width=20 align=right>
</TD><TD>Feedback</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>(SINGAPORE) The Republic's population may have tripled over the last 50 years - from 1.6 million people in 1959 to over 4.8 million today - but the quality of the environment here has not suffered at all, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.<TABLE class=picBoxL cellSpacing=2 width=100 align=left><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR class=caption><TD>Another major step: PM Lee at the exhibition section of the Changi Water Reclamation Plant which he officially commissioned yesterday. The $2.2 billion facility is the largest and most advanced of its kind in Singapore </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Rather, the standards have improved over time because the government has adopted the basic attitude that environmental sustainability can, in fact, be compatible with economic development, he said last night before he officially commissioned the new Changi Water Reclamation Plant. The ceremony was one of the highlights of the ongoing Singapore International Water Week, which runs until this Friday.
The $2.2 billion facility is the largest and most advanced of its kind in Singapore, and can treat 176 million gallons of water per day - equivalent to the volume of water in about 320 Olympic-sized swimming pools. It is another major step forward in Singapore's journey towards self-sustainability in water.
'This project is part of our overall strategy for sustainable development,' said Mr Lee. 'We have systematically and resolutely tackled used water and other issues faced by cities all over the world.'
'Singapore has become a clean and green city with a high-quality living environment. Singaporeans enjoy fresh air, clean water and good public health, and almost half the island is covered with greenery, parks and nature areas,' Mr Lee said.
A new NEWater plant - the fifth and the largest in Singapore - is currently being built on the rooftop of the Changi reclamation plant. And together with the other four NEWater plants, Singapore will have enough capacity to meet a third of the country's water needs by next year, said Mr Lee.
The challenge that the government is now meeting head on is how to sustain the environment as the city grows and gets even denser, said the Prime Minister. 'To do so, we must take the long view, prepare well ahead and align our efforts across the whole government.'
The Changi plant is part of the first phase of the Deep Tunnel Sewerage System, which will channel all used water through deep tunnels to two water reclamation plants, one at each end of the island.
'This will free up land occupied by the existing used-water plants and pumping stations, as well as the buffer land surrounding them,' said Mr Lee. In total, nearly 1,000ha of land - about the size of the Central Business District - will be released for development.
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