Singapore Week 4

Shannee Green

Where do I begin……. Well first I want to really tell everyone that Singapore and the PUB are truly inspiring and innovative. I went on a total of 6 tours and 2 of the places I toured twice because I scheduled the tours before I knew the PUB was putting together a Internship Immersion program for two days. I guess the best way to break it all down is to explain each place separately.

at the Woodleigh Complex, looking at a slide of the water quality portion of the presentation. "FISH"

The First place on my Itinerary was the Woodleigh Complex. This site housed the PUB’s Customer service call center (PUB ONE), which composed of 6 desk and 4 people, the water quality center, and the meter development and testing department. The customer service call center was very efficient for running the water issues of approximately 5million Singapore residents. In the water quality center a presentation was made on the water quality criteria and the quality measurement instruments, and by the way the water quality measurement instruments are FISH, real breathing fish. The rational behind it is, if all the fish die, the water is contaminated. I have pictures. Also within the complex was the metering department and they build and test the meters being installed for household usage.

Meters used in most residential communities in SIngapore

This was probably the one of many interesting parts of the June 16th tour because the man who happened to be my tour guide was so passionate about people telling him that they are paying too much because there meter wasn’t working appropriately. He told me that he dared someone to come to him, especially big businesses to complain about the meter.

At the metering department of the Woodleigh Complex "Don't second guess my guide about his meters. LOL"

He said each meter is tested before installation and he knows that they work. But if someone dares to complain, they pay $30 to get there meter retested and if it passes the test they lose their $30, but if the meter is defaulted, they get it fixed or they are given new meter, plus their $30 back, You better be sure, before you step to my guide. lol.

Changi Water Reclamation Plant in Singapore

After the Woodleigh Complex, we went to the Changi Water Reclamation Plant. This was very interesting because this is where the waste is processed. We walked around the plant and they actually had improved many aspects of the plant, for one they put covers over the waste plant, so the smell was not bad at all. Plus they installed a Odor Control system. This reclamation plant is one of the plants that distribute water to the NEWater facilities.

Influent Pumping Station at the Changi Water Reclamation Plant

The Last tour for June 16 ended with the Bedok

NEWater Visitor Centre June 14, 2011

NEWater Visitor Centre. Here they gave us a tour of the facility and it was more like a educational NEWater experience. There was a interactive virtual guide, plus our live guide. There was a theatre, that told us about the importance of Singapore’s water. Then we learned about the Four National taps of Singapore ( imported water, NEWater,Desalinated Water, and local catchment water) We then learned about NEWater, which is essentially just treated waste water or reclaimed water as it is advertised here in Singapore (Perception is reality). I’m going to call the water treated waste water for posting purposes ( the title Reclaimed water is so official and less threatening) . The treated wastewater goes through four processes before it is distributed to industries for commercial purposes and 2% is mixed into the reservoirs for human consumption.

4 NEWater Processes

The Four Processes include: Ultrafiltration, Reverse Osmosis, Ultraviolet Disinfection, and Water conditioning. They distributed bottled NEWater after the presentation, but they hooked me up with a few extra bottles. hehehehe…I also want to point out that the fish that I will post pictures of are swimming in NEWater.