Singapore is studying the feasibility of building a sixth desalination plant underground to boost its water supply security.
As reported by The Straits Timesthe republic’s national water agency PUB said on Dec. 26 that a tender has been called for a study for such a facility. The study is expected to take about 10 months to complete. It will assess the viability of a plant that can treat both seawater and fresh water like the Keppel Marina East Desalination Plant, which opened in February 2021 with treatment facilities underground and a green rooftop constructed for community recreation.
Such flexibility to switch between both kinds of water will enhance the resilience of Singapore’s water supply to the weather, PUB said in its statement.
Tender documents revealed that PUB is studying the option of developing the plant fully underground. This option will mean more space on the surface for recreational facilities or other infrastructure to be co-located at the same site.
Since desalination was first introduced in Singapore in 2005, the island-state has built five desalination plants located in coastal areas in Tuas, Jurong Island and Marina East.
Currently, the desalination plants can meet up to 43% of current water demand, with a total capacity of 190 million gallons of water. The total water demand in Singapore is projected to rise with industrial growth. In 2065, non-domestic demand is expected to account for more than 60% of water demand, up from the current 55%.
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