Our Aim
Hello! We are a group of Temasek Polytechnic students who aim to teach youths about the cleanness of NEWater and to get rid of the stigmatisation and misconceptions that people in Singapore have, if any.
We chose the age group of 18-24 year olds because studies have shown that they are the most susceptible to making change with regards to the environment.
We visited the NEWater visitor centre, carried out a podcast with two different people who had differing opinions on NEWater, and filmed a vox pop video with the students of Temasek Polytechnic. We also have pictures to tell a photojournalistic story and infographics to explain NEWater and the different processes and also how to save water.
We aim to achieve NEWater’s water sustainability goal to reduce the amount of water used by each person from 140litres to 130litres by 2030.
What is NEWater
Alittle bit about us and our journey towards self-sufficiency
NEWater is Singapore's 3rd National Tap out of the 4 National Taps that we have.
NEWater’s genesis dates back to the 1970s, when the Singapore government commissioned a study to determine the feasibility of producing reclaimed water.
In 1998, the PUB set up a team to test the latest proven membrane technology’s use in water reclamation for potable purposes. And two years later, it commissioned a full-scale demonstration plant that could produce 10,000 cubic meters of water daily.
The high-grade, reclaimed water was named NEWater, and a battery of tests and audits showed it was a safe and sustainable water source.
An international group of experts in engineering, biomedical sciences, chemistry, and water technology also found that NEWater’s quality was consistently safe and high, and well within the WHO and USEPA’s requirements for drinking water. They recommended it for indirect potable use, to be introduced into raw water reservoirs. The blended water undergoes naturalisation and further treatment in conventional waterworks to create drinking water.
NEWater Services
Stage 1 – Microfiltration / Ultrafiltration
The first stage of the NEWater production process is known as Microfiltration (MF) or Ultrafiltration (UF). In this process, the treated used water is passed through membranes to filter out microscopic particles and bacteria.
Stage 2 – Reverse Osmosis
The second stage of the NEWater production process is known as Reverse Osmosis (RO). In RO, a semi- permeable membrane is used. The semi-permeable membrane has very small pores which only allow very small molecules like water molecules to pass through. Consequently, undesirable contaminants including viruses cannot pass through the membrane.
Stage 3 – Ultraviolet Disinfection
After the RO stage, the water is already of a high grade water quality. The third stage of the NEWater production process is ultraviolet or UV disinfection which is capable of killing both bacteria and viruses. This process acts as an additional safety measure to guarantee the purity of NEWater.
