ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the water supply situation in Singapore where the limited area of 640 km2, a highly urbanised population of 4 million, and a vibrant economy have made the water issue of strategic importance and a national priority. Given the strategic importance of water to Singapore's survival and development, and the risks of over-dependence on external sources, measures to make the island-state more self-sufficient must be pursued. Singapore's industrial water demand is still less than that of domestic consumption, accounting for less than 50% of total consumption. Singapore has several impounding reservoirs inland including Seletar, Peirce and MacRitchie, which occupy 12.3 square miles and 12 square miles of protected catchment and unprotected catchment areas, respectively, and which belong to eight streams flowing into the partial pumped-storage Seletar scheme. One example of the innovative approach to stormwater collection is making use of the empty space under the interchange of the Seletar and Bukit Timah expressways for a water collection pond.
