Government determined to increase population to 7 mil in 2030.

[egghead]

Below is taken from FAQ.

1. If NEWater is so clean, why can't we introduce NEWater straight into the taps?
NEWater is high-grade reclaimed water produced from treated used water that is purified further using advanced membrane technologies, making the water ultra-clean and safe to drink. NEWater has also passed more than 65,000 scientific tests and surpasses World Health Organisation requirements.

Because it is ultra clean, NEWater is ideal for industry use, such as wafer fabrication processes. NEWater is supplied to wafer fabrication, electronics and power generation industries for process use as well as commercial and institutional complexes for air-con cooling purposes. This frees up potable water for domestic use.

PUB also blends a small percentage of the NEWater with the reservoir water.


2. Is NEWater more expensive than PUB water?
Yes. Based on today's cost structure, it is more expensive to produce NEWater than PUB water but it is cheaper to produce NEWater than desalinated water. NEWater is priced at a cheaper rate than PUB water because it does not attract water conservation tax since industries that use NEWater are helping to conserve our precious water resources.

However, the cost structure is not static. For example, in the case of PUB water, the price will change should there be changes to the price of raw water and also the quality of raw water. Our plan is to have more sources of water supply so that we could optimize on these alternative sources to ensure that our water supply system is robust and most cost-competitive.

3. NEWater is so pure like distilled water. Can I drink it direct?
It is a personal choice. Even though IPU has been adopted, NEWater is not supplied directly to households. NEWater is mixed in reservoirs where there are minerals and chemicals, and further treat for supply to households as PUB water. We are not proposing to Singaporeans to drink NEWater directly, but it is safe to drink it directly. We will be happy to make it available to those who are interested to have a direct taste of NEWater.

4. Is NEWater safe for human consumption? How does NEWater compare with PUB drinking water?
Yes, NEWater is safe for human consumption. Test results from the two-year comprehensive physical, chemical and microbiological study showed that the quality of NEWater consistently exceeds the requirements stipulated in the USEPA and WHO guidelines. In fact, NEWater is cleaner than PUB water. NEWater is purified using a double membrane barrier system that will screen off viruses and bacteria in the water. The same types of membrane process system have been used for production of bottled drinking water and for desalination of seawater. In addition, NEWater will also pass through an UV irradiation barrier as a final safeguard before the NEWater is passed for use.

[kichialo]

李叶明和刘程强在早报上的辩论
http://bbs.wenxuecity.com/singapore/1269299.html

刘程强的反驳
http://bbs.wenxuecity.com/singapore/1269300.html

李叶明 is a PRC and a new citizen. Quite clear who his vote is going to.

[egghead]

I'm not sure if it is quite as clear. I can agree with some government policies and still vote opposition; or I can disagree with some policies and still vote for ruling party.

[yeokiwi]

For those who still are able to read chinese,
http://sgwritings.com/bbs/viewthread.php...3D1&page=1

[pianist]

when the population comes 6.9m, i wonder how many foul smelling hdb blocks will there be?

Foul smelling tap water at Yishun HDB block
By Ng Lian Cheong, Tan Qiuyi | Posted: 19 February 2013 2134 hrs

SINGAPORE: Residents at an HDB block in Yishun Avenue 11 reported that their tap water has been giving off a foul smell.

Water agency PUB said tests on water samples from the block show the water is safe for drinking.

It has since given the block's three water tanks a thorough cleaning.

Residents said the problem started on February 14.

One resident who stayed at the ninth floor said she developed rashes.

"On Friday, I found rashes on my body, and it got worse on Sunday. It was very itchy. On Monday, I went to see a doctor," said Lin Hui Min.

- CNA/fa

[egghead]

when the population comes 6.9m, i wonder how many foul smelling hdb blocks will there be?

Can enlighten me how 6.9m population will logically increase or decrease foul smelling hdb blocks

[pianist]

when the population comes 6.9m, i wonder how many foul smelling hdb blocks will there be?

Can enlighten me how 6.9m population will logically increase or decrease foul smelling hdb blocks

try to use yr imagination.

[egghead]

That answers my question. Thanks.

[cfa]

Whither PAP, whither the elite, whither Singapore?

Former foreign minister George Yeo is a man of many words. Many remember him for his banyan tree speech which, in a round-about way, was telling leaders to let light shine through their over-protective shoulders and let those under them blossom.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singapore...28226.html

[FA+TA]

An good article from Yahoo by Linda Lim, a professor of strategy at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. No wonder Yahoo sg kanna sue by SPH.
How land and people fit in Singapore's Economy
"In Singapore’s case, this is because the addition of more and more people to an essentially fixed and extremely scarce complementary resource, land, inevitably raises other costs. These include rising residential housing and commercial rental costs, and congestion costs especially in transportation.

Also, both higher housing costs and lengthening commute times effectively lower the real wage of workers (e.g. because it now takes them 10 or 11 hours to earn an 8-hour daily wage).

In a closed labour market, the rising cost of living eventually translates into higher nominal wages. But in an open labour market like Singapore’s, wage increases held down by the increased supply of foreign labour discourages the substitution of capital, higher technology and sophisticated management processes, for labour."