Closing Remarks by Dr. Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources at the Singapore International Water Week Water Leaders SummitFriday June 27 10:46 PMSingapore, June 27, 2008 - (ACN Newswire) - His Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen: Thank you for a very insightful and fruitful discussion on the Cities of the Future. For everyone here who had attended the earlier sessions yesterday, I hope, and am confident, that this summit has given all of us present the opportunity to exchange views on how to solve various water challenges through effective governance and implementation, investments in technology and innovation, and sound policies and principles. I am sure the exchange of ideas especially on water solutions and applications will give everyone food for thought when we tackle the challenges we face in our own cities. There has always been strong emphasis placed on hardware when it comes to planning and managing water resources, be it acquiring water supply, water treatment and distribution, managing natural water bodies, as well as used water management, as these are the real evidence of problems being addressed. As a result, when faced with a challenge, like the issue of greenhouse gas emissions, climate change, and sea level rise, our first instinct is to improve existing infrastructure, invest in energy efficient technologies, green up as much area as possible, and so on. However, as a city develops and matures, 'heartware' issues will become more prominent, especially when the public grows to be more environmentally aware. And rightly so, because cities are more than just buildings and roads, they include individuals who also progress through education and affluence alongside the progress of cities and society. So we should tap on this resource. What can people do to help? How can we, as leaders in the water sector, encourage people to take ownership of our water resources? I would like to take the opportunity to share Singapore's experience on this. We took the same approach to meeting the water challenge ? hardware, then 'heartware'. First, we built resilient infrastructure to realise our Four National Taps Strategy on water supply ? pipelines, drinking water treatment plants, NEWater factories, a seawater desalination plant. Then to collect used water from our growing population, we built a 6-metre diameter deep tunnel sewerage system crossing half the island. We have done all this so that every inhabitant of our island can receive good quality drinking water when they turn on their taps, and our water supply will be adequate to feed the growing population and industry. Our next challenge would then be how to bring water closer to the people so that there is greater ownership of our water resources, because when people value our water more, they would want to conserve it and keep it clean. With our limited land area and ongoing plans to convert two-thirds of our city-state to water catchment area, this becomes all the more important. One very important programme that will transform the Singapore landscape markedly is the Active, Beautiful and Clean Waters Programme, or ABC Waters, which aims to turn our 32 rivers, 17 reservoirs and 7000 km of the drainage network from well engineered utilitarian drains, canals and reservoirs into vibrant and beautiful streams, rivers and lakes with boardwalks and water features that allow people greater access to our waterways. We have also been working closely with the public in activities like community gardening which is an increasingly popular activity among Singaporeans these days. Hence the realisation of the ABC Waters Programme will not only change the urban landscape, but create a closer bond between the community and water ? bringing together the hardware, and the 'heartware'. However, that is not all that PUB, our water agency, is doing to encourage greater responsibility for our water resources. PUB's 3P approach is about public education and water conservation programmes. These include the Water Efficient Homes and Buildings Programme, an adoption programme called Friends of Water, Water Wally - a cute mascot that carries our water messages and is a big hit with the children, PURE - a street magazine centered on water issues that appeals to the young and hip, a Water Network panel made up of people from private organizations who want to be more involved in water issues, and encouraging volunteers to join NGOs like the Waterways Watch Society whose members sacrifice their weekends to clean up Marina Reservoir, patrol the reservoir by boat and bicycle, and take time off work to educate schoolchildren to keep the reservoirs clean. Without the cooperation of the 3P sectors, we can still implement all the infrastructure that is needed to keep our waterways clean, to treat water and distribute it to the public. But this would only result in increasing operating costs if people continue to pollute our waterways, thinking that they are just users of water resources and that they are completely absolved from the responsibility of managing our water resources. This is something that is definitely not sustainable in the long run. Thus, as administrators, and leaders in the water industry, we cannot forget the need for close links between the public, private and people sectors. Without these links, we cannot sustainably manage water resources in view of the environmental challenges that lie ahead of us. The aim of the Singapore International Water Week, which includes the Water Leaders Summit, the Water Convention and the Water Expo, together with the regional business forums, is to strengthen the links between the water industry, academics, researchers and practitioners. At the same time, we often keep in mind that the main purpose of implementing these technologies, policies and programmes is for the benefit of the public. I hope that we will not lose this focus when we go about our business for the rest of the week, and when we return to our countries. With this, I would like to express my gratitude for the gems of wisdom that you have all shared with us at the Water Leaders Summit. I am sure we have all benefited from the capable chairmanship of Professor Tommy Koh, Ms Lisa Henthorne, Mr Arnold Gay and Mr Peter Schwartz. Please feel free to attend the other events like the Water Convention and the Water Expo after this session. I'm sure all of us have a lot more to say on the issue of managing water but we can always catch up at dinner tonight and talk about it over good food. I wish you all a fruitful and productive time at the Singapore International Water Week and hope to see you again later tonight. * Closing Remarks made June 25, 2008, 12:50PM at Suntec Gallery West, Level 3.
The Singapore International Water Week is the global platform for water solutions. It will bring policymakers, industry leaders, experts and practitioners together to address challenges, showcase technologies, discover opportunities and celebrate achievements in the water world.
Comprising the Water Leaders Summit, Water Convention, Water Expo and Water Festival, it culminates in the presentation of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize, a prestigious international award to recognise outstanding contributions in solving global water issues. The inaugural Singapore International Water Week will be held from 23 to 27 June 2008. The theme is Sustainable Water Solutions for Cities. For more information, please visit www.siww.com.sg .
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