Reader's Comments

I was surfing the Sintercom webpage and came across the article posted by Francis Chong.

It was very disturbing to read his article, WATERY WATER-POLICIES.

I wonder when the public was notified that there would be such an exercise. Please pardon 
my ignorance, as I have not been in Singapore for some time now. I wonder if this was 
part of a civil defense exercise on water rationing?

I was disturbed by the article on several planes. 
First was the willing and willful use of shock value exercises like shutting off water to 
30,000 households, if just to teach ìpeopleî a lesson that water is precious. Does it not 
occur to the authorities in charge in of the exercise, that a civil and caring government does 
not do such things. It does not arbitrarily impose sanctions to an innocent public, neither to 
punish, nor to educate. No parent can teach their children to save water by depriving them 
of water. You do not teach your citizens to save water by cutting off their water supply.  

Water is an important issue. Water is life sustaining. Countries have gone to war over this 
precious resource. This very country depends on the good will of our neighbor for this 
precious resource. We hold in fear the day that our neighbor blockades our water. So why 
is it that our own water authority can justify shutting off taps to 30,000 randomly selected 
households. What great crimes have they committed? If anything else, it should not and 
need not have been a random exercise. We can simply shut off water to the seedy hotels, 
known child molesters and even permanent residents. The Singaporean public demands the 
safe and consistent delivery of water to their household. Every worker and manager of the 
Public Utilities Board is salaried to serve this purpose. I urge them, Think of the public 
good. 

And I wonder how aware the Singaporean public is of the water shortage problem in 
Malaysia? 
Follow this links. It is my belief that our government is seeking desperate measures for two 
reasons. Namely, 
That the water shortage problem in Malaysia has manifested political agendas. Evident in 
the arrest of DAP members, and the very sudden rise of political activism. It is now a very 
sensitive issue in the Mahathir government. It has raised questions on the competency of 
our neighbor government.
The Singaporean political organ believes that the Malaysia water crisis has began to bleed 
into Singaporean politics. Not just that it will affect the internal politics of our country, but 
the very nature of water affects our external security.

Now, having said these two reasons. And I think that the reasons are very profound, and 
very worrying for our small country. 

I also urge our water authorities to look closer at the intended exercise. Francis is right on 
one thing, that such an exercise will cause undue panic. You have to remember that our 
culture coined the word ìKiasuî. If no one is certain about their water supply while soaping 
up during their bath, they will all want to put some water aside. What will happen then is 
that EVERY household will store pails of water at home, just in case soap gets in their eyes 
when the tap is clipped. Now, from previous experience, and every civil defense volunteer 
knows this, stored pails of water will be spilled down the drains after the exercise because 
still water breeds mosquitoes. What you have then is more than 300,000 households 
storing water and then throwing it away when only 30,000 households are affected by this 
random two hour harebrain exercise. I urge the water authority to weigh the total water loss 
from this, and the message that they send. Just as we are educating the public to save 
water, we throw away millions of litres of fresh water. It is like having a gallery full of 
pulp paper trees to educate the public on conserving the rain forest.


I agree that the public must be educated on conserving water. They have to know how to 
do it, and why it is important. Shock therapy does not work. Going on roller coaster rides 
do not make you a better driver.


The water authority (lets not use the generic word "government") must do three things to 
achieve this. 
Identify to the fullest extend the leaks in our water infrastructure. Every litre leaked is every 
precious litre wasted. It is cheaper in the long run to repair and organise our water use, then 
to implement new water prices and new water policies.

Identify and discriminate our water demand. At present we see it as simply industrial or 
residential use. We have to do more. We have to segment it by demand litres per person, 
litres per week use. And then price it according. We have to force industry to save. And 
they will only do it with it tugs at their bottom line. Industry is by far the highest user, but 
when water prices increase for industry, the price increase very often is built into higher 
output prices. The consumer on the other hand will just have to put up with increased 
expenditure. Not a very good political incentive.
Implement a 3 prong approach with conserving water in mind..... not making water a 
profitable revenue centre.
 
First,

We know that by far, industry uses the most water. Implement a dual fiscal measure: a 
water tax together with a water conservation rebate. Impose a significant water tax, such as 
$5-10 for every 1000 litres used. This will significantly rise their water cost. Then set the 
funds aside in a trust for water conservation education. Next implement a rebate incentive 
program to encourage industry to conserve water. To make the argument really simple. Say 
we use 1998 as the base year. We calculate the average water use for a particular industry 
and evaluate what is "efficient acceptable water use" for the industry. We know that 
breweries and construction yards use more water then electronics, and as such the "efficient 
acceptable water use" per industry will vary. We have to know how much water they use, 
in demand litres per person, litres per week, and litre per revenue dollar. Now if the firm is 
able to reduce their water use to "efficient acceptable water use" for that industry, they 
receive a quantum of their tax back. If they are able to conserve 20% below average water 
use within 2 years, they will receive 75% of their tax back. And if they can save 30%, they 
get back 100% of their money back. Something like that. I will leave the details to our 
readers. You will be surprised how much a bottomline approach can do!
  
Second,

We have to educate the public. It is that simple. Easier said than done!

Just telling people to save water is like using a can of spray insecticide in a jungle. How 
many mosquitoes can you kill? How much water can you save?

We have to educate people. Not just go on a road show and tell people to save water!

A couple of things will help.

Make our water plants open to the public. Have tours on them. Turn them into museums, 
make them into parks. Make them educational. Make them fun. Our boys and girl should 
be able to bring their dates there. I mean it. Hey, I proposed to my girlfriend on a dam in 
Los Angeles. Let the people know what goes on. Identify periods in history when nations 
fought for water. Show how important water is to the development of a healthy city. 
Broadcast documentaries with water conservation in mind. I remember viewing a PBS 
documentary on Mexico City, and seeing human pain, suffering, and death when large 
parts of the city got poisoned and contracted cholera through unclean water. Wow, did that 
change my attitude.

You can only say that you have educated the public when you have managed to change 
their attitude.
  
I lived in Southern California during the worst drought in Californian history. I participated 
in some of the public awareness policy programs during that period. And I would urge our 
government to learn from the California authorities.
  
Third

And when you are able to change the public's attitude, you have to provide water 
conservation equipment to people who are willing and able. Without this crucial step, 
education achieves nothing. Another anecdote here. Teaching someone how to fish without 
a fish rod does nothing more then staring at fish.

We have lot of shops in Singapore that sells water saving showerheads and taps. But just 
how many homes have them? You know why? Because they are expensive and because 
people simply don't care. Shock therapy like shutting off people's taps is not going to 
change this. 

The only way to significantly conserve water is to make water saving devices available to 
the public at low cost.... or at no cost! Better still, install these devices for free. For the 
water authorities who balk at giving away water saving devices, you have to look at the 
long term. If for a couple of million dollars we are able to reduce our water consumption by 
20%, achieve an enlightened educated society, and so reduce our external security threat 
with our neighbours, it is money well spent.

 
And as a last word, water pricing and water conservation are two totally different matters. I 
urge our readers and our government to please not confuse them. Francis pointed out that 
water consumption has increased and so water prices will rise. As an economist, do not see 
why there is a relationship between the two.  Maybe I am stupid, please enlighten me.


I agree that water must be priced according. The price of water is the economic value that
you are willing to give up for the use of water. And because water is necessary to sustain 
human life, people will pay ANY price for it. Look at the price of a bottle of Evian or 
Pierre. People will pay. Does that mean that your tap water can be priced at $1/a litre? Yes. 
The day will come when it is priced that way, and maybe even more. So please do not 
confuse water pricing and the price of water.

So how then do we price water?
One thing for certain is that at present, our water policy and water pricing is very much tied 
to our water treaty. Think out of the treaty. We have to think out of the box. Water can only 
be priced with people understand their need and use of water, and when they have a choice 
in their water supply. I suggest a separate water authority to compliment our present water 
treaty. Malaysia is currently undergoing a serious water crisis right now, it is a good time 
for a group of entrepreneurial multinational civil and water engineers to negotiate a 
commercial water contract with the Malaysian and Singaporean government. Because it is a 
politically sensitive issue, I would play down governmental involvement. It is going to be 
difficult, but it can be done, and it can be very beneficial for the population as a whole in 
the long run. 
  
Proper water pricing can only occur when the public is and must be given a choice. The 
world is very rapidly changing. In the past, most governments cannot fathom a day with 
they depend on another country or even another state for their energy or water or any other 
commonly regarded sovereign commodity. But with an integrated world, in an 
interdependent world, deregulation of energy and of water have occurred, and is happening 
in Europe and in the United States with a vengeance. Does the country lose it's sovereign 
right? Yes, it does, but in so doing it, and in good faith, deregulation has brought about a 
more open world, and a less dangerous world. We will have to rethink our political and our 
economic infrastructure before we can price water. It is that simple.
  
Water is an important issue in Singapore. The water exercise to be carried out on July 19 
will not achieve any significant public awareness to the dangers and politics of water. All it 
will do is waste a lot of water, and cause a lot of people to question the legitimacy and 
competency of the water authority in Singapore. Think. Please think.
  
  --
  Justin Chee
  USC, Economic Development Programming
  Home.213.733.2803 | Fax.213.740.8543


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I suppose water is serious issue to everyone and Singapore is no
exceprtion. Well we have been lucky to have water 24hours aday 7 days a
week. Well not so lucky in many other countries.

But if the government wants to eduate the public and let us feel the
pinch of water rationing I suggest it ration water on specific times on
specific days on specific months( for eg. drier periods)

But shutting off the water on a specific day unannounced is not going to
shock the Singapore public if that's what's intended.

As clearly mentioned by Mr. Chong it would only make the average" kiasu"
Singaporean to store up more water thereby defeating the excercise.

If the selected households are vacant during the shut down period, they
probably won't feel the pinch.

I lived around in other parts of the world where water is a problem and
seen how well they manage. 

The government could shut of water when there is aheavy rainpour
inducing us to catch rain water  for use later.

This will make Singaporeans  realise alternatives should their taps run
dry.

But the 19th JUly exercise only reminds me of the 19th October  1995 
(I believe Black Monday stock market crash Everbody staring in disbelief ,
shaken up a little and back to work.

So if we really want Singsporeans to learn let us act more sensibly and
avoid shock treatments.

GANESH