SINGAPORE'S NEWater has received a unanimous thumbs up from a panel of international and local water experts.

'NEWater continues to be consistently of high quality and exceeds the Environmental Public Health (EPH) and United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) drinking water standards as well as the drinking water guidelines established by World Health Organisation (WHO) and is therefore, safe as a source of water supply,' said an external audit panel after an extensive week-long audit and review.

The seven-member panel comprises experts from various disciplines ranging from engineering, water chemistry, toxicology and microbiology. They were in town for the 12th External Audit Panel Meeting, held in conjunction with the Singapore International Water Week 2009.

Said panel chairperson Professor Joan Rose: 'We are very pleased to note that the high quality of NEWater has remained consistent all these years... The quality of NEWater surpasses international standards, and it also stands up well against the criteria established in Singapore.'

The sampling and monitoring programme was established in 1999 as part of the R&D for the development of NEWater.

Moving forward, the panel has recommended that PUB develop a management strategy to best use this high quality water to serve the water needs of Singaporeans especially in times of emergency or prolonged dry weather.

NEWater, a high-grade reclaimed water produced using advanced membrane technologies, was introduced in 2003. Four NEWater plants currently meet more than 15 per cent of Singapore's total daily water needs.