Madam Sindy Lim, 51, recycles laundry water to clean the toilet. She also used to wash the floor daily, but now does it every three to four days instead .

"You save water and save on your utility bills too," she said.

Her five-member family, who live in a four-room flat in Haig Road, saved 31,000 litres of water between October and December last year.

The sales adviser was among 20 Geylang Serai residents recognised yesterday for saving the most water between October and December last year, as part of a three-month contest organised by water agency PUB and the Geylang Serai Residents' Committee.

One household managed to save 34,000 litres - which is 610 times the amount of water a water-efficient washing machine would use for a full load.

At an event celebrating Singapore World Water Day yesterday, the 20 residents each received $100 FairPrice vouchers for their efforts.

The event, held next to the Geylang River, also featured more than 500 residents exercising with 350ml bottles of Newater as weights.

"These are fun ways of getting people to think consciously about water, because it's a scarce commodity," said Marine Parade GRC MP Fatimah Lateef, who attended the event.

The Government said water prices will go up by 30 per cent over the next two years due to the higher costs of desalination and Newater production, and the need to maintain Singapore's current water infrastructure. Water levels at the Linggiu Reservoir in Johor - which helps Singapore meet half of its water needs - also hit a historic low of 20 per cent last October.