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Preparing for a future where water costs more

Much of the increased demand for water will come from industry, so it’s best to take steps early to manage it.

Going forward, water security will come at a higher price. Singapore needs to not just bolster supply but also manage demand.

ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

Tan-Soo Jie-Sheng

The recent announcement that

Singapore will build its sixth desalination plant

is another reminder of how seriously the country treats water security. It is also a timely moment to confront a harder truth that often sits just beneath such announcements: the more resilient our water system becomes, the more it will cost to operate and sustain.

Singapore’s water story is often told as a triumph of engineering and long-term planning. We have diversified our sources, invested in advanced treatment technologies, and built institutions that treat water security as a matter of national survival, thereby turning a vulnerability into a strength.

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