SINGAPORE - The installation of smart shower systems in 10,000 new Build-To-Order (BTO) HDB flats will begin in early 2018, national water agency PUB said on Monday (Oct 9).

Two firms - Amphiro, and Smart & Blue - will supply and deliver the showers.

They will produce up to 10,000 devices each. Details such as which BTO flats they will be installed in are still being finalised.

The entire process will continue into 2019.

Amphiro's proposed showers come with a panel display of water consumption in real time.

Smart & Blue's proposal uses different colour codes on the showerhead to indicate consumption levels - darker colours mean more water is being used.

The proposals from both firms incorporate interactive features that allow users to, for example, monitor their water consumption history and set their own water-saving goals.

PUB received four proposals after putting out a call for smart shower suppliers earlier this year.

A study it conducted with the National University of Singapore (NUS) showed that a person could save up to 5 litres of water daily using such smart shower devices.

Using them, as part of the Government's push to help Singaporeans reduce water wastage, could help households save about 3 per cent on their monthly water bills, according to the PUB.

Said behavioural scientist Ho Teck Hua, deputy president for research and technology and Tan Chin Tuan Centennial Professor at NUS: "Initiatives such as the use of smart shower devices that provide real-time information can motivate behavioural change and complement traditional policy tools in achieving Singapore's water conservation goals."