Undergrad seeks public’s help to list water cooler points in Singapore on Google Maps
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Mr Tng Ming Kang hopes Singaporeans will help to contribute to his project and make his map a more useful one for the public.
PHOTOS: RYAN CHIONG, GOOGLE MAPS
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SINGAPORE - Exercise buff Tng Ming Kang often found it hard to locate water coolers in places he explored for the first time.
To solve that problem, the Singapore University of Social Sciences Year 1 business analytics student decided to list all the free water cooler points around Singapore on a Google map.
During his two-week term break earlier this month, he created a Google form and rallied the online community to contribute information for his project. He asked for details such as postal code, longitude, latitude, a photo of the water dispenser, street name and building, the level it is located on, an iconic landmark the dispenser is near, temperature of the water and even the company operating it.
“I drink a lot of water myself, especially after I exercise, but I know (the location of) only a few water coolers around Singapore,” said the 25-year-old, who started long-distance running and hiking 10 years ago. “I wanted to be able to know where the rest of the water coolers were if I explored other areas to exercise in, and decided to try my luck by asking Reddit users.”
Mr Tng Ming Kang maps out all the water cooler points he has consolidated thus far on a Google map.
PHOTO: GOOGLE MAPS
While there is currently one initiative on OpenStreetMap – a free tool for sharing map information – that has consolidated the location of some water cooler points on the island, Mr Tng felt that the data was insufficient.
“While it serves as a good starting point for me, the data indicates only that there’s a water cooler point beside a toilet. No other info is available. I tried to use the 3D function on Google Maps to verify the location of the dispensers but it is quite difficult as some images are very blur,” he said.
As a result, Mr Tng hopes Singaporeans will help to contribute to his project and make his map a more useful one for the public.
Having received and plotted 34 submissions so far, Mr Tng plans to head down to the areas he is familiar with soon to take photos of the water cooler points and embed them in his map. The map has over 6,000 views so far.
On Feb 7, the Ministry of Health said in Parliament that water coolers are now available at all hawker centres. They are also available at places such as parks and bus interchanges.
Information about water cooler points is unavailable on the National Environment Agency and National Parks Board websites.
Mr Tng hopes this initiative will also help to reduce Singaporeans’ reliance on bottled water and canned drinks.
A report by a think-tank, the United Nations University’s Institute for Water, Environment and Health, earlier this month ranked Singapore first
Each person in Singapore spent US$1,348 (S$1,800) on bottled water and consumed 1,129 litres of bottled water in 2021, compared with second-placed Australians, who spent US$386 and consumed 504 litres a person, added the report.
“One of my older sisters always reminds me to take my own bottle so that I won’t have to buy bottled water and waste plastic while I’m out dining,” said Mr Tng.
“That’s a reminder that has stuck with me till this day.”
To help contribute to Mr Tng’s cause, go to
