Tackling the Water Challenge Through Innovation': Transcript of Speech by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam at the Singapore World Water Day Celebrations 2024

Minister Grace Fu, 

Senior Minister of State Dr Amy Khor, 

Senior Parliamentary Secretary Mr Baey Yam Keng,

And everyone who is gathered here,

This is not just a one-day event. This is a whole month-long event which Singapore takes so seriously, because for us water is existential. We've got to find ways in which all of us save water - conserve water and reuse water - so that Singapore carries on being a thriving and lovely city. 

Thank you to all our folks in PUB for the wonderful work you've been doing over the years. Even in small ways, everything we each do is important. The video showed us all the different ways in which we save water in the home. Now that of course refers to the water that comes out of our taps and our showers. We're using it to wash the vegetables, we're using it to bathe, all that's what comes out of the tap and our showers. 

But in fact there's another dimension to this that we have to start thinking about for the years ahead, which is that the water that we use is not just what comes out of the tap, but what we are consuming - our furniture, and especially our food and our clothing. The food, clothing, furniture, everything we consume, actually consumes water somewhere in the world. There is a water footprint, just like there is a carbon footprint in everything we consume. 

And this is important, because the world is now facing a water crisis. The world is running out of water, and every country must do its part to save water – not just what is coming out of the tap, but save water by consuming differently and still enjoying life. 

Still have wonderful food, still have a way in which our homes are nice to live in, and the whole of Singapore is a nice place to live in. We do not need to reduce our standard of living in order to save water. 

One of the things we will have to think about in the years ahead is how we change our diets, so that we stay healthy - in fact, we become healthier - and save water. Because the reality of food production or agriculture, everywhere in the world when you add it up, agriculture accounts for 70 per cent of the water that the world uses. And within agriculture, the biggest user is how we produce beef. Beef consumes a phenomenal amount of water. Just one pound of beef requires about 40 bathtubs of water - about 1900 gallons of water. And the reason is because when we eat animal protein, like beef, the animals need a lot of plants themselves, to grow. Producing the crops for animal feed requires a lot of water. And there are other reasons.

But we have to shift our diets. It doesn't mean we all become vegetarians, although I'm sure it is a very healthy option. But we don't need to all become vegetarians. 

First it means, as we've been saying for many years now and we’re taking very seriously – and the Ministry for Sustainability and Environment keeps advising us - don't waste food. We're wasting too much food. That's the first thing. 

Secondly, and this is true for most countries which are a little more advanced, we’re eating too much protein. In fact, we're eating more protein than is required every day and the excess is just passed out in waste. And we can actually have very healthy, tasty diets without eating so much protein. It’s protein from animals especially that consumes a lot of water somewhere in the world. 

And thirdly, we should consume less beef, because beef is the biggest consumer of water globally. Producing beef consumes about three times as much water as chicken and pork, and chicken and pork consume at least three times as much as  the plant-based sources of protein – the beans like soy and so on. 

We don't need to go to zero meat. We don't need to go to zero chicken or pork. We can still eat chicken and beef and pork. But just eat less and start shifting our diet towards more vegetable-based proteins that allow us to stay healthy, in fact, healthier. And which, very importantly, can still be very tasty diets. 

So this is one way in which we can keep enjoying life, but shift our diet and contribute to solving a major global problem, which is a water crisis, which also leads to a climate crisis. 

This is something we have to think about the years ahead, beyond saving what comes out of the tap in our home. Changing our diets, buying less fast fashion and changing our clothes less often. And maybe in future, when we come to events, we reuse the previous year’s T-shirt. And if possible, don't give out at every event cotton bags, because cotton bags actually need tremendous amounts of water to produce. If we all do those small things, it makes a big difference. 

Then there are some big things we're doing, and this again is credit to the PUB. Every drop of water in Singapore reflects innovation. And we know about NEWater, we know about desalination. Every drop of water reflects the fact that PUB, through innovation and working with companies, has allowed Singapore to be much more secure - much more water resilient. 

But PUB is now thinking further. Because when we think of recycling, when we think of desalination, it's very good, but it uses a lot of energy. Now PUB is looking at ways in which it can reduce the amount of energy required in desalination and water recycling, which is a very important task. 

I'll just mention two examples.  In desalination, a lot of energy is used in pre- treating the water - the water may have algae, it may have a little bit of oil in it, there may be other pollutants in it. Pre-treating the water is very important, but it's a very energy-intensive process. What PUB is doing is now experimenting with new technologies, such as using ceramic membranes to replace the multi-stage process to treat water. And that will cut down quite dramatically the amount of energy that is required in desalination. If we can do it well, this solution can be used by other countries as well. That's what Singapore does - take the leap, innovate, and the solutions can be used by other countries. 

Another very interesting innovation that PUB is pursuing, together with Nanyang Technological University and a company called Aquaporin Asia, is in water recycling. Reverse osmosis – that’s the technical term – is at the heart of water recycling. They are trying to make reverse osmosis more energy efficient by using membranes that mimic the human body. What they're doing is lining the membranes with proteins and lipids, so that they become more permeable for water. 

This sounds a bit technical, but it's very important. The innovations that PUB is undertaking with our universities and with companies, are really an important part of the solution to making Singapore both a climate-friendly and water-friendly place. 

So thank you to everyone. Save water in every way we can. Start thinking about how often we buy new clothes. Start thinking about what we are eating - have wonderful meals, have a healthy diet, just cut down on the beef. Start shifting - don't have to go to zero! Eventually, I think go to zero, but slowly, step by step. And you can have a healthy, tasty diet. 

Our children especially have to learn this - don't waste food, take less beef if possible, take a bit less chicken and pork as well, and start shifting to plant-based foods. 

Thank you very much.