Driest February ever recorded to date in Singapore

Joanne Chan, Channel NewsAsia 25 Feb 10;

SINGAPORE : This month could turn out to be the driest February ever recorded in Singapore - if current conditions continue.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said that only 5.3mm of rainfall has been recorded so far, compared to 18.7mm in the same period last year.

NEA said February is traditionally one of the driest month in the year. And this year, the El Nino effect is making it worst.

National water agency PUB said the dry spell is also causing record water consumption. Some 590 Olympic-sized pools of water are being consumed daily on average, about 7 per cent more than last February.

PUB is advising households to practise good water-saving habits, such as taking shorter showers.

The dry spell has also seen an increase in the outbreak of grass, lallang and vegetation fires.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force said it has responded to 92 cases so far this month alone. It is appealing to the public to help minimise such fire occurrences. - CNA/ms

Water use in Singapore goes up due to hot weather
Sweltering heat drives up average daily use
Grace Chua, Straits Times 26 Feb 10;

PEOPLE are guzzling more water and taking more showers because of this month's sweltering heat.

As a result, water use from Feb 1 to 13 hit a high of 322.5 million gallons a day, which is equivalent to 586 Olympic-sized swimming pools, said national water agency PUB yesterday.

That was 6.6 per cent more than last year's daily average of 302.5 million gallons.

Combining the figures for the first half of February with those up until Wednesday makes the daily average for the month drop a little, but it is still higher than the figure for last year.

Though the PUB says that Singapore has enough water resources to see it through the dry spell, it is urging residents to conserve the valuable resource.

Mr Chong Hou Chun, PUB's water supply network director, said in a statement that agency officers have been visiting businesses and households to encourage them to use water-saving devices and methods.

At home, that means taking shorter showers, washing clothes only when there is enough to make up a full load, washing dishes in a filled sink instead of under a running tap, and repairing leaks promptly.

If every person used 10 litres less water a day, enough would be saved to fill 6,000 Olympic-sized pools a year, said Mr Chong.

For example, washing dishes in a filled sink rather than under a running tap saves a hefty 14 litres.

With Singapore's weather being so hot and muggy, it is not surprising that showers make up 29 per cent of domestic water use.

Cleaning dishes in the kitchen sink and washing clothes are the next most common uses, at 22 per cent and 19 per cent respectively.

Domestic consumption makes up about 60 per cent of Singapore's potable-water use, while industrial consumption takes up the remainder.

Water-guzzling industries such as refineries, the semiconductor industry and wafer fabrication use Newater in addition to regular potable water for their operations.

Reclaimed Newater is one of Singapore's four sources of water, which include water from local catchments, imported water and desalinated water.