'Unprecedented' low levels of water at key Johor reservoir of concern: Vivian Balakrishnan

Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan says the water levels at the Linggiu Reservoir in Johor are at about 55 per cent of normal levels, which is "unprecedented" since the reservoir started its operations in 1995.
Monica Kotwani, Channel NewsAsia 3 Aug 15;

SINGAPORE: A critical component for Singapore to import water from Malaysia, the Linggiu Reservoir, is facing an all-time low in water levels and this is a source of concern, according to Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on Monday (Aug 3).

The Linggiu Reservoir in Johor improves the yield of water from the Johor River, where Singapore imports its water. Water from the reservoir is released downstream, to push back sea water intrusion. This process allows Singapore to extract up to 250 million gallons of water per day and, without the Reservoir, it would not be possible for the sea water to be pushed back.

Dr Balakrishnan said the water levels at the reservoir are at about 55 per cent of normal levels, and this situation is "unprecedented" since the Reservoir started its operations in 1995. There have been 77 occasions this year when national water agency PUB was unable to extract water from the Johor River due to low levels of water upstream at the Linggiu Reservoir.

Imported water makes up about 60 per cent of its total water consumption needs. The Linggiu Reservoir is operated by PUB.

NOT CAUSE FOR ALARM

However, Dr Balakrishnan added the situation, though of concern, is not a cause for alarm, as Singapore's NEWater and desalination plants have been functioning at 90 per cent capacity to make up for the situation.

He said he does not see water restrictions in the foreseeable future, although this may be revisited if water levels do not show signs of improvement. This could mean imposing regulations on unnecessary watering of plants or the washing of vehicles.

Dr Balakrishnan added water rationing is not on the cards as of now.

- CNA/dl

Dry weather affecting water supply from M’sia: Vivian Balakrishnan
NEO CHAI CHIN Today Online 3 Aug 15;

JOHOR — The reservoir in Malaysia that enables Singapore to reliably draw water from the Johor River is at an unprecedented low of about 55 per cent and Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan today (August 3) expressed concern and called for the public to conserve water.

Speaking during a visit to Linggiu Reservoir in Johor, Dr Balakrishnan said that water restrictions — such as halting the running of water features for aesthetic reasons — are possible if dry weather continues, but does not envisage water rationing.

Water from the Linggiu Reservoir is released into the Johor River to enable water to be drawn. The Johor River supplies up to 60 per cent of Singapore’s daily water needs (410 million gallons a day) and is the largest of Singapore’s “four taps” that also include desalination and NEWater.

Singapore has to draw more from its other taps if it is unable to draw the maximum 250 million gallons a day from the Johor River, as allowed under the 1962 water agreement with Malaysia.

Both Singapore and Malaysia have experience drier weather this year. Singapore’s rainfall in the first half of the year was 25 per cent lower than average. The El Niño weather phenomenon could bring drier and warmer weather in the second half of this year.

When completed in March 2016, the Johor Barrage across the Johor River will keep saltwater out during dry seasons and allow Singapore and Johor to draw its full capacity even during dry seasons.

But with climate change and more extreme weather, the reliable yield of the river will be affected.

Water supply from Johor ‘hit by dry weather’
NEO CHAI CHIN Today Online 4 Aug 15;

JOHOR — With the reservoir that enables Singapore to reliably draw water from the Johor River at a historic low, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan today (Aug 3) called on the public to save water and warned that restrictions could kick in if the situation worsens. These could include banning the unnecessary watering of plants or the running of water features for aesthetic reasons.

The Linggiu Reservoir in Johor receded to about slightly more than half (54.5 per cent) of its capacity today (Aug 3), the lowest in its 20-year history. Water from the reservoir is released into the Johor River to prevent saltwater intrusion from the sea into the river, as salty water cannot be treated by the water plant further downstream. This enables Singapore to draw a maximum of 250 million gallons per day from the river allowed under the 1962 water agreement between Singapore and Malaysia.

Writing on Facebook, Dr Balakrishnan, who visited the reservoir today, noted that Singapore is in a “much stronger and secure position now” thanks to its investments in desalination and NEWater over the decades. However, it should never take things for granted, he said.

“Water has always been an existential issue for us since independence 50 years ago... We have to constantly be aware of potential problems and prepare well ahead of time,” Dr Balakrishnan said.

He added: “No other country has pursued water security with such a single minded focus on such a scale. Without these investments we would be in a very precarious position.”

The Johor River is Singapore’s source of imported water and supplies up to 60 per cent of Singapore’s daily water needs. Linggiu Reservoir’s levels have not recovered since the dry spell early last year and that has become a concern, said Dr Balakrishnan. The previous low was 63 per cent in May 2010. There have been 77 occasions this year where the PUB was temporarily unable to draw water from the river due to salinity intrusions caused by tide levels.

A new NEWater plant will be completed by next year and a third desalination plant will be completed in Tuas in 2017, boosting capacity by 80 million gallons per day. Desalination and NEWater are expected to meet up to 80 per cent of water demand in 2060. Speaking to reporters at the Linggiu Reservoir, he called these two “national taps” an insurance policy developed over the last two decades - they are “the reason why I can be concerned but not alarmed”, he added.

Singapore’s rainfall in the first half of this year was 25 per cent below average and PUB has also kept water levels at the Republic’s reservoirs high by running desalination and NEWater plants at almost full capacity, as another buffer.

Sufficient rain brought by the North East Monsoon at the end of the year could reverse the falling trend, said Dr Balakrishnan, who was at the reservoir today with PUB chief executive Ng Joo Hee and other officials. But the El Nino weather phenomenon predicted by weather experts could mean more dry weather for Singapore and Malaysia in the months ahead.

Water restrictions would be the next step if the situation worsens, but Dr Balakrishnan said water rationing is unlikely in the “foreseeable future”. “For now, all I’m asking for is water conservation,” he said.

Singapore has buffer capacity through desalination and water recycling, which can provide for up to 55 per cent of water needs.

The Linggiu Reservoir is built and operated by Singapore but owned by the State of Johor. It began operating in 1995 and is part of a 1990 agreement between both countries. The Johor River serves both Singapore and Johor and has a catchment area roughly twice the size of Singapore.

The Malaysian government is building a barrage across the Johor River to keep out saltwater intrusions during dry seasons and allow the full capacity of the river to be drawn even during dry spells. The Johor River Barrage is expected to be ready around March next year. But with climate change and more extreme weather, the reliable yield of the river will be affected.

Among other ways, households can save water by taking shorter showers and using water from the washing-machine rinse-cycle to flush the toilets and mop the floor, according to the PUB.

Johor reservoir's water level at historic low
Feng Zengkun, The Straits Times, 4 Aug 15;

Dry weather has led to a sharp decline in water level in an important reservoir which helps supply water from Malaysia to Singapore, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan said yesterday. The water in the Linggiu Reservoir in Johor has been steadily depleting due to prolonged dry weather in Malaysia and has now reached a historic low of 54.5 per cent of the reservoir's capacity.





Dr Balakrishnan said this is cause for concern, especially as it affects Singapore's ability to draw its full 250 million gallons entitlement from Malaysia's Johor River.

Under a 1962 agreement, Singapore can draw up to 250 million gallons of water a day from the river. This can meet up to 60 per cent of the Republic's current needs.

In 1994, Singapore built the Linggiu Reservoir upstream of the river, so that it can collect and release rainwater to push seawater back into the sea, ensuring Singapore's water supply. But since the start of this year, national water agency PUB has had to stop drawing water from the river temporarily on 77 occasions, due to seawater intruding from the sea into the river.

A weather phenomenon called El Nino is also expected to lead to even drier weather than usual for Singapore and Malaysia for the rest of the year, which will further affect the water supply from the river as well as Singapore's own reservoirs which store rainwater. If the situation continues to worsen, Singapore may have to restrict some uses of drinkable water, such as for washing vehicles and floors, said Dr Balakrishnan at a media briefing at the reservoir.

He added, however, that water rationing is not on the cards. Singapore has been keeping its own reservoirs healthy by ramping up water supply from its seawater treatment and Newater plants. "The key point that I want to share is that we are concerned but there is no need for alarm," said Dr Balakrishnan, even as he urged Singaporeans to do their part by using less water.

Reservoirs here healthy due to higher production
Carolyn Khew and Feng Zengkun, Straits Times AsiaOne 4 Aug 15;

Singapore's reservoirs may be quite full but that is because national water agency PUB has been ramping up its water production from Newater and desalination to almost full capacity, said Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan.

In fact, Singapore's rainfall, which is the main source of water for reservoirs, in the first half of this year was 25 per cent lower than average, due to drier- than-usual weather.

Yesterday, Dr Balakrishnan said Singapore's water supply from Malaysia has been affected by recent dry weather.

If the dry weather continues, water restrictions may have to kick in although the Government is not about to implement water rationing. "This means that PUB will say certain things are not permissible, for instance, unnecessary watering of plants and landscaping with potable water," he said, adding that the use of drinkable water for vehicle washing and to clean up floors might also be restricted.

Dr Cecilia Tortajada, a senior research fellow from the Institute of Water Policy at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, said that while the situation may be worrying, it is not alarming.

"Singapore has been aware for several years of the challenges associated with climate change either within Singapore or in the catchment area of the Johor River... Infrastructural projects are being planned and will be implemented, which is the right decision," said Dr Tortajada. "A main challenge, however, will be to make water use much more efficient in Singapore, making use of pricing and non-pricing mechanisms."

Singapore's agreement to obtain water from Malaysia ends in 2061 and plans are already afoot to ensure that the country can meet up to 80 per cent of its water needs through treated seawater and Newater by 2060.

By next year, the Malaysian government will build a barrage across the Johor River to better secure Malaysia's and Singapore's supply of water from the river.

By then, Singapore would have completed building another Newater plant - its fifth. Another seawater treatment plant to be completed by 2017 will be able to produce up to 130 million gallons of water a day from seawater, up from the current maximum of 100 million gallons a day.

The plants will ensure that Singapore can meet up to about 70 per cent of its water needs using treated seawater and Newater, which are not affected by the weather, unlike water from the Johor River and captured rainwater.

During the event, Dr Balakrishnan also urged Singaporeans to be mindful of their water usage.

"We have to conserve water with the dry weather... Fortunately we are in a secure position because of the investments and insurance policies we have bought for Singapore but do not take the climate and weather for granted," he said.

Use less water, urges minister
Feng Zengkun, New Paper AsiaOne 4 Aug 15;

Singaporeans have to start conserving their water use even more because dry weather is affecting the country's major source of water, said Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan yesterday.

The Republic can draw up to 250 million gallons of water a day, or up to about 60 per cent of its water needs, from the Johor River in Malaysia.

But this is only possible because the Linggiu Reservoir in Johor releases water into the river, preventing seawater from intruding into the river.

Since last year, water levels in the reservoir have been steadily depleting, and have now reached a historic low of 54.5 per cent of its capacity.

Singapore's national water agency PUB has already had to stop extracting water from the river temporarily 77 times this year.

An El Nino weather phenomenon is also expected to lead to even drier weather than usual for the rest of the year, which will further affect the water supply from the river as well as Singapore's own reservoirs which stores rainwater.

If the situation continues to worsen, Singapore may introduce water restrictions, such as banning the use of water jets to clean common areas, said Dr Balakrishnan at a press conference at the reservoir.

He added, however, that water rationing, will not be necessary for now. This is because Singapore has been keeping its own reservoirs full by ramping up water supply from its seawater and used-water treatment plants.

"The key point that I want to share is that we are concerned but there is no need for alarm," said Dr Balakrishnan, even as he urged Singaporeans to do their part by using less water.

Several infrastructural projects in the next few years are also expected to help Singapore.

For one thing, the Johor River will be dammed by a barrage by March next year to stop seawater intrusion.

Singapore will also finish building another used-water treatment plant by next year, and another seawater treatment plant by 2017.

Once those plants are up and running, Singapore will be able to meet up to about 70 per cent of its water needs using treated seawater and used water, which are not affected by the weather, unlike water from the Johor River and captured rainwater.

Treated seawater and used water supplies up to 55 per cent of water needs here now.

Singapore's agreement to obtain water from Malaysia ends in 2061.

By then, the Republic is expected to meet up to 80 per cent of its water needs through treated seawater and used water.

PM Lee watching Singapore's water stocks closely
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong notes that Linggiu Reservoir is only half full due to prolonged dry weather.
Channel NewsAsia 5 Aug 15;

SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has urged those in Singapore to conserve water, in light of "unprecedented" low levels of water at Linggiu Reservoir in Johor.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday (Aug 5), Mr Lee said he is watching the country’s water stocks closely amid celebrations for Singapore’s Golden Jubilee, and noted that Linggiu Reservoir is only half full due to prolonged dry weather.

On Monday, Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan visited Linggiu Reservoir and said the Government is very concerned. The reservoir is key to Singapore’s water supply, and there have been 77 occasions in 2015 thus far when national water agency PUB was unable to extract water from the Johor River due to low levels of water upstream at Linggiu Reservoir.

Imported water makes up about 60 per cent of Singapore’s water consumption needs. The Linggiu Reservoir is operated by PUB.

“If the dry weather continues and Linggiu Reservoir is emptied, PUB will be unable to draw all the water we are entitled to from the Johor River,” PM Lee said.

Mr Lee added that following a visit to Linggiu Reservoir in 2012, he decided to build more NEWater and desalination plants to make Singapore’s water support more resilient. “One more NEWater plant will be completed next year, and a third desalination plant in 2017,” he said.

“In Singapore, water will always be a precious resource. Never take it for granted, or waste it. Please do your part to conserve water,” said Mr Lee.

- CNA/dl

PM Lee urges Singaporeans to conserve water
The water level in Johor’s Linggiu Reservoir, which helps supply water from Malaysia to Singapore, at 55 per cent in August 2015.
AsiaOne 5 Aug 15;

SINGAPORE - Water levels at the Linggiu Reservoir in Johor has fallen to record lows, leading Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to urge Singaporeans to conserve water, following Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan's warning on Monday.

The Linggiu Reservoir is a key reservoir which enables Singapore to draw water from the Johor River.

PM Lee cautioned on his Facebook page that the Public Utilities Board will be unable to draw all the water from the Johor River if the dry weather continues and Linggiu Reservoir is emptied.

The Linggiu Reservoir ensures that the Johor River can provide 250 million gallons per day for Singapore, Dr Balakrishnan wrote on his Facebook page on Monday.

"In fact, the probable onset of the El Nino dry spell means this is likely to drop further, compromising our biggest source of water," he added.

Imported water makes up about 60 per cent of Singapore's water consumption needs.

PM Lee visited Linggiu Reservoir in 2012 and decided to build more NEWater and desalination plants, to make our water supply more resilient.

"One more NEWater plant will be completed next year, and a third desalination plant in 2017," PM Lee wrote. Singapore currently has four NEWater plants.

These additional capacities will ensure that about 70 per cent of Singapore's water needs can be met using treated seawater and Newater then.