Keppel is among 10 winners of water conservation prize
Grace Chua, Straits Times 30 Sep 09;
GOLF courses are notorious for being environmental villains, what with their high water consumption and use of pesticides.
But Keppel Club, nestled in Pasir Panjang, not far from Sentosa, is trying to shake off that image.
Yesterday, the club scored a Watermark Award for its water conservation efforts, which include installing taps that shut off automatically and using rainwater to irrigate its greens.
Also, as the course nestles up against Berlayer Creek, a saltwater mangrove swamp, the club in 2006 adopted the area - conducting regular clean-ups there and protecting its bird and plant life.
The third annual Watermark Awards, given out by the water utilities board PUB, are for organisations and individuals who take water conservation seriously.
'I think this award is a form of recognition that shows golf clubs can be green,' said Keppel Club president Edwin Khew, who is also the chief executive of waste management company IUT Global.
'Hopefully we can encourage other golf courses to do the same,' he added.
Water conservation measures, Mr Khew estimated, have cut the club's water consumption by about 20 per cent.
Of the 10 award winners, three are individuals and three are schools like Elias Park Primary School in Pasir Ris, which adopted nearby Sungei Api Api. The school conducts regular clean-ups at the small river at Pasir Ris Park.
The remaining four awards went to organisations or companies such as Hitachi Global Storage Technologies, which uses new solvent-cleaning technologies to wash machine parts, thereby reducing the amount of water used.
The winners were selected from 46 nominees.
One of the individual award winners is Sembawang grassroots leader Peter Lo, 63. He recruits volunteers for waterway monitoring and to help residents install water-saving thimbles.
So far, he has gathered about 50 volunteers, and single-handedly installed more than 100 thimbles for needy residents.
The retired businessman explained that his Hong Kong childhood, with its severe droughts and water rationing in the 1960s, drove his desire to make every drop count.
'Everything we touch, even the rice we eat every day, is related to water. It's the most important natural resource,' he said.
10 win Watermark awards
Grace Chua, Straits Times 29 Sep 09;
GOLF courses are notorious for being environmental villains, with their high water consumption and pollution with pesticides.
But Keppel Club, nestled in Pasir Panjang not far from Sentosa, is trying to shake that image.
The club was awarded a Watermark Award on Tuesday for its water conservation efforts, such as installing automatic taps and recycled-water ponds to water its golf courses with rainwater.
The club's greens also nestle up against Berlayer Creek, a mangrove swamp. In 2006, it adopted the saltwater mangroves, conducting clean-ups there and protecting its bird and plant life.
The annual Watermark Awards, given out by water utility board PUB, are for organisations and individuals who go the extra mile for water conservation. This is the third time they are being awarded.
'I think this award from PUB is a form of recognition that golf clubs can be green,' said Keppel Club president Edwin Khew, who is also the chief executive of waste management company IUT Global.
'Hopefully we can encourage other golf courses to do the same,' he added.
Water conservation measures, Mr Khew estimates, have cut the club's consumption about 20 per cent.
Of the 10 award winners, three are individuals, three are schools like Elias Park Primary School in Pasir Ris, which adopted nearby Sungei Api Api, and four are organisations or companies like Hitachi Global Storage Technologies, which uses new technologies to wash machine parts and save water.
They were selected from 46 nominations.
Read the full story in Wednesday's edition of The Straits Times (above).
10 PUB Watermark awards given out
Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia 29 Sep 09;
SINGAPORE : The largest number of the PUB Watermark Awards has been given out on Tuesday evening at the Marina Barrage.
Environment and Water Resources Minister Yaacob Ibrahim gave out 10 awards to recognise efforts in protecting and highlighting Singapore's precious water resources.
The 10 water champions are CapitaLand, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (GST) Singapore, Housing & Development Board, Keppel Club, Elias Park Primary School, St Anthony's Primary School, Nan Hua High School, Mrs Koh-Leong Swee Ling, Mr Peter Lo Shui Sung and Mr Frederick Yeo Lye Hock.
Recipients included property developers, recreation clubs, schools and companies. One recipient even developed a new technology to help save water. - CNA /ls
