Tuas desalination plant: Could authorities elaborate on waiver?

Keeping abreast of green issues a must
Letter from Yeo Chow Khoon Today Online 11 Feb 11;

I REFER to the report "New Tuas desalination plant to have 'slight negative impact' on marine life" (Feb 7).

It is good to read such reports. It helps to keep Singapore citizens up to date on Government actions, to meet the ever- increasing demand for water by our growing population.

Among other things, it keeps citizens aware of the efforts made by the Government which are beneficial to us it also keeps us up to date on technological innovations that make things possible and the reassurance that environmental stewardship is always guiding our country's actions.

This is important because if people are not reminded they will not be conscious of the pressures we put on the environment. Hence, they may not act to ensure that we utilise our finite resources sustainably.

After the projected exceeding of the Effluent Discharge Standard of the National Environment Agency, by the yet-to- be-built desalination plant, it was reported that "a waiver has been agreed in principle with the NEA to permit the exceeding of these standards within the 10m mixing zone".

Could the authorities elaborate on this waiver?