Understanding the value of water

SINGAPORE faced its longest and worst dry spell in history in 2014. For two months starting in January, the island saw a severe dearth of rainfall (near-zero in February) and shrinking water bodies. A photo of a significantly dried up lake at the Botanic Gardens, published in a local newspaper, perfectly encapsulated the magnitude of the crisis.

Instead of saving water, Singaporeans' water consumption in fact increased by 5 per cent over the two months. Daily water use rose from an avera…