CERTAIN water-intensive industries will face mandatory water recycling requirements from Jan 1, 2024, the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment’s (MSE) announced during the committee of supply debate on Thursday (Mar 2).

The rules will apply to new projects in the wafer fabrication, electronics and biomedical industries that consume at least 60,000 cubic metres of water annually.

Wafer fabrication plants involved in front-end semiconductor manufacturing will have to hit a minimum recycling rate of 50 per cent. Electronic and biomedical plants will be mandated to recycle specified waste water streams.

MSE and national water agency PUB said the affected industries are among Singapore’s largest water users, accounting for 17 per cent of the current non-domestic water demand.

With the new recycling requirements in place, Singapore is projected to save nine million gallons of water per day, equivalent to 15 Olympic-sized swimming pools from 2035, the authorities said.

The feedback from plant owners during industry consultations was that the recycling requirements are achievable for new projects, MSE and PUB said. The median recycling rate among existing wafer fabrication plants is already at 43 per cent.

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Ridzuan Ismail, director of PUB’s water supply network department, said the agency will be able to support companies with technical advice on design plans for new facilities and operations.

Companies implementing the water recycling projects to meet the new requirements can also receive financial support through PUB’s Water Efficiency Fund and Industrial Water Solutions Demonstration Fund within the next two years until end-2025, the authorities added.

PUB said that it is reviewing its funding framework and looking into providing more incentives for companies to achieve higher recycling rates beyond the mandated level.

Details will be made available in the next few months, the authorities said.

Other water initiatives

Separately, PUB will be redeveloping Kranji Water Reclamation Plant and Kranji NEWater Factory to meet the projected increase in used water from upcoming major residential and industrial developments in the north of Singapore, such as Tengah New Town and Sungei Kadut Eco-District.

The existing Kranji Water Reclamation Plant was built in the 1980s. It treats used water for further reclamation at the co-located Kranji NEWater Factory to produce NEWater, an ultra-clean, high-grade water, or for discharge into the sea.

The redevelopment, which is to increase the facilities’ treatment capacities and tie in advanced technologies, is expected to be ready around 2035, MSE and PUB said.