Water supply: Look beyond technology and innovation

NEARLY 300 utility managers from major cities of the world are meeting in Singapore today for a summit on technology and innovation under the aegis of the Singapore International Water Week. The focus of the summit is to identify "drivers of innovation and technology focus areas".

There is no question that Singapore is an excellent choice for such a meeting. Over the past two decades, it has made major advances in treating wastewater so that its quality can be even better than tap water. This has radically advanced Singapore's quest for water security - even now, the republic imports nearly 50 per cent of its water from Johor in Malaysia. For the city-state, water is not only a strategic issue but also an existential one.

The main architect of modern Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, realised the strategic importance of water for the country's survival and development more than 50 years ago. He was the only prime minister in the world for whom water was a priority issue for all the decades he was in power. In contrast, political leaders in every country are interested in water only when there is a major flood, prolonged drought or natural disaster. When the event is over, their interest in water promptly evaporates until the next catastrophe.