SINGAPORE - In 2024, household water consumption crept up slightly, with each resident using 142 litres of water a day, up from 141 litres in 2023. While domestic water usage remains lower than the pandemic years, homes still have some ways to go to reduce water use to 130 litres per person a day by 2030. National water agency PUB revealed the daily water usage figure for 2024 on March 8 at the launch of its annual water conservation campaign at Our Tampines Hub. The one-litre increase in water usage could be due to 2024 being a warmer and drier year, said PUB. 2024 tied with 2019 and 2016 as the warmest years in Singapore on record, when temperatures hit an annual mean of 28.4 deg C. To further help households save water, selected one to three-room HDB units will have inefficient water fittings replaced with newer ones that are more water-efficient. PUB said more details on this initiative will be announced at a later date, while it is seeking to partner private sector organisations on this programme. Under the Singapore Green Plan 2030, the goal is to reduce household water consumption to 130 litres per person a day. This means that residents have to reduce their daily water use by about 12 litres over the next five years. “In the post-Covid environment, lifestyle routines and workplace changes such as continuation of hybrid work arrangements may result in elevated water use in households. PUB will continue to encourage households to conserve water,” said PUB. During the Covid-19 pandemic when people mostly stayed home, household water consumption rose to 154 litres per person per day in 2020, and 158 litres in 2021. Water use then went down to 149 litres in 2022, as people returned to workplaces and schools as the country transitioned to living with the virus. To save water at a municipal level, PUB will work with town councils to progressively switch to using water-efficient high-pressure washers to clean common areas such as pavements and HDB corridors.This comes after trials with the Marine Parade and Marsiling-Yew Tee Town Councils found the new washers to be 20 per cent more water efficient than conventional washers.“When implemented, this initiative will potentially yield savings of up to 2.5 million gallons of water per day, equivalent to four Olympic-sized swimming pools,” said PUB. The water conservation campaign, which coincides with the Singapore World Water Day celebrations, takes a nostalgic tone this year as the country commemorates SG60. Over two days on March 8 and 9 at Our Tampines Hub, members of the public can walk through an exhibit that narrates Singapore’s water story – which includes innovations with Newater and desalinated water. Members of the public can walk through an exhibit that narrates Singapore’s water story at Our Tampines Hub on March 8 and 9.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUIAmong other activities across March, PUB’s partners such as Yew Tee Point mall and chipmaker STMicroelectronics will be conducting free tours for the community to visit waterways and reservoirs. Speaking at the launch event on March 8, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said the Republic has to continue to strengthen its water resilience, especially amid rising temperatures, prolonged dry periods and unpredictable rainfall patterns brought about by climate change.He alluded to a 27-day dry spell in 2014 which led to a drop in the water levels of reservoirs here. Back then, up to 25 million gallons of Newater had to be pumped into the reservoirs each day, an amount equivalent to 45 Olympic-sized swimming pools. “We must be prepared that such dry weather episodes will happen again, and may happen more frequently as well as for longer,” said DPM Gan, who is also Minister of Trade and Industry. He also urged households to use their climate vouchers to buy water-saving appliances such as shower fittings and taps with the three-tick water efficiency label. All HDB households were given $300 worth of climate vouchers in 2024, and they will receive a $100 top-up in mid-April 2025. The $400 vouchers will also be extended to Singaporean families living in private property. The e-vouchers will be valid till Dec 31, 2027. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong speaking at Singapore World Water Day celebrations at Our Tampines Hub on March 8.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUIAnd from April 2025, the second phase of the 50-cent water price hike will kick in, with every cubic m of water costing 30-cents more. It started with a 20-cent increase from April 2024. By April 2025, most households will fork out an additional $4 to $9, excluding the goods and services tax, for their monthly water bill, it was previously reported. In 2015, water usage was 151 litres per person. Singapore last had a water price hike in 2017. Each person’s daily water use fell from 148 litres in 2016 to 143 litres in 2017. The price hike and water efficiency labelling schemes were cited among the reasons for the fall. For the following two years in 2018 and 2019, each person’s daily water use, on average, was 141 litres. DPM Gan said: “Even though we do not have to worry every day about whether we will have enough water, we must never forget how precious water is, and do our part to use water wisely and prudently in our daily routines.”Shabana Begum is a correspondent, with a focus on environment and science, at The Straits Times.More on this TopicJoin ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.Thanks for sharing!