Singapore’s two-front battle with water security and climate change

The downpour on Jan 1 (above) dumped 318.6mm of rain, causing flash floods in several areas. The amount of rain that fell was significantly more than the 238mm historical average for the entire month of January, and within the first percentile of maximum daily rainfall recorded for the past 39 years. ST FILE PHOTO.

Asit K. Biswas and Ng Joo Hee

THE STRAITS TIMES | June 5, 2021

‘Boom and bust’ rainfall is one challenge as weather patterns change. The other is how to produce more potable water through processes such as desalination without raising carbon emissions.

Too much, too little, and never quite enough – that sums up Singapore’s water challenge now compounded by climate change. As we mark World Environment Day today, it is timely to take stock of the existential challenge posed by climate change through the lens of water and what Singapore is doing to overcome that.

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