Learning journey to Choa Chu Kang (CCK) Waterworks (WW)

As part of my workshop on Anatomy of a Water Treatment Plant for Professionals, we visited CCK WW. It was real eye opener for me and the participants. Though I have visited Chestnut Drive WW previously, there are enough differences (now and then, Chestnut Drive vs. CCK) to make this trip a genuine learning journey.


Regrettably, one major difference is the prohibition of photography in the plant so I have no images to display here.


Without giving away too much (you have to go there to see for yourself!), here are some interesting stuff from the trip.

1. Kudos to the PUB staff there! They are visibly passionate about their work and were patient in answering our questions throughout the trip. At one point, we were stuck at a certain place because of rain. Our guide called for help in the form of plant truck to ferry the lot of us back to the admin building. Nice...
2. Lots of upgrading works in the pipeline
1. Polymeric membranes will give way to ceramic membranes which are supposedly tougher and longer lasting.
2. Biological activated carbon (BAC) will be used soon to polish up the treatment
3. Remote monitoring is the trend! Online monitoring of various parameters is done pervasively throughout the plant. And that is not all... the parameters can be monitored all the way at PUB HQ. Anything goes off specs, CCK will receive a questioning call. The monitoring system also ties into sms messages that inform the staff when things go off specs.
4. Backup is the norm
1. Generators are always on standby in case the power goes down.
2. SG actually has a standby waterworks. I won't tell you which one here.
3. We have a standby reservoir too! It is not actually used in day to day operations!

Figure: (Source: ue-enviro.com) I decided to add in a photo after all! This is an aerial view of CCK WW. Everything is laid out systematically. Reservoir water flows in from the top left, goes through the various treatment steps in the centre of the photo and ends up being disinfected finally at the bottom right. 

Revisiting rainwater harvesting in Singapore

Hi there,

 

I came across your blog when I was doing some research on rainwater harvesting systems (we are in the process of renovating an old inter-terrace house that that we just bought, and thought that this might be worth exploring).

 

I know that this is a question that you fielded a number of years ago (hopefully things have changed since then, as your answer then was that there wasn't much demand for this), but would you know what is available in the market in Singapore in terms of rainwater harvesting systems for domestic households (we are looking for a fairly straightforward above-ground system) and are there any that you recommend? 

 

Thank you,

 

Felix

Dear Felix,

Indeed, the rainwater harvesting (RWH) market appears to have developed in the past few years. I believe RWH is becoming more widely known and accepted in SG. That comes with a rise in demand for RWH and naturally, businesses will be built around servicing this demand.

I am actually happy to see this happening as it shows that people are becoming green not just in words but in action too. However, we also have to bear in mind that the current RWH solutions in the market are more geared towards a private house rather than a HDB flat. (On the other hand, RWH can be done at community level by e.g. HDB at Treelodge@Punggol in which the whole HDB estate is designed and built for RWH.)

Over the past years, I have come into contact with some of these businesses. A quick online search should yield the same results.

1. Green Eco Harvesting
   A quick glance shows that it is offering tanks and filters for RWH
2. Netatech
   It advertises construction of RWH system.
3. Hydro
   It features tanks and filters for RWH.

As for your question, no, I have no preference for the above or any other vendors. But if you decide to go ahead to integrate a RWH system into your house, a few points to keep in mind...

1. Does the vendor only sell you the tank & filter or does it include installation into your existing house structure?
2. What kind of maintenance is needed for your RWH system? Does the vendor offer such a service or are you on your own after its installation? Obviously, the cost and frequency of maintenance should be taken in consideration when you make your decision to get a RWH system.
3. Is your setup legal??? Legally speaking, the plans for your RWH setup have to be approved by PUB and NEA (if gutters are involved in RW collection). These plans are typically submitted by a QP/PE/architect to the authorities. Is the vendor doing these for you or are you expected to engage your own QP/PE/architect to do so? Finally, legal means additional costs so factor that in too!

Good luck!

Figure: using a zinc roof to collect rainwater (Water for Life, Hesperian Foundation)
Who says RWH has to be complicated? It has been and still is done simply and cheaply in developing countries. Mosquito breeding is a concern but not insurmountable with care and effort.