World Water Day: Water self-sufficiency part of Lee Kuan Yew’s legacy, says DPM Teo

SINGAPORE — Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said it was Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s determination and the vision as the nation’s first Prime Minister which pushed Singapore towards water self-sufficiency.

Speaking at celebrations to mark World Water Day at the Sports Hub today (Mar 21), Mr Teo wished Mr Lee well. The former Minister Mentor has been at the Singapore General Hospital since Feb 5, when he was admitted for severe pneumonia.

“Right here on the river in the 1960s and 1970s where the water was black, oily and dirty, he had the vision to think of this place as a beautiful bay that we could clean up and enjoy and which can give us life-giving water and with determination and persistence, and with cooperation from everyone, this is what we have today – a beautiful bay with life-giving water,” said the Deputy Prime Minister.

Mr Teo said that with Singapore marking 50 years of nation building this year, Singaporeans should remember the hard work that enabled Singapore to transform the country’s water vulnerability into an advantage.

And looking ahead, Mr Teo said climate change will pose new challenges to the country’s sustainable development efforts. To safeguard Singapore against changing weather patterns, the Government will continue to invest in water infrastructure ahead of demand, he said.

For example, a third desalination plant at Tuas will be completed by 2017, adding another 30 million gallons a day of desalinated water to Singapore’s water supply.

Water demand in Singapore is currently about 400 million gallons a day - a figure which is set to double by 2060. CHANNEL NEWSASIA