10,000 homes to have smart shower devices by end-2019: PUB

SINGAPORE ― Following the installation of smart shower devices at 300 new homes in Bukit Batok, a total of 10,000 of such devices – which provides real-time information on water usage – will be installed progressively by national water agency PUB in some Build-to-Order (BTO) projects by the end of next year.

With these devices, residents can also set water conservation goals and monitor their water usage history through a mobile application, said PUB in a media release on Saturday (March 17), adding that a recent study on water consumption showed that showering makes up the highest water usage in a household.

The first batch of homes to come with the smart shower devices is at West Rock@Batok.

They will also be installed in BTO projects such as Meadow Spring at Yishun, Toa Payoh Apex and Buangkok Park Vista by the end of next year. Families who have opted for sanitary fitting under the Housing and Development Board’s Optional Component Scheme will have the device in their homes.

Ms Caroline Huang, who bought a unit at West Rock@Bukit Batok, said she and her family are keen to try out the device to monitor their water consumption.

“Water is a precious resource, and we hope to do our part in using water wisely,” she added.

The smart shower devices installed at West Rock@Bukit Batok has a numerical display showing the amount of water used when the shower head is turned on.

PUB will use a different device for the other BTO projects later this year. Instead of a numerical display, the device will have colour codes on the shower head to indicate varying consumption levels.

“If we can motivate behavioural changes in shower habits by providing real-time information, there is potential to achieve water savings,” said PUB director of water supply network Ridzuan Ismail.

“We want to study the results of using such devices, and see if (the initiative) can be adopted on a larger scale in future. This would also encourage suppliers to improve the features of existing devices in the market, and leverage economies of scale to provide customers with more options for such devices in the future.”

In 2015, the PUB launched a trial of the Smart Shower Programme with 500 households.

Results from the trial showed that households could save about 5 litres of water per person per day during showers, when provided with real-time water usage information coupled with “optimal goal setting”.

This can potentially help households to save about 3 per cent of their monthly water usage, added the PUB.

PUB said the entire smart shower demonstration project, from device deployment to data analysis, is expected to take at least three years. Members of the public who are interested to use these devices are encouraged to buy them online.