Dear Editor,
Crisis in the water sector is not new to Jamaica. However, solving them will require innovative thinking.
Unlike Jamaica, in Singapore water is a scarce commodity. But they have a growing water industry. Since Singapore does not have an abundance of water, the city state was forced to become innovative. For example, the national water agency of Singapore has a budget dedicated to financing research and development in the water sector. Singapore has gone ahead by even using treated wastewater for domestic purposes. They have used sophisticated membrane technology to treat wastewater, known as NEWater. Presently, Newater meets 30 per cent of Singapore's needs, but the Government plans to triple the current NEWater capacity so that, by 2060, it will meet 55 per cent of future water demands. According to Singapore's Public Utilities Board, the project is so successful that it has passed over 130,000 scientific tests and surpasses the World Health Organization's requirements.
Jamaica may not have the finances to implement similar initiatives, but this country can learn from Singapore. For example, in Jamaica, wastewater can be reused for industrial purposes. Cultural prejudices may prevent a similar project for domestic use in Jamaica, however, we cannot allow myopia to prevent future innovation. This is 2015, the people of Jamaica must become au fait with the latest technologies and refrain from supporting backward views.
Lipton Matthews
lo_matthews@yahoo.com
Water problem needs innovation
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Crisis in the water sector is not new to Jamaica. However, solving them will require innovative thinking.
Unlike Jamaica, in Singapore water is a scarce commodity. But they have a growing water industry. Since Singapore does not have an abundance of water, the city state was forced to become innovative. For example, the national water agency of Singapore has a budget dedicated to financing research and development in the water sector. Singapore has gone ahead by even using treated wastewater for domestic purposes. They have used sophisticated membrane technology to treat wastewater, known as NEWater. Presently, Newater meets 30 per cent of Singapore's needs, but the Government plans to triple the current NEWater capacity so that, by 2060, it will meet 55 per cent of future water demands. According to Singapore's Public Utilities Board, the project is so successful that it has passed over 130,000 scientific tests and surpasses the World Health Organization's requirements.
Jamaica may not have the finances to implement similar initiatives, but this country can learn from Singapore. For example, in Jamaica, wastewater can be reused for industrial purposes. Cultural prejudices may prevent a similar project for domestic use in Jamaica, however, we cannot allow myopia to prevent future innovation. This is 2015, the people of Jamaica must become au fait with the latest technologies and refrain from supporting backward views.
Lipton Matthews
lo_matthews@yahoo.com
Water problem needs innovation
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