"Evaluate which method you think is the best and provide reasons for your choice."

As Singapore is a small country with little land area, building water catchments is not a very effective way due to land scarcity and rising demand for land. However it is the cheapest way among all the taps to obtain water for the country as rainwater is easier to purify, it is also able to collect more water during high or low rainfall, thus increasing the water available in Singapore. At the same time, more nature reserves and areas of greenery can be conserved too. But if Singapore were to fall into a period of drought one day, the water catchment areas would be useless in providing water for the citizens of the country.  

Another way that Singapore obtains water is by importing water. This is the most convenient way but least reliable to obtain water as Malaysia is located close to Singapore. However, importing water is a risky way to obtain water, and it is not a self- sufficient and long run method. It is not self-sufficient and risky as it is not possible for Singapore to keep relying on imported water as there is always an underlying threat that Malaysia will cut off their water supplies with us. It is not a long run method to obtain water as international agreements for water will expire. It may also be very expensive if the country selling us water decides to raise the price to earn more money.

Desalination is also another effective way to increase Singapore water’s supply. It is a reliable source of water, sustainable in the long-run and is a diversified water supply system.  However, it is the most expensive among the 4 taps. It also requires large amounts of energy. For example, SingSpring’s desalination plant in Tuas, Singapore cost $200 million.

Lastly,NEWater is also another effective way to increase Singapore water’s supply as wastewater is made potable for people through technology and thus reduce Singapore’s dependence on other countries for countries. It is also able to conserve and recycle used water. Among the 4 taps, it is the most reliable tap. This will enable Singapore to be more self-sufficient and is sustainable in the long-run. However, the process to treat the water is very expensive and requires large amounts of energy. For example, Bedok’s NEWater plant cost $6.82 million. Due to the removal of nutrients in the water, people may not get used to the taste of the water.

In conclusion, we think that NEWater is the most effective way of increasing Singapore’ water supply as Singapore is a problem of water shortage if the source of water is unreliable. It will cause negative impacts such as dehydration and insufficient water for industries and crops. Thus, it is important for Singapore to have a reliable source of source that would allow us to be self-sufficient in the long-run. Reliability is the most important among all. Also, NEWater allows used water to be recycled and conserved.  Although it is expensive and have a different taste, Singaporeans can still get used to the taste and afford it.