Water prices will remain unchanged this year, said Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, yesterday.
“I am not making any announcements on new rates or new charges. That’s not on the cards at this point in time,” he said.
He was responding to Member of Parliament for Aljunied GRC Sylvia Lim’s query on the assurance of affordable water in the future, during a debate over amendments to the Public Utilities and Sewerage and Drainage Acts.
However, Dr Balakrishnan pointed out that “no Minister for the Environment and Water Resources in Singapore can ever give you a (guarantee) that water prices will not change in the future”.
He added that water prices are dependent on many factors which are “beyond our control” and this is “because of our uniquely water-constrained circumstances”.
And a “key determinant” of water prices is the cost of energy, Dr Balakrishnan noted.
“We are very mindful that by running the most efficient water system possible, we can maintain water at an affordable rate for all our people.”
The ministry also intends to expand the country’s watercatchment area, which currently takes up two thirds of the island.
He said: “Going forward, the challenge of meeting the water needs of our population and economy will be even more complex.
“And by the expiry of the remaining water agreement in 2061, we have to be ready to be self-sufficient in water if no new agreement is struck before that date.”
To expand the catchment area, Singapore’s land, waterways and reservoirs need to be kept clean.
Any contamination of sources, pathways and receptacles in catchment areas may make the water more difficult and costly to treat, said Dr Balakrishnan.
So, changes to the relevant laws made yesterday would introduce stricter controls and penalties on pollution.
Dr Balakrishnan added that it is essential that the country continues to secure a sustainable and resilient water supply to meet the long-term needs of a growing economy and a growing population.
Securing such a supply will also help Singapore cope with the long-term challenges of climate uncertainty, he added.
