What economic issues does NEWater bring about?
· NEWater is to meet 40% of Singapore’s water needs by 2050. Along with the three other sources of water, Singapore is well on its way to becoming self-sufficient in terms of water supply, a year of 2061 being the estimated date. (Chew)
· If HDC’s like Singapore start to become more and more self-sufficient, LDC’s will not be able to receive an opportunity to compete in the global market.
· If intercontinental interaction deteriorates, global markets may not communicate as efficiently with each other.
· Would it not be wiser to place the NEWater plants in LDC’s so that they can receive and adequate water supply and gain revenue through exports, one of which could be to Singapore, which will keep global interaction alive and also save Singapore’s minimal land space?
· However, Singapore’s aim is to create a sustainable water supply, and NEWater is cheaper than the alternative, desalinated water, which is also more energy consuming. (FAQ)
· Even though NEWater is more expensive to produce than normal PUB water, it is sold at a cheaper price to attract customers, and because it doesn’t cost consumers/producers to pay for the “water-conservation-tax” as NEWater is trying to conserve water through recycling. (FAQ)
What moral issue does NEWater bring about?
· Is it morally correct to spend 180 million dollars on a single reclaimed water plant? (Chew) It is difficult to embrace the idea of drinking waste water, possibly industrial waste, which in most people’s minds immediately enforces a questionable attitude to the process. Should such large amounts of money be spent on such things, or should it be used to fix issues with fewer alternatives, such as lack of education, crime rates, and clean-up of the city? Government creates revenue from taxes, out of our savings, and is it fair for them to use this money to use in an area many citizens do not support?
· Also, without our knowledge, NEWater has been allowed to contribute to our potable water supply indirectly, by placing this water in reservoirs. We can be drinking NEWater without our knowledge of it, or our consent. Should we not have the choice? (Plans for NEWater)
· However, NEWater is recycled water, and a great solution for the environment and water conservation, and therefore the incentive behind NEWater is not one of greed.
