Special Thanks To

Team WackyWally would like to thank the Singapore PUB for the information and pictures that we obtained from their website. http://www.pub.gov.sg/

Water Saving Tips and Our Committment To Conserving Water

After our trip to Lower Seletar Reservoir, we have learnt the importance of playing our part in conserving water for continuation of our fresh water supply. We have researched on how water is used in many households in Singapore as well as some water saving tips that we can use to save water in our daily lives. Remember, a little effort goes a long way!

This is a pie chart from PUB showing the percentage of water an average family uses at home for various activities:

Singaporean households consume over 770 million litres of water daily which can fill 307 olympic-sized swimming pools or 513 million 1.5l sized bottles. However, if every household makes a commitment to save 10 litres of water daily by using the following simple water saving tips, the amount of water saved daily can fill 20 olympic-sized swimming pools.

The following are some tips to save water:

1.     Keep showers to under 5 minutes and turn off the shower when soaping.

2.     Install a thimble on shower heads and taps.

3.     Wash vegetables and dishes in a filled sink instead of under a running tap.

4.     When washing clothes by hand, use a filled tub instead of washing them under a running tap.

5.     Use washing machines on a full load.

6.     Use half flush for liquid waste.

7.     Never allow cisterns to flow.

8.     Never waste water flushing rubbish down the toilet.

9.     Discover and repair leaks promptly.

10.                       When brushing teeth, turn the tap off and use a tumbler to rinse your mouth.

11.                       Do not defrost food under a running tap. It’s safer and more water efficient to thaw it in the fridge.

12.                       Water plants in the early morning or late evening to reduce evaporation losses.

13.                       Never water plants on a rainy day.

14.                       Water plants using a watering can instead of a running hose.

15.                       Use a pail to wash cars.

16.                       Reuse water from the washing machine, leftover water from washing vegetables and rice to flush the toilet, wash car, water plants and mop the floor.

Other than using the above water saving tips, there are also some water saving appliances that we can install in our homes.

1.     Instantaneous water heater – Water will be heated once the shower tap is turned on, this helps to save water as we do not have to wait for the water to become warm before we use the water.

2.     Water Thimble – It reduces excessive water flow rates in taps and showerheads, reducing the consumption of water.

By following the above water saving tips and installing the water saving appliances, we will surely be able to save more than 10 litres of water daily.

Every one of us has made a commitment to follow these tips to work towards the conservation of this precious resource.

What We Have Learnt From This Trip To Lower Seletar Reservoir

After the learning journey to Lower Seletar Reservoir, we have learnt that conserving water is important as there is limited supply of fresh water and that only 1 percent of the total amount of water on the Earth is available for human consumption. As the world’s population constantly increases, the total supply of the fresh water on Earth will have to be shared among more people. The growth of agriculture will also lead to an increase in usage of water as water is used for watering of crops and rearing of livestock. 

To respond to the rising demand for water and the lack of water resources in Singapore, the Singapore government has set up catchment areas such as reservoirs which collect water from our abundant rainfall. Singapore uses the network of drains, canals, rivers, storm water collection ponds and reservoirs to collect rainwater before it is treated for drinking water supply. Increasing catchment areas will not only increase the amount of rainwater collected but also helps to keep the cost of the water treatment down as rainwater is cleaner than used water and does not contain salt unlike sea water. Hence, it is easier and less costly to purify.

We have also learnt about the four National Taps in Singapore. They are water from local catchment areas, imported water, reclaimed water known as NEWater and desalinated water. The government has also converted used water into usable water and used the process of removing salt from sea water which is known as desalination.

Practising water conservation helps the industries and households save money through reduced water bills and the government has less need to invest more money on water-related facilities such as pipelines. The Singapore government has done an efficient job in providing adequate fresh and clean water supply, however, Singaporeans must also play our part in conserving water to ensure the continuation of our active, beautiful and clean water supply.

Fun-Filled Activities at Lower Seletar Reservoir

We were very privileged to be able to go to Lower Seletar Reservoir for a learning journey in which we learnt much about Singapore’s water resources. The learning journey consisted of different stations that was facilitated by our Sec 3 seniors that our group had to go to learn more about this precious resource.

First, we went to the Heritage Viewing Deck of Lower Seletar Reservoir to wind back through time to find out about the history and activities that used to be held at Lower Seletar Reservoir. These are some of the pictures of the Heritage Viewing Deck: 

After learning about the history and the functions of Lower Seletar Reservoir, we proceeded to another station. The PH testing station.

These are some of the pictures we took at the PH testing station:

The facilitator explaining to us.

Some items used for the activity.

 

Some of the pictures of us at the different stations:

We had an enjoyable time learning about water at Lower Seletar Reservoir. J

Ecology, Hydrology, Sociology

We have learnt about  Ecology, Hydrology and Sociology during our trip to Lower Seletar Reservoir. Below is a video compiled by us regarding Ecology, Hydrology and Sociology.

Our Official Group Photo.

We are #TeamWackyWally , consisting of Lee Xin Yi, Goh Ying Qi, Cherylyn Lee Yi Hui, Ho Rong Xuan, Jeff Ng Kai Jie, Teo Jia Yu and Pei Chenge from class 2E of Anglican High School, Singapore. Hope you enjoy reading our blog. :)