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Home » Singapore Budget » Expenditure Overview » Social Development» Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources

Table of Contents Social Development Ministry of Education Ministry of National Development Ministry of Health Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts Security and External Relations Ministry of Defence Ministry of Home Affairs Ministry of Foreign Affairs Economic Development Ministry of Transport Ministry of Trade and Industry Ministry of Manpower Government Administration Ministry of Finance Ministry of Law Organs of State Prime Minister's Office SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT Ministry of Education Ministry of National Development Ministry of Health Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts

Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR)

MEWR’s mission is to ensure a clean, sustainable environment and water supply for Singapore. A total budget of $1.14 billion has been allocated to MEWR in FY2011 to achieve this mission.

The outcomes that MEWR is seeking to achieve are:

• Clean and healthy environment
• Good environmental and water (EW) infrastructure and services
• Long term resource sustainability
• Access to clean water
• Shared environmental ownership
• Safeguard Singapore’s EW strategic and economic interests
  
  

Clean and Healthy Environment

High Standards of Environmental Health

The National Environment Agency (NEA) maintains a high standard of environmental health. $255 million will be set aside to fund programmes for the control of vectors, upholding the cleanliness of public places and hygiene standards in food establishments, upgrading the facilities in hawker centres and markets, investing in R&D and increasing community participation among stakeholders.

Controlling vectors:

In the absence of a vaccine for dengue, eliminating mosquito breeding habitats is the key strategy to prevent dengue transmission. NEA adopts an integrated evidence-based dengue vector control strategy which consists of vector and viral surveillance, community mobilization, research and law enforcement to maintain a low incidence of dengue in Singapore. Research, surveillance and risk assessment are also conducted to control the spread of other vector-borne diseases such as malaria, chikungunya, rickettsiae and hanta virus infection.

Upholding the cleanliness of public places:

NEA cleanses over 6,900 km of public roads and pavements throughout Singapore daily. A large part of this is outsourced to private contractors who mechanised their cleansing operation to achieve greater efficiency. In 2010, NEA launched a new Anti-Littering Campaign to promote the habit of binning litter. The campaign, which continues into 2011, comprises more deterrent law enforcement, more comprehensive provision of litter bins and better targeted community outreach and public education.

To raise the standards and professionalism of the cleaning industry, NEA has rolled out a Voluntary Accreditation Scheme for cleaning companies. The scheme recognises companies that have put in place operating systems to provide quality cleaning services. It also allows service buyers to differentiate the quality of cleaning companies before engaging them.

NEA enforces the Smoking (Prohibition in Certain Places) Act, which aims to protect the health of the public from the harmful health effects of second-hand smoke. NEA officers conduct regular inspections of premises where smoking is prohibited to ensure that the law is adhered to. NEA also regularly reviews the need to extend the smoking prohibition to other public places.

Championing food hygiene

NEA regulates the food retail industry in Singapore to ensure that high standards of cleanliness and food hygiene are adhered to by operators. Inspections are carried out regularly and enforcement actions taken against those who fail to meet standards. NEA also promotes shared responsibility by requiring certain categories of food establishments to engage a Food Hygiene Officer. These are supervisors or managers of food establishments who are trained to oversee the cleanliness and food hygiene standards in their premises.

The stringent regulatory regime for food hygiene standards is complemented by research and development in food microbiology. These efforts aim to identify and mitigate the risks that are presented in the process of food preparation.

Upgrading our hawker centres and wet markets

NEA is responsible for the management of 109 hawker centres and wet markets in Singapore. In line with the government’s effort to upgrade public housing estates, the Hawker Centres Upgrading Programme (HUP) was launched in 2001 to give a facelift to these facilities, many of which were built decades ago. As at 2010, 90 centres have been upgraded. The HUP is expected to be completed by 2012.

Providing care-for- the-dead services

NEA provides care-for-the-dead services, encompassing the management of public cemeteries (Choa Chu Kang), crematoria (Choa Chu Kang and Mandai) and columbaria (Choa Chu Kang, Mandai and Yishun). NEA is also redeveloping the Choa Chu Kang Cemetery to sustain the land-use for the next 100 years.

Good Ambient Air Quality

Good air quality safeguards public health and is an important component of quality of life. Singapore’s strategy to achieve this is through prevention, enforcement and monitoring. Prevention of pollution involves land use planning to site pollutive industries away from residential areas and requiring industries to install pollution control equipment before they can operate. Stringent enforcement is conducted to ensure that industries maintain and operate their pollution control equipment properly and comply with emission standards. The air quality is continuously monitored to ensure that the pollution control measures are adequate. Through these efforts, Singapore is able to achieve good ambient air quality that is comparable with the best cities in the world.

$52 million will be set aside to fund programmes such as:

• Emission control at source (e.g. from factories and vehicles);
• Monitoring of ambient air quality;
• Weather forecasting and early detection of natural hazards; and
• Regional collaboration on the prevention of transboundary smoke haze pollution.

Good environmental and water infrastructure and services

Flood Alleviation

PUB’s continual drainage improvement efforts have reduced the flood-prone areas in Singapore from 3,200 hectares in the 1970s to about 56 hectares by end of FY2010.

For FY2011, $271 million will be spent on drainage programmes. PUB will continue to work on drainage projects such as improvements to Geylang River, Rochor Canal, Bukit Timah Canal (near Maple Avenue) and Alexandra Canal (between Zion Road and Kim Seng Road). Orchard Road (between Cuscaden Road and Cairnhill Road) will also be raised by an average of 300 mm to increase protection against flash floods. PUB targets to further reduce the total flood prone areas to 48 hectares by end of FY2011.

Improved Used Water Management

Since 2009, works have commenced to extend Singapore’s used water network to serve new developments in the Jurong, Punggol Town, Marina South and Pasir Ris/Tampines areas.

$184 million will be spent in FY2011 to improve our used water infrastructure. The existing used water network in the Marina, Punggol-Serangoon and other catchment areas are being rehabilitated to enhance its structural integrity and operational reliability, thus preventing any potential leak and keeping the water clean.

Sustainable Solid Waste Management

There is a need to reduce the amount of waste disposed of at Semakau Landfill as there is limited space for landfill in Singapore. Incineration to reduce the volume of waste is one part of this strategy to minimise the amount of waste that needs to be disposed of at Semakau Landfill. $244 million will be set aside for:

• Incineration plants and landfill operation;

Long term resource sustainability

Waste Minimisation and Recycling

Singapore adopts a three-prong strategy to minimise the amount of waste that needs to be disposed. The three strategies are: waste minimisation at source, recycling to reduce the amount of waste disposed of and volume reduction of waste via incineration. $6 million will be set aside for waste minimisation and recycling programmes. The 3R fund, an $8 million co-funding scheme, was set up in 2009 to encourage organizations to undertake waste minimisation and recycling projects. Projects funded under this scheme will contribute to an increase in the quantity of solid waste recycled and a reduction in the quantity of solid waste generated.

• National Recycling Programme for HDB and landed property estates
  
  
• Recycling in Condominiums
  
  
• School Recycling Corner
  
  
• Recycling in industrial estates, and
  
  
• Voluntary Packaging Agreement between businesses, NGOs and NEA to minimise packaging waste at source
  
  

Energy-Efficient Singapore

Improving energy efficiency is an important strategy to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, in addition to protecting our air quality, enhancing our economic competitiveness and reducing our dependence on fossil fuels.

To encourage energy efficiency in the five key sectors of power generation, industry, transport, building and household, some $17 million will be set aside to fund programmes under the E2 Singapore plan:

• Energy Efficiency National Partnership (EENP);
  
  

  The EENP is a voluntary programme to encourage companies, especially large energy consumers in the industry sector, adopt energy management standards and put in place energy efficiency programmes to reduce energy wastage and improve energy efficiency. These efforts are intended to prepare affected industries for the Energy Conservation Act which comes into effect in 2013.
• Incentives to help companies achieve greater energy efficiency;
  • The Singapore Certified Energy Manager (SCEM) Training Grant
  • Energy Efficiency Improvement Assistance Scheme
  • Grant for Energy Efficient Technologies
• Mandatory Fuel Economy Labelling for passenger cars and light goods vehicles;
• Mandatory Energy Labelling for household air-conditioners, refrigerators and clothes dryers;
  
  

  
• Minimum Energy Performance Standards for household air-conditioners and refrigerators; and
• Outreach programmes under the 10% Energy Challenge; and
  
  

  
• Public sector taking the lead in environmental sustainability.

This initiative will see the public sector demonstrate the associated environmental and economic benefits of utilising resources optimally. Specific initiatives include:

• Instituting waste recycling programmes;
• Implementing energy audits;
• Achieving minimum system efficiency for central air-conditioning systems;
• Adopting the latest ENERGY STAR standards in the procurement of all new office information and communication technology equipment;
• Attaining the Water Efficient Building label for public sector buildings and schools; and
• Acquiring the Green Mark Platinum level for all new public sector buildings with more than 5,000m2 of air-conditioned floor area and at least the Green Mark GoldPlus standard by 2020 for existing buildings with more than 10,000m2 of air-conditioned floor area

Access to clean water; Shared environmental ownership

Building a City of Gardens and Water

The Active, Beautiful and Clean (ABC) Waters Programme is a long-term strategic initiative to bring Singaporeans closer to water so that they can better appreciate and cherish this precious resource. The ABC Waters Programme will help transform Singapore into a City of Gardens and Water through the transformation of utilitarian drains, canals and reservoirs into beautiful and clean streams, rivers and lakes that are teeming with vibrancy, thus creating a sense of collective ownership of our water resources.

The master plan for the ABC Waters Programme, unveiled in April 2008, shows the possibilities and opportunities for the transformation of Singapore’s network of drains, canals and reservoirs into beautiful and clean streams, rivers and lakes that are vibrant and aesthetically pleasing. Some of the key ABC Waters projects completed in 2010 include the Family Bay and Rowers Bay @ Lower Seletar, Pandan Reservoir, Jurong Lake and Sengkang Floating Wetland.

$13 million will be spent in FY2011 on the ABC Waters Programme. Some of the key projects scheduled to be completed in 2011 include Kallang River @Bishan Park and Alexandra Canal.

Safeguard Singapore’s EW strategic and economic interests

Safeguard Singapore’s EW strategic and economic interests

On the international front, MEWR engages its partners to:

• Address environment and water issues that may affect the region;
• Share Singapore’s environmental and water capabilities;
• Help fulfil Singapore’s international obligations; and
• Explore commercial opportunities in the areas of environment and water.

For FY2011, MEWR will continue with Singapore’s constructive participation in various international and regional fora to address environmental and water issues of concern, maintain close collaboration with counterparts in the region and beyond, and facilitate trade and investment in environment and water goods and services in the on-going FTA negotiations that Singapore has embarked on.

Separately, MEWR also supports the National Research Foundation’s (NRF) efforts to build up Singapore’s R&D capabilities in water and grow Singapore into a global environment & water hub for business, investment, research and technology.

For the $330 million Clean Water Programme funded by the National Research Foundation, we target to grow the value-added (VA) contribution from the water industry from $0.5 billion in 2003 to $1.7 billion by 2015, and double the number of jobs in this sector to 11,000 over the same period. To this end, we have adopted a Whole-Of-Government approach along three strategic thrusts:

• Capability Development: Build up the technology base of the industries, and develop the necessary talent and manpower to meet the needs of this growing sector.
• Cluster Development: Anchoring major foreign players and grow local companies, including start-up companies to develop a vibrant eco-system spanning the entire value chain of activities in the sector
• Internationalisation: Profile Singapore as the platform for water solutions and facilitate efforts by Singapore-based companies to expand their businesses and operations overseas so as to capture a share of the global market.

Additionally, the $15mil Environment Technology Research Programme (ETRP), launched in 2009, continues to support kick-starting of research efforts to develop cost effective and sustainable waste management solutions that are applicable in Singapore as well as other cities.

To find out more about the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources and our initiatives, please visit our website.