Singapore - Catching Every Drop of Rain
Singapore - Catching Every Drop of Rain
The source of the map of the rivers of Singapore is the Singapore PUB
As a small island that doesn't have natural aquifers and lakes and with little land to collect rainwater, Singapore needs to maximize whatever it can harvest.
Currently, Singapore uses two separate systems to collect rainwater and used water. Rainwater is collected through a comprehensive network of drains, canals, rivers and stormwater collection ponds before it is channelled to Singapore's 17 reservoirs for storage. This makes Singapore one of the few countries in the world to harvest urban stormwater on a large scale for its water supply.
The newest reservoirs are Punggol and Serangoon Reservoirs which are our 16th and 17th reservoirs. By 2011, the water catchment area has increased from half to two-thirds of Singapore's land surface with the completion of the Marina, Punggol and Serangoon reservoirs.
With all the major estuaries already dammed to create reservoirs, PUB aims to harness water from the remaining streams and rivulets near the shoreline using technology that can treat water of varying salinity. This will boost Singapore's water catchment area to 90% by 2060,
The goal is to capture every drop of rain (Figure 1)
Reservoirs
Pandan Reservoir
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Kranji Reservoir
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Jurong Lake Reservoir
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MacRitchie Reservoir
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Upper Peirce Reservoir
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Lower Peirce Reservoir
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Bedok Reservoir
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Upper Seletar Reservoir
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Lower Seletar Reservoir
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Poyan Reservoir
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Murai Reservoir
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Tengeh Reservoir
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Sarimbun Reservoir
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Pulau Tekong Reservoir
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Marina Reservoir
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Serangoon Reservoir
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Punggol Reservoir
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Rivers
Singapore River
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Sungei Kallang
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Rochor River
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Sungei Whampoa
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Geylang River
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Sungei Bedok
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Sungei Ketapang
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Sungei Changi
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Sungei Selarang
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Sungei Loyang
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Sungei Tampines
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Sungei Api Api
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Sungei Blukar
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Sungei Serangoon
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Sungei Punggol
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Sungei Tongkang
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Sungei Pinang
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Sungei Seletar
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Sungei Khatib Bongsu
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Sungei Seletar Simpang Kiri
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Sungei Sembawang
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Sungei Mandai
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Sungei China
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Sungei Mandai Kechil
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Sungei Peng Siang
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Sungei Tengah
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Sungei Kangkar
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Sungei Buloh Besar
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Sungei Jurong
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Sungei Lanchar
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Sungei Pandan
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Sungei Ulu Pandan
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Figure 1. Overall Map of Singapore from http://caelanchewthegreat.blogspot.sg/2012/04/geography-aa-2012national-tap-1-water.html
Here's an emoji-laden table summarizing Singapore's efforts in rainwater harvesting and management:
| Topic π | Description π | Emoji Illustration π |
|---|---|---|
| Rainwater Harvesting π§️ | Singapore utilizes a comprehensive network of drains, canals, rivers, and stormwater collection ponds to channel rainwater into 17 reservoirs, making it one of the few countries to harvest urban stormwater on a large scale. | π§️π¦π |
| Reservoir Expansion π️ | The addition of Punggol and Serangoon Reservoirs, as well as the completion of Marina Reservoir, increased the water catchment area from half to two-thirds of Singapore's land surface by 2011. | π️⬆️πΈπ¬ |
| Future Water Catchment Goals π― | PUB aims to boost Singapore's water catchment area to 90% by 2060 by harnessing water from remaining streams and rivulets near the shoreline using technology to treat water of varying salinity. | π―π§π |
| Reservoirs π° | List includes Pandan, Kranji, Jurong Lake, MacRitchie, Upper Peirce, Lower Peirce, Bedok, Upper Seletar, Lower Seletar, Poyan, Murai, Tengeh, Sarimbun, Pulau Tekong, Marina, Serangoon, and Punggol Reservoirs. | π°ππ§ |
| Rivers π️ | Extensive list of rivers including Singapore River, Sungei Kallang, Rochor River, and many others which play a role in the rainwater collection system. | π️π¦π |
This table encapsulates Singapore's robust approach towards maximizing rainwater harvesting amidst geographical constraints, its expansion of reservoirs to increase water catchment areas, and its ambitious goals for future water catchment, along with a mention of the numerous reservoirs and rivers that contribute to this system.

