In an earlier blog, we pointed out that one of the few things most Americans can agree on is that we value water and believe America’s water infrastructure must be improved. Doing so will help us eliminate waste, enhance sustainability, and use water much more efficiently. Further, the overwhelming majority of Americans in the survey say we are willing to pay for it.
Among the different groups, US Millennials—those now in their 20s and early 30s—are some of the biggest supporters of improving water infrastructure. However, this is not true among different groups of Millennials around the world, especially in Singapore.
A government focus group of younger Singaporeans and permanent residents found that those 55 and older have joined the bandwagon and support measures to use water more efficiently. However, younger Singaporeans don’t think it is that much of an issue. Some of the reasons for this include the following:
• Older people remember when water was rationed in the Republic; younger people have never had to ration water or be concerned about its availability. “While we hope that our younger Singaporeans would never go through water crises, we must all share in this national duty to guard our water resources zealously,” says Desmond Choo with Singapore’s Environment and Water Resources Department.
• Most older people in Singapore own where they live, so they pay for water. They know that by conserving water and using it more efficiently, their water bills will likely come down. Younger people here tend to rent.
• When it comes to sustainability in general, there appears to be more of a “sense of complacency” among younger Singaporeans that is reflected in their views about using water more efficiently.
This is likely why Singapore has begun a new campaign starting in March 2019. “Make Every Drop Count” is designed to encourage everyone in the country, young and old, to use water more efficiently and responsibly.
"Singapore, tiny but with lots of people, is an acutely water-stressed place," says Ng Joo Hee, one of the campaign managers. “The next drop of water could cost us more to process and to distribute.”
The campaign manager goes on to say that “water [in Singapore] is scarce, and it has to go through a lot before it is fit for human use. None of it should go to waste. So that everyone can have enough, all of us will have to make every single drop count.”
One way the Republic is making sure “every single drop counts” is by installing waterless urinal systems. Several manufacturers now market these urinals here, and the reason is simple: one waterless urinal can save as many as 35,000 gallons of water per year. Just imagine how much water would be saved if thousands of waterless urinals were installed.
For more information on ways to reduce water consumption, contact a Waterless Co representative at 1-800-244-6364
