Phase 2 of S$10B Deep Tunnel Sewerage System to Be Funded Through Govt Borrowing

In another reality, the flash floods last Saturday (17 Apr) were simply an anomaly in Singapore. By a stroke of luck, we saw continuous heavy rainfall that brought the cool weather, but also rainfall that threatened to spill out of canals and trees crashing onto the ground.

But we’re living in a world where flash floods aren’t just brought about by the wave of a hand of a god or are some random cards dealt by a higher being.

Neither is the lack of water and land just a coincidence in 2021.

And so long-term solutions must be sought to correct, or rather, mitigate such occurrences.

Deep Tunnel Sewerage System To Last Generations

This S$10 billion Deep Tunnel Sewerage System (DTSS) is a part of a project aimed at treating used water underground in order to make Singapore more water resilient. The relocation of facilities will help free up space above ground to tackle the issue of land scarcity as well.

According to The Straits Times, intermediate pumping stations and conventional water reclamation plants will be phased out, freeing up about 214 football fields’ worth of land.

How does it work? The DTSS is basically a network of deep tunnel sewers that makes use of gravity to channel used water to three centralised treatment plants—and it is there that NEWater is produced.

This major undertaking was already formulated more than two decades ago so that Singapore would be able to better capture every drop of water for reuse.

Second Minister for Finance, Ms Indranee Rajah noted that the system “is an example of how Singapore builds long term.”

“This can actually last us for the next 100 years, so effectively we’re building in this generation for the next generation, and the generation after that.”

The DTSS is slated to be complete in 2025.

To Be Financed Through Borrowing

Ms Indranee also added that the system is one of the “nationally significant” infrastructures that the government intends to pay for by borrowing.

Borrowing?

Yep. This project is one of the candidates for the proposed Significant Infrastructure Government Loan Act (SINGA), which allows the government to borrow up to S$90 billion to pay for infrastructures that will last more than 50 years.

P.S. Some other construction works which Singapore financed through borrowing were our first MRT lines and Changi Airport. The more you know!

Another fun fact is that the government hasn’t borrowed money to finance construction projects since the 1990s!

Ms Indranee also pointed out that the infrastructures built through the proposed Bill “must be something that benefits more than one generation, or at least across several generations so that the benefit is spread out.”

It must also be owned by the government and be controlled by it, and the expected cost must be at least S$4 billion.

The Bill will be debated in Parliament next month.

DTSS Phase 1 & 2

The first phase of the sewerage system was completed back in 2008, linking sewers and tunnels across the northern and eastern parts of Singapore. It amounted to a total of S$3.4 billion.

In phase two, 40km of deep tunnels and 60km of link sewers will cover the western part of the island, as well as the downtown area. As of April, 24km of the 100km conveyance system for phase two has been completed.

The infrastructure built in phase two will eventually be linked to the new Tuas Water Reclamation Plant. As reported by CNA, it is part of the upcoming Tuas Nexus, which will also include the National Environment Agency’s integrated waste management facility.

When completed, the DTSS is expected to support 55% of Singapore’s water needs.

Feature Image: Facebook (Indranee Rajah)