SINGAPORE: A brand new S$120 million reservoir in Tengah is about to start operations this 12 months, supplying handled ingesting water to about 42,000 households and an upcoming industrial precinct.
The undertaking could solely be opening now, however its story started a decade in the past. Planning began in 2016, lengthy earlier than most of Tengah’s houses had been constructed. In accordance with Channel NewsAsia (CNA), development was accomplished in November 2025 after greater than three years of labor.
Talking on the opening of Singapore Worldwide Water Week on June 16, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Commerce and Trade Gan Kim Yong described the reservoir for instance of long-term infrastructure planning that prepares for future demand earlier than it arrives.
Reservoir constructed for a city nonetheless taking form
The Tengah Service Reservoir sits on the highest level in Tengah, about 40m above sea stage. Its location permits handled water to move by gravity to close by estates, lowering the necessity for added pumping.
The power consists of two tanks, every about 5 storeys tall. Collectively, they will retailer sufficient handled water to fill round 22 Olympic-sized swimming swimming pools.
Public Utilities Board (PUB) mentioned service reservoirs assist assist Singapore’s water system by storing handled ingesting water earlier than it’s delivered to houses and companies. In addition they assist easy out day by day demand adjustments and supply a buffer throughout peak utilization or surprising disruptions.
The brand new reservoir is anticipated to contribute to future housing developments in Tengah in addition to companies within the upcoming Tengah industrial precinct inside the Jurong Innovation District.
Planning forward for future water demand
Mr Gan mentioned investments in water infrastructure are about growing capability and making certain Singapore has dependable methods in place earlier than demand rises, and that future generations inherit a strong water community.
Singapore continues to stability city development, industrial enlargement and useful resource safety.
The opening of the reservoir additionally coincided with an announcement that PUB will make investments S$12 million to develop water-efficiency and water-recycling options for wafer fabrication vegetation and knowledge centres, each of that are main water customers.
Mr Gan mentioned public funding is essential, and he added that bigger challenges would require stronger partnerships with personal buyers and establishments to scale up water initiatives.
New development technique used
PUB mentioned the undertaking marked the primary use of the slipform development technique for a service reservoir in Singapore.
The approach includes constantly pouring concrete into moulds that step by step transfer upward as the fabric units. For the Tengah reservoir, employees poured concrete across the clock for seven consecutive days to create seamless round partitions.
PUB defined that this lowered the variety of development joints, serving to to decrease the danger of future water leakage.
The reservoir may also be monitored remotely by means of PUB’s centralised management system. Water high quality checks will embrace monitoring for micro organism, pH ranges and residual chlorine. A fish exercise monitoring system has additionally been put in as a further safeguard.
Measures taken to guard wildlife
As a result of the location was positioned in a forested space, PUB applied measures to minimise the influence of development on surrounding wildlife.
These included wildlife shepherding earlier than website clearance, checks for nesting areas earlier than bushes had been eliminated, and non permanent obstacles to forestall animals from coming into development zones.
The steps taken present a rising concentrate on balancing main infrastructure initiatives with environmental issues as new cities are developed.
Residents could by no means see how the water system works, however each bathe, washer cycle and glass of ingesting water is determined by it. The Tengah reservoir is without doubt one of the nation’s most essential investments, constructed lengthy earlier than it was wanted.
