Singapore Continues Focus On Environment And Water Sustainability
Record number of visitors reached within just two years of opening.
Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Dr Amy Khor and PUB mascot Water Wally gave Mr Lee Soon Kwang a special welcome today when he became the 1,000,000th visitor to Marina Barrage.
“I am so surprised that I am the 1 millionth visitor of Marina Barrage. I have read so much about this place and have planned to come here for a long time. I thought this long weekend is a good time for us to spend a leisure afternoon at Marina Barrage,” said the 1,000,000th visitor, Mr Lee Soon Kwang, Charlie (李顺光), 34 years old, who is here with his wife, daughter, mother and sister.
Mr Lee is the QA Systems Manager of West Pharmaceutical Services and it is his first visit to Marina Barrage. “I think it is a great idea to let people come here and enjoy the water and nature. I live next to Sungei Serangoon so I can understand why it is important to keep the drains and canals clean. Otherwise, we will all be living and working next to dirty lakes and rivers.”
In just under two years, Marina Barrage has grown into a popular destination for people from all walks of life. It is also an important venue for people to learn about Singapore’s water story. Its visitorship comprises about 50% from the schools, 45% from the public with the remaining made up of foreigners and foreign agencies.
Mr Yap Kheng Guan, Director of 3P Network, PUB, the national water agency, added, We are happy to see so many people enjoying themselves at the Marina Barrage. The Barrage has now become an iconic public space for the community’s enjoyment yet performing its multiple roles as a water supply source and a flood control mechanism. The new reservoir in the city collects water from one sixth, and the most urbanised parts, of Singapore with a catchment that spans from Ang Mo Kio to Queenstown and Geylang, passing right through Orchard Road and Shenton Way. We hope that the community can help to keep the water in the reservoir clean by not littering and dirtying the drains and canals in these areas. ”
This June, the public can expect more full-filled activities at Marina Barrage. Following the successful hosting of the Opening Ceremony of the Singapore Arts Festival 2009 held at its Central Courtyard last year, a mega Line Dancing event will be held on 13 Jun 2010 with participants from community centres island-wide. From 26 to 27 Jun 2010, the Singapore International Water Festival will offer people gripping stunts by world renowned jet skiers, wakeboarders and speed boaters. As Marina Barrage is one of the technical tour locations for the third Singapore International Water Week, it will also welcome thousands of international delegates come 2 Jul 2010.
For more information, please go to www.siww.gov.sg.
Over the last two years, the Marina Barrage has played host to numerous mega events including the Army Half Marathon, Clean and Green Week, The New Paper Big Walk, National Day celebrations and Countdown etc. Its Central Courtyard and conference rooms are popular choices for private and corporate events.
The Green Roof, one of its green features that offers a spectacular view of the Singapore city skyline and open sea, is another preferred location for photography, picnics and kite flying, drawing visitors of all age groups.
Marina Barrage will continue to be an active edu-centre in sharing the Singapore Water Story and its efforts in environment and water sustainability. Members of the public who are keen to register for complimentary tours can log on to www.pub.gov.sg/marina for more details.
About Marina Barrage
Marina Barrage was officially opened on 31 Oct 2008 by Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. A milestone project in the nation’s integrated water management, Marina Barrage has created the Marina Reservoir, Singapore’s 15th reservoir and first reservoir in the city.
Together with the new Punggol and Serangoon Reservoirs, Marina Reservoir will increase Singapore water catchment areas from half to two-thirds of the nation’s land areas.
In addition to boosting Singapore’s water supply by 10%, the barrage has helped to alleviate flooding in the low-lying city areas and become a hot spot for recreational activities.
With its growing popularity, the barrage has become a must-see destination for foreign dignitaries during their state visits to Singapore. They include:
- President of Costa Rica, Mr Oscar Arias Sanchez
- Ex- Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Mr Tung Chee Hwa
- Princess of Thailand, HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn
- Crown Prince of The Netherlands, HRH Prince Willem-Alexander
- Deputy Prime Minister of Tatarstan, Ms Zilya Valeeva,
- Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam, Mr Hoang Trung Hai,
- Vice Premier of China, HE Wang Qishan
- Duke of York, HRH The Prince Andrew
- President of Timor Leste, President Jose Ramos- Horta
- Prime Minister of Timor Leste, Mr Xanana Gusmao
- Prime Minister of The Netherlands H.E. Jan Peter Balkenende
- King Letsie III, King Lesotho
With its unique three-in-one features of water supply, flood control and lifestyle hotspot, the barrage has also been featured in many foreign and local documentaries, drama series and movies as well as magazines including blockbuster programmes like The Amazing Race USA and Discovery Channel’s Man-made Marvels series.
About PUB
PUB is a statutory board under the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources. It is the national water agency, managing Singapore’s water supply, water catchment and used water in an integrated way. PUB won the 2007 Stockholm Industry Water Award and was named Water Agency of the Year at the Global Water Awards 2006.
About PUB’s tagline: Water for All: Conserve, Value, Enjoy
PUB has ensured a diversified and sustainable supply of water for Singapore with the Four National Taps (local catchment water, imported water, NEWater, desalinated water).
To provide water for all, PUB calls on all Singaporeans to play our part to conserve water, keep our water catchments and waterways clean and build a relationship with water so we can enjoy our water resources. We can then have enough water for all uses – for industry, for living, for life.
Topics: 2010, Amy Khor, business, catchments, Central Courtyard, conservation, desalinated water, economic development, economic growth, Economy, environment, Governance, government, imported water, lakes, littering, Marina Barrage, moniter, monitor, national taps, National Water Agency, NEWater, news, open sea, pub, reservoir, rivers, Singapore, Singapore Water Story, skyline, society, sustainablity, urban growth, water, Water Wally
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