Singapore uses about 430 million gallons of water every day — a number it expects could double in the next four decades. That kind of consumption is piling pressure on the Asian city state to address growing concerns about global water scarcity. So it's building new technology to prepare itself for a future where obtaining clean water will be even more difficult.
"Singapore truly has become a global water hub," said Shane Snyder, executive director of the Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University. "But as it stands, it imports approximately 40% of its water today. And with climate change, that water has become far less dependable." Rapid urbanization and rising global temperatures are making access to natural water sources increasingly hard to come by. Today, a quarter of the world lives in areas of high water stress. Experts say we're consuming natural resources faster than the earth can replenish them.
"Singapore truly has become a global water hub," said Shane Snyder, executive director of the Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University. "But as it stands, it imports approximately 40% of its water today. And with climate change, that water has become far less dependable." Rapid urbanization and rising global temperatures are making access to natural water sources increasingly hard to come by. Today, a quarter of the world lives in areas of high water stress. Experts say we're consuming natural resources faster than the earth can replenish them.
