Singapore has almost no fresh water of its own and buys much of it under a deal that runs out in 2061, so it built its way out — recycled sewage now supplies up to forty per cent of the country’s water, and the target is fifty-five per cent by 2060

A city-state with no natural freshwater sourcesSingapore’s national water agency says the island has no natural freshwater sources of its own and limited land for collecting rain. Under the 1962 agreement with Malaysia, it continues to draw 250 million gallons of raw water per day from the Johor River, paying 3 sen per thousand gallons. Johor, in return, is entitled to buy treated water from Singapore. Singapore has therefore built a diversified supply around its Four National Taps: local catchment water, imported water, NEWater and desalinated seawater. Forty per cent now, fifty-five by 2060NEWater is one of Singapore’s Four National Taps, alongside local catchment water, imported water and desalinated seawater.