On July 31, the NEWater Visitor Centre (NVC) at 20 Koh Sek Lim Rd will officially close its doors after 21 years of educating and inspiring 1.7 million visitors locally and around the world.

The Bedok NEWater factory next door, the pioneer in Singapore's NEWater journey, will also shut down on the same day, reaching the end of its operational lifespan. The Bedok facility will be replaced by a third NEWater factory at the Changi Water Reclamation Plant, which will be completed in 2026.

As we bid farewell to NVC, we look back at its legacy — a testament to Singapore's innovative spirit and relentless pursuit of water security.

Welcoming a centre of learning and innovation

NVC officially opened in February 2003 to educate visitors about how NEWater is produced and to promote water sustainability in Singapore.

Through engaging displays, interactive tours, exhibits, and hands-on workshops, visitors learned about the process that transforms used water into ultra-clean, high-grade recycled water.

Singapore's quest to reclaim water began in the 1970s when the feasibility of producing reclaimed water was first explored. Back then, the technology was costly and unreliable. However, by the 1990s, advances in membrane technology and cost reductions revitalised the dream.

In 1998, PUB, Singapore's National Water Agency, formed a water reclamation study team to test the latest membrane technology.

By 2000, a full-scale demo plant was up and running, proving that NEWater was not only viable but a sustainable source of water for Singapore — becoming one of Singapore's Four National Taps, the other three being a) water from local catchment, b) imported water, and c) desalinated water.

A who's who of visitors

A whopping 1.7 million people have walked through NVC's doors, among them some notable international guests, including:

• President of Timor Leste, Jose Ramos-Horta
• King of Malaysia, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah
• Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Donald Tsang
• US Ambassador to Singapore, David Adelman
• UN Deputy Secretary-General, Jan Eliasson
• Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, Dr Mohammad Shtayyeh
• Chief Minister of Rajasthan, India, Vasundhara Raje
• President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon
• India's Minister for Water Resources, Professor Saifuddin Soz

During his visit in 2008, Professor Soz remarked: "NEWater is beautiful as it is, in itself, a great hope not only for Singaporeans but for the world at large."

An award-winning facility

In 2005, NVC was named Best Sightseeing/Leisure/Educational Programme at the Singapore Tourism Awards. It also received the Highly Commended Award from the International Water Association for its school information programme.

A peek into the design

The building was designed by architectural firm Hunter Douglas, and its rooftop features highly reflective and curved metal ceilings, evoking the sparkling surface of flowing water.

NEWater beer? We'll drink to that! 

In 2018, PUB teamed up with local craft brewery Brewerkz to create NEWBrew, an alcoholic beverage made with 95 per cent NEWater.

The 3rd iteration of NEWbrew was launched to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Singapore International Water Week this year. A modern twist on traditional lagers, it is a Pilsner infused with hints of tangerine and tropical fruits!

More NEWater fun facts with docent James Chen

When you visit NVC, you're likely to be greeted by James Chen, a knowledgeable award-winning docent who has been a part of the centre's journey since the pandemic.

James enjoys sharing mind-blowing facts with visitors, including the fact that the amount of water used per day in Singapore is enough to fill more than 700 Olympic-sized pools.

He debunks myths, too. "A lot of people have the misconception that NEWater goes straight to our taps. But no, NEWater is mainly for industrial use," he says, adding that it is mainly used for industrial purposes.

James' favourite NEWater fun-fact is related to the first stage of the NEWater microfiltration process, where the treated used water is passed through membranes to filter out microscopic particles and bacteria. "The pore size on these hollow, straw-like fibre membranes is 0.04 microns. If you take one strand of your hair and cut down its thickness 1,000 times, that is how small the pore size is.".

The future of water in Singapore

PUB is transitioning to an even more ambitious project — the Deep Tunnel Sewerage System (DTSS). This $10b initiative transports used water to three water reclamation plants in the northern, western, and eastern regions of Singapore via a 206km network of deep tunnels.

Designed to last 100 years, the DTSS will revolutionise Singapore's water management system. Looking ahead, PUB's NEWater factories will be consolidated at the Changi Water Reclamation Plant, with the upcoming Tuas plant expected to be completed in 2026, and the redeveloped Kranji plant set for completion around 2035.

The treated used water will be reclaimed and further purified into NEWater, with any excess discharged into the sea in an environmentally responsible manner.

More information about the NEWater Visitor Centre (including booking a tour, opening hours, and getting there) available here.

This article was first published in Wonderwall.sg.