Turning the tide: Singapore’s water journey and a new era of global collaboration

Reliable water systems have long been a cornerstone of development—enabling industry, underpinning public health, and supporting the jobs, services, and economic activity that allow cities and economies to grow. For the World Bank Group, water is not only a basic service; it is a driver of jobs, productivity, and resilience across agriculture, energy, manufacturing, and urban life.

Yet in Singapore, this was not always the case.

Though hard to imagine today, the Singapore River was once so polluted that people avoided its banks and waters. In 1977, then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew set a bold national goal: clean up the river within a decade. The effort that followed — relocating polluting industries, building proper sewage infrastructure, restoring the river’s health — became a symbol of what Singapore could achieve through determination and long-term planning. By 1987, the transformation was complete, a proof of what becomes possible when vision meets collective action. 

Singapore’s journey also shows how sustained water investments build a skilled workforce and practical know‑how—expertise that has become one of the country’s most valuable resources.

This same spirit of long-term planning now underpins Singapore’s efforts to share its water management expertise globally — most notably through the Singapore Water Center (SWC), launched in partnership with the World Bank Group as a platform for knowledge exchange, innovation and capacity building. At a time when countries are seeking practical solutions they can adapt and scale, the SWC shows why knowledge sharing matters: it helps turn experience into action, connects policy with implementation, and equips leaders and utilities to deliver better outcomes on the ground.

Singapore’s Water Journey: From Scarcity to Resilience 

Singapore is among the most water-stressed countries in the world, with few natural water resources. Faced with a growing population and increasingly unpredictable weather, it developed a supply strategy known as the Four National Taps —which reflects decades of planning, innovation, and partnership: 

• Local catchment water: About two-thirds of Singapore’s land surface serves as a water catchment area. Rainwater is collected and channeled to 17 reservoirs for storage before it is treated for drinking. 

• Imported Water: Singapore imports water from Malaysia under the 1962 Water Agreement, which expires in 2061. 

• NEWater: Launched in 2002, the NEWater process recycles treated used water into high-grade reclaimed water for industrial purposes. 

• Desalinated Water: Advanced desalination plants remove salts from seawater to produce drinking water.  

Together, these four sources form an integrated and diversified approach to water supply—strengthening resilience and enabling Singapore to meet both current needs and future demand.

As Singapore’s population and economy grow, water demand is projected to nearly double by 2065. Managing consumption has therefore become as important as expanding supply. Singapore addresses this through a practical mix of pricing, regulation, and public engagement—helping households and industries use water wisely.

This transformation — from water scarcity to global leadership — is more than a national achievement; it is a model for cities worldwide. Built on strategic planning, technological innovation, and a culture of valuing every drop, Singapore has become a global benchmark for resilience, sustainability, and urban water management. 

Singapore Water Center: Advancing Solutions and Innovation

In June 2024, Singapore and the World Bank Group launched the Singapore Water Center during Singapore International Water Week. Bringing together Singapore’s water management expertise and the World Bank Group’s global reach, the SWC serves as a hub for innovation, knowledge exchange, and capacity development. Reflecting the World Bank Group’s evolving role as a Knowledge Bank, the Center ensures countries can access more than financing — it provides the policy insight, operational know-how, and peer learning necessary to strengthen institutions, improve service delivery, and build more resilient water systems.

In its first two years, SWC trained over 600 water professionals across Asia — through leadership programs, technical training, peer learning, and innovation initiatives — while fostering regional collaboration through major forums such as the Singapore International Water Week. These efforts are already advancing digital water solutions and more resilient water management practices across Southeast Asia and beyond. 

Looking Ahead: Shaping the Future of Water Security

Singapore’s story shows what becomes possible when ambition is matched with long-term collaboration. Investments in water security do more than improve services — they build institutions, strengthen skills, and create the conditions for sustained growth.

At the global level, there is growing recognition that this kind of progress requires a more coordinated approach. Water Forward— a new multistakeholder coalition launched by the World Bank Group and partners—reflects this shift. At its core are government-owned Water Compacts that bring together policy reform, institutional strengthening, and investment planning in a single, coordinated framework, helping countries build systems that are stronger, more investable, and scalable. 

Countries such as Viet Nam and Cambodia are already moving forward with these compacts—aligning national priorities, reforms, and financing to accelerate progress on water security.

This model enables multilateral development banks, the private sector, philanthropies, and other partners to contribute where they can add the most value.

The Singapore Water Center demonstrates this approach in practice by connecting expertise, financing, and innovation to support country priorities and improve performance.

Together, these efforts point toward a more effective model for water security: one built on partnership, country leadership, and solutions that scale.