What is the water like in Singapore?
 

Hi

Can you please tell me if the water there is hard water? Do we need to boil the water before we drink it or can we just drink it out from the tape as in UK? Do we need to buy a filter jug?

Many thanks

re: Tips for finding the right flat in Singapore
 

Hi

I have never lived in a flat higher than 5th floor. I just wonder what should I beware of when living in higher floor.

It is too windy or do the building sway a bit as I have heard friends who lived in high building in Hong Kong during typhoon season? What things should we ask the estate agent?

Many thanks

Re: What is the water like in Singapore?
 

You can drink the tap water.

Re: What is the water like in Singapore?
 

Don't worry,the water tastes so much better than the UK.

I like living in the high rise flats (the higher the better). No worries about strong winds in this country, unlike HK. I think you get a better breeze higher up, and you are further away from the cockcroaches that live in the basement where all the rubbish is thrown down the chutes. So the chances of cockcroaches climbing up to your apt is lower the higher you live.

Re: What is the water like in Singapore?
 

Many thank very much for your information. It certainly helps when I am looking for a flat.

Re: What is the water like in Singapore?
 

Cockroaches haven't figured out how to use the lift, yet. :D

Re: What is the water like in Singapore?
 

Nope. We lived in a duplex penthouse on the 23rd & 24th floors....the first tenants in a then-brand new condominium (Montview) in November 2008. I was horrified when we got the occasional cockroach in the apartment - big brown things and they always seemed to turn up when my husband was away on a business trip :eek: I would like to think they were blown in by the wind, but there was a big construction site adjacent (Trizon condo project) and I did wonder if this attracted/dispersed the roaches to neighbouring condos?

We lived in Singapore for a few years from 1995-2000 and at one condo we lived in I only ever had one *huge* black cockroach coming in....it was definitely flying in and just missed my head (I guess it was like a queen?) as I was sitting on the balcony. My daughter and I freaked out....it flew near the piano so we quickly lifted the lid and the roach flew into it and sprayed 'Raid' liberally lol!

My worst experience was when we lived in a maisonette at Duchess Walk and one day a cobra tried to slither into the kitchen on the ground floor! :eek: Luckily the security guards dealt with it (I stayed well away) and put a line of sulphur down as apparently snakes don't like it. As soon as our lease was up we moved to a third floor apartment lol! :D

As for geckos....I always loved the little (and not so little) geckos coming into our apartments, they're so shy and run away from you. We did once have a foul smell in our living room which was getting stronger and then we noticed a line of ants heading behind a wall unit...a gecko had died and the ants were feasting on it...yuck.

Re: What is the water like in Singapore?
 

Yes the flying roaches....I'd forgotten about them in Singapore :(.

Re: What is the water like in Singapore?
 

Hi there.

The water here is perfectly safe to drink straight from the tap. It has undergone desalination so it's really clean.

Re: What is the water like in Singapore?
 

Many thanks for your information.

Re: What is the water like in Singapore?
 

Akchewlee most of the water comes across the Causeway from Malaysia.
It is then treated, I think with fluoride, and a lot of the treated water is sent back to Malaysia.
Singapore pays Malaysia for untreated water and the difference in price between the untreated and treated water which it sells back to Malaysia nearly pays for the treated water it buys.

Singapore requires more water and there might be a desalination plant.
Singapore may also buy water from Indonesia, but I'm not sure if that has yet been agreed.

I think they also treat 'black' water' or is it 'grey' water but not sure if that goes into the drinking water system.

Re: What is the water like in Singapore?
 

Trying to work out why Sing is selling water back to Malaysia when Sing has a shortfall of water. Ho hum. Politics I suppose.

Just reading in the pub.gov.sg website that the 4 NEWwater plants provides for 30% of the nation's needs. Desalination plant provides 10% of needs but there is a second plant about to be completed in 2013 it says.

Re: What is the water like in Singapore?
 

IIRC, JB didn't have any water processing plants back in the day and wanted 'clean' water.
Selling water to Sing and then buying back treated water suited both sides.

I think the sale and buy back evened out financially.

Re: What is the water like in Singapore?
 

Actually the concept of selling drinkable water back, is the same as selling refined oil back from the crude oil we bought.

A small country has to depend on technology to make money

Re: What is the water like in Singapore?
 

The water is here much much better than the UK. Having lived in UK. The water in UK is considered HARD when compared to Singapore. I wouldn't drink the water of the tap in UK.