The NEWater Visitor Centre in Bedok is slated to close on Jul. 31, 2024.

This marks the end of a 21-year legacy since the centre's official opening in February 2003.

Launched after the first NEWater factories in Bedok and Kranji were completed, the centre was an accessible way for the public to learn about water sustainability and how NEWater is made.

It also became a common destination for school excursions.

Since its opening, the centre has seen over 1.7 million local and international visitors, according to the National Water Agency (PUB).

About NEWater

The NEWater process takes treated used water and recycles it into "ultra-clean, high-grade reclaimed water".

It was first conceptualised in 1970s, when the Singapore government set out to determine the possibility of producing reclaimed water.

They conducted research and tests on the use of membrane technology to create safe and sustainable water.

In 2000, PUB commissioned a full-scale demonstration plant that could produce 10,000 cubic metres of such water daily.

This water was dubbed NEWater.

On Aug. 9, 2002, when PUB released NEWater to the public, 60,000 people toasted Singapore's birthday at the National Day Parade with bottles of it.

The visitor centre soon came along to help people learn about NEWater through interactive displays, tours, exhibits, and workshops.

New era

Speaking about the centre's imminent closure, chief executive of PUB Ong Tze-Ch’in said that NEWater symbolises Singapore’s "spirit of innovation in leapfrogging our natural constraints".

"Over two decades, Singaporeans young and old have made the journey to the NEWater Visitor Centre to learn about how we recycle used water endlessly, allowing us to overcome our lack of natural water resources.

With its closure, PUB will explore new platforms for education on our NEWater story."

The adjacent Bedok NEWater factory will also be decommissioned by end-2024, upon reaching the end of its operational lifespan.

It will be replaced by a third factory at the Changi Water Reclamation Plant, which will boast more than double its predecessor's production capacity.

The new plant is set to finish construction by 2026.

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