Water Crisis

[hkskyline]

Fresh-water crisis looms for Macau
Salinity keeps rising despite assurances
23 February 2006
South China Morning Post

Dwindling reserves are continuing to push up the salinity of Zhuhai's and Macau's drinking water after the latest failure to draw supplies from the Xijiang, or West River.

Local media have again warned of rationing in Macau after Zhuhai cut off supplies to its bathhouses and car-wash businesses.

Zhuhai's tap water has recently reached a salinity level of 800mg a litre, more than three times the World Health Organisation's standard of 250mg a litre and up from 600mg recorded earlier this month.

In January Macau suffered the "most serious salinity crisis we've had in the past 20 years", according to Franklin Willemyns, executive director of the Macau Water Supply Company. "Our prediction right now is that in any case the situation will not get worse," he was quoted as saying at the time.

In recent weeks the city has been struggling to supply raw water to Macau at a salinity of 600mg a litre. As a result, the salinity level of Macau's drinking water is drawing close to 600mg a litre.

However, the Macau Water Supply Company has renewed its pledged not to introduce water restrictions.

"Our bottom line is not to ration water. In the worst scenario, we would have to drink whatever is supplied [at any salinity]," said Felix Fan, the company's deputy general manager. He predicted that the salinity of Macau's raw water supply from Zhuhai would soon rise to about 750mg per litre.

Zhuhai's water supply to Macau can be kept under 800mg a litre for less than two weeks. The next collection cycle in early March will be crucial for drawing fresh water from upstream.

A fortnightly effort to "grab" fresh water from the West River has failed twice in the past month. A severe drought had also left the West River's flow too weak to dilute the salt tides, said Mr Fan.

Three Zhuhai storage facilities for supplying Macau have a combined reserve of less than 3 million cubic metres. Macau consumes on average over 170,000 cubic metres of water a day, with its main storage reservoir holding 690,000 cubic metres.

[ggaaxx]

As Macau is rapidly expanding, the saltwater issue is becoming more serious by the day and as the population will grow to 750,000 plus in the next few years. This salty tap water problem can become quite severe as the whole Pearl Delta region suffers from this same problem and fresh water is in short supply.

Salty tap water that affects up to 50 million people has forced the Asian gambling hub Macau and its sister city Zhuhai to hastily build a pipeline to access water further upstream, a water official said on Monday.

The problem has become worse in recent years as the flow of water down the western tributaries of the Pearl River slowed and the sea level rose, allowing salt water to spread further inland.

Drought, hydroelectric dams and sand dredging in rivers have compounded the problem, said Fan Xiaojun, deputy general manager of the Macao Water Supply Co. Ltd., which manages water in the former Portuguese colony.

The new pipe draws water 22 km (14 miles) upstream from where Macau and Zhuhai previously sourced their fresh water, and can take in 1 million cubic metres a day.

‘The new intake was scheduled to be a two-year project. Because of the seriousness of the salinity it was done within 10 months, one year. You know, in China anything can happen,’ Fan said.

If not dealt with, the water issue could become problematic for Macau, about 60 km (40 miles) west of Hong Kong, which is experiencing a construction and tourism boom with major casino operators pouring money into the territory.

Last year, chlorinity levels in Macau’s drinking water, which measure how salty it is, were three times the level at which Fan said people generally start to notice a salty taste.

[hkth]

Related Thread:
Earlier salty water for Macau in the end of this year!?

Note: Those TDM news links are invalid.

[SeeMacau]

population will grow to 750,000, that is just amazing

[null]

MacauDailyBlog?

Could you pls post these in one thread?Thanks!

[Portugues]

Originally Posted by null

MacauDailyBlog?

Could you pls post these in one thread?Thanks!

Why dont you come here to say your opinion about Macau or Macanese reality? It would be much more profitable indeed.

[ggaaxx]

Originally Posted by null

MacauDailyBlog?

Could you pls post these in one thread?Thanks!

If you have suggestion on posting, you can pm me or open a new thread for it. I will discuss with you there. Please don't bring the off-topic netiquette to this forum.

[hkth]

Photo from MSAR Press Release, Title: 行政長官何厚鏵出席新口岸大水塘二期工程動土儀式

Cerimónia de lançamento da primeira pedra da “Reservatório Principal de Tratamento de Água Plano II (Main Storage Reservoir II Project)” da SAAM, com a presença do Chefe do Executivo, Edmund Ho.

The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, attends the groundbreaking ceremony of the Main Storage Reservoir Water Treatment Plant II (MSR II Project) of the Macao Water Supply Company.

[Portugues]

Why dont I trust on these guys of Macao Water?

[SeeMacau]

Originally Posted by hkth

Photo from MSAR Press Release, Title: 行政長官何厚鏵出席新口岸大水塘二期工程動土儀式

Cerimónia de lançamento da primeira pedra da “Reservatório Principal de Tratamento de Água Plano II (Main Storage Reservoir II Project)” da SAAM, com a presença do Chefe do Executivo, Edmund Ho.

The Chief Executive, Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, attends the groundbreaking ceremony of the Main Storage Reservoir Water Treatment Plant II (MSR II Project) of the Macao Water Supply Company.

so are we going to have another park next to the reservoir?

[bjatot]

the population will grow to 750,000 plus in the next few years.

Is there many free space to make buildings in Macau?

[ggaaxx]

not much left for that many people to tell the truth. We may see more landfill, high rise buildings, development of Coloane, etc....

Here is a related thread about population:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=424435

[a2zMacau]

Originally Posted by AsIaBoYz

population will grow to 750,000, that is just amazing

I like to clarify this further, as this statement is not quite correct!

My assumption was based on the Macau population growing by about 25,000 people per year, visitors increasing by about 15% per year, so 30 million equals 85,000 visitors a day, plus the 35,000 or so foreign workers. So work it out!

By the year 2010, 503,000 people today + 75,000 + 85,000 + 35,000 that is a daily crowd of about 700,000 people!

[SeeMacau]

Originally Posted by bjatot

Is there many free space to make buildings in Macau?

there will be new satelite towns built in the future, its still in the planning stage now

[SeeMacau]

Originally Posted by ggaaxx

not much left for that many people to tell the truth. We may see more landfill, high rise buildings, development of Coloane, etc....

Here is a related thread about population:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=424435

i wish there will be no high rise buildings built in Coloane, its better to perserve this place

[SeeMacau]

Originally Posted by a2zMacau

I like to clarify this further, as this statement is not quite correct!

My assumption was based on the Macau population growing by about 25,000 people per year, visitors increasing by about 15% per year, so 30 million equals 85,000 visitors a day, plus the 35,000 or so foreign workers. So work it out!

By the year 2010, 503,000 people today + 75,000 + 85,000 + 35,000 that is a daily crowd of about 700,000 people!

700000 people fit in a place just merely 30km sq, macau will becomes really crowd by that time

[ggaaxx]

Authorities in mainland China have completed the planning to ensure the safety of water supplies to Macau and the neighbouring Zhuhai.

The Ministry of Irrigation told Macau deputies of the National People's Congress, who are meeting in Beijing, that they will submit the proposal to the State Council for approval as soon as possible,

According to the plan, a water source collection network will be built based on existing pumps in the city of Zhuhai, and measures will also be taken to ensure that the annual rate of increase in water consumption will be controlled to less than 1%, and 70% of wastewater will be treated.

Long-term planning will include the construction of a hub in the Zhujiang (Pearl River) catchment, so that distribution of water supply will be more even and safer throughout the Pearl River Delta region.

source

[hkth]

AAMOF, it is really necessary to build up a sea water flushing system to all buildings in Macau, to minimise the usage of fresh water.

[SeeMacau]

its necessary maybe, but its a good step so we can save up some water bills as a result of this

[hkskyline]

Macao Water positive on recycling project
16/02/2012 09:24:00
Macau Daily Times

Macao Water is confident of the success of a water-recycling plan, as a measure to save water and promote a more environmentally friendly lifestyle in the territory.

During a media luncheon held yesterday, the deputy general manager of Macao Water said they were working closely with the government on the planning of recycling plants in Sec Pai Van and Hengqin Island.

Oscar Chu told Macau Daily Times the pilot project would produce water of good quality as an alternative source to supply the public.

“The water quality can be assured,” he said, adding that during an initial stage recycled water will be used only to flush toilets. “So there should not be a problem.”

Chu pointed to successful water recycling projects in neighbouring Hong Kong as well as countries such as Singapore and the US, saying that he expected to receive public support for this green initiative.

The executive conceded that recycling water might not be the cheapest method, but it was the most environmentally-friendly way to help the public to use fewer natural resources.

He admitted that the population might have a “psychological” fear of using recycled water. Chu stressed the need to educate the public and raise their awareness about saving water.

Asked if desalination is another option, he categorically rejected the idea, stressing that the quality of the seawater around the MSAR is not suitable for this process.

“Macau is at the outlet of the Pearl River Delta which means our seawater carries a lot of sediments, sands and is very muddy,” Chu said, resulting in a much more costly purification process. He said desalination is better for places with access to clean deep-sea water.

The executive also talked about the company’s operation, saying that last year’s results will be similar to the ones in 2010.

He said the costs of operation had been growing due to inflation, increase in human resources spending and investments plans. But Chu confirmed there would be no tariff hikes before 2014, as the government pledged earlier this month.

“We try not to pass on the added costs [to the users],” Chu said. “We’ll try to optimise our operations instead.” While committing to higher efficiency, he also warned “there is a limit to what we can do.”