17 Mar 2013
Insects… flying bugs… tiny crawling creatures…
Don’t get the wrong idea… I wasn’t hiking or camping at some remote site. Yes, there are indeed insects but the place I’ve been was the picturesque Lorong Halus Wetland!
And what brings me here all the way to the other end of Singapore?
World. Water. Day.
That’s right. 16 Mar was the day Singapore celebrated World Water Day at 11 locations islandwide and Lorong Halus Wetland was one of them. Well, you may ask the purpose of celebrating this day every year. Personally, I feel that it is not only to remind people about the preciousness and importance of clean sustainable water, it is also an opportunity for Singapore to celebrate its achievements in water management.
It is definitely not an easy feat for Singapore to become what it is today to be able to provide a continuous supply of clean drinking water. In reality, many countries are plagued with problems of water security and polluted water sources. Hence, all the more we should appreciate what we have today and be proud of what we have, and most importantly to sustain what we have today. And this day is an important occasion to remind ourselves of it.
I shall let the photos below do the talk on my eventful day at Lorong Halus Wetland:
Adjacent to the Lorong Halus Wetland is the Serangoon Reservoir and the view there is terrific.
Above and on both sides of the reservoir were bustling with life and this was why:
Enthusiastic brisk walkers crossing the bridge
Residents braving the scorching sun to get to the event stage
The sweltering heat was no joke. For once, I thought I was drenched in the rain as the feeling was exactly the same as when your clothes were all soaked. And to top it off, we had to trek along the gravel path which was about 1km to get to the stage. I was so glad when I finally heard the buzz from afar as I knew I was getting there soon, very soon.
These were used as props to educate participants on water conservation. So have you ever thought of how many bottles of water you actually use a day? And how many bottles of water you could save by taking a shorter shower, not washing your dishes under a running tap, and washing your laundry with a full load? It’s time to mull over, ya?
And YES YES!!! I’m proud to announce that I’m finally here!
The participants were all geared for the exciting line-up of events ahead. And what was special about it was that this was a picnic-style event where they were seated comfortably on picnic mats.
The kids from Anchor Green Pri Sch started it off with the “Water Wally Shower Dance”. It is a new initiative rolled out this year to educate school children how to take shorter showers. I think this initiative will really work among the kids. Well, education starts from young isn’t it?
I shall teach my 3-year-old niece this dance, she’s a fast learner so no worries. But she’s definitely not an advocate of water conservation judging from her bath time in her undersized bathtub and she imagining herself paddling in the river with her makeshift paddles using wok spatulas.
It was then followed by the pledge to save water. Remember to put it to action even if it is something small on your part, it makes a big difference on the whole.
And hey how could we miss a group photo with our dear Water Wally! Student water ambassadors from Compassvale Sec Sch together with GOH of the event. The former wore sandwiched boards to spread water conservation messages.
Everyone has a stake in water. In my opinion, besides teaching the public on the scarcity of water and the importance to conserve it, we should also understand that the clean water supply we get in our households is a result of a collective effort of the staff behind the scenes from engineers to technical officers, and technicians who are toiling day and night to keep our waterworks and reservoirs running. Without them, we would not be able to bathe comfortably in our homes, using the water to cook sumptuous meals, and being able to wash our laundry loads after loads. All these are only possible because of them. We must not forget the sweat and effort these heroes put in for us. And now it’s time for us to be a part of this effort by not wasting every drop that they have worked hard to bring to us.
By Cookie Monster
WATER CHATTER 