DTSS ENTERS PHASE 2
Channel: A Singaporean
Date: 20/04/2021

DTSS ENTERS PHASE 2

The Project Continues

The Deep Tunnel Sewerage System (DTSS) has just completed its 1st phase, which cost $3.4 billion and covered northern and eastern Singapore. The 2nd and final phase, which begins now, will cost us $6.5 billion and cover the rest of Singapore, consisting of downtown and western Singapore.

The DTSS is a deep tunnel sewerage conveyance system, utilising gravity to direct waste water into centralised water reclamation plants for purification and reuse, and it has a total length of 100km, with 24km already completed. It was designed more than twenty years ago to improve water capture, so as to bolster water security.

By moving waste treatment facilities underground, the DTSS will free up 214 football fields of land for other uses. It is expected to last for a century, and bring considerable benefit to Singaporeans, making it eligible for funding under Singa.

About Singa

The Significant Infrastructure Government Loan Act (Singa), which will be passed in Parliament during its next sitting, allows the Government to borrow up to $90 billion to pay for major infrastructure projects that last for at least 50 years, such as the DTSS and the Cross Island MRT Line.

The advantage of Singa is that the costs will be spread out over many years, ensuring that the generations benefiting from the infrastructure play a part in paying for them. Furthermore, as the US Federal Reserve's federal fund rates is one of the lowest in history, it makes borrowing very cheap, freeing up government funds to conduct investments that will generate returns many times more than the interest incurred on loans, making it profitable for Singapore. Singa, being restricted to only "nationally significant infrastructure", ensures that the Government does not abuse Singa to borrow money irresponsibly.

This is not the first time that Singapore has borrowed money to fund infrastructure, as Singapore built Changi Airport and the MRT in the 1970s and 1980s with loans. Then, from the 1990s until recently, Singapore experienced rapid economic growth, removing Government reliance on loans due to expanding government revenues. Now, as the population ages, driving up government expenditure, while revenues stay stagnant, Singapore will have no choice but to once again borrow to finance its projects.

The Government has reiterated that it has no intention to borrow money to pay for recurrent expenditure, such as government handouts, programmes and subsidies, as future generations will have to foot the bill for the excessive spending of current generations with none of the benefits, when the national reserves are eventually depleted.

COVID-19 BREATHALYSERS TO BE EMPLOYED EN MASSE

Breathalysers that can produce Covid-19 test results within 2 minutes will soon be rolled out for safe travel arrangements at aviation, cruise operations, government checkpoints, immigration clearance, at healthcare and medical facilities, and screenings at large-scale events. The breathalysers cost $27 each, with correct detection of Covid-19 99% of the time, while false positives for the virus happen 5% of the time. The accuracy of the test is hence not bad as compared to the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests that are considered one of the most reliable at present.

The Covid-19 breathalysers will assist us in reopening Singapore to international travel, especially for large gatherings like meetings, incentives, conventions and events.