Household water use continues to fall following the pandemic

Usage in 2023 hit 1/41 litres a person a day, but still above 2030 goal of 130 litres

- Shabana Begum

The downward trend in household water consumption after a spike in usage during the pandemic years has continued, with water usage declining in 2023 to 141 litres a person per day, down from 149 litres in 2022.

Per capita daily use of water in the domestic sector last reached 141 litres in 2018 and 2019 - the lowest since 151 litres in 2015.

In 2020 and 2021, as the Covid-19 pandemic kept most people at home, household water use peaked. Household water consumption was 154 litres per person per day in 2020, and 158 litres in 2021.

Under the Singapore Green Plan 2030, the goal is to reduce household water consumption to 130 litres per person a day.

About 45 per cent of Singapore's daily water consumption of 440 million gallons goes to households. The remaining 55 per cent is used by industries and non-domestic sectors.

National water agency PUB revealed the daily water usage figure for 2023 on March 9 at the launch of its annual water conservation campaign at Jurong Lake Gardens.

One reason for the drop in home water use between 2022 and 2023 could be more people returning to work and school as the country transitioned to living with the virus, said PUB's chief sustainability officer Ridzuan Ismail.