Aussies pick Newater as best-tasting in test

The Straits Times, February 8, 2007


Singapore's reclaimed water may taste best but not all Australians are about to embrace it.

ADELAIDE - SINGAPORE'S reclaimed water Newater trumped spring water, bottled water and desalinated water in a taste test in Australia, conducted as the country faces a chronic water shortage.

It came out tops in a test among 56 participants, as politicians met to debate Australia's dire need for an alternative water source.

The issue was expected to top the agenda in federal Parliament, which resumed on Tuesday, in the wake of Prime Minister John Howard's announcement of a federal takeover of water management.

Queensland Premier Peter Beattie announced last month that Australia's second largest state would become the first to use reclaimed water for drinking. He said south-east Queensland would be drinking it as early as next year. Other premiers, including South Australia Premier Mike Rann, do not support Mr Beattie's plan.

But on Friday, a third of 56 blind-tasting participants in South Australia picked Singapore's reclaimed water as the best-tasting, ahead of desalinated water from Kangaroo Island, bottled spring water, rainwater and Adelaide tap water. The second favourite was the desalinated option.

The taste test by the Sunday Mail newspaper used 100 per cent Singapore reclaimed sewage water, but in Singapore that water is mixed with other sources before making it to the tap.

Singapore is a world leader in using recycled water, known as Newater. The Republic is reclaiming water as part of a new strategy to double its sources of water supply.

Water is cleaned to make Newater through a process involving microfiltration, reverse osmosis and ultraviolet technologies, which purify it to a standard exceeding that of the World Health Organisation.

Australia is the driest continent on earth and is in the middle of its worst drought in living memory. Some scientists say it could be the driest period in 1,000 years.

Despite the shortage though, not all the taste-testers were impressed with the idea of drinking reclaimed sewage water on a regular basis. 'My preference would be for a desalination plant before we start drinking recycled sewage water,' Ms Sharon Bubner, 39, told the Sunday Mail.

But most were in favour. 'There are strict regulations... so I don't think there would be a problem with recycled water,' said Mr Darren Bruce 29. 'We also live in the driest state so we have to do something.'