No. S 826
Public Utilities Act
(CHAPTER 261)
Public Utilities
(Water Supply) (Amendment No. 2)
Regulations 2014
In exercise of the powers conferred by section 72 of the Public Utilities Act, the Public Utilities Board, with the approval of the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, hereby makes the following Regulations:
Citation and commencement
1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Public Utilities (Water Supply) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2014 and shall come into operation on 1 January 2015.
New Part IVA
2.  The Public Utilities (Water Supply) Regulations (Rg 5) are amended by inserting, immediately after regulation 40A, the following Part:
PART IVA
WATER EFFICIENCY MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
Definitions for this Part
40B.  In this Part, unless the context otherwise requires —
“business activity” means an activity, or a series of activities (including ancillary activities), that involves the use of water in the course of business operations;
“business activity indicator” means a measure of business activity that takes into account the business operations of a qualifying consumer;
“chief executive” means any person, however described, who is in the direct employment of, or acting for or by arrangement with, a qualifying consumer, and is principally responsible for the management and conduct of the business operations of the qualifying consumer;
“former qualifying consumer” means a consumer which has ceased to be a qualifying consumer;
“private meter” means any appliance or device, whether or not supplied by the Board, which is used to measure, ascertain or regulate the amount of water taken or used from a supply of water, but is not used for the purposes of calculating any water rates or charges payable to the Board;
“qualifying consumer” means a consumer which satisfies the requirements specified in regulation 40C(1);
“regulatory period”, in relation to a qualifying consumer, means a period of 3 years starting on 1 January of any calendar year;
“representative” means any person who —
(a)is in the direct employment of, or acting for or by arrangement with, a qualifying consumer; and
(b)is appointed by the qualifying consumer to assist the qualifying consumer in submitting a water efficiency management plan in accordance with regulation 40H;
“water balance chart” means a chart showing —
(a)the amount of water entering a site at which a business activity is carried out;
(b)the amount of water used for each business activity at the site; and
(c)the amount of water leaving the site;
“water usage area” means any area within a site at which a business activity is carried out, and includes an area specified in the Fourth Schedule;
“water use threshold” means the level of water use specified in regulation 40C(2).
Qualifying consumer
40C.—(1)  A consumer is a qualifying consumer in respect of a regulatory period if any business activity of the consumer has attained the water use threshold specified in paragraph (2) in the calendar year immediately preceding the start of the regulatory period.
(2)  The water use threshold referred to in paragraph (1) is 60,000 cubic metres of water use per calendar year.
(3)  The water use mentioned in paragraph (2) does not include the supply of water to ships and water boats, whether or not that water is supplied by the Board.
Notification by qualifying consumer
40D.—(1)  A consumer (including a former qualifying consumer) must, within the period of 3 months after the consumer first becomes a qualifying consumer, notify the Board, in accordance with paragraph (2), of the fact that the consumer is a qualifying consumer.
(2)  A notification under paragraph (1) must —
(a)be given —
(i)using the relevant form provided in the electronic service at the Board’s Internet website at http://www.pub.gov.sg; and
(ii)in the manner specified by the Board; and
(b)be accompanied by the following information and documents:
(i)registered name of the consumer;
(ii)Singapore unique entity number of the consumer;
(iii)principal place of business of the consumer;
(iv)name, designation, contact details and identification number of the chief executive of the consumer;
(v)name, designation, contact details and identification number of each representative of the consumer;
(vi)address of the site of each business activity of the consumer, and the water account number for that site;
(vii)bills and other records (if any) showing the water usage and the amount of each type of water used at each site of business activity of the consumer;
(viii)the business profile of the consumer (if any);
(ix)a signed statement, from the chief executive of the consumer, that the information submitted is accurate and complete;
(x)such other information or documents as may be specified in the form provided or as may be required by the Board.
(3)  A consumer which contravenes paragraph (1) shall be guilty of an offence.
Notification of ceasing to be qualifying consumer
40E.—(1)  A consumer ceases to be a qualifying consumer on the first happening of either of the following events:
(a)the consumer continuously during the regulatory period never attains the water use threshold;
(b)the consumer ceases the consumer’s business operations.
(2)  A consumer which ceases to be a qualifying consumer must notify the Board, in accordance with paragraphs (3) and (4), of the fact that the consumer ceases to be a qualifying consumer.
(3)  A notification under paragraph (2) must —
(a)be given —
(i)using the relevant form provided in the electronic service at the Board’s Internet website at http://www.pub.gov.sg; and
(ii)in the manner specified by the Board;
(b)be accompanied by the following information and documents:
(i)in the case of a consumer which continuously during the regulatory period never attains the water use threshold, bills and other records (if any) showing the water usage and the amount of each type of water used at each site of business activity of the consumer;
(ii)in the case of a consumer which has ceased its business operations, documentary proof that the consumer has ceased its business operations; and
(iii)such other information or documents as may be specified in the form provided or as may be required by the Board; and
(c)be made —
(i)in the case of a consumer which continuously during the regulatory period never attains the water use threshold, within the period of 3 months after the consumer ceases to be a qualifying consumer; or
(ii)in the case of a consumer which has ceased its business operations, within the period of 3 months after the date on which the consumer ceased its business operations.
(4)  The relevant form referred to in paragraph (3)(a)(i) must be endorsed by the chief executive of the consumer.
(5)  Without prejudice to paragraph (2) —
(a)a consumer which intends to cease its business operations may notify the Board in writing of the consumer’s intention to do so; and
(b)the notification must be accompanied by documentary proof that the consumer intends to cease its business operations.
(6)  A consumer which contravenes paragraph (2) shall be guilty of an offence.
Register of qualifying consumers, etc.
40F.  The Board may maintain a register in such form and containing such particulars as the Board may determine of every qualifying consumer and every former qualifying consumer.
Board may ascertain whether consumer is qualifying consumer
40G.—(1)  The Board may, for the purposes of ascertaining whether any consumer is a qualifying consumer, do all or any of the following:
(a)by notice in writing, require that consumer —
(i)to carry out such inspections within such time as the Board may specify in the notice; or
(ii)to furnish to the Board, in respect of any business activity of that consumer, such reports, information or documents within such time as the Board may specify in the notice;
(b)by its employees, agents or contractors enter the premises of that consumer at reasonable hours and carry out such inspections to ascertain the source of water and the amount of each type of water used at each water usage area, as the Board may think necessary.
(2)  A consumer which, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with a requirement under paragraph (1)(a) shall be guilty of an offence.
Submission of water efficiency management plan
40H.—(1)  A qualifying consumer must prepare and, through a representative, submit to the Board, in accordance with this regulation, a water efficiency management plan in respect of each business activity of the consumer not later than 30 June of each year.
(2)  The water efficiency management plan must be submitted —
(a)using the relevant form provided in the electronic service at the Board’s Internet website at http://www.pub.gov.sg; and
(b)in the manner specified by the Board.
(3)  The water efficiency management plan must be endorsed by the chief executive of the qualifying consumer.
(4)  The water efficiency management plan must include, in respect of each business activity, the following information for the year immediately preceding the year it is submitted to the Board:
(a)the number of days in that year during which the business activity was carried out;
(b)the plant recycling rate and process recycling rate, if applicable;
(c)the total amount of each type of water supplied by the Board that is used;
(d)the total amount of each type of water not supplied by the Board that is used;
(e)the amount of each type of water (whether or not supplied by the Board) used at each water usage area, including the amount recorded by any private meter;
(f)for each reused or recycled stream, the type and amount of that stream, the type of treatment used for recycling, and the water usage area that uses that stream;
(g)every business activity indicator;
(h)a water efficiency plan describing —
(i)the water conservation measures;
(ii)the date for the implementation of those measures;
(iii)the implementation status of those measures; and
(iv)the projected annual water savings for each type of water;
(i)a water balance chart;
(j)such other information as the Board may require.
(5)  A qualifying consumer which contravenes paragraph (1) shall be guilty of an offence.
Board may give directions in relation to water efficiency management plan
40I.—(1)  Where a qualifying consumer submits a water efficiency management plan that does not conform to the requirements under regulation 40H, the Board may, by notice in writing, direct the qualifying consumer to carry out such rectifications or re‑computations, and to resubmit the water efficiency management plan to the Board, within such time as the Board may specify in the notice.
(2)  A qualifying consumer which fails to comply with a direction under paragraph (1) shall be guilty of an offence.
Records to be kept by qualifying consumer
40J.—(1)  A qualifying consumer must keep and maintain complete and accurate records of the information specified in paragraph (2).
(2)  The information referred to in paragraph (1) is as follows:
(a)information on —
(i)the total amount of each type of water supplied by the Board that is used; and
(ii)the total amount of each type of water not supplied by the Board that is used;
(b)information used for computing plant recycling rates and process recycling rates, if applicable;
(c)water balance charts;
(d)information on the amount of each type of water (whether or not supplied by the Board) used at each water usage area, including the amount recorded by any private meter;
(e)for each reused or recycled stream, the type and amount of that stream, the type of treatment used for recycling, and the water usage area that uses that stream; and
(f)any other information relied on by the qualifying consumer for the purposes of preparing a water efficiency management plan in accordance with regulation 40H.
(3)  A qualifying consumer must —
(a)retain each record referred to in paragraph (1) for at least 5 years after the date of creation or receipt of that record; and
(b)during that period, make that record available for inspection by the Board or an authorised officer, or furnish that record to the Board, whenever required by the Board to do so.
(4)  The records referred to in paragraph (1) may be kept and maintained in electronic form.
(5)  A qualifying consumer which contravenes paragraph (1) or (3) shall be guilty of an offence.
Installation of private meter and measurement of water consumption
40K.—(1)  This regulation shall apply to a consumer (referred to in this regulation as a relevant consumer) if —
(a)the consumer is a qualifying consumer; or
(b)at the time the consumer applies to be supplied with water by the Board, the consumer estimates, in consultation with the Board, the consumer’s average monthly amount of water use (whether or not the water is supplied by the Board) for any business activity to be at least 5,000 cubic metres.
(2)  If paragraph (1)(a) applies, a relevant consumer must install, within a period of 6 months after the consumer becomes a qualifying consumer, one or more private meters to measure and monitor the amount of water use at each water usage area specified in the second column of the Fourth Schedule within each site of any business activity carried out by the consumer which has attained the water use threshold.
(3)  Despite paragraph (2), where a relevant consumer belongs to a sector specified in the first column of item 5 or 6 of the Fourth Schedule, and the supply of water to that consumer by the Board immediately before 1 January 2015 is intended to be temporary, that consumer is not required to install any private meter to measure and monitor the amount of water use at any water usage area specified opposite in the second column of that Schedule.
(4)  If paragraph (1)(b) applies, a relevant consumer must install, before the Certificate of Satisfactory Completion referred to in regulation 30(1) is submitted on the completion of the water service works for the supply of water by the Board, one or more private meters to measure and monitor the amount of water use at each water usage area specified in the second column of the Fourth Schedule within each site of any business activity to be carried out by the consumer which the consumer estimates will attain the monthly amount of water use specified in paragraph (1)(b).
(5)  The Board may, by notice in writing, require a relevant consumer to install, within such time as the Board may specify in the notice, one or more private meters to measure and monitor the amount of water use at any water usage area (not being a water usage area specified in the second column of the Fourth Schedule) if the Board is satisfied that there are good reasons to do so.
(6)  A relevant consumer which contravenes paragraph (2) or (4), or fails to comply with a requirement under paragraph (5), shall be guilty of an offence.”.
New Fourth Schedule
3.  The Public Utilities (Water Supply) Regulations are amended by inserting, immediately after the Third Schedule, the following Schedule:
FOURTH SCHEDULE
Regulations 40B and 40K(2), (3), (4) and (5)
WATER USAGE AREAS at which amount of
water use is to be monitored
First column
Second column
Sector to which consumer belongs
Water usage areas at which amount of water use is to be monitored
1.Industries
(a)Process
(b)Cooling tower
(c)Boiler
(d)Scrubber
(e)Cooking area or kitchen
(f)Toilet
2.Hotels
(a)Guestroom
(b)Cooling tower
(c)Food and beverage outlet
(d)Production kitchen
(e)Laundry
(f)Cold water inlet to hot water supply or boiler
(g)Swimming pool
3.Tertiary institution, prison, or military or defence installation
(a)Cooling tower
(b)Toilets for each block
(c)Washing area
(d)Swimming pool
4.Hospitals
(a)Cooling tower
(b)Toilets, wards and operating theatres for each block
(c)Kitchen
(d)Cold water inlet to hot water supply or boiler
5.Workers’ dormitories
(a)Toilets for each block
(b)Cooking area
(c)Laundry
(d)Washing area
6.Construction sites and concrete batching plants
(a)Construction activity
(b)Recharge well
(c)Concrete production
(d)Toilet
(e)Vehicle washing area
7.Sports and recreational facilities and tourist attractions
(a)Cooling tower
(b)Exhibit or enclosure
(c)Washing area
(d)Toilet
(e)Food and beverage outlet
(f)Irrigation
(g)Swimming pool
8.Office or retail building, or any other building not mentioned in items 1 to 7
(a)Cooling tower
(b)Toilet
”.
[G.N. Nos. S 97/2005; S 703/2008; S 832/2010; S 161/2011; S 616/2013; S 721/2014]
Made on 5 December 2014.
TAN GEE PAW
Chairman,
Public Utilities Board,
Singapore.
[MEWR C030/01/124 Vol. 12; AG/LLRD/SL/261/2010/1 Vol. 2]
(To be presented to Parliament under section 72(4) of the Public Utilities Act).