Reclaimed water to cut residents’ costs by 2026: DSAMA

The reclaimed water development plan, shelved since 2015, was revived last month, with the Office of the Secretary for Transport and Public Works announcing that Phase I of the Coloane reclaimed water station is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2026.

Susana Wong, director of the Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA), added that reclaimed water will be slightly cheaper than tap water and will be piped directly to toilets for flushing.

Previous Chinese media reports indicate that the “reclaimed water” development plan was first unveiled in 2021, when the government-established Working Group on the Development of a Water Conservation Society commissioned a consulting firm to conduct a comprehensive study on Macau’s reclaimed water resource utilization over the next decade.

This study evaluated the model and scale of development from technical, social, and financial perspectives. A public consultation in January 2013 found that most participants supported the use of recycled water to enhance efficiency and promote long-term conservation policies.

However, then-Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raimundo do Rosário, questioned the feasibility of using recycled water for toilet flushing due to high construction costs, leading to the plan being shelved.

With the new administration taking office, the initiative to create a water-saving city through reclaimed water was reintroduced as a key priority in the 2025 Policy Address.

The Office of the Secretary for Transport and Public Works released a report late last month recalling its efforts to promote the application and awareness of reclaimed water.

The report notes that the first phase of the Coloane reclaimed water station is expected to be completed in the first quarter of next year, with a daily supply capacity of 2,500 cubic meters. Initially, reclaimed water will be supplied to the Seac Pai Van public housing and the University of Macau (UM) campus for toilet flushing and landscaping purposes.

Planning for Phase II in Coloane and for the project on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge artificial island will also begin in the first quarter of next year.

The report further states that the application scope of reclaimed water will be continuously expanded, with plans to explore additional uses. The medium-term goal is for reclaimed water to account for 5% of Macau’s total water consumption, while the long-term target is set at over 10%.

Addressing a public broadcaster’s radio program yesterday, the bureau chief responded to a listener’s concerns about the cost, equipment, and residents’ choices regarding reclaimed water, reaffirming that residents would not be directly exposed to it. “Our water source comes from the effluent of our wastewater treatment plants,” she stated.

Wong noted that the current reclaimed water pipeline network spans approximately 44 kilometers, with ongoing projects in public roads in Zone A of the New Urban Zone, utility tunnels in the area, and Phase II of the Flyover Projects at the Friendship Roundabout.

She emphasized that reclaimed water is sourced from effluent discharged by sewage treatment plants and explained that the pipelines were installed concurrently with public housing construction to reduce costs. “In terms of cost, we can say we have achieved savings by not needing to purchase raw water,” she added.

She further stated that the price of recycled water would be slightly lower than that of tap water, with specific details to be announced in due course.

Over 2,000 households choose public housing as prices set to adjust

Housing Bureau director Iam Lei Leng said that over 2,000 eligible households from the 2019 public housing application have selected units, with more than 1,000 having completed move-in procedures.

Speaking at yesterday’s TDM radio program, the official said it is anticipated that the sale prices for public housing units from 2021 and 2023 will be adjusted downward, following last month’s decision by Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai to revise the calculation basis for land premium payments.

The city’s public housing laws stipulate that public housing units are intended for long-term self-occupancy, and applicants and their household members may face penalties if they reside in their units for less than 183 days annually.

Authorities have received 14 public housing violation reports so far this year, including one case where a unit was transferred to another person for occupancy and another where it was used for commercial purposes.