Recycled water to be supplied in Q1 2026 to Seac Pai Van and UM campus

Lai Weng Leong and Andre Cheong

The government will begin supplying recycled water to parts of Coloane in the first quarter of 2026, with the Seac Pai Van Public Housing Estate and the University of Macau (UM) Campus in Hengqin set to be the first areas connected, Land and Urban Construction Bureau (DSSCU) director, Lai Weng Leong, said yesterday.

During a press conference at the Executive Council (ExCo), Lai announced the start of this project while replying to media questions during the presentation of a new administrative regulation that includes several new general provisions on water supply and drainage.

When asked about the topic, Lai revealed that in the first phase, which will start in the first quarter of next year, the supply will only be available in the areas surrounding the recycled water treatment plant in Coloane, with the supply expected to reach only the Seac Pai Van Public Housing Estate and the University of Macau (UM) Campus in Hengqin.

“The piping system is ready in the areas near the plant, and it is ready for the first phase of implementation that will start in Q1 2026. The system will reach only the Seac Pai Van housing and the UM Campus for this phase. We are just waiting for the conclusion of linking the system to the buildings,” Lai explained.

Recycled water, also called reclaimed water, is treated wastewater that can be reused for various non-potable purposes. It is part of a sustainable water management strategy that helps conserve freshwater resources and reduce the strain on wastewater treatment facilities. For residential purposes, this water will be used only for toilet flushing.

Also questioned on the matter, the DSSCU director admitted that expanding this system to most of the old buildings in Macau is virtually impossible, but said that after the first phase, the government plans to extend the system to the new buildings in Zone A of the new landfills at a later stage.

As for the price of this water, Lai said it will be decided later, “when we move to the contract stage.”

The new water supply and drainage regulation will come into force on March 1, 2026, with the provisions related to recycled water taking effect as early as September 1 this year.

Regarding drainage, Lai said that the new rules aim to improve planning and management, particularly regarding rainwater, stating that the government hopes to “do better” in that area.

He noted that the new regulations include raising flood control standards and updating the calculation of drainage capacity based on rainfall data from the past 70 years to prepare for extreme weather conditions.

The new rules attempt to immediately respond to the flooding seen last week in the Taipa, Cotai, and Coloane areas, when significant flooding occurred during a black rainfall period. In some places in Taipa, such as Caminho das Hortas, the floodwater reached about one meter above road level.

Among the new rules are technical conditions and standards that the government says are intended to update the current regulations, which are 28 years old, and address urban expansion.

The regulation on recycled water states that all new buildings must have a recycled water plumbing system, setting the quality standards and guidelines for designing and installing these systems.