Seac Pai Van public housing and UM are the first to receive reclaimed water supply

The development of reclaimed water in Macau has entered its application phase, with supplies officially being connected to Seac Pai Van public housing and the University of Macau (UM).

The director of the Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA), Susana Wong, stated recently that after more than half a month of testing and commissioning, the Seac Pai Van Reclaimed Water Station is ready.

Yesterday, the supply of reclaimed water officially began at the Seac Pai Van public housing complex (excluding Edificio On Son) and at UM, primarily for toilet flushing and greening.

The authorities’ next phase will advance the design and construction of the reclaimed water station in the New Urban Zone A, with future supply to be extended to Zones C and D.

Phase one of the Coloane Reclaimed Water Station was completed earlier this year, with a daily water supply capacity of 2,500 cubic metres. It will initially supply reclaimed water to Seac Pai Van public housing, benefiting approximately 8,000 households.

The charge for reclaimed water is set at 85% of the tap water tariff, with no tiered pricing.

When asked why the supply to the Seac Pai Van housing complex does not include Edificio On Son, Wong explained that the building is an earlier public housing project and was not originally equipped with a dual-pipe system.

Retrofitting a dual-pipe system onto the existing infrastructure would be complex and cost-ineffective, so it has not been included in the reclaimed water supply plan, and there are currently no plans to extend the supply to this building.

Design and tendering work for phase two of the Coloane Reclaimed Water Station and the Artificial Island Reclaimed Water Station will commence this year.

Wong indicated that the authorities plan to build a reclaimed water station adjacent to the Artificial Island Sewage Treatment Plant, using effluent from the plant as the source for reclaimed water to supply future developments in New Urban Zones A, C, and D.

As the Artificial Island Sewage Treatment Plant is expected to be completed by 2030, the authorities said it will initiate the design and tendering process for the Artificial Island Reclaimed Water Station this year to align with this schedule. Ricaela Diputado