Twitter users share how to save water after Budget 2017's announcement of water price hike

Some Singaporeans waited with bated breath on what the Budget 2017 will hold for them (more like, what GST vouchers they will get).

Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat delivered his second Budget speech in Parliament yesterday (Feb 20), where he unveiled various measures aimed at helping businesses, workers and Singaporean households amid a tough economic climate.

But the one thing that seemed to have stood out most for our comrades in the online world of Twitter was the water price hike.

Water prices will increase by 30 per cent over two years in two phases starting July 1, 2017.

Mr Heng explained that prices needed to reflect the rising costs of producing water.

This is also the first time in 17 years that water prices have been revised.

In an interview with Channel NewsAsia, Member of Parliament for Nee Soon GRC, Dr Lee Bee Wah said "the increase in water prices is just to bring up awareness of the importance of water."

That did not sit well with some Twitter users who, then, gave their versions on how we can save water.

Well-known blogger Mr Brown @mrbrown shared an idea:

[embed]https://twitter.com/mrbrown/status/833817385132027904[/embed]

Twitter user Soh Hong Wei @hwsoh also contributed his thoughts:

[embed]https://twitter.com/hwsoh/status/833847462116806656[/embed]

Twitter user @kingofkows gave a suggestion:

[embed]https://twitter.com/kingofkows/status/833842095156785152[/embed]

Author and newspaper columnist Neil Humphreys @NeilHumphreys also chipped in:

[embed]https://twitter.com/NeilHumphreys/status/833665505995087872[/embed]

Twitter user Tanvi Arora @tanviarora03 shared Singapore's possible future:

[embed]https://twitter.com/tanviarora03/status/833683992868114432[/embed]

And Twitter user Joe @PhantomNuts asked a valid question:

[embed]https://twitter.com/PhantomNuts/status/833828296068460544[/embed]

While Twitter user Ira Alif Syabil @liverpool_98 pointed out other more pressing concerns:

[embed]https://twitter.com/liverpool_98/status/833694497963847680[/embed]

Photographer Juraimi Sungip @librus17 probably summed up what some may be feeling:

[embed]https://twitter.com/librus17/status/833849960495853569[/embed]

Perhaps now with the announcement and social media reactions, Singaporeans are more aware of our country's water concerns. And that way, we will learn to save more water which will ultimately equal to saving more money for ourselves in the long run.

spanaech@sph.com.sg