The Reservoir

A reservoir is a large natural or manmade lake that is used as a source of water. In Singapore, there are 17 reservoirs which are designated as national water catchment areas. Singapore’s reservoirs are mostly manmade as we do not have direct access to natural bodies of water.

Water has always been synonymous with life. When there is a water shortage–as is the case with deserts–the proliferation of life is not impossible, but it is severely curtailed or restricted.

In ages past, the civilisations of the world flourished around rivers and major waterways. The most substantial human use of water is for agriculture which accounts for as much as 80-90% of total human water consumption.

Water bodies embody the memory of life’s heartbeat. Any place that humans have occupied will have the story of water at its very heart. It overflows with the stories of layers upon layers of history, bearing imprints of trauma rooted in our need to survive, thrive and be more, more and more.

Bearing this in mind, how can we begin to honour the land and its relationship to water as the very source of all its life?

If you follow the flow of water, you will hear the sound of life itself: its rhythmic dilations and the pathways through which water has left its mark and its trace. Water is central to life. Its movements have shaped the world socioeconomically, environmentally and subconsciously.

If we follow the path of water, we will find the reservoir that holds all of our collective dreams.