COP29 attendees raise their glasses to Brewerkz Group’s NEWBrew beer that uses recycled wastewater

Singapore’s display at COP29, the annual climate change event held this year in Azerbaijan, captured international attention with a beer brewed from treated wastewater.

Known as NEWBrew, the beverage, offered free to attendees, highlights the city-state’s innovative approach to water management in one of the world’s most water-scarce nations.

NEWBrew is made with NEWater, Singapore’s brand of treated and purified wastewater. Introduced in Singapore some time ago, treated wastewater is critical to addressing Singapore’s projected doubling of water demand by 2065.

NEWBrew, developed in 2018 by The Brewerkz Group for Singapore’s International Water Week, has become a successful niche product. With about 15,000 cans produced annually, it retails for around 7 Singaporean dollars (US$5).

Drinking treated wastewater is not new to Singaporeans, thanks to decades of public campaigns to normalise its use. In 2002, then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong was famously photographed drinking NEWater to promote its safety.

At COP29, NEWBrew sparked curiosity and conversation, with drinkers recognising its significance as a symbol of sustainable innovation. The beer underscores the increasing global importance of water recycling, especially as climate change exacerbates water scarcity. Singapore’s display of the beer at the event also underlines its leadership in water management, demonstrating how recycled water can be safely and effectively integrated into daily life.

The promotion of NEWBrew also aligns with a broader effort to rebrand “wastewater” more as “used water”, to reduce stigma and encouraging wider acceptance of recycling technologies.