1/23/2008

PUB turns water into multi-million dollar industry

Singapore — Singapore's island geography exemplifies the old "water, water everywhere" paradox. Surrounded by the sea but with few fresh water resources, it faced shortages, flooding and pollution in the 1960s and 70s.

But all that changed when the tiny South-east Asian state decided to tackle its water woes head on by investing heavily in water R&D and technologies.

The gamble paid off. "We have ensured that our water supply is sustainable for generations to come," says Mr Khoo Teng Chye, chief executive of PUB, the national water agency.

In the process, the agency found itself becoming an international poster child for successful water management. In August 2007, it won the industry's equivalent of the Nobel Prize – the Stockholm Industry Water Award, and in 2006, it was named Water Agency Of The Year.

Behind its success is an approach that combines innovative policy and engineering solutions in a strategy it calls the Four National Taps: collection of water from local catchment areas; imported water; reclaimed water ( branded NEWater in Singapore); and desalinated water.

The water reclamation programme, which uses advanced membrane technologies to recycle used water, has been particularly successful. Being 100 per cent sewered, Singapore is able to collect all its used water and turn it into a high-grade brand of reclaimed water it calls NEWater.

Most of this is used for industrial and air-cooling purposes, but a small percentage is mixed with reservoir water before being treated for the drinking water supply.

In theory, Singapore could reuse every drop of water infinitely, says Mr Harry Seah, director of the agency's technology and water quality office. The challenge now is to do it more cheaply, efficiently and sustainably.

In 2006, the Singapore government earmarked the water sector as a growth industry, with plans to invest S$330 million in water R&D over the next five years.

The funds will be spent on basic and applied research to seek breakthroughs in water technologies, technology incubation, encouraging early adoption of new technologies, and scholarships to groom talent in the industry. PUB hopes that Singapore International Water Week will further raise the profile of the country's water sector.

"It is a major step for us in our efforts to develop Singapore into a vibrant and thriving global hydrohub." says Mr Khoo. "It signals our strong commitment to developing the water industry in Singapore and building overseas linkages and partnerships."

SOURCE: SIWW 2008