2010

Feng Yang

Development of Water Industry & Technology in Singapore

— An Overview

By Feng Yang

1

Contents

Section Page

Executive Summary 2

Introduction 3

Policy Strategy 4

Water Supply Strategy – Four Taps 4

Water Conservation Strategy 5

Public Funding & Incentives 7

Infrastructure 10

Government Agencies 10

Private Sectors 11

University/Polytechnic Research Centres 14

Networks & Events 18

Analysis 19

Conclusion 23

By Feng Yang

2

Executive Summary

Among all the environmental problems, finding sustainable solutions for the water problem

has now become vital and urgent all over the world. Singapore has been attracting many

global water players to take Singapore as R&D and commercialization base for innovative

water technologies. As Singapore targets to become the ‘Global Hydrohub’, the current

development of water technology in Singapore is considered to be noteworthy. An overview

is presented in this report.

National Strategies

To tackle the water challenge, the Singapore Government is optimizing and integrating the

existing water resources as well as creating new resources and recycling the sewage to

maintain a sustainable environment, such as increasing water supplies (expanding

catchments), reclaiming used water (NEWater) and desalting seawater (desalination).

Funding & Investment Support

The Singapore Government has identified the environment and water technologies sector as

a key strategic growth area since 2006. To accelerate the growth of environment and water

industry, the government has initiated quite a few funding and incentive schemes. An S$330

million investment has been committed over five years to promote research and

development in this field since 2006.

As the strong commitment from the Singapore Government to develop the water industry,

coupled with the easy availability of skilled manpower and the strong enforcement of

intellectual property rights regulations, more global players in water industry have invested

in Singapore in recent years. GE water & process technologies, for instance, has started

investing S$150 million over the following 10 years since 2009 and has launched a R&D

centre with the National University of Singapore (NUS).

R&D Institutions

In just three years, a robust R&D eco-system has emerged, with 15 private R&D setups, an

EWT Centre of Innovation housed in Ngee Ann Polytechnic, and five public research

institutes established in NUS and NTU, namely the Residues and Resource Reclamation

Centre, DHI-NTU Water and Environment Research Centre and Education Hub, the

Singapore Membrane Technology Centre housed in NEWRI, the Singapore-Delft Water

Alliance (SDWA) set up by NUS, and the newly established Advanced Environmental

Biotechnology Centre in NTU.

By Feng Yang

3

Singapore International Water Week

Many networks and collaborations are established locally and internationally to facilitate

the development of environment and water industry. The annually held event, Singapore

International Water Week since 2008, provides a platform to spot opportunities and

challenges in the environment and water industry. Singapore is playing a leading role in this

event.

Introduction

Global demand for water is expected to

reach 870 billion cubic metres by 2030 from

313 billion cubic metres. Unless decisive

steps are taken, nearly half the world’s

population could be living in areas of high

water stress by 2030 as a result of

population increase and climate change.

Singapore is leveraging its long-standing

experience and strong R&D capabilities in

tackling one of the biggest challenges in the

21st century – access to clean water. Since it

intensified efforts to develop the water

industry in 2006, Singapore has made strong

gains to create and provide innovative water

technologies and solutions for the global

market and transform itself into a ‘Global

Hydrohub’.

At a Glance

Singapore has allocated nearly S$700 million in Cleantech industry including

Environment and Water Sector.

More than 70 water companies are located in Singapore, such as GE Water, Siemens

Water, Black & Veatch, Delft Hydraulics, Nitto Denko and Hyflux.

The Environment and Water sector is expected to contribute S$ 1.7 billion to

Singapore’s GDP (0.6% of GDP) and employ 11,000 professionals and skilled personnel

by 2015.

BOX 1:

“Singapore has invested heavily in

technology since the 1970s to clean up

our river sand to ensure a sustainable and

diversified water supply. Today, Singapore

is known internationally for its strong

capabilities in water management and is

recognized as a leading adopter of new

water technologies, especially in the area

of membrane applications. Indeed,

Singapore is the world’s largest user of

membranes per capita, and a pioneer and

leader in large-scale water reclamation.”

Dr Tony Tan

Chairman

National Research Foundation

By Feng Yang

4

Policy Strategy

As its growing population and economy exert pressure on the demands of quality water

resources, Singapore has been dedicating to ensuring its sustainability in water solutions.

Water Supply Strategy - Four Taps

Tap #1: Local Catchment

The First ‘tap’ consists of an integrated

system of 14 reservoirs and an extensive

drainage system to channel storm water

into the local reservoirs and to minimize

flooding of the island during heavy rains.

About 2/3 of the island area is used as

water catchments upon the completion

of Marina Reservoir and the first phase of

the Seletar-Serangoon Reservoir. mgd = millions gallon per day

Tap #2: Imported Water

To supplement the local water supply, Singapore has been importing water from Malaysia

under two water agreements, and the second water agreements expires in 2061.

Tap #3: Desalinated Water

Being an island state, Singapore has been tracking innovations in desalination of water

(converting saltwater into freshwater) for some years. This technology has now become an

affordable option relying on the technological innovation. One of the world’s largest

desalination plants in Tuas was built by Singapore-based water-treatment firm Hyflux in

January 2004. The S$ 200 million plant can meet up to 10% of Singapore’s daily water needs

at one of the cheapest rates in the world.

Tap #4: Reclaimed Water

Singapore has been able to reclaim large volumes of used water through advanced

membrane technologies to further treat the effluent from Water Reclamation Plants (WRPs)

to a potable standard since 2002. The end-product of water reclamation is NEWater.

By Feng Yang

5

NEWater has been used mainly for industrial and commercial sectors by blending it with

reservoir water for indirect portable purposes. Good quality NEWater is consistently

produced at the Bedok, Kranji, Seletar and Ulu Pandan NEWater factories. To meet

increasing NEWater demand, a NEWater factory has been planned at Changi to recycle used

water being channelled to the Changi Water Reclamation Plant via the Deep Tunnel

Sewerage System in the eastern Singapore.

Water Conservation Strategy This strategy has worked well as the Singapore per capita domestic water consumption has

decreased from 176 litres per day in 1994 to 157 litres per day in 2007. The target is set to

lower the per capita domestic water consumption to 155 litres per day by 2012.

To achieve this target, the water conservation programmes along with the roll-out of new

initiatives have been launched to ensure that the water resources are effectively utilized.

Public Education and Publicity Programmes (to increase the awareness of saving water)

10-Litre Challenge (to challenge every Singaporean to save 10 litres of water a day)

Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (to encourage the infiltration of more water-efficient

products into the market)

BOX 2: NEWater

While NEWater is used mainly for non-potable industrial and commercial use, such as

wafer fabrication, it is also an important supplement to our potable water supply. PUB

adds 3 mgd of NEWater to the rain water collected in our reservoirs, a process that is also

used in the United States to naturalise reclaimed water. This currently constitutes about

1% of total potable water consumption, a level which will increase progressively to about

2.5% by 2011.

NEWater is ultra-clean, a fact confirmed by a battery of more than 30,000 scientific tests.

Not only does it exceed WHO requirements, it is also cheaper than desalination and

provides a sustainable and environment friendly way to quench the increasing demand

for water. With the introduction of NEWater, Singapore's water supply has become more

robust and resilient.

By Feng Yang

6

Using Water Wisely

Unaccounted-for-water (UFW) is the difference between the amount of water produced and

the total amount of water accounted for. UFW can be attributed to leaks and inherent

meter errors.

With commitment and the right resources, Singapore Public Utility Board (PUB) has over the

years come up with a comprehensive water conservation plan to tackle UFW and urge

consumers to use water efficiently.

Educating the public to make every drop

count;

Pricing water to reflect its strategic

importance and scarcity value;

Making water-saving devices mandatory

in commercial and industrial premises and

in the common areas of all private

apartments and condominiums;

Encouraging owners to run water-

efficient homes and buildings;

Conducting water audits for large

customers that consume more than 5,000

cubic metres per month;

Encouraging industries to use alternative

sources such as NEWater, industrial water

or seawater;

Legislative measures to deter water

wastage and unauthorised water usage.

BOX 3: Water-Efficient Building

PUB encourages building owners to run

water-efficient buildings (WEBs) by

reviewing and reducing their water

consumption and repairing leaking

fittings promptly. By the end 2007, more

than 1,100 buildings/premises, including

government-owned buildings like ENV

Building, URA Building, MOE HQ, DSTA

Tower, etc., have joined the WEB

programme, putting in place water-

saving devices in these buildings. In 2008,

PUB embarked on a ‘10% Challenge’

programme to challenge the non-

domestic customers to reduce their

water consumption.

By Feng Yang

7

Sewerage Infrastructure

The key to managing Singapore’s water

quality is its comprehensive sewerage

system. The sewerage system serves

all industrial estates and almost 100%

of residential premises in Singapore.

The system ensures that all used water

is collected and treated rather than

randomly released into the

environment to protect public health,

satisfy the basic needs for modern

sanitation, enable the conversion of used water into NEWater, and protect the marine

environment.

Table 1: An Overview of Water Resource Management of Singapore (2009)

Source: Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources

Water Resource Management Unit 2007 2008 2009

Sup

ply

No. of reservoirs in Singapore - 14 15 15

Sales of Potable water in Singapore

- Domestic Mil m3 264.2 271.4 277.8

- Non-domestic Mil m3 191.3 191.2 190.1

Sales of NEWater Mil m3 49.2 66.0 72.0

Sales of Industrial Water Mil m3 29.3 23.7 21.9

Volume of used water treated Mil m3 536.2 516.0 515.5

Acc

ess Improved drinking water sources % access 100 100 100

Improved sanitation % access 100 100 100

Syst

em E

ffic

ien

cy Test meeting WHO drinking water quality guidelines % 100 100 100

Unaccounted for water % 4.4 4.4 4.6

No. of leaks per 100km of potable water pipelines - 7 7 7

No. of sewerage disruptions per 1,000km of sewers - 21 19 17

Flood prone areas Hectares 98 79 67

By Feng Yang

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Public Funding & Incentives Singapore is well-known as a clean and green city with the government striving for

environmental sustainability while growing the economy. The government has also

identified Environmental and Water Technologies (EWT) including Clean Energy as strategic

areas where Singapore has a competitive edge and which could generate future economic

growth.

To accelerate the growth of the environmental industry, the government has initiated

several funding and incentive schemes related to water and environmental technologies.

Fast-Track Environmental and Water Technologies Incubator Scheme (Fast-Tech)

The Fast-Track Environmental and Water Technologies Incubator Scheme (Fast-Tech) is an

initiative by the Environmental and Water Industry Development Council (EWI) and

managed by EDB. The Fast-Tech scheme aims to grow environmental and water start-ups by

providing financial incentives and mentoring by specialized incubators. Funding is provided

up to $500,000 per company or up to 85% of qualifying costs, over two years.

Technology Pioneer (TechPioneer) Scheme

The Technology Pioneer (TechPioneer) Scheme by the Environmental and Water Industry

Development Council (EWI) aims to accelerate the commercialization of new environment

and water technologies by bringing together both technology vendors and users to apply

jointly under this scheme. Funding is provided up to $2 million or 30% of total qualifying

costs for a technology user.

Incentive for Research and Innovation Scheme (IRIS)

The Incentive for Research and Innovation Scheme (IRIS) by the Environmental and Water

Industry Development Council (EWI) funds Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), Research

Institutes and Singapore companies to research and develop new environmental and water

technologies (EWT) that lead to significant and sustainable growth opportunities in the EWT

industry. Funding is provided up to 100% for IHLs, public sector agencies and non-profit

research entities, and up to 70% for companies and for-profit research entities.

Environmental Technology Capability Development Programme (EnviroTech CDP)

The Environmental Technology Capability Development Programme (EnviroTech CDP) by

SPRING helps local environmental small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to enhance their

enterprise competitiveness and industry innovation. The EnviroTech CDP covers applied

By Feng Yang

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research, product development and commercialisation of water & waste water treatment.

Funding is provided for a portion of the project qualifying costs, which include manpower,

equipment, materials, and professional services.

Innovation Voucher Scheme (IVS)

The Innovation Voucher Scheme (IVS) by SPRING aims to encourage local SMEs to work with

public Knowledge Institutions (KI) like the Centres of Innovation (COIs) to test new

technology and innovative ideas. All SMEs can apply for an innovation voucher worth

S$5,000 from SPRING, which can be redeemed at participating KIs such as the Centre of

Innovation in Environmental and Water Technology (EWT COI) in Ngee Ann Polytechnic, for

advice and to develop new products and processes.

Innovation for Environmental Sustainability (IES) Fund

The Innovation for Environmental Sustainability (IES) Fund is managed by NEA and helps

companies to implement innovative environmental projects, such as Unconventional Water

Resources, Water Conservation and Wastewater Treatment & Recycling. The proposed

project must have strong innovation and early adoption elements, and help Singapore

meet its goal of environmental sustainability. The IES Fund provides funding to cover some

of the qualifying cost of the project, up to a maximum of $2 million.

Water Efficiency Fund (WEF)

The Water Efficiency Fund (WEF) by PUB encourages companies to be more efficient in

managing their water demand or promote water conservation in the community. For

feasibility studies, PUB will co-fund 50% of the study cost, subject to a cap of $50,000. For

water audits, PUB will co-fund 50% of the water audit cost, subject to a cap of $5,000. For

community campaigns and programmes, PUB will co-fund 50% of organising the programme,

subject to a cap of $5000. Funding is also available for water recycling efforts and use of

alternative source of water.

Environment Technology Research Programme (ETRP)

The Environment Technology Research Programme (ETRP) is a new $15 million seed funding

programme by the Environmental and Water Industry Development Council (EWI) and NEA

to build up technological competencies and support companies and researchers in waste

management.

The ETRP awards grants to R&D projects on waste management such as energy recovery,

materials recovery and special waste treatment, and is open to researchers from Institutes

of Higher Learning (IHLs), public sector agencies, not-for-profit research organizations and

Singapore-registered companies. The maximum funding for each project is up to $2 million

and for a maximum of 3 years.

By Feng Yang

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Infrastructure

A number of Singapore government agencies, private sectors and university/polytechnic

research centres have provided support for research and development of sustainability of

environmental and water technology in Singapore, such as funding and incentive scheme,

research and technical support, business development and commercialization, international

networks and exhibitions.

Government Agencies

Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR)

MEWR is committed to providing Singaporeans with a quality living environment. Over the

past few years, MEWR has managed to overcome its water challenges through its integrated

water resource management, investment in research and technology, and the

encouragement of community involvement in water management.

Public Utility Board (PUB)

As the national water agency under MEWR, PUB is responsible for the collection, production,

distribution and reclamation of water in Singapore.

Collection: Rainwater is collected and stored in 15 reservoirs that are linked by

pipelines so that excess water can be pumped from one reservoir to another, thus

optimizing storage capacity.

Production: Raw water is then piped to the waterworks for treatment.

Distribution: After treatment, the water is stored in covered reservoirs before being

distributed to customers

BOX 4: Key Targets of MEWR

Increase catchment areas from 50% to 67% of Singapore’s land surface

Increase supply of water from non-conventional sources such as desalination and

water reclamation to at least 25% of Singapore’s water demand

Ensure that water quality continues to meet international standards

Partner the 3P sectors to generate greater awareness of the importance of

conserving, valuing and enjoying water and develop a sense of shared ownership of

our water resources.

By Feng Yang

11

Reclamation: Used water is also regarded as a resource which is further purified using

advanced technology (such as membrane technology) to produce high-grade reclaimed

water, NEWater.

PUB has started to support the Environment and Water Industry Development Council by

facilitating water-related R&D work in 2006. Its R&D work is centred about the water loop

and focusing on the technology areas such as Membrane technology, Used Water Treatment,

and Intelligent Watershed Management.

Environment and Water Industry Development Council (EWI)

The Environment & Water Industry

Development Council (EWI) was set up

administratively in May 2006 by the

Ministry of the Environment and Water

Resources (MEWR) to spearhead the

development of the environment and

water industry in Singapore. The $330

million funding for over five years was

committed to promote R&D and manpower

capabilities for local environment and

water industry.

Many government entities and agents are

involved in EWI including Public Utilities

Board (PUB), National Environment Agency

(NEA), Agency for Science, Technology &

Research (A*STAR), International Enterprise

(IE) Singapore, Nanyang Technological

University (NTU) and National University of

Singapore (NUS).

BOX 5: EWI has been dedicated to

Launching environment and water research

program (Incentive for Research &

Innovation Scheme)

Strengthening international R&D linkages

(the American Water Works Association,

Kiwa Water Research and Delft Hydraulics)

Bring up test-bedding opportunities for

Singapore (22 projects committed since

2006, such as Memstill project)

Encouraging early adoption of technologies

(TechPioneer scheme targeting to

accelerate the commercialization of new

environment and water technologies

through early technology adoption)

Bringing new technology to the market

(Fast-Track Environmental and Water

Technologies Incubator Scheme (Fast-Tech)

Grooming talented and manpower (NRF

EWT PhD Scholarships)

By Feng Yang

12

Companies

There have been quite a few international private companies taking Singapore as their R&D

and technology transfer headquarters in recent years. Some key players in the field of

Environmental and Water Industry are listed in Table 2.

Table 2: Key EWI Companies in Singapore

Nitto Denko

It is the first Japanese enterprise to set up a R&D Centre dedicated to water

treatment in Singapore

The Singapore-base centre develops membrane technology for water reuse and

desalination

Marmon Water

US-based Marmon water produces filtration systems and components for residential

water treatment market

An investment of S$24 million is secured for the new 3,500 square metres plat in

Singapore

A joint-venture R&D centre has been established with Hyflux for water products

GE Water & Process Technologies

GE has started investing S$150 million since 2009 over the next decade to establish a

Global Water R&D Centre at the University of Singapore

100 top-tier researchers will engage in the R&D centre activities including water

treatment and system integration, fundamental chemical and membrane applications

to ion-exchange technology

Siemens Water Technologies

Siemens has set up a S$50 million Global Water Technology Research Centre in

Singapore

60 researchers are working in such Siemens Water Technologies’ global R&D

headquarters

Pall Corporation

A global fluid management company specializing in filtration, separation and

purification technologies

US$0.6 billion investment was consolidated for Asian-Pacific operations by

By Feng Yang

13

establishing its International Headquarters in Singapore

Black & Veatch

A leading engineering design and consultancy company with the core expertise in

water industry

The 120-staff International Headquarters is located in Singapore managing its Asian-

Pacific operations

A Global Advanced Water Design Centre and a Centre of Excellence in Desalination

was launched in 2007

Singapore will be the only development centre providing advanced conceptual

engineering design services aside from their headquarters in Kansas City

Hyflux

One of Asia’s largest membrane-based seawater desalination plant in Singapore will

supply 10% of the country’s water needs

More than 100 researchers are now working in its water R&D Centre

The world’s largest membrane desalination plant with capacity of 500,000 m3 per day

is being built in Algeria

Hyflux has been awarded a S$36 million project by PUB to design and build

Singapore’s largest membrane bioreactor (MBR) plat with a designed capacity of

68,000m3 per day

Keppel Corporation

Keppel established a 27-staff Environmental Technology Centre (KETC) in 2007 to

spearhead R&D efforts in water industry in Singapore

KETC is collaborating with Singapore Refining companies to build a demonstration

plant to produce desalinated water using waste heat

This Singapore-grown industry conglomerate is taking the lead in developing the Sino-

Singapore Eco-City in Tianjin, China

Boustead Salcon

This Singapore grown-company in water & environmental engineering has extensive

technical expertise in system design and project management and has built more than

800 projects worldwide

Its expertise consists of municipal / industrial water & wastewater infrastructure,

energy and waste recovery infrastructure, power generation, geography mapping

solutions and operations & maintenance.

By Feng Yang

14

Dayan Environmental Limited

A leading environmental engineering company specializes in the provision of

integrated systems and solutions for waste and water treatment.

A number of ongoing involved projects shows its strength in EWI both in Singapore and overseas, such as M&E works for Marina Raw Water Pumping Station, Punggol–Serangoon Reservoir Scheme, Expansion of Water Treatment Plant (II) in Cambodia, and Johor River Waterworks Plants A & B

Toray Industries

A leading Japanese enterprise, the world’s largest producer of carbon fibre,

established a R&D centre in Singapore, focused on water treatment technologies

Toray is collaborating with Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute

(NEWRI) to develop advanced membrane technologies

The company plans to expand its research group to 30 staffs in the R&D centre over

the next five years.

CH2M HILL

A global leader in engineering consulting, construction, and operations delivers

sustainable solutions to regional water industry in Singapore

It provides programme management services to support PUB’S S$6.8 billion

wastewater deep-tunnel conveyance and treatment system programme, which will

help meet infrastructure needs for the next 40 years upon completion in 2016.

It helps PUB design and build NEWater plants and visitor centre in Bedok, Kranji,

Seletar and changi

Source: Economic Development Board

University/Polytechnic Research Centres

Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute (NEWRI)

Officially launched in Mar 2008, the Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute

(NEWRI) located at the University of Nanyang Technological was set up as a culmination of

the university's efforts in environmental & water technologies, and to serve as a one-stop

centre for industry and research partners to access NTU's capabilities. The NEWRI

Ecosystem facilitates a contiguous value chain in terms of research, translation,

development, and application so that research can reach and benefit industry with greater

frequency.

By Feng Yang

15

The research centres and groups in NEWRI with their research strengths are summarized

below.

Residues & Resource Reclamation Centre (R3C)

Research Key Words: Resource Recovery, Contaminated Sites Remediation, Carbon Credits

Trading

Singapore Membrane Technology Centre (SMTC)

Research Key Words: Membrane Distillation Bioreactor, Integrity Sensor Systems, Reverse

Osmosis Systems

DHI-NTU Water & Environment Research Centre & Education Hub (DHI-NTU Centre)

Research Key words: Catchment and Reservoir Management, Water Distribution Systems,

Waste Water Collection Systems, Wastes Management, Treatment Systems, Environmental

Impact Assessment, Hydrodynamic and Water Quality Modelling

Advanced Environmental Biotechnology Group (AEBG)

Research Key Words: Biogranulation, Biofilm Formation, Granular Membrane Bioreactor

(GMBR)

Environmental Chemistry & Materials Group (ECMG)

Research Key Words: Nanomaterials as treatment chemicals, functionalized membranes,

photo-catalytic system, Layered Double Hydroxides, Arsenic Removal

Lien Institute for the Environment (LIFE)

Research Key Words: Lien Foundation, Philanthropic Activities, Community Awareness,

Education, Eldercare, Environmental Suitability

Institute of Environmental Science and Engineering (iESE)

Research Key Words: Commercialization, Spin-Off, Market Intelligent Property

Advanced Environmental Biotechnology Centre (AEBC)

The Advanced Environmental Biotechnology Centre (AEBC) was newly officially launched on

10 May 2010. AEBC seeks to address issues on water production, water and wastewater

purification, reduce energy usage in these processes and in the reclamation of used water,

and aims to reduce the cost, time and energy by 10 to 50 percent to produce clean water

and to treat wastewater.

This S$21 million centre is jointly set up by Singapore Nanyang Technological University

(NTU) and Australia's University of New South Wales (UNSW), and supported by Singapore's

Economic Development Board (EDB) and the Environment & Water Industry Programme

Office (EWI).

By Feng Yang

16

AEBC is the latest facility to be launched under NEWRI and will be supported by eight core

researchers and nine research fellows when fully operational. The Centre also plans to train

26 graduate students for the water industry by 2015.

NUS Environment Research Institute (NERI)

The National University of Singapore set up the NUS Environment Research Institute (NERI)

to draw together environment & water technology expertise from across the university. One

of the centres, the Singapore-Delft Water Alliance (SDWA), has been set up by NUS, PUB

and Delft Hydraulics, a Netherlands-based international research and specialist consultancy

firm.

SDWA focuses on applications to all areas of integrated water management, and especially

to river basins, aquifers, urban water systems, estuaries, and coastal waters. It provides

advice using integrated data collection, modelling and decision support systems to different

demand groups such as farmers and flood or drought prone communities as well as

contractors or operators. SDWA research strengths are shown through the highlight

programmes below.

MHBox

Research Key Words: Hydrodynamic Modelling, Adaptive Weather Modelling

Peatland

Research Key Words: Peatland Management, Soil and Carbon Emission, Ecology and

Biodiversity, Remote Sensing (Satellite) Techniques

Centre for Aquatic Science Research – Pandan

Research Key Words: Nutrient Metabolite & Pollutant Cycling, Ecosystem Functioning &

Ecological Modelling, Bio-based Environmental Monitoring, Biomaterial Screening, Bio-

geochemical Analysis, Hydraulics & Catchment Hydrology

Multireservior

Research Key Words: Weather Forecasting Model, Quantitative Precipitation Estimations

(QPE), Ground Monitoring Stations, Rainfall-Runoff Process Simulation, Process Emulation,

Reservoir System Integrated Control

Coral Seagrass & Mangrove

Research Key Words: Nutrient Cycling, Pollutant Capture, Carbon Sequestration, Fisheries,

Biodiversity, Remote Sensing, Flume Studies, Hydrodynamic Modelling (Delft3D), Sustainable

Costal Defence

Sediment

Research Key Words: Sediment Sources, Coastal Ecosystems, Satellite Imagery Ground-

Referencing Modelling

By Feng Yang

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Upper Peirce

Research Key Words: Hydrodynamic Processes, Ecological Process, Water Quality

Monitoring and Modelling, Lake/Reservoir Management and Restoration

NUS – GE Singapore Water Technology Centre

GE Water, a business unit of GE Energy,

and the National University of Singapore

(NUS) announced the establishment of

the NUS-GE Singapore Water Technology

Centre on the campus of NUS in March

2009. With S$150 million investment

from GE and NUS, the centre will house

GE scientists and engineers developing

new solutions for low-energy seawater

desalination, water reclamation and more

efficient water reuse. This collaboration

expedites fundamental research and

industry innovation in water treatment.

GE Water and Singapore have been

working together in delivering effective

water solutions. GE's ZeeWeedTM hollow

fibre ultrafiltration membrane technology

is used to produce high-quality reclaimed

water from treated wastewater at the

Bedok NEWater plant and the nation's

first large-scale membrane bioreactor

plant at Ulu Pandan. Two important

drinking water plants, Chestnut Avenue

Water Works and Choa Chu Kang Water Works also use GE ultrafiltration membranes to

purify water for potable use.

The ZeeWeed membrane bioreactor (MBR) process is a GE technology that consists of a

suspended growth biological reactor integrated with an ultrafiltration membrane system,

using the ZeeWeed hollow fibre membrane. Essentially, the ultrafiltration system replaces

the solids separation function of secondary clarifiers and sand filters in a conventional

activated sludge system.

BOX 6: ZeeWeed Membrane Bioreactor Key

Features and Benefits

Physical Ultrafiltration (UF) Barrier

produces a high quality effluent suitable

for direct reuse

Unmatched Fibre Ruggedness ensures a

longer membrane life in harsh

wastewater operating environments

Hollow Fibre Geometry provides a

greater filtration surface area reducing

plant footprint and effectively

distributing cleaning solutions

Effective Backpulse Cleaning maintains

long-term performance and provides a

simple, rapid method of recovery

Automated in-situ cleaning simplifies

system operation and maintenance

while reducing operating cost

“Self-healing” fibres mean no

catastrophic membrane failures

By Feng Yang

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Centre of Innovation Environmental & Water Technology (COI-EWT)

The Innovation Voucher Scheme (IVS) launched by SPRING Singapore in March 2009 aims to

encourage small medium enterprises (SMEs) in adopting technology to develop their

innovative ideas with the support of public knowledge institutions (KIs). COI-EWT in Ngee

Ann Polytechnic is a participating Centre of Innovation in KIs providing R&D expertise and

resources in environmental and water technology to local SMEs enterprise.

The centre has set up a dedicated team of Applications Engineers with extensive multi-

disciplinary expertise in the area of

Water and Waste Water Technology: Engineering Design & Innovation, Performance

Evaluation Treatment

Waste Management: Resource Conversion, Recycling & Reuse

Pollution Control: Sustainable Energy, Energy Management, Energy Auditing

Clean Energy: Monitoring System Development & Enhancement, Pollutant Detection

& Characterisation

COI-EWT has already initiated quite a few applied R&D, consultancy and product

development projects since its operation in Nov 2006 to support local SMEs. The

collaboration area with SMEs can be solution-based applied research, energy management,

computer simulation & rapid prototyping, product development & enhancement, proof of

concept/value, patent search for technology adoption, pilot plant design and system

integration, technology feasibility research, 3rd party assessment of system performance.

Centre for Applications in Environmental Technology (CAET)

The Centre for Applications in Environmental Technology (CAET) is one of Technology and

Innovation Centres in Singapore Polytechnic (SP) in the development of applications in

environmental technology. CAET is an institutional member of Singapore Water Association

(SWA) and Waste Management and Recycling Association of Singapore (WMRAS).

This centre focuses on translational research and product development. Its

commercialization activities are based on the projects in prototyping, pilot testing and test-

bedding. Water Technology is one of the key strategic areas in CAET together with

Environmental & Recycling and Clean Energy.

CAET’s water technology related projects include:

Reliable Intermittent Waste Water Quality Monitoring System

Waste Concrete Reclamation & Wastewater Recycling In Concrete Batching Plant

Water Sampler: Water Sampler for PUB’s Active, Beautiful and Clean River Programme

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Rainwater Harvesting from Rooftops

Reliable Continuous Fluid Quality Monitoring System

Low Altitude Aerial Survey System to Record Short to Medium Term Changes in Coastal Habitat and Geomorphology

Development of a Sludge Dewatering System

Networks & Events

Waste Management and Recycling Association of Singapore (WMRAS)

Established in August 2001, the Waste Management and Recycling Association of Singapore

(WMRAS) aims to promote business networking opportunities amongst members. To foster

information exchange, the Association has organized regular dialogue sessions with relevant

authorities to keep members updated on the regulatory and policies developments.

As there have long been questions on the quality and performance of the recycled products

due to a lack of accepted specifications, standards and understanding of the recycling

processes, WMRAS initiated the accreditation scheme for Recycled Aggregate Supplier. This

scheme aims to improve the quality and consistency of the waste processors and managed

by WMRAS.

Singapore Water Association (SWA)

The Singapore Water Association (SWA) dedicates to promote Singapore as a one-stop

centre for all water-related technology and services hub. The Association aims to provide a

forum for collaboration and communication of ideas, knowledge, new technologies and

business opportunities among members.

SWA as an association also actively participate in foreign conferences and seminars,

showcasing Environment and Water Industry of Singapore at exhibitions and trade shows

and collaboration with other water bodies worldwide. SWA serves as an important network

linking node for members to the international water network.

Singapore International Water Week (SIWW)

The Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) is a global platform for sustainable water

solutions taking place annually since 2008. It brings together policymakers, industry leaders,

experts and practitioners to address challenges, showcase technologies, discover business

opportunities and celebrate achievements in the water world.

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The premier event this year (Jun 28 – 2 Jul 2010) will host more than 450 participating

companies from all over the world. The event’s flagship programmes comprise:

Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize (outstanding contributions towards solving global water

problems)

Water Leaders Summit (solution-focused dialogue on critical water governance,

technology and business)

Water Convention (industrial experts, practitioners, researchers and academics to

share the latest advances and challenges in the water industry)

Water Expo (technology showcase)

Business Forum (business networking, partnership formation, deal-making opportunity,

industry trends and policies)

Analysis

This report gives a general picture of current development of environment and water

industry in Singapore from the aspects of national strategies, government support, private

investment, R&D infrastructure, networks and global collaboration as an overview

investigation.

1. The Reservoir Integration Scheme optimizes the storage capacity and enhances the

local catchment yield as excess water can be channelled from one reservoir to another.

Great care, however, has to be taken in terms of the environmental consequences, such

as biodiversity.

2. It is very costly to import water from Malaysia (estimated total cost more than S$ 1

billion since 1961). When the 1962 Water Agreement with Malaysia expires in 2062,

Singapore is able to be self-sufficient in water with the supplement of NEWater and

desalinated water.

3. NEWater is produced through the multiple barrier process. For indirect portable use

(IPU), the volume of NEWater IPU increases steadily and is expected to be 10 million

gallons per day by 2011. It was hard to convince wafer fabrication industry of using

NEWater before, although 20% savings was proved after adopting NEWater. Convincing

Singaporeans that NEWater is safe for consumption, however, is still needed.

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4. Various initiatives by PUB to reduce pipe leaks in the water conveying network has

resulted in Singapore having one of the lowest unaccounted-for-water (UFW) rate in the

world (~5%). A cost-effective network and sustainable leak management system is very

important as this defers the need for investment in new capacity in the long run.

5. Water related government funding in Singapore is mainly from EDB, NEA, SPRING, PUB

and EWI (Table 3). EWI plays an important role as it has the most funding schemes (4

out of 8 funding schemes and 2 of which are co-funding). Almost all funding sources

focus on R&D (5 out of 8 funding schemes) and commercialization (4 out of 8 funding

schemes) of water technology. It is noteworthy that local SMEs in environment and

water industry can seek funding and incentive support from SPRING through EnviroTech

CDP and IVS scheme.

These funding and incentive schemes covers public sectors, non-profit research entities,

for-profit research entities and private companies, evidently showing great supports of

the Singapore Government for the fundamental research, technology innovation and

commercialization in water technology industry.

6. Local companies, such as Hyflux and Keppel Corporation, have demonstrated their

technology strength in environment and water industry and have started exporting

technology overseas. Hyflux is building the world’s largest membrane desalination plant

with capacity of 500,000 m3 per day in Algeria, while Keppel Corporation is taking the

lead in developing the Sino-Singapore Eco-City in Tianjin, China.

7. On the other hand, 15 private R&D centres have been set up in Singapore including

many global companies, like Nitto Denko, Marmon Water, GE, Siemens, Black & Veatch

and Toray Industry. Among these companies, Pall Corporation and Black & Veatch have

chosen Singapore to set up their Asian-Pacific Headquarters.

Several collaborations between international private companies and local companies or

research entities have been established, such as a) Marmon Water – Hyflux, b) GE

Water – NUS, and c) Toray Industry – NEWRI (NTU). The international industrial tie-up

strongly depends on the existing and ongoing research strength and sources of

Singapore in EWI and such international R&D collaboration will accelerate the transition

of Singapore to become the global water technology hub in the near future.

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Table 3: Summary of Government Funding and Incentive Schemes

Funding Funding Body Funding Area Funding Amount

WEF PUB Water Efficiency

Feasibility Study: Co-fund 50%, cap of S$50,000; Water Audits: Co-fund 50%, cap of S$ 5000; Community Programmes: Co-fund 50%, cap of S$5000

Fast-Tech EWI/EDB Commercialization Up to S$500,000 per company or 85% qualifying costs, over 2 years

Tech Pioneer EWI Commercialization UP to S$2 million or 30% of qualifying costs for technology user

IRIS EWI R&D

Up to 100% project funding support for public sectors and non-profit research entities, and up to 70% for companies and for-profit research entities.

EnviroTech CDP

SPRING R&D

Commercialization N.A.

IVS SPRING R&D

Commercialization Training

Innovation voucher worth S$5000 per company, up to 10 SMEs

IES NEA R&D Up to S$2 million

ETRP EWI/NEA R&D A seed funding of S$15 million, up to S$2 million per project for maximum 3 years

Government Agency Funding and Incentive Schemes

Economic Development Board (EDB) Water Efficiency Fund (WEF)

National Environment Agency (NEA) Fast-Track Environmental and Water Technologies Incubator Scheme (Fast-Tech)

SPRING Singapore (SPRING)

PUB, the national water agency (PUB) Technology Pioneer (TechPioneer) Scheme

Environment & Water Industry Development Council (EWI)

Incentive for Research and Innovation Scheme (IRIS)

Environmental Technology Capability Development Programme (EnviroTech CDP)

Innovation Voucher Scheme (IVS)

Innovation for Environmental Sustainability (IES) Fund

Environment Technology Research Programme (ETRP)

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8. Concerning water related R&D entities in Singapore, currently, there are

a) Four public research centres in NTU (Residues and Resource Reclamation Centre,

DHI-NTU, Singapore Membrane Technology Centre, Advanced Environmental

Biotechnology Centre under NEWRI)

b) One public research centre in NUS (Singapore-Delft Water Alliance)

c) One joint-built centre with GE Water in NUS(NUS-GE Singapore Water Technology

Centre)

d) One Centre of Innovation in Ngee Ann Polytechnic (Centre of Innovation in

Environment & Water Technology)

e) One technology and innovation centre in Singapore Polytechnic (Centre for

applications in Environmental Technology).

9. All research entities have their own research emphasis in water technology.

a) Research centres in NEWRI mainly focus on membrane technology, water management, environmental biotechnology and environmental chemistry.

b) Singapore-Delft Water Alliance (SDWA) has the research strength in hydrodynamic process and modelling, water quality monitoring and management, Ecosystem Functioning & Ecological Modelling and remote sensing techniques.

c) Scientists and engineers in NUS-GE centre have expertise in developing new solutions for low-energy seawater desalination, water reclamation and more efficient water reuse.

d) COI-EWT in Ngee Ann Polytechnic provides solutions for local SMEs in the area of Water and Waste Water Technology, Waste Management, Pollution Control, Clean Energy.

10. Sludge Management and Membrane Bioreactors (MBR) are expected to be two of the

research trends in the coming years in Singapore. Proper treatment and disposal of

sludge (the solid by-product of used water treatment) is essential to avoid

contamination to the environment, and the bio-energy generated from sludge

treatment process makes the energy self-sufficiency in waste water treatment possible.

Promisingly, a single-stage MBR can replace several conventional existing processes,

like microfiltration pre-treatment, to produce high quality effluent without the need for

additional filters. This technology results in a significant reduction in total retention

time, improved effluent quality and cost savings.

11. Since the inauguration in 2008, Singapore International Water Week has become a

premier international yearly event for the Environment and Water Industry, which

shows the enhancing status of Singapore in water industry.

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Conclusion

An over view of current development of water national strategy, water industry and water

technology in Singapore is briefly presented in this report, which is discussed from a more

industrial and technological point of view. Due to the lack of substantial statistic data, more

specific analysis is not available, such as the comparison of industrial development between

Singapore and other water industry leading countries. Therefore, further investigation is

necessary in future.

From this report, however, it can obviously be seen that a fairly substantial base has been

built up to develop the Environment and Water Industry in Singapore in terms of strategic

policy, R&D environment and international collaborations, and the Government continues

to provide solid support to accelerate the growth of the industry, such as the 8 funding and

incentive schemes launched recently (Table 3) and the yearly event “Singapore International

Water Week”.

A series of challenges, however, is needed to be paid attention to during the process of

development. Environmental consequences are the most concerns, such as the potential

ecological problems induced by changing the morphology of reservoirs, and the proper

treatment of the by-product (sludge) of water reclamation. It’s rather unwise to introduce

new environmental concerns while solving the existing environmental problems. Not the

least, strengthening the public awareness of water conservation and convincing the public

acceptance of reclaimed water are challenges for policy makers and community workers.

It can be foreseen that, by riding the wave of water industry and maintaining a sustainable

development strategy, Singapore will become the ‘Global Hydrohub’ in no time.