Tucked away in a quiet forested corner of Singapore, a nondescript building in Choa Chu Kang houses one of the Republic’s key innovations in water technology where water from local reservoirs is treated to make it drinkable.
Choa Chu Kang Waterworks, which has been supplying drinking water to the western part of Singapore since 1975, is hosting a project that exemplifies what the country does best: setting up public-private partnerships to drive industry innovation.
The project is a joint effort between national water agency PUB and Dutch water technology company PWN Technologies (PWNT). PUB had invited PWNT to test some of the world’s newest water treatment technology under real-life operating conditions under the TechPioneer scheme.
Started in 2006 with a S$330 million commitment from the Environment & Water Industry Programme Office (EWI), the TechPioneer scheme exists to spur rapid growth in Singapore’s environment and water industries. It does this by creating partnerships and incentives that break down the barriers to commercialisation of new technologies.
PUB and PWNT are currently testing a new ceramic membrane technology, called CeraMac,that increases both the lifespan and efficiency of systems used to treat water.
Ceramic membrane technology has been around since the 1950’s, said PWNT’s director of technology application Jonathan Clement, and has the benefits of being long-lasting and durable compared to polymer membranes that use fibres for filtration. But he added, the technology traditionally has a large environmental footprint because of the amount of stainless steel required for piping and the energy needed to create sufficient water pressure for cleaning, referred to as backwash. By bundling multiple filtration elements into a single, carefully calibrated container, PWNT has reduced the amount of space, materials and energy required for the system.
Before the current demonstration at the Choa Chu Kang plant, CereMac had previously been tested on recycled water at a pilot facility located at a NEWater plant in Bedok. NEWater is Singapore’s system for recycling wastewater into drinking-quality water, and is expected to meet half of predicted demand by 2060.
PUB will test PWNT’s technology over the next 18 months, and directly compare it to other technologies using the same water source.
The end results of the trial will be new technologies, investments, skills and job opportunities for Singapore (not to mention clean water), and a marketable track record that PWNT can use to commercialise its technology.
Water companies are slow to adopt new technologies, said PWNT’s Mr Clement. The water industry is traditionally conservative, meaning that new technologies can take a long time to take hold, he noted, adding that Singapore’s willingness to test new technologies allows companies to develop track records for the performance of their technologies based on actual municipal operations.
Testing under actual municipal operating conditions is crucial, according to Harry Seah, PUB’s director of water quality and technology. He told Eco-Business that because no two water sources are the same, significant on-site testing is necessary to optimise the operation of each technology. He added that PUB would use the site for staff training, both during the testing period and afterwards.
The Choa Chu Kang plant, with a daily capacity of 1.2 million litres, is part of a S$5 million collaboration with PWNT, engineering firm Black & Veatch and membrane technology company Metawater.
PWNT’s CeraMac is only one of the more than 60 water technology projects supported by PUB at 23 water research and development (R&D) sites around the country.
“We’re always open to the testing of new technology,” said Mr Seah.
PUB’s proactive approach to new technology is driving significant growth. An international advisory panel that met on 8 July found that investments within the last five years from the industry’s local and international companies have added 2,300 skilled jobs and will contribute S$590 million annually to Singapore’s economy.
The panel also found that since 2006, Singapore-based companies have exported expertise and technologies around the world through projects with a combined value of S$8.4 billion.
Focused on more than just a thriving domestic water industry, Singapore is aiming to be a main driver of the water industry globally. Each year, the nation hosts Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) to bring together policymakers, scientists and industry leaders to share and market water solutions.
The fourth annual SIWW, held earlier this month, drew 13,500 water technology professionals and management experts from government and non-government agencies. According to a statement from event organisers, participating companies originating from 99 different countries, announced S$2.9 billion in new project contracts, investments and R&D agreements.
Clearly some companies agree that Singapore is a good place for water technology companies to do business. PWNT recently announced it would establish its Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore.
PWNT chief executive Pieter Spohr said that the firm chose Singapore to better position them to take advantage of the burgeoning market potential in Asia, especially their key target markets of Southeast Asia and Australia.
“Singapore’s excellent business conditions and strong focus on the water industry makes it an important global hub for the water industry,” he added.
