In the first initiative of its kind, used water and solid waste will be treated at facilities located next to each other in Tuas.
Singapore will see the implementation of more innovative environmental technologies, following announcements made at the Singapore International Water Week on Tuesday.
In the first initiative of its kind, used water and solid waste will be treated at facilities located next to each other in Tuas.
The National Environment Agency’s Integrated Waste Management Facility can handle up to 50 per cent of Singapore’s waste treatment capacity, when it is completed by 2024.
Next to it will be the new Tuas Water Reclamation Plant, which will feature an integrated NEWater factory. The integration of multiple treatment processes will help optimise energy and resource recovery, contributing to the long-term goal of increasing NEWater supply to meet up to 55 per cent of total water demand.
This is part of phase two of the Deep Tunnel Sewerage System, with the extension of tunnels to collect used water from the western parts of Singapore.
“Singapore actually benefits from a complete sewage system, which actually will save the land that is used for used water infrastructure. In fact, we would have saved the land used by 50 per cent,” said Chew Men Leong, chief executive of PUB.
“More importantly with its completion, we will actually be able to increase the capacity for recycling of water. That will help us move towards a higher level of recycling.”
In another development, Singapore and Denmark agreed to deepen ties in environmental and water sustainability.
Environment and Water Resources Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan and the Danish Minister for the Environment Kirsten Brosbol signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Tuesday on the sidelines of the Singapore International Water Week.
Areas covered include the development and deployment of innovative environmental technology as well as flood management.
“We are going to have to invent new solutions to deal with the existential challenges that we will face,” said Dr Balakrishnan.
“If we can successfully devise new solutions, and even more so, by collaborating with each other, I think there will be a world market for our services and our products.”
