Singapore’s national water agency PUB has chosen the consortium that will build the country’s fifth water treatment plant for reclaimed water.
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The BESIN-UEN consortium, led by BEWD International, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Beijing Enterprises Water Group and UE NEWater, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Singapore’s UES Holdings, will construct the plant at Changi under a Design, Build, Own and Operate agreement, which the parties will sign this month, PUB said in a recent statement.
The plant, which will be the second NEWater facility located in Changi, will help the city-state to expand its water supply system and meet the country’s growing demand in a cost-efficient manner, said Young Joo Chye, PUB’s best sourcing director. NEWater is Singapore’s known brand of water produced from high-grade quality reclaimed water using advanced membrane technologies.
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As the pillar of Singapore’s water supply, NEWater has demonstrated its value in strengthening water supply resilience, especially against weather extremities like dry spells and droughts
Young Joo Chye, PUB’s best sourcing director
The plant is expected to add 50 million gallons (mgd) or 228,000 cubic metres of NEWater per day to the nation’s water supply once it commences operations in 2016, added the government agency.
At a first-year price of S$0.276 per cubic metre, BESIN-UEN offers the most competitive tariff for the supply of NEWater over a 25-year period from 2016-2041, the agency said.
Water recycling is part of PUB’s water sustainability programme and currently provides 30 per cent of Singapore’s daily water needs.
Most of the water produced from these water treatment facilities are used for non-potable purposes in industrial estates and commercial buildings, while a small amount is also blended with raw reservoir water.
The four existing plants include the SingSpring desalination plant, the Keppel-Seghers Ulu Pandan NEWater Plant, the SembCorp Changi NEWater Plant, and the Tuaspring Desalination Plant.
“As the pillar of Singapore’s water supply, NEWater has demonstrated its value in strengthening water supply resilience, especially against weather extremities like dry spells and droughts,” noted Young.
PUB said it expects reclaimed water to meet 55 per cent of Singapore’s daily requirements as part of the country’s long term plan.
