International partnerships boost Singapore’s robust water research eco-system

PUB to sign five Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) for research collaboration on water treatment technologies during Singapore International Water Week

PUB, Singapore's national water agency will be collaborating with international water companies and research centres to explore R&D projects in water treatment. Five Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) will be signed with Evoqua Water Technologies, Grundfos, Technologiezentrum Wasse (TZW), KWR Watercycle Research Institute, and Anaergia Pte Ltd during the Singapore International Water Week 2014. These projects will further drive Singapore's growth in water R&D to co-create solutions that can enhance our water resilience, and promote Singapore as a global hydrohub.

PUB and Evoqua will further develop electrochemical desalination technology that aims to improve the energy and cost efficiencies in seawater desalination. Evoqua, which has been presently engaged in a demonstration with PUB for initial feasibility of advanced electrochemical desalination technology, will now explore the design, construction, installation and evaluation of a system comprising Evoqua E-Desal equipment to produce drinking water from seawater with an eventual capacity of 1 U.S. MGD for the demo plant. The parties shall commission the initial phase of the demo project by 31 December 2014.

The collaboration between TZW and PUB will focus on the enhancement of the water treatment processes. Under the MOU, experts from both TZW and PUB will be working together on two projects related to biological activated carbon and limestone filtration. Other potential areas of collaboration include the enhancement of several water treatment processes like coagulation and advanced oxidation.

PUB will be working with Grundfos on the development and application of high efficient pump solutions, research and development in wastewater treatment solutions, disinfection technologies, applications of in-pipe energy recovery technologies, and other relevant water innovation areas.

In addition, PUB will be collaborating with KWR Watercycle Research Institute in Watershare®, and join the programme as a Gold member. As part of this partnership, PUB will tap on their knowledge tools such as the Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) Treatment Calculator, Optivalves, and Network Flow Performance to enhance water treatment and water network management.

The partnership with Anaergia Pte Ltd will focus on potential waste-to-energy research projects, in particular anaerobic co-digestion of food waste and used water sludge to derive positive synergies for enhanced energy recovery.

"R&D has been key to Singapore overcoming its water vulnerabilities and achieving a secure water supply, and it will remain vital as we explore ways to keep our water supply sustainable and affordable. The collaborations with international partners will help us scale greater heights in water research, enabling us to find new and innovative ways to contain the rising costs of treating and producing water," said Mr Chew Men Leong, PUB Chief Executive and Executive Director, Environment & Industry Programme Office (EWI).

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