Michael Toh, Managing Director, Singapore International Water Week (SIWW), sat down with Samantha Keck to talk about SIWW, the development of Singapore's water industry and how Singapore can learn from as well as contribute to the Middle East's water sector
Nestled in the middle of a bustling exhibition area at the IDA World Congress is the Singapore pavilion. On one of the cocktail rounds inside the pavilion, a relaxed Michael Toh sat down for a briefing on the Singapore International Water Week (SIWW), which has rapidly climbed to the pole position in the global water events circuit since its inception in 2008.
Introducing the event, Toh said that the SIWW has been developed as a platform focusing on water solutions. "SIWW integrates technology, solutions, policy, and successful case studies; it is an all-in-one event where you can meet everybody under one roof. It is aimed at practitioners, experts, the industry, international organisations and even people who are just keen to find out more about water and what they can do for water," he explained.
Toh also took the opportunity to give an update on the Singapore water narrative. He said, "Singapore is a small island with plenty of rainfall, but a small land mass means very small reservoirs. Water is an essential component of our development and needless to say, survival. Over the years, we have worked towards water independence by having a diversified supply of water. We buy water from Malaysia to supplement our own catchment, and now we have desalination and NEwater."
NEwater is potable-grade water produced after further purifying treated sewage effluent (TSE) through a three-step multiple-barrier membrane treatment process. Toh continued, "NEwater really is our pillar to sustainability. With NEwater, you can technically use the water more than once. The technological advances now enable us to harvest recycled water in a large quantity. I must also add that NEwater has been certified as safe for drinking but at present, NEwater is mainly used to cater to water demand in industries."
A welcome offshoot of Singapore's relentless focus on achieving water independence has been the development of world class water industry in the country. Michael explained:"We have at least 50 Singaporean companies operating in key water markets worldwide. Singapore is also regarded as an incubator of innovations in water management. Through PUB (Public Utilities Board) and our partners, we have been able to put in place the right policies, practices, technologies and skill sets, to close the water loop. Our companies have the right capabilities and are well placed to capture more of the global water market as well. In a nutshell, we feel that water re-use is a big strategy that we can promote during the SIWW."
However, for water management policy to succeed, public support is crucial. So Singapore has come with a unique initiative to get the public to conserve water. Toh said, "Our key initiative is the ABC Programme, short for Active, Beautiful and Clean programme, which we initiated in 2008. The idea is to get the community closer to the water and enjoy it; once you begin to enjoy water, you will learn to own it and take care of it. We have begun to beautify our canals and simultaneously, create community spaces for the public to enjoy. Another key strategy has been the pricing of water. In Singapore, we have priced water correctly so that everybody understands that water is not free and they must use it carefully. In fact, water is priced from the very first drop."
Building a 360o solution
Singapore has so far hosted two consecutive and highly successful water weeks, with the second edition in 2009 attracting more than 10,000 people from over 80 countries. Toh said, "The SIWW is now a successful brand name and a global water event in its right. There are several components in the SIWW that we are particularly proud of, like for example, the Water Leader Summit which we hope to make a sort of Davos of Water. We also have high hopes for the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize (which focuses on the achievements of industry people) on becoming 'the prize' in the global water industry."
He pointed out that SIWW is probably the largest water event in Asia right now if not the most important. The SIWW is not only a platform to showcase what Singapore can do for the global water industry; it is also a place where people from all over the world can come and exchange ideas. As organisers of the SIWW, we are ourselves a leading contributor to the global water scene."
Toh also highlighted the priorities of Singapore's government with regard to the country's water industry. "Our government is going to invest SGD30 million in funding to develop R&D and skilled labour, the two essentials that will keep Singapore at the forefront of water technology. We firmly believe in building the right team for our water strategy. For this, we are glad to be working with international partners such as the International Desalination Association (IDA), International Water Association (IWA) and Asian Development Bank (ADB), as well as local partners like the SWA (Singapore Water Association) and the Institute of Water Policy in the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy."
Toh then moved on to business opportunities presented by the SIWW. He said, "The global water market is a big market. With rapid urbanisation, both desalination and water re-use will be increasingly important. There is also corresponding growing awareness of protecting the environment. When you discharge water into a water body, chances are you might affect people downstream. Governments and communities are realising the need to protect the environment. There will be many opportunities for people who provide water solutions - they can leverage their technology with this growing opportunity."
In the light of the current economic crisis, Toh stressed upon the need for effective and efficient solutions for treating water. "At the back of our minds, we must always ensure that the water produced is of high quality," he said. "For the SIWW in 2010, our theme is Clean and Affordable Water, where we will be talking about how we can continually provide clean water that is affordable to everybody. Response to the SIWW has been ideal so far."
Singapore & the Middle East
Toh readily admitted that Singapore has much to learn from the Middle East in the field of desalination, but also pointed to the value-add that Singapore could bring to the region since companies in Singapore have developed their own solutions. For example, Singapore has used membranes of very high standards for its desalination plants, which could be used in the Middle East too. Toh continued: "Technology is just one part of the equation, operations and maintenance is the other. For example, in terms of network management, we have put in many successful practices and a comprehensive management policy to bring down leakage losses to 4-5 per cent, among the lowest in the world. Beyond the technology of seeping water, protecting the environment, and management systems, PUB has 40 years of quality management knowledge. We are more than willing to share that knowledge and at the same time, also learn from others."
© H2O 2010
