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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WATERImage: PUBDr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Singapore and Mr Chew Men Leong, Chief Executive, PUB Singapore (centre, both inwhite) posing for pictures with the community after engaging in water activities by the Singapore River during World Water Day 2012PUB’s experience in water management over the years shows thattechnology and research and development (R&D) were key to overcomingSingapore’s natural vulnerabilities and achieving an adequateand secure water supply. For example, NEWater and desalinationwere made possible by technological breakthroughs followingdecades of research efforts. R&D will continue to be vital in ensuringa sustainable water supply for the future. With the challengesof climate change effects and increasing energy costs, governmentsand water utilities must find innovative ways to contain the risingcosts of treating and producing water and identifying new sources.This is where water cooperation can bring about several benefits.Cooperation is about short circuiting the solutions development process:Sir Isaac Newton once said: “If I have seen farther, it is by standingon the shoulders of giants.” As countries develop at different paces,some may encounter the same issues that others have faced before.For example, as part of the NEWater development process, Singaporelooked to the United States, where reclaimed water was already usedin places such as California and Arizona to replenish undergroundaquifers and surface reservoirs. The opportunity to learn from othersaround the world was instrumental to Singapore’s success in developingNEWater as a viable source of water. Today, NEWater, or recycledused water, can meet 30 per cent of Singapore’s total water needs, andthat figure is expected to reach up to 55 per cent by 2060.Cooperation is about finding solutions to meet new challenges: Accordingto the International Desalination Association Desalination Yearbook2009-2010, there are almost 15,000 desalination plants worldwide.Among Singapore’s four sources of water, desalinated water is the mostexpensive source due to its high energy requirement and the increasingcosts of energy. As pointed out by Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Ministerfor the Environment and Water Resources, Singapore, “Singapore hastranslated a dependence on water into a dependence on energy.” Findingways to reduce energy costs represents one of PUB’s biggest challenges.PUB therefore works closely with companies likeKeppel Seghers and Siemens, and research institutionssuch as the Nanyang Environment and WaterResearch Institute and the NUS EnvironmentalResearch Institute, with the long-term goal of reducingthe energy consumed during desalination as muchas possible. This will strengthen the viability of desalinatedwater as an affordable water source not just forSingapore, but for the world.Cooperation is a double coincidence of wants: PUB alsoworks closely with the global water industry to come upwith new, innovative ideas that may make a differenceto the water world. It encourages water companies toleverage Singapore as a ‘living laboratory’ to test-bed andcommercialize cutting-edge technology. PUB opens itsfacilities for companies to test-bed their technologiesunder actual site conditions, which will help fast-trackthe commercialization of their technologies. This alsohelps PUB to assess the latest technologies that are suitableto solve its water challenges.Cooperation is about building relationships: Throughadvances in communication technology, the world aswe know it is getting smaller. Many people are nowa phone call, text message or e-mail away. Singaporehas established friendships with many other countriesfacing water challenges through PUB’s sharing of itsurban water management knowledge. In partnershipwith organizations such as the Singapore CooperationEnterprise and Temasek Foundation, PUB has assistedother nations such as the Government of Mauritiusand India’s Delhi Jal Board in areas such as non-revenuewater, water reuse and community engagement.[ 272 ]