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Water & Wastewater Asia January/February 2020

Water & Wastewater Asia is an expert source of industry information, cementing its position as an indispensable tool for trade professionals in the water and wastewater industry. As the most reliable publication in the region, industry experts turn this premium journal for credible journalism and exclusive insight provided by fellow industry professionals. Water & Wastewater Asia incorporates the official newsletter of the Singapore Water Association (SWA).

Water & Wastewater Asia is an expert source of industry information, cementing its position as an indispensable tool for trade professionals in the water and wastewater industry. As the most reliable publication in the region, industry experts turn this premium journal for credible journalism and exclusive insight provided by fellow industry professionals. Water & Wastewater Asia incorporates the official newsletter of the Singapore Water Association (SWA).

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<strong>Water</strong> & <strong>Wastewater</strong> <strong>Asia</strong><br />

INCORPORATING THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE SINGAPORE WATER ASSOCIATION<br />

MICA (P) No: 076/05/2019 • ISSN: 2010-233X • KDN: PPS 1501/11/2012(022878) • www.waterwastewaterasia.com • JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2020</strong><br />

Photo credit: mrjn Photography<br />

The leading separation specialist<br />

SIWW <strong>2020</strong>: Climate resilience, resource<br />

resilience & smart utilities<br />

Man v. Machine: Talking to equipment<br />

in the age of Industry 4.0<br />

Radar is the better ultrasonic!


<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


PANG YANRONG<br />

Senior Editor<br />

FROM THE EDITOR<br />

A fresh start<br />

Happy New Year! We hope you all enjoyed the<br />

happy holidays.<br />

As with each of our <strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> issue,<br />

we are kicking off the year with a couple of<br />

interesting stories.<br />

For starters, the United States Government,<br />

in partnership with the Association of<br />

Southeast <strong>Asia</strong>n Nations (ASEAN) and UL,<br />

aim to strengthen ASEAN science and<br />

technology capacity, and gender equality and<br />

improvement through the annual ASEAN-<br />

U.S.Science Prize for Women. And last year’s<br />

winner was Dr Zhou Yan, associate professor<br />

in the School of Civil and Environmental<br />

Engineering (CEE), and deputy director of<br />

Advanced Environmental Biotechnology Centre (AEBC) under Nanyang<br />

Environment and <strong>Water</strong> Research Institute (NEWRI), Nanyang Technological<br />

University, Singapore (p.10). Her win defines an encouragement for women<br />

scientists pursuing their research career in a male-dominated industry,<br />

and we are definitely looking forward to the innovative projects and<br />

achievements that Dr. Zhou will showcase in <strong>2020</strong> and beyond.<br />

In addition, we have Dr Ngoc Lieu Le who is a finalist from the annual<br />

ASEAN-U.S.Science Prize for Women (p.12). Dr Ngoc’s research covers a<br />

wide range of interdisciplinary research fields with a focus on the areas of<br />

energy generation from renewable sources.<br />

We also spoke with Loic Lebegue, global business development director for<br />

the environment industry at ANDRITZ Separation (p.14). He shared with us<br />

on how ANDRITZ adapts to the challenges in Southeast <strong>Asia</strong> while retaining<br />

its status as a powerhouse in the region.<br />

We would also like to draw attention to Pani Energy, which has made a<br />

name for itself through the development of new technologies and its focus<br />

on improving efficiencies in the desalination and industrial wastewater<br />

treatment industries (p.45). In this story, Devesh Bhadradwaj, CEO of<br />

Pani Energy, takes us through how the company makes the most of<br />

artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to assist plant operators<br />

beyond cursory data monitoring. A refreshing read for readers who have<br />

found previous industry-changing technologies not delivering on<br />

everything they promised to.<br />

And finally, with a new year and the start of a new issue, you’ll see a<br />

revamped look to our section head columns as well as improved layouts.<br />

We hope this will bring a breath of fresh air and to improve easy reading<br />

for you.<br />

WATER & WASTEWATER ASIA:<br />

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY<br />

PABLO SINGAPORE<br />

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Editor<br />

HEAD OFFICE<br />

PABLO PUBLISHING PTE LTD<br />

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www.waterwastewaterasia.com<br />

Company Registration No: 200001473N<br />

Singapore MICA (P) No: 076/05/2019<br />

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LET'S CONNECT!<br />

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<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


6 THE NEWS<br />

Pan <strong>Asia</strong>n Flow Technology and Muhr Holding Gmbh<br />

form MUHR <strong>Asia</strong><br />

THE 6 th of September 2018 was a<br />

significant date for both Pan <strong>Asia</strong>n<br />

Flow Technology (PAFT) and Muhr<br />

Holding Gmbh: Both companies<br />

entered an agreement to form<br />

MUHR <strong>Asia</strong>, a joint venture company<br />

aimed at manufacturing and<br />

marketing hydro/water applications<br />

and solutions in <strong>Asia</strong>.<br />

Since then, MUHR <strong>Asia</strong> has been<br />

keeping busy, exhibiting in various<br />

water and hydro shows in the<br />

region and allowing the company<br />

to raise brand awareness, venture<br />

into different countries and expand<br />

its sales network into the Southeast<br />

<strong>Asia</strong>n region.<br />

Tan said, “Each of these countries<br />

have a different state of development,<br />

and they have different notions of<br />

how treatment should be like. For<br />

Singapore, PUB is pushing very hard<br />

on reducing sludge, saving energy,<br />

flood mitigation like the Stamford<br />

Diversion Canal, and they’re also<br />

looking into advanced reclamation<br />

to keep out the sea. For different<br />

countries there are different states<br />

of development so it’s not easy to<br />

say where the trend is moving, but<br />

different countries are moving at<br />

different speeds. For example, in the<br />

Philippines, they’re still trying to make<br />

their non-revenue water (NRW) as low<br />

as possible.”<br />

According to General Manager Tan<br />

Wei Hong, MUHR <strong>Asia</strong>’s primary<br />

goal is to address flooding issues<br />

within Southeast <strong>Asia</strong>.<br />

“Flood control, flood mitigation and<br />

flood barriers have been used quite often<br />

in Europe – for cities in Southeast <strong>Asia</strong>,<br />

we’re still quite ill-prepared for that. So far,<br />

hydromechanical products have been used<br />

very often in municipal wastewater plants<br />

and industrial wastewater plants, but to put<br />

it into use for flood control has not been<br />

done so extensively in Southeast <strong>Asia</strong>.<br />

Everyone knows how they’re being<br />

used – for wastewater treatment plants<br />

in municipal regions, for drinking water<br />

treatment, penstocks and stoplogs are used<br />

quite often in the treatment process, to<br />

control the flow in the tanks. These can also<br />

be used for flood mitigation or in cities.”<br />

MUHR <strong>Asia</strong>’s head of Sales Flow Control,<br />

Florian Steiner, further elaborated, “These<br />

are similar products, and we have already<br />

MUHR <strong>Asia</strong>’s General Manager, Tan Wei Hong<br />

dealt with hydromechanical equipment for<br />

a long time – their main purpose is to block<br />

and isolate water. A flood is essentially a<br />

lot of water flow, it has to be isolated and<br />

blocked from buildings and infrastructure<br />

to protect the facilities – that’s the idea<br />

behind it.”<br />

So far, MUHR <strong>Asia</strong><br />

has enjoyed a<br />

positive market<br />

reception towards<br />

their products<br />

and solutions<br />

offered, but Tan<br />

has observed that<br />

Singapore may<br />

not offer the best<br />

solutions in terms<br />

of what might be<br />

feasible for other<br />

ASEAN territories.<br />

MUHR <strong>Asia</strong>’s Head of Sales Flow Control,<br />

Florian Steiner<br />

“Going forward in Southeast <strong>Asia</strong>,<br />

we’re looking to have a more secure<br />

source of water. As you know, secure<br />

water sources are getting lesser, with<br />

depleting sources, and this is one<br />

of the priorities of different water<br />

utilities in Southeast <strong>Asia</strong>.”<br />

Steiner explained, “Singapore’s quite highlydeveloped<br />

in water and wastewater, and<br />

other regions are not as highly-developed.<br />

And there will be a demand in the future<br />

because the people<br />

rely on fresh water,<br />

reliable water, and<br />

of course that’s<br />

coming from the<br />

wastewater. You have<br />

to do something with<br />

the wastewater, you<br />

can de-sludge it, you<br />

cannot just put it in<br />

the rivers and then<br />

complain about it.”<br />

WWA<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


THE NEWS 7<br />

Xylem expands<br />

regional<br />

headquarters in<br />

Singapore with new<br />

Technology Hub<br />

XYLEM has launched a new multi-disciplinary<br />

centre for water, wastewater and energy<br />

technologies at the company’s regional<br />

headquarters in Singapore. Located at<br />

ICON@IBP, the expanded headquarters brings<br />

the company’s regional R&D capability into a<br />

new Xylem Technology Hub Singapore (XTHS),<br />

alongside its regional leadership and personnel.<br />

Xylem’s expanded headquarters will bring the company’s R&D capability into a<br />

“This new multi-disciplinary centre will create<br />

new Xylem Technology Hub Singapore<br />

ample opportunities to innovate and collaborate<br />

with our customers, as we work with them to<br />

tackle the region’s greatest water challenges, including water<br />

scarcity, affordability and infrastructure resilience,” said<br />

Mr Patrick Decker, president and CEO of Xylem.<br />

“Bringing research and development capability into our<br />

regional headquarters in Singapore puts all of Xylem’s marketleading<br />

technology capability in one location, focused on the<br />

region’s water technology and infrastructure solutions.”<br />

In addition to the research and development Hub, Xylem’s new<br />

office will feature a customer experience centre and a training<br />

centre, bringing together all of Xylem’s sales, customer support<br />

and technical capabilities for Southeast <strong>Asia</strong>.<br />

One of the first projects Xylem is pursuing at the centre is a<br />

collaboration with A*STAR’s Institute of High-Performance<br />

Computing (IHPC). Xylem will combine its expertise in water<br />

technologies with IHPC’s expertise in computer modelling<br />

and simulations. Together, they will evaluate fluid-structure<br />

interaction in pipe flow to develop a new computational fluid<br />

dynamics model tailored for Xylem’s applications such as<br />

SmartBall and PipeDiver. The model will then be applied to the<br />

design and testing of other advanced products and solutions<br />

to be deployed in treatment plants and water distribution<br />

networks. WWA<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


8 THE NEWS<br />

Winners of Bentley Systems Year in Infrastructure 2019 Awards<br />

Bentley Systems announces Winners of Year in<br />

Infrastructure 2019 Awards<br />

BENTLEY SYSTEMS has announced the winners of the<br />

Year in Infrastructure 2019 Awards. The annual awards<br />

programme honours the extraordinary work of Bentley<br />

users advancing design, construction, and operations of<br />

infrastructure throughout the world. Twelve independent<br />

jury panels of industry experts selected 54 finalists<br />

from 571 nominations submitted by more than 440 user<br />

organisations in more than 60 countries.<br />

Bentley Systems acknowledged 18 Year in Infrastructure<br />

Awards winners and nine Special Recognition Awards<br />

winners at a ceremony and gala on October 24 at the<br />

conclusion of the Year in Infrastructure 2019 Conference<br />

in Singapore. WWA<br />

Year in Infrastructure 2019 Awards winners for digital<br />

advancements in infrastructure:<br />

<strong>Water</strong> and <strong>Wastewater</strong> Treatment Plants<br />

Jacobs Engineering Group and Singapore’s National <strong>Water</strong><br />

Agency, PUB<br />

Tuas <strong>Water</strong> Reclamation Plant<br />

Singapore<br />

<strong>Water</strong>, <strong>Wastewater</strong>, and Stormwater Networks<br />

Balfour Beatty, Morgan Sindall, BAM Nuttall Joint Venture<br />

Thames Tideway Tunnel<br />

London, United Kingdom<br />

Year in Infrastructure 2019 Special Recognition Awards winners:<br />

Digital Cities Award for Comprehensive <strong>Water</strong> Digital Twins<br />

Águas do Porto, EM<br />

H2PORTO Technological Platform for the Integrated Management<br />

of Porto’s Urban <strong>Water</strong> Cycle<br />

Porto, Porto, Portugal<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com<br />

THE NEWS 9


10 USAID SPECIAL<br />

Who run the world<br />

The United States Government, in partnership with the Association of Southeast <strong>Asia</strong>n Nations (ASEAN) and UL, aim to<br />

strengthen ASEAN science and technology capacity, and gender equality and improvement through the annual ASEAN-U.S.<br />

Science Prize for Women. The 2019 Prize will provide promising, ASEAN-based, early-to mid-career female scientists with<br />

recognition awards from ASEAN and the United States government for their academic and professional achievements.<br />

Dr Zhou Yan<br />

The 2019 ASEAN-U.S. Science Prize for Women (Prize)<br />

emphasizes the role of female scientists who use their<br />

work to better society in sustainable ways and act as<br />

role models for other women working in and pursuing careers in<br />

science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).<br />

This year, the Prize theme focused on circular economy in the<br />

ASEAN region. Applicants will have to clearly demonstrate not only<br />

a strong understanding of the circular economy, but specifically<br />

how her research, technology or business model relates to the<br />

prize topic of circular economy. They must demonstrate how their<br />

work targets one or more of the following goals: Make the most<br />

efficient use of resources; create best available techniques for<br />

sustainable production; create best environmental management<br />

practice; and promote the activities to end waste, ecolabel/green<br />

public procurement/eco design and others.<br />

The winner for 2019 is Dr Zhou Yan (Dr ZY), associate professor<br />

in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), and<br />

deputy director of Advanced Environmental Biotechnology Centre<br />

(AEBC) under Nanyang Environment and <strong>Water</strong> Research Institute<br />

(NEWRI), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.<br />

Dr Zhou researches on energy efficient water treatment and<br />

reclamation, and resources recovery from sludge and waste.<br />

In particular, she focuses on energy harvesting from municipal<br />

and industrial wastewater, energy reduction in nutrient removal<br />

process, sludge management and energy recovery, and nutrient<br />

recovery and reuse.<br />

Dr Zhou Yan, Associate Professor in the School of Civil and Environmental<br />

Engineering (CEE), and Deputy Director of Advanced Environmental<br />

Biotechnology Centre (AEBC) under Nanyang Environment and <strong>Water</strong><br />

Research Institute (NEWRI), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore<br />

Dr Zhou also serves as associate editor for the <strong>Water</strong> and<br />

Environment Journal, <strong>Water</strong> Research Journal, and is a management<br />

committee member of IWA Sludge Management Specialist Group.<br />

In addition, she has published more than 100 SCI tracked journal<br />

papers, over 30 conference contributions as well as filed nine<br />

patents, of which four were granted to date.<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


USAID SPECIAL 11<br />

Congratulations on your win! Could you share with us your<br />

thoughts on being the winner of the 2019 ASEAN-U.S. Science<br />

Prize for Women?<br />

Dr ZY I am deeply honoured to be chosen as the final winner. I<br />

am really happy that my research and contributions are<br />

recognised. I shall continue my research in the sustainability and<br />

circular economy area, and produce more impactful and applied<br />

solutions.<br />

What do you think this signifies for women in the water and<br />

wastewater industry?<br />

I hope I can be a good model for the women in the water and<br />

wastewater industry, and encourage women scientists to pursue<br />

their research career in this field.<br />

What are some of the biggest challenges that women who want<br />

to come into the water and wastewater industry will face today?<br />

The biggest challenge could be that people always have doubts<br />

on women’s capability in the engineering field, in general. They<br />

are not confident with our engineering design and the ability of<br />

project execution and delivery. To tackle this, we really need to<br />

prove ourselves with successful track record. It would be very<br />

difficult in the beginning, but we have to try our best.<br />

What would be your message for women coming into this<br />

industry?<br />

Every first entry will be challenging. This is especially more<br />

challenging for women who need to take care of both family and<br />

career. But women definitely have advantages in the environmental<br />

field. We are good at overall project design and planning as well<br />

as are efficient in micro-level management. Do not give up when<br />

you encounter difficulties, it is a part of the learning process. Your<br />

additional effort will eventually pay off.<br />

How did you step into researching for energy efficient water<br />

treatment and reclamation, and resource recovery from sludge<br />

and waste?<br />

It has been too long that people only focus on linear economy.<br />

Huge amount of resources are wasted. In the wastewater<br />

treatment area, intensive energy and chemicals are consumed<br />

during the treatment process. Actually, there are much more<br />

energy and chemicals we can recover from wastewater. So I<br />

decided to move away from wastewater treatment and into water<br />

and resources recovery from wastewater.<br />

How has your background prepared you for your success in the<br />

industry?<br />

I started with fundamental research on the development of energy<br />

efficient wastewater treatment process, and energy recovery<br />

from wastewater and sludge. I had some break-through findings<br />

and novel ideas that are published in top tier journals. However, I<br />

believe the research results should be translated into engineering<br />

application so that the value of the research can be realised.<br />

Hence, I seek support from local funding agencies and my research<br />

institute to scale-up my technologies.<br />

Meanwhile, I am active in philanthropic projects in the ASEAN<br />

region via NEWRIcomm. Through these ways, I’ve gained intensive<br />

engineering experience to deploy the research knowledge into real<br />

application.<br />

What are some of your proudest achievements and how has it<br />

shaped you as a person? Could you also share with us of an interesting<br />

project which you’ve done that has made a huge impact?<br />

I am a member of Lien Foundation - Environmental Fellowship<br />

Program mentor team. I am very proud to be involved in<br />

philanthropic projects; to deploy my research experience and<br />

knowledge into projects in developing countries so as to solve their<br />

water and waste issues.<br />

One of the projects that I am proud of is the project in Kandy, Sri<br />

Lanka. I am one of the key contributors to the design of a wastewater<br />

treatment facility for the Temple of the Tooth and also a team<br />

member in remediating Kandy Lake. Through that project, I started<br />

my collaboration with the University of Peradeniya (UOP) to further<br />

develop anaerobic technologies according to local context.<br />

The project was accorded the IES Prestigious Engineering<br />

Achievement Award and ASEAN Outstanding Engineering<br />

Achievement Award in 2017.<br />

What’s next?<br />

For the next few years, I am looking at valuable products recovery<br />

from wastewater and waste that can potentially transfer a<br />

wastewater treatment plant into a power and chemical production<br />

plants. Chemicals, like cellulose, short-chain and medium-chain<br />

fatty acids, biodegradable plastics — PHA, and nutrients —<br />

fertilisers, can all be produced and recovered at lab-scale, currently.<br />

The challenges in the next phase will be process scale-up and how<br />

to seek interests from the market. WWA<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


12 USAID SPECIAL<br />

Dr Ngoc Lieu Le is one of the finalists and one of the two women chosen from the water and wastewater industry.<br />

Dr Ngoc Lieu Le<br />

Dr Ngoc Lieu Le is currently a lecturer and faculty member<br />

at the School of Biotechnology at International University,<br />

Vietnam National University HCMC.<br />

Her research covers a wide range of interdisciplinary research<br />

fields with a focus on the areas of energy generation from<br />

renewable sources.<br />

In 2010, Dr. Ngoc was a recipient of IES Prestigious Engineering<br />

Achievement Award from the Institution of Engineering in<br />

Singapore. This is a recognition of an outstanding engineering<br />

project which has made significant contributions to Singapore’s<br />

development. She was also a recipient of the Green Talents<br />

award by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research<br />

in 2013 for her outstanding achievements in creating a more<br />

sustainable society. In fact, these are only some of the awards<br />

mentioned.<br />

Could you share with us your thoughts about being a finalist for<br />

the Fifth Annual ASEAN-U.S. Science Prize for Women?<br />

DR N I am extremely honoured to be one of the finalists for the<br />

Fifth Annual ASEAN-U.S. Science Prize for Women. I am earnestly<br />

grateful for this recognition for my work on sustainable energy,<br />

water and environment. The recognition is an important impetus<br />

for me to continue pursuing this line of research and to, hopefully,<br />

turn promising research into real solutions. I also hope this<br />

opportunity will create fantastic collaborations with the ASEAN<br />

region’s leading researchers as we further face the complexities<br />

from global issues that individuals cannot tackle alone.<br />

What do you think is the deciding factor that got you picked as<br />

one of the finalists?<br />

I think the committees evaluated my achievements in the circular<br />

economy research, my passion and commitment in the field as<br />

well as my contribution in advancing the role of women in science<br />

by active mentorship, serving as a role model, and my strong<br />

responsibility in many different local, national and international<br />

positions.<br />

Dr Ngoc Lieu Le, Lecturer and Faculty Member at the School of<br />

Biotechnology at International University, Vietnam National<br />

University HCMC<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


USAID SPECIAL 13<br />

What steps do you think should be taken to attract women into<br />

the water and wastewater industry?<br />

I think there are many steps that should be taken to attract<br />

women in the field. For example, we need interventions that<br />

encourage more female students pursuing the Science,<br />

Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects<br />

because they are the background for those entering into the<br />

technical fields, including the water sector.<br />

Only when women pursue STEM subjects then they have the<br />

chance to love them and enjoy the related fields. Also, the<br />

government should provide funding for water projects in<br />

communities where there is gender-balanced decision making.<br />

Improving gender diversity in funding capacity development<br />

projects can promote a more gender-balanced pool of skilled<br />

professionals for the water sector.<br />

What will be your message for women coming into this industry?<br />

Do not think that we are unable to fulfill the tasks in the water<br />

industry. In recent years, the water sector needs people to work<br />

smart instead of physical labour. The job is innovative, colourful<br />

and rewarding so you will never get bored. <strong>Water</strong> is fundamental<br />

in greening the economy and to transition to social sustainability.<br />

Working in this field means we are making our lives and society<br />

better.<br />

How did you step into researching for wastewater treatment to<br />

be recycled and/or to reduce environmental impacts?<br />

When I studied my PhD at the National University of Singapore, I<br />

was fortunate to work in Professor Neal Chung’s group, one of the<br />

leading groups in membrane science and technology for energy<br />

and water application. Working in a big research group gave me an<br />

eye-opening mindset in research, realised the need for individual<br />

contribution in tackling social-economic issues and understand<br />

how, we, as scientists can do much more to make lives better.<br />

Since then, the water sector has become one of my main research<br />

focuses.<br />

Could you share with us an interesting project which you’ve<br />

done that has made a huge impact?<br />

In Vietnam, one of reasons for water pollution is that thousands<br />

of small enterprises engaged in textile dyeing in local villages<br />

or provinces, and discharged untreated wastewater into the<br />

Red River Delta and Mekong Delta, the two main river systems<br />

in Vietnam. So, we developed the membrane-based separation<br />

system to completely remove and recover numerous types of dye<br />

from the effluent before discharge. Besides dyes, the system also<br />

removes other pollutants such as salts or organics.<br />

Another interesting project is the collaboration with the University<br />

of Edinburgh, UK. It is the development of a low-cost water<br />

purification technology that can upcycle pollutants in order to<br />

provide clean water supply for shrimp farms, an important<br />

business in Vietnam which provides a livelihood for more than one<br />

million people. The project is ongoing and I believe it will make a<br />

huge impact when completed.<br />

What is the greatest transformation you’ve witnessed in your<br />

career?<br />

After my PhD completion, I worked for 3.5 years as a postdoctoral<br />

fellow in Saudi Arabia until 2017. I then went back to Vietnam to<br />

work at the International University as a faculty member. This is<br />

the greatest transformation in my career as it shaped me into an<br />

independent scientist. Scientific independence is important for a<br />

scientist as this means that I have the freedom to develop my<br />

own research ideas, conduct research for the social-economic<br />

problems I wish to tackle, seek funds to support my research and<br />

build my own research team.<br />

What is next for you?<br />

We live in a technological world, and its complexity continues to<br />

throw out challenges that require answers. <strong>Water</strong>, for example, is a<br />

complex issue that requires a wider research scope with multidisciplines<br />

to recognise the wider considerations and generate<br />

more creativity to overcome barriers. For me, in order to do so, I<br />

empower myself with great energisation, motivation and passion<br />

in connecting, collaborating and creating collaborative research<br />

with various partners including local and foreign scientists,<br />

enterprise, decision-makers and policy-makers. This is to achieve<br />

a better and more sustainable world. WWA<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


14 5 MINUTES WITH<br />

The leading<br />

separation specialist<br />

Southeast <strong>Asia</strong> (SEA) is an active and fast-evolving region.<br />

Consequently, the growing population, urbanisation and rising energy<br />

demands have brought about significant challenges when it comes<br />

to efficiency in wastewater treatment, sludge treatment, or providing<br />

drinking water as well as from seawater desalination. In addition,<br />

environmental regulations constantly add new pressures while the<br />

conservation of energy and resources remains a top priority. ANDRITZ<br />

shares how they tackle these challenges while retaining their position<br />

as a powerhouse in this region.<br />

Loic Lebegue,<br />

Business Development Manager for the<br />

Environment Industry at ANDRITZ Separation<br />

The ANDRITZ organisation in the<br />

region, which is both <strong>Asia</strong> Pacific<br />

based and led, is supported by the<br />

global team of separation professionals,<br />

their experience, and financial strength,<br />

geared towards delivering efficient,<br />

sustainable, reliable, and safe wastewater<br />

treatment solutions that will meet even<br />

the most stringent local requirements,<br />

explained Loic Lebegue, global business<br />

development director for the environment<br />

industry at ANDIRTZ Separation.<br />

For more than 150 years, the<br />

organisation has been delivering smart<br />

separation solutions, and today, it<br />

covers the entire wastewater and sludge<br />

treatment process — from screening and<br />

thickening to dewatering, drying, and<br />

combustion.<br />

“We believe that the treatment of<br />

industrial wastewater streams is becoming<br />

a hot topic. From pulp and paper to food<br />

processing or chemical industries, the<br />

industrial output is growing across the<br />

region, requiring closer attention to waste<br />

and wastewater treatment,” said Lebegue.<br />

In order to tackle complex challenges<br />

brought forth by the growth, a trusted<br />

and reliable partner such as ANDRITZ is<br />

required. Lebegue also emphasised that<br />

the most important factor is to continue to<br />

invest in wastewater treatment facilities.<br />

But just as regulatory standards are being<br />

tightened up, municipal budgets are also<br />

coming under more pressure. However,<br />

ANDRITZ believes that with its full and<br />

global view of the wastewater treatment<br />

needs, the organisation is able to act as a<br />

trusted, long-term partner.<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


5 MINUTES WITH 15<br />

ANDRITZ decanter centrifuge D for efficient thickening and dewatering<br />

A FOCUS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA<br />

A fast-growing middle class with<br />

rising incomes coupled with a young<br />

population in most SEA countries, there<br />

is an increased demand for high-quality<br />

food and drinks, safe water provision,<br />

and increased standards of living. This<br />

triggers growth in all related industries,<br />

such as food and beverages, chemicals<br />

and pharmaceuticals, as well as the<br />

environmental industry with its focus on<br />

sustainability. In those important sectors,<br />

efficient separation processes are vital for<br />

improving products while reducing waste.<br />

“And on the municipal side: populations<br />

across the SEA region are expecting<br />

and demanding better living standards,<br />

and this requires extensive wastewater<br />

collection and sustainable treatment,” said<br />

Lebegue.<br />

So, exactly how does ANDRITZ resolve the<br />

separation challenges with their expertise?<br />

“You should ask our customers!” joked<br />

Lebegue. “Jokes aside, we believe that our<br />

approach as defined in our motto “Ask<br />

your Separation Specialist” is what we<br />

are doing well: Ensuring that our customers<br />

get the ideal solution. In particular in<br />

wastewater treatment, we have maybe the<br />

most comprehensive portfolio in the industry<br />

for the key process steps; this enables us to<br />

provide the right solution for each specific<br />

plant.<br />

Take sludge dewatering, for instance.<br />

Here, we offer screw presses, belt presses,<br />

centrifuges, or filter presses. We know that<br />

there is not just one solution that is always<br />

the best choice for operators — no “one size<br />

fits all”. We are keen to engage this discussion<br />

with our customers and establish with them<br />

the best choice of technology based on their<br />

key performance criteria and indicators.”<br />

This is true for dewatering equipment but<br />

also highly relevant for complex systems such<br />

as sludge drying systems where ANDRITZ<br />

delivers all four existing technologies: Belt,<br />

drum, paddle and fluid bed.<br />

In addition, the organisation also focuses<br />

on the area of machine and process control<br />

where they apply innovative automation<br />

solutions, and IIoT technologies to further<br />

optimise their high-end products and<br />

systems in terms of efficiency, energy<br />

consumption, reliability, and sustainability.<br />

A recent example of digitalisation in<br />

the wastewater industry is ANDRITZ’s<br />

intelligent filter press. ANDRITZ combined<br />

its proven filter press automation<br />

solutions with the Industrial Internet of<br />

Things (IIoT) technologies to create new<br />

mechanisms and features that increase<br />

product quality and decrease operating<br />

costs. These features such as monitoring<br />

of dry solids content and filtrate quality<br />

allow, for example, intelligent washing<br />

cycles. A filter-press is a batch-operated<br />

machine and, often, the filtration cycles<br />

are simply bound to a specific time period.<br />

With ANDRITZ’s intelligent filter press,<br />

the equipped Smart Sensors ensure that<br />

filtration and wash cycles are just as<br />

long as they need to be, thus, reducing<br />

fluctuations in the dry solids content and<br />

increasing up-time availability of the filter<br />

press as well as end-product quality.<br />

Another proof to ANDRITZ’s strength is<br />

their contribution to one of the world’s<br />

largest wastewater treatment plants in<br />

Bailonggang, Shanghai, China.<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


16 5 MINUTES WITH<br />

The company provided the complete sludge<br />

drying and incineration system comprising<br />

sludge storage, drying, incineration, and<br />

flue gas cleaning as well as automation for<br />

the entire plant. The design of this solution<br />

was developed over many years while<br />

working closely together with the Shanghai<br />

municipality and its consultants.<br />

“We possibly could also have offered<br />

another drying technology in a similar<br />

system, but at the end it is our “Ask your<br />

Separation Specialist” approach which gave<br />

the opportunity to the end-user to make<br />

sure his concerns were addressed. Together<br />

with him, we engineered this special system<br />

combining fluid bed technology for drying<br />

and incinerating the sludge. That’s what<br />

makes us different,” Lebegue explained.<br />

Currently, commissioning is on-going. Once<br />

completed, the plant will have a capacity<br />

of up to 3,000 metric tons of sludge a<br />

day and will be the world’s largest sludge<br />

incineration plant — a benchmark among<br />

China’s environment projects.<br />

A PIONEER IN SOUTHEAST ASIA<br />

In Singapore, ANDRITZ has long had a<br />

presence through its brands such as Bird,<br />

KHD Humboldt, and Netzsch Filtration.<br />

ANDRITZ has built on this existing<br />

infrastructure over the years to develop<br />

and expand its local capabilities to service<br />

customers as effectively as possible in this<br />

growing region.<br />

Since the first commissioning at Kranji<br />

in 1996, ANDRITZ has been providing<br />

emergency service, performing monthly<br />

preventive maintenance, supplying spare<br />

parts, and complete overhauls for their<br />

large installed base, which has been<br />

growing over the years in Singapore and<br />

across the region.<br />

“We want to serve our customers even<br />

better, so we made a significant investment<br />

in the ANDRITZ Singapore Tuas workshop<br />

and repair facilities in 2018. These<br />

upgrades have set us apart as a regional<br />

service center. They not only demonstrate<br />

our commitment to Singapore and our<br />

passion for continuous improvement,<br />

but also reflect our determination to<br />

deliver the best possible service and<br />

support ANDRITZ can provide and that<br />

our customers expect. Our ANDRITZ Tuas<br />

service center is therefore a strong base<br />

for all our SEA business,” said Lebegue.<br />

The major investment saw a state-of-theart<br />

high-speed balancing facility with a<br />

balancing machine of 4,000 rpm, with<br />

six-ton capacity, six-metre working length,<br />

and two-metre diameter. This balancing<br />

“bunker” allows the balancing of decanter<br />

centrifuge parts, including scroll conveyors,<br />

at their normal operating speed while<br />

ensuring optimal performance after the<br />

repair and reduces on-site downtime with<br />

“no surprises”, re-assembly, and re-start.<br />

This comes in addition to their specific<br />

services such as gearbox reconditioning,<br />

welding of tungsten carbide tiles for wear<br />

protection, or their environmentally friendly<br />

blasting process utilising dry ice.<br />

“Our service philosophy is simple. One<br />

phone call, one dedicated team that speaks<br />

our customers’ language and knows their<br />

equipment and process. Therefore, whether<br />

our customers are looking to optimise or<br />

extend the lifetime of their equipment,<br />

our team can troubleshoot and perform<br />

maintenance on our customers’ machines<br />

on-site or repair, retrofit, and modify them<br />

in our modern decanter service workshop,<br />

24/7,” said Lebegue. WWA<br />

ANDRITZ service and repair facility in Singapore<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com<br />

5 MINUTES WITH 17


18 5 MINUTES WITH<br />

The infrastructure engineering for digital cities<br />

At the Year in Infrastructure 2019<br />

Conference, Bentley Systems,<br />

Incorporated, the global provider<br />

of comprehensive software and digital<br />

twin cloud services for advancing<br />

design, construction, and operations of<br />

infrastructure, presented its new digital<br />

cities initiatives; applying digital twins for<br />

more efficient city and regional operations,<br />

and for more connected and resilient<br />

infrastructure. Digital twins converge<br />

assets’ 4D-surveyed and engineering<br />

representations to enable new collaborative<br />

digital workflows to serve planners and<br />

engineers in public works, utilities, property<br />

management and development, and city<br />

stakeholders. Digital twin cloud services<br />

provide an intuitive and immersive 4D<br />

environment converging digital context and<br />

digital components with digital chronology<br />

for “evergreen” infrastructure digital twins<br />

over asset lifecycles. For infrastructure<br />

professionals, BIM and GIS are effectively<br />

advanced through 4D digital twins.<br />

“The concept with digital twin is a digital<br />

representation of some real-world assets,<br />

systems or processes. But because we<br />

have a digital mirror of that, that becomes<br />

something we can keep up to date to reflect<br />

the real-world behaviour. We can do things<br />

with the digital twin before translating<br />

them to the real world,” explained Gregg<br />

Herrin, senior director, <strong>Water</strong> Infrastructure,<br />

Bentley Systems. “So, we can use that to<br />

help us understand how to work things<br />

better and make decisions about possible<br />

actions that we would take.”<br />

INFRASTRUCTURE DIGITAL<br />

TWINS FOR DIGITAL CITIES<br />

City-scale digital twins begin and are<br />

updated through 4D surveying and reality<br />

modelling by ContextCapture and Orbit<br />

GT, which Bentley recently acquired,<br />

to derive as-operated 3D models from<br />

photogrammetry (including from UAVs)<br />

and/or point clouds. Reality modelling<br />

provides engineering-precise, realworld<br />

context to support planning,<br />

design, construction, and operations.<br />

Users of Bentley’s open applications<br />

(OpenBuildings, OpenSite, OpenRoads,<br />

OpenRail, OpenUtilities) can leverage this<br />

digital context to model new and improved<br />

buildings, roads, transit systems, tunnels,<br />

bridges, utilities, and more.<br />

4D digital twins become a common<br />

and federating index for previously<br />

siloed information, without requiring<br />

source systems to change their existing<br />

environments or data formats. The<br />

foundation context for any digital twin<br />

includes reality meshes, terrain models,<br />

imagery, and GIS sources. Engineering<br />

models (from any BIM software) of<br />

buildings, streets, transit systems, utilities,<br />

and other city infrastructure, both surface<br />

and subsurface, are semantically aligned<br />

and geo-referenced to enhance the richness<br />

and relevance of digital twins over time.<br />

Public works departments, property<br />

developers, utilities, transportation<br />

agencies, and others now have access to a<br />

full and current contextual view of the built<br />

environment. Engineering and architectural<br />

firms will be able to develop new services<br />

that contemplate updating and managing<br />

digital assets over their lifecycles. Cities<br />

will also benefit from living and current<br />

digital twins of their infrastructure and<br />

surrounding environment.<br />

DIGITAL REQUIREMENTS FOR<br />

DIGITAL TWIN<br />

Most of the utilities or cities already have<br />

some kind of GIS data or data collection<br />

system or have a plan to get it, said Herrin.<br />

He explained, “The truth is you can have<br />

nothing but an old CAD drawing and a<br />

general sense where some things are<br />

from the spreadsheet. You may not have a<br />

precise digital twin but you can always start<br />

there and use it to help you understand<br />

what you can and can’t see within your<br />

system.”<br />

“Once you have it, you’ll start playing<br />

with it then you want to enhance it. It’s<br />

automatic,” said Frank Braunschweig,<br />

senior product manager, Bentley Systems.<br />

With an older digital twin version, operators<br />

are able to fill in the gaps themselves as<br />

they use it, Braunschweig explained.<br />

“You’re able to take the information from<br />

the real world and instantly get it into your<br />

twin. The twin gets more and more accurate<br />

over time, and more and more precise over<br />

time. It becomes even more useful with<br />

every new piece of information you learn,”<br />

said Herrin.<br />

LEVERAGING ON DIGITAL TWIN<br />

Águas do Porto (Oporto <strong>Water</strong> Utility - AdP)<br />

is responsible for the sustainable and<br />

integrated management of the entire urban<br />

water cycle in the coastal community of<br />

Oporto, Portugal. AdP delivers an average<br />

of 45,490 cubic metres of water daily and<br />

collects approximately the same amount<br />

for treatment. The density and complexity<br />

of the hydraulic infrastructure and water<br />

resources in Oporto drive the need for<br />

integrated management of the urban water<br />

cycle, which can complicate the integration<br />

requirements for the varied existing<br />

systems throughout the company.<br />

To integrate information across multiple<br />

software systems, AdP decided to leverage<br />

on digital twins in what they called the<br />

Integrated <strong>Water</strong> Management of the Urban<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Cycle – H2Porto. The overall solution<br />

integrated multiple systems, including<br />

OpenFlows FLOOD, OpenFlows <strong>Water</strong>GEMS,<br />

OpenFlows SewerGEMS, and ACTION<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


5 MINUTES WITH 19<br />

Digital twins converge assets’ 4D-surveyed and engineering representations to enable new collaborative digital workflows to serve planners and engineers in<br />

public works, utilities, property management and development, and city stakeholders. Photo credit: Águas do Porto<br />

Server. The team produced fully integrated<br />

digital twins of the city water supply and the<br />

wastewater, stormwater, as well as beaches<br />

and bathing water systems. The digital twins<br />

were then used to forecast flooding and<br />

water quality issues, improve city services<br />

and responsiveness, and ensure resilience<br />

of water infrastructure.<br />

Phase 1 of the project saw the creation of a<br />

federated environment from more than 20<br />

sources to integrate data from customer<br />

service management, billing, maintenance,<br />

project management, asset accounting,<br />

operational systems, lab management, GIS,<br />

SCADA, and more. Instrumentation data<br />

integration, which was addressed in phase<br />

II, required integrating data from sensors,<br />

telemetry, and remote management,<br />

including 30,000 telemetry meters and<br />

more than 200 devices.<br />

The digital twins provide digital<br />

representations of all water systems of<br />

the city and include three meteorological<br />

models: Combined sewer and storm models<br />

for the sea front; estuary, coastal area,<br />

and wave models; and forecasting models.<br />

The digital twins are leveraged to provide<br />

access to this information in real time,<br />

produce forecasts and to automatically<br />

update boundary conditions from water<br />

consumption and network sensors, run<br />

network scenario analysis for pipe bursts<br />

and valve and pump shut-downs, and<br />

to publish flows, velocity, water level,<br />

meteorology and currents. This digital twin<br />

environment resulted in operating gains of<br />

25% and reduced water supply failures by<br />

around 30% and duration of pipe bursts<br />

repairs by 8%. The immediacy of sensor<br />

readings improved decision-making as well<br />

as increased stability and reliability of data<br />

to about 99%.<br />

Phase III is underway and is focused on<br />

installing sensors and automating the<br />

decision-making tools and interfaces,<br />

autonomous systems and new liability<br />

models. Some of H2Porto’s priorities include<br />

sensor analysis, water supply model, burst<br />

simulation, meter operational management,<br />

and KPIs, as well as hydrodynamic model,<br />

faecal coliform prediction, and coastal<br />

hydrometeorology.<br />

“At the end of the day, the purpose of the<br />

utility has nothing to do with data and<br />

software. The purpose of the utility is to<br />

deliver clean water to the people and take<br />

away dirty water,” said Herrin.<br />

“But what more people are realising is that<br />

we might have gotten caught up in data,<br />

and pretty graphs and charts, but if it’s<br />

not helping us to deliver clean water and<br />

take away dirty water, we’re still missing<br />

something. It’s more than just a data centric<br />

effort to being an actual digital twin, which<br />

again isn’t just the data; it’s the behaviour,<br />

it’s the performance. Now, you get something<br />

that helps you do the real job,” he added. WWA<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


20 5 MINUTES WITH<br />

SIWW <strong>2020</strong>: Climate resilience, resource<br />

resilience & smart utilities<br />

Singapore International <strong>Water</strong> Week (SIWW) is widely recognised<br />

as one of the leading water events in the world, and is highly<br />

relevant to the urban water environment, placing emphasis on<br />

solutions, innovation and technology.<br />

Set to run from 5-9 July, the show will see its ninth edition.<br />

<strong>Water</strong> & <strong>Wastewater</strong> <strong>Asia</strong> speaks to SIWW’s Managing Director,<br />

Ryan Yuen, about what exhibitors and participants can expect<br />

from this year’s line-up.<br />

Fourth from left: Mr Ng Joo Hee, Chief Executive of<br />

PUB, Singapore’s National <strong>Water</strong> Agency speaking<br />

at the <strong>Water</strong> Leaders Summit during SIWW 2018<br />

Since taking over as the SIWW’s new<br />

managing director, Ryan Yuen has<br />

been keeping busy with planning<br />

and preparing for the upcoming Singapore<br />

International <strong>Water</strong> Week (SIWW), which<br />

will be held at the Sands Expo & Convention<br />

Centre.<br />

Previously, Yuen worked as an engineer with<br />

the Ministry of Environment after graduating<br />

from the National University of Singapore<br />

(NUS), before being posted to work for the<br />

PUB, Singapore’s national water agency.<br />

In 2007, he also served as the International<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Association’s (IWA) regional director<br />

for <strong>Asia</strong>, and engaged top global water<br />

leaders and experts in deploying water and<br />

sanitation programmes and activities around<br />

the region – a period of time he describes as<br />

“truly fulfilling”.<br />

According to Yuen, “Climate change is<br />

the single greatest threat to humanity in<br />

modern times, and the impact of climate<br />

change on urban water systems cannot be<br />

underestimated. We will be examining how<br />

cities, utilities and industries manage water<br />

stresses by mitigating and adapting to climate<br />

change during SIWW <strong>2020</strong>.”<br />

“An effective approach to build resource<br />

resilience would be to embrace the concept<br />

of a circular economy, and proliferate the<br />

recovery and reuse of precious resources like<br />

water, energy and nutrients. In SIWW <strong>2020</strong>,<br />

we will present case studies of how this has<br />

been successfully implemented in different<br />

parts of the world.<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


5 MINUTES WITH 21<br />

Digital and smart solutions are creating unprecedented<br />

opportunities to leverage on data, sensors, robotics and<br />

artificial intelligence to address both new and old challenges in<br />

water management. In SIWW <strong>2020</strong>, we will demonstrate how<br />

these tools allow global water stakeholders to adopt smarter<br />

and efficient approaches to plan, operate, maintain and replace<br />

their water systems.<br />

Ryan Yuen,<br />

Msanaging Director, SIWW<br />

Finally, digital and smart solutions are<br />

creating unprecedented opportunities to<br />

leverage on data, sensors, robotics and<br />

artificial intelligence to address both new<br />

and old challenges to water management.<br />

In SIWW <strong>2020</strong>, we will demonstrate how<br />

these tools allow global water stakeholders<br />

to adopt smarter and efficient approaches<br />

to plan, operate, maintain and replace<br />

their water systems.”<br />

The previous SIWW, held in 2018, drew in<br />

over 24,000 visitors from 110 countries,<br />

and over 1100 exhibiting companies. For<br />

this year’s edition, Yuen and his team aim<br />

to build upon that success and bring more<br />

partners, sponsors, delegates, exhibitors<br />

and trade visitors in.<br />

“In doing so, we hope the international<br />

water community will recognise SIWW<br />

as the premier water event for thought<br />

leadership where experts, ministers,<br />

government officials, business CEOs<br />

and civil society leaders come together<br />

to share and discuss the latest policy,<br />

business and technological insights<br />

in tackling our shared urban water<br />

challenges,” he said.<br />

Exhibitors will be showcasing the latest<br />

products, solutions and technologies they<br />

have to offer, and with 14 country pavilions<br />

this year, delegates and visitors will be<br />

spoilt for choice as they visit SIWW.<br />

“We want to ensure that our exhibitors are<br />

able to reach out to their target audience,<br />

especially to buyers from the region,<br />

through SIWW,” explained Yuen.<br />

To do this, SIWW will be introducing<br />

a Hosted Overseas Visitor Programme<br />

and a Hosted Distributor Programme,<br />

in a bid to incentivise overseas buyers<br />

and distributors to meet exhibitors and<br />

establish new partnerships.<br />

Through its B2B business-matching app,<br />

exhibitors will also be able to set up<br />

one-to-one appointments with delegates.<br />

Lastly, a presentation stage will be set up<br />

on the expo floor, providing a platform<br />

for exhibitors to share their products and<br />

innovations with trade visitors.<br />

After working hard, SIWW participants<br />

will have the chance to kick back with the<br />

crowd favourite: NEWBrew! A beer brewed<br />

with Singapore’s ultra-clean high-grade<br />

NE<strong>Water</strong>, NEWBrew was a crowd favourite<br />

when introduced at SIWW 2018, and will<br />

be making its comeback this year, on a<br />

much larger scale. WWA<br />

His Excellency Ban Ki-moon, 8 th Secretary-General, United<br />

Nations, sharing insight concerning water management and<br />

sanitation at SIWW 2018<br />

Cheers! SIWW 2018 saw the introduction of NEWBrew,<br />

which was crafted using 1920 litres of NE<strong>Water</strong><br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


22 IN THE FIELD<br />

1<br />

<strong>Asia</strong> Pacific Breweries (APB) Singapore is part of The HEINEKEN<br />

Company and the home of the world-acclaimed Tiger Beer — a<br />

Singapore icon born and brewed on local soil since 1932. Today, the<br />

company’s portfolio encompasses ABC Stout, Anchor Beer, Baron’s Strong<br />

Brew, Guinness, Heineken and the range of Archipelago craft beers. This<br />

is in addition to internationally renowned beers such as Bulmers, Erdinger,<br />

Guinness Draught, Kilkenny, Kirin, Sol and Strongbow.<br />

As a beer producer, APB Singapore’s operations depend on constant water<br />

supply, which may be exposed to the risk of water scarcity.<br />

Increasing water efficiency and<br />

improving water circularity are<br />

the key priorities to protect and<br />

conserve water resource. As part of<br />

APB Singapore’s water conservation<br />

strategy, the company went into a<br />

joint development project with PUB<br />

and National University of Singapore<br />

to build a water reuse treatment plant<br />

so as to further reduce water usage in<br />

the brewery.<br />

“<strong>Water</strong> is critical for a business like ours as we use water for brewing and nonbrewing<br />

purposes alike. For every 1hl (hectolitre) of beer that we brew, we use<br />

4.6hl of water. And with beer being 95% water, we need to optimise the ways<br />

in which we brew beer to maximise water efficiency, as well as the operations<br />

surrounding it,” said Patricia Lee, corporate affairs director, APB Singapore.<br />

As the largest commercial brewery in Singapore, APB Singapore is committed<br />

to using water wisely, and constantly seek new and innovative ways to achieve<br />

water efficiency. However, it is not an easy task as it takes time, resources, and<br />

multi-stakeholder collaboration.<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


IN THE FIELD 23<br />

2<br />

A COMMITMENT IN EFFICIENCY<br />

And so, as part of their commitment to protect water resources,<br />

APB Singapore entered a joint development project with the Public<br />

Utilities Board (PUB), Singapore’s national water agency, and the<br />

National University of Singapore (NUS) in 2017 to develop a solution<br />

to reduce water intake in the brewery.<br />

The joint development project saw the construction of the water<br />

reuse treatment plant by Witco Envirotech Pte Ltd. The plant is<br />

located within APB Singapore’s brewery and cost about<br />

S$1.8 million to build.<br />

In 2019, the water reuse treatment plant became operational. By<br />

treating and reusing the wastewater from the brewery, the plant is<br />

set to reduce the brewery’s water intake by more than 10%, saving<br />

about 66,750m 3 of water annually. The volume of water reused<br />

annually is also equivalent to 3,160 four-room HDB (Housing &<br />

Development Board, the statutory board of the Ministry of National<br />

Development responsible for public housing in Singapore) flats, or<br />

26 Olympic-sized swimming pool. In fact, the treated water, along<br />

with rainwater collected from the rainwater harvesting system are<br />

used for cooling towers, general cleaning and landscaping.<br />

“The water reuse treatment plant uses biological and membrane<br />

processes, including reverse osmosis [by Hydranautics]. Reverse<br />

osmosis is also the process that PUB uses to produce NE<strong>Water</strong><br />

to promote water circularity and address the nation’s agenda of<br />

protecting water resources,” said Lee.<br />

3<br />

From image 1 to 3: As the largest commercial brewery in Singapore, APB Singapore<br />

is committed to using water wisely, and constantly seek new and innovative ways to<br />

achieve water efficiency. However, it is not an easy task as it takes time, resources, and<br />

multi-stakeholder collaboration<br />

also part of the company’s sustainability agenda. The water reuse<br />

treatment plant runs on energy efficient equipment such as ie3<br />

motors to reduce energy consumption. To top it off, APB Singapore<br />

is also looking to equip their present air blowers, which use the<br />

most amount of energy in the plant, to variable speed drives so as to<br />

optimise the aeration process and to consume less electricity.<br />

“We are one of the first in <strong>Asia</strong> to integrate a water recycling plant<br />

at the premise of operation. We will continue to strategise and seek<br />

innovative ideas, develop capabilities and secure a sustainable<br />

supply of water for our brewery,” Lee said. WWA<br />

“On top of achieving water efficiency, promoting water circularity<br />

is also an important part of our water conservation initiative. The<br />

construction of the water reuse treatment plant and rainwater<br />

harvesting system is in line with Singapore’s water conservation<br />

strategy where 40% of our nation’s water supply comes from<br />

recycled water,” she added.<br />

In addition to promoting water circularity within the brewery,<br />

achieving energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions are<br />

APB Singapore has been recognised for its environmental stewardship<br />

• APB Singapore has been awarded national recognition from SEC-<br />

SETSCO Singapore Environmental Achievement Award (Manufacturing)<br />

2019 for its environmental stewardship.<br />

• International recognition for their water circularity practices where their<br />

engineering manager, Norman Goh, shared their practices to a diverse<br />

audience consisting of key decision makers in their respective<br />

companies at the Singapore International <strong>Water</strong> Week 2018.<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


24 IN THE FIELD<br />

The Keppel Marina East Desalination Plant is due to be completed in<br />

<strong>2020</strong> – what sets the dual-mode desalination plant apart from the<br />

others is its complicated design. <strong>Water</strong> & <strong>Wastewater</strong><br />

<strong>Asia</strong> sits with Bentley Systems to find out<br />

how the company’s range of digital<br />

solutions were just what the<br />

facility needed.<br />

Slated for completion in <strong>2020</strong>, the<br />

Keppel Marina East Desalination<br />

Plant (KMEDP) is a large-scale, dual<br />

mode desalination plant that can treat either<br />

saltwater from the sea or freshwater from<br />

the Marina Reservoir. Mostly underground,<br />

the facility features 20,000 square metres of<br />

parkland on the roof and an unconventional<br />

architectural design. The project team<br />

from AECOM Singapore Pte Ltd and Keppel<br />

Seghers used Bentley applications to enable<br />

BIM strategies throughout design and<br />

construction. A digital twin of KMEDP is also<br />

under development.<br />

According to AECOM Singapore and Keppel<br />

Seghers, what makes the KMEDP unique is<br />

how it requires an extensive piping design<br />

– this in turn was a factor towards choosing<br />

Bentley Systems for the plant.<br />

“Bentley Systems is a comprehensive<br />

integrated model that enhances collaboration<br />

among suppliers, contractors and designers<br />

by allowing them to visualise their plans<br />

via 3D modelling, using the full spectrum<br />

of functions available in the software. For a<br />

project like KMEDP which involves multiple<br />

components, it is extremely critical that<br />

engineers are able to fully visualise all<br />

plans in order to resolve conflicts, avoid<br />

abortive works at construction stage, and<br />

collect design data which can eventually<br />

be used to support the operations and<br />

maintenance of the plant,” said Dr Chiu<br />

Kuang Ping, executive director, <strong>Water</strong> &<br />

Urban Development, AECOM Singapore.<br />

For the KMEDP, AECOM Singapore and<br />

Keppel Seghers deployed OpenPlant,<br />

OpenPlant PID, MicroStation, Navigator,<br />

LumenRT and ContextCapture – this<br />

allowed the team to create a 3D reality<br />

model for the KMEDP project, optimising<br />

plant design and construction.<br />

“The OpenPlant allows for more efficient<br />

detailed piping design and this is<br />

particularly helpful because changing<br />

and updating the plant design occurs<br />

regularly during the detailed design stage,<br />

and changes are reflected immediately<br />

and efficiently with OpenPlant. LumenRT,<br />

on the other hand, allows for better<br />

visualisation of the plant,” said Dr Chiu.<br />

According to Keppel Seghers, the solutions have<br />

improved productivity and efficiency of the design<br />

stage for the KMEDP. While static 2D designs<br />

would not have been able to quickly or efficiently<br />

capture the impact of updates and changes, the<br />

3D reality model created with Bentley Systems<br />

helped to reduce the possibility of onsite clashes<br />

and errors.<br />

The KMEDP is currently under testing and<br />

commissioning, and is slated to be ready for<br />

operation in early <strong>2020</strong>.<br />

The plant was recently nominated as a finalist for<br />

the Bentley Systems’ Year in Infrastructure 2019<br />

Awards programme, which honours the work of<br />

Bentley software users advancing infrastructure<br />

design, construction, and operations throughout<br />

the world.<br />

For the 2019 awards programme, 12 independent<br />

jury panels of distinguished industry experts<br />

selected the 54 finalists from 571 nominations<br />

submitted by more than 440 organisations in<br />

more than 60 countries. WWA<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


IN THE FIELD 25<br />

The Saras Refinery and Sarlux Power Plant needed to update their shared ultra-pure water plant, which<br />

produced 24,000 m³/day<br />

In Sarroch, on the southern coast<br />

of Sardinia, lies the Mediterranean’s<br />

largest ultra-pure water plant. Built<br />

by ACCIONA Agua in just six months,<br />

the containerised two-pass SWRO<br />

plant provides demineralised water<br />

for the steam needed to drive Sarlux<br />

Power Plant’s turbines and keep<br />

the Saras Refinery in operation.<br />

With Danfoss compact APP pumps,<br />

iSave ERDs, VFDs, and pressure<br />

transmitters, it enabled operators<br />

to save an impressive 88% in energy<br />

consumption as compared to the old<br />

distillation system.<br />

The Saras Refinery and Sarlux Power<br />

Plant needed to update their shared<br />

ultra-pure water plant, which produced<br />

24,000 m³/day. Not only did the aging<br />

distillation plant depend on a combination<br />

of SWRO and surface sources on waterstarved<br />

Sardinia, its energy consumption was<br />

massive. And while electricity might be “free”<br />

for a power plant, the outsized energy bill<br />

represented a significant opportunity cost in<br />

lost sales revenue — not to mention a heavy<br />

carbon footprint.<br />

LOOKING TO DANFOSS<br />

And so, the plant was looking to provide<br />

12,000 m³/day of ultra-pure water and<br />

reduce its energy costs — fast. In fact,<br />

the refinery and power plant procurement<br />

departments put out a clear but demanding<br />

request for proposals: develop an ultrapure<br />

SWRO solution that would provide half<br />

their requirement —12,000 m³/day, and<br />

significantly reduce energy consumption.<br />

And do it all fast, with minimal capital<br />

expenditure.<br />

ACCIONA Agua’s engineers were familiar with<br />

Danfoss technology, and quickly determined<br />

that Danfoss APP pumps, iSave ERDs,<br />

pressure transmitters, and VFDs could be<br />

part of a winning bid.<br />

The solution was a containerised, four-train<br />

plant, built around compact Danfoss pumps<br />

and ERDs, that could be installed quickly and<br />

without infrastructural modifications.<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


26 IN THE FIELD<br />

Containerisation was a key element of the winning bid. Not only<br />

could this save time and the construction costs of a new building<br />

to house the plant, it also did away with the need to build new<br />

seawalls, which would otherwise be necessary due to the plant’s<br />

location right on the shore.<br />

But containerisation demanded compactness for all components.<br />

As Pietro Tota, D&C manager at ACCIONA Agua explained, “Danfoss<br />

high-pressure pumps enable us to create systems that are not only<br />

energy-efficient but also extremely compact and can be placed in a<br />

container. Thanks to their small size and simplified internal design,<br />

they can be installed even when space is limited.<br />

1<br />

Just as importantly, they require very little periodic maintenance.<br />

iSave ERDs devices, which drastically reduce energy consumption,<br />

are also extremely compact and are easily integrated with Danfoss<br />

high-pressure pumps.”<br />

DELIVERING RESULTS<br />

ACCIONA Agua’s winning build-and-operate bid consisted of four<br />

ultra-pure SWRO trains in a total of four containers. In all, the<br />

plant uses nine APP 86 pumps and 13 iSave 70 ERDs — as well<br />

as Danfoss pressure transmitters and VFDs for all high-pressure<br />

pumps, pretreatment pumps, and energy recovery devices.<br />

From idea to reality, in just six months, there was an 88% reduction<br />

in energy consumption, and easy maintenance.<br />

The new SWRO plant reduced Sarlux’s energy costs by a remarkable<br />

88%, from about 20 KwH m³ to 2.4.<br />

2<br />

And while this reduced energy bill and carbon footprint, which were<br />

projected by ACCIONA Agua’s engineers, the ease of maintaining<br />

such a large plant went beyond their initial expectations.<br />

“The extreme ease with which high-pressure pumps can be<br />

maintained is one of the most valuable features of Danfoss<br />

technology,” confirmed Tota.<br />

“Unlike traditional centrifugal pumps, which typically need to<br />

be shipped to an authorised workshop for maintenance, we can<br />

perform the maintenance of Danfoss volumetric high-pressure<br />

pumps directly in Sarroch within a couple of hours, with an obvious<br />

benefit in terms of plant availability.”<br />

“We have great confidence in the technological partners chosen<br />

for the construction of the Sarlux modular desalination plant, the<br />

largest in the Mediterranean,” Tota concluded.<br />

“We have come up with an innovative solution based on Danfoss’s<br />

advanced technologies, and this has enabled us to achieve success<br />

and the full satisfaction of our end customer. WWA<br />

All images are credited to Danfoss.<br />

3<br />

1) ACCIONA Agua’s engineers were familiar with Danfoss technology, and quickly<br />

determined that Danfoss APP pumps, iSave ERDs, pressure transmitters, and VFDs could<br />

be part of a winning bid<br />

2) The solution was a containerised, four-train plant, built around compact Danfoss<br />

pumps and ERDs, that could be installed quickly and without infrastructural modifications<br />

3) The new SWRO plant reduced Sarlux’s energy costs by a remarkable 88%<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


IN THE FIELD 27<br />

Royal HaskoningDHV software<br />

Whether solving society’s challenges such as water scarcity, access to drinking water, protecting water<br />

resources, or reducing its water footprint, Royal HaskoningDHV provides technological solutions that<br />

meet these challenges.<br />

With Royal HaskoningDHV’s digital innovation, Aquasuite ® , a software built with deep domain knowledge,<br />

utilities and industry are able to automate their operations and gain actionable insights on their water<br />

infrastructure.<br />

Aquasuite ® is a proven smart<br />

water technology that monitors,<br />

analyses, visualises and controls<br />

the performance of water and wastewater<br />

infrastructure through predictive analytics<br />

and machine learning. Its AI-powered<br />

analytics and autopilot provide full real-time<br />

visibility across the complete water and<br />

wastewater network and treatment, and<br />

controls day-to-day operations.<br />

Aquasuite ® consists of five products, each<br />

addressing a different challenge in the<br />

drinking water and wastewater process.<br />

The products work separately, yet integrate<br />

seamlessly to create a powerful tool to<br />

control drinking water and wastewater<br />

proficiently. Aquasuite PURE, which is<br />

optimised for wastewater treatment, is<br />

“In the near future smart cities<br />

will have their complete water<br />

cycle optimised and operated<br />

holistically from one integrated<br />

solution: from source to tap<br />

and back again.<br />

”<br />

Michel de Koning,<br />

Associate Director, Aquasuite<br />

implemented in a pilot project with PUB,<br />

Singapore’s national water agency.<br />

HOW AQUASUITE PURE WORKS<br />

Aquasuite PURE collects real-time data<br />

on the plant’s flows and qualitative<br />

measurements, including those for<br />

ammonia, nitrates, oxygen, phosphates and<br />

dry solids. The system uses this information<br />

to build a historical database. It will then<br />

make use of algorithms to predict the<br />

plant’s wastewater flows and loads, oxygen<br />

needs, chemical dosing needs and other<br />

requirements. The system can also detect<br />

abnormalities in the plant’s processes and<br />

is capable of controlling key treatment<br />

processes, automatically optimising them<br />

in real-time based on its predictions and<br />

the plant’s historical performance data.<br />

This will result in predictive rather than<br />

reactive control of the plant. This leads to<br />

more stable and robust operations, better<br />

effluent quality, lower energy and chemical<br />

consumption and help enhance operators’<br />

productivity.<br />

ULU PANDAN IVP: RESULTS<br />

In a pilot project with PUB, Singapore’s<br />

national water agency, Aquasuite ® PURE was<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


28 IN THE FIELD<br />

installed at the Ulu Pandan Integrated Validation Plant (IVP), and<br />

preliminary results of the project have shown that Aquasuite ® is well<br />

capable of predicting the load entering the treatment plant, learning<br />

its operational performance and controlling treatment processes as<br />

it has successfully taken over control for the past few months.<br />

Prediction accuracy increases over time as the software is learning,<br />

now already reaching a prediction accuracy of 88%. While Aquasuite<br />

is controlling key treatment processes such as aeration, it learns<br />

how the process performs. It is automatically shifting control from<br />

reactive to predicted control set-points, making it less sensitive<br />

to e.g. measurement failure as it predicts control with a 48-hour<br />

horizon. This gives the operator ample time to fix an issue before it<br />

becomes a problem.<br />

Results show that Aquasuite is able to learn and predict operations<br />

several days ahead and it can function as autopilot, able to perform<br />

unattended operation. Preliminary results up till now show that a<br />

reduction of aeration flow with predictive compared to conventional<br />

control of up to 15% is achieved. This aeration flow reduction<br />

results in corresponding energy savings.<br />

AQUASUITE’S AUTOPILOT<br />

The solution demonstrates it can learn the process in such a way,<br />

that it provides two-day-ahead predictive insight while optimising<br />

and controlling the plant in real time. This means the self-learning<br />

system can act as an autopilot to the operator, increasing the<br />

operator’s productivity. It saves operational costs and increases<br />

operational resilience as it delivers a more robust system which<br />

is less sensitive to e.g. measurement failures. It provides timely<br />

insights and anomaly detection to the operator, reducing the risk<br />

and effect of undesirable events.<br />

The approach of predicting water and integrally optimising assets<br />

on a holistic level is key to this solution and can be applied across<br />

the whole water loop.<br />

Figure 1: Screengrab of prediction and actual load trends from the pilot project<br />

at PUB’s Ulu Pandan Integrated Validation Plant<br />

Michel de Koning, associate director of Aquasuite, said, “We<br />

believe that data-driven solutions can deliver an efficient, reliable<br />

and resilient water infrastructure. In the near future smart cities<br />

will have their complete water cycle optimised and operated<br />

holistically from one integrated solution: from source to tap and<br />

back again. We have built Aquasuite with that vision and are proud<br />

to see this demonstration project being implemented with PUB,<br />

one of the most forward-thinking utilities in the world.” WWA<br />

Figure 2: Comparison of prediction and actual load to the treatment plant<br />

Figure 3: Aquasuite PURE pilot trial with its controls enabled – note that red is enabled<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


IN THE FIELD 29<br />

The Royal HaskoningDHV Aquasuite ® software was deployed earlier in March 2019 for a two-year pilot trial at PUB’s Integrated Validation Plant<br />

at Ulu Pandan <strong>Water</strong> Reclamation Plant (UPWRP)<br />

In water-scarce Singapore, National <strong>Water</strong> Agency PUB is<br />

digitalising Singapore’s entire water system to improve<br />

operational excellence and meet future water needs. This is<br />

part of the continual investment in digital solutions to achieve<br />

smarter water quality management, network improvements and<br />

smarter work processes for the country.<br />

Royal HaskoningDHV’s Aquasuite ® software was deployed at<br />

PUB’s Integrated Validation Plant (IVP)* at Ulu Pandan <strong>Water</strong><br />

Reclamation Plant (UPWRP) in March 2019. The software is<br />

currently undergoing a two-year trial to validate the reduction of<br />

energy consumption in water reclamation processes, chemical use<br />

and reliance on manpower while increasing water quality.<br />

The Aquasuite software was introduced to provide the operator<br />

and management with predictive insights while improving plant<br />

performance through machine learning and control. Connecting<br />

to the plant’s Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)<br />

system to gather data and control key processes, it sends data out<br />

to the Aquasuite ® cloud solution through a secure data diode. With<br />

the data collected near real-time in the cloud, the software is able<br />

to track actual performance of the on-premise solution through<br />

a digital replica. More advanced analytics are made available to<br />

the operator through the cloud, including anomaly detection, soft<br />

sensors, predictions and predictive simulations, while the onpremise<br />

part keeps optimising real-time performance.<br />

“PUB recognises that technology and innovation are cornerstones<br />

in our mission of supplying high quality water and reusing used<br />

water endlessly. This pilot trial demonstrates how digital solutions<br />

like Aquasuite can seamlessly digitise and automate our water<br />

reclamation operations,” said Dr Kelvin Koh, general manager of<br />

the Ulu Pandan <strong>Water</strong> Reclamation Plant. WWA<br />

*The IVP was commissioned in 2018 to assess the feasibility of deploying<br />

innovative process technologies in water reclamation plants, which could be<br />

potentially implemented at the future Tuas <strong>Water</strong> Reclamation Plant (TWRP)<br />

in Singapore.<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


30 FOCUS<br />

The combination of reverse osmosis (RO) and ion exchange (IX) processes is an uncommon one,<br />

and LANXESS Sales Manager Mark Seah tells <strong>Water</strong> & <strong>Wastewater</strong> <strong>Asia</strong> (WWA) how the combination<br />

produces optimal results.<br />

WWA: Could you share with us what the<br />

combined RO and IX process entails?<br />

SEAH: RO and IX are two different technologies.<br />

IX entails using ion-exchange resin to selectively<br />

remove dissolved substances in the water. The<br />

RO process is basically removing dissolved<br />

substances by particle size, so there’s no<br />

selectivity. The two different technologies, when<br />

combined together, produce the optimal result<br />

of both chemical process and mechanical filter<br />

processing. Ion exchange can be used as pretreatment<br />

for RO to remove hardness or organics,<br />

or as post-treatment to polish the RO permeate<br />

How does this help the wastewater treatment<br />

process?<br />

Broadly, in terms of energy consumption,<br />

RO has a high consumption of energy, since<br />

the applied pressure has to overcome the<br />

The LANXESS team at the Indo<strong>Water</strong> exhibition. From left: Mark Seah, Sales Manager ASEAN region, and<br />

Suluh L Pamungkas, Business Development Manager<br />

osmotic pressure of the feed solution, whereas<br />

ion-exchange resin has a low consumption<br />

of electrical energy because there’s no huge pump that’s<br />

valuable substances from the waste stream, like heavy metals.<br />

required like in RO. However, in the chemical process, chemical<br />

consumption wise, RO is very low and for ion-exchange resin What challenges does this aim to solve?<br />

there’s a high utilisation of chemicals. So, for a combination of We aim to integrate this into the zero-liquid-discharge (ZLD) cycle,<br />

both, it actually moderates between electrical consumption and which is what a lot of industries and governments are looking<br />

chemical consumption. In this way, it optimises the process, not into: recycling and reusing water. By doing this, you’re actually<br />

just for wastewater. RO has to overcome the osmotic pressure and removing the footprint of water treatment.<br />

has, therefore, a higher energy requirement.<br />

What are the advantages of using this process?<br />

In terms of energy consumption and chemical consumption<br />

there’s a balance of both requirements. IX as RO pre-treatment<br />

can remove substances which can foul the membrane. Therefore,<br />

it leads to a reduction of other chemicals and avoids a flux decline<br />

of the RO system. In addition to this, it is possible to remove<br />

How would using combined RO and IX processes be different<br />

from current wastewater treatment processes?<br />

Each water treatment process has its own advantage and<br />

disadvantage. But here at Lanxess, we have 80 years of experience<br />

producing ion-exchange resin, so we know how to make ionexchange<br />

resin that is robust to use in many different kinds of<br />

applications. By combining the new knowledge and initiative that<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


FOCUS 31<br />

Comparing the differences between reverse osmosis (RO) and ion exchange (IX) processes<br />

we put into our RO, we are able to optimise.<br />

We are able to look into several industries: Power plants, food<br />

and beverage, wastewater treatment in textile and electroplating<br />

industries. These are where we have a strong advantage<br />

in keeping a good balance between energy and chemical<br />

consumption while enabling the integration of this into the ZLD<br />

water treatment cycle.<br />

What would the challenges be in implementing these processes?<br />

The challenge would be the balance of both energy and chemical<br />

consumption. It’s always a challenge if there’s a seasonal in terms<br />

of the feed water that we are treating. In order to have an efficient<br />

combined process of ion-exchange resin and RO, we need to have<br />

good knowledge of the kind of feed water that we are treating.<br />

We can then design the flexibility of the ion-exchange resin to<br />

accommodate these variants in terms of the feed water that is<br />

coming into the system.<br />

Although we don’t have four seasons here, there’s still the<br />

monsoon season for wastewater and river water. There’s a<br />

fluctuation of this feed water at times when you have different<br />

kinds of contaminants in the wastewater, which poses a challenge.<br />

For wastewater treatment, factory to factory, they’re all different,<br />

so it’s impossible for us to design one system that we can sell<br />

to all industries. And so, we have to work very closely with the<br />

customer in finding the right solution and the right combination<br />

of technology. Ion-exchange resin can go before or after the<br />

membrane; which should go first, or to have both — this is where<br />

we need to talk to the customer a lot to find the right solution.<br />

Looking forward, do you think we will see these processes grow<br />

in popularity?<br />

At this moment we see a very strong market in <strong>Asia</strong> such as<br />

Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. These are the<br />

countries that have a strong growing demand in the industries<br />

that I’ve mentioned earlier. These are the markets that present the<br />

most opportunities or are the most attractive to our products.<br />

Sometimes, we have a problem justifying these two technologies<br />

to our customers because they seemed to be in competition with<br />

each other! But the reason why we advocate for these combined<br />

processes is that there is a way to optimise them. In a lot of<br />

remote areas, you might not have so much access to electricity,<br />

or have difficulty accessing the sufficient chemicals to do the<br />

regeneration for ion-exchange resin. A combination of both would<br />

enable a lot of such systems to be implemented in these places,<br />

and you can actually minimise any reliance on one particular<br />

technology. With the combination, it gives the customers and<br />

industries a balance of different technologies.<br />

The combination of experienced product and new initiative<br />

product – this is what we offer to the market, and to our<br />

customers. WWA<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


32 FOCUS<br />

Having spent over 20 years in the<br />

Industrial Automation field with<br />

10 years of experience in the water<br />

and wastewater industry, Schneider<br />

Electric’s segment leader, Shanmugavel<br />

Subramaniam, is the person to talk to<br />

regarding cybersecurity in the water<br />

sector, and what challenges the water<br />

industry players must navigate in their<br />

drive towards Industry 4.0.<br />

When it comes to cybersecurity, Shanmugavel Subramaniam<br />

is of the opinion that the level of defence afforded to the<br />

water industry depends on its level of consideration as a<br />

critical infrastructure.<br />

“In some countries, water is a part of a critical infrastructure – in one<br />

aspect you don’t want its security to be compromised resulting in<br />

operational disruption that may lead to losing supply of water. This<br />

is the case in Singapore, where the importance in supplying water<br />

24/7 is significant and there is no compromise in any shortage of<br />

water, which is deemed as a critical infrastructure. The industry here is<br />

trying to figure out how to implement cybersecurity at the operational<br />

technology (OT) level, and there’s still a lot of work to be done.”<br />

DEFINING INDUSTRY 4.0<br />

Adding on to his statement, Shan said that impact of Industry 4.0<br />

can be broken into three core aspects: People, Assets/Equipment<br />

and Operation.<br />

“Similarly, in the water utility this transformation takes place with<br />

technologies like Industrial Internet of things (IIOT) by making<br />

the equipment ‘talk’. Imagine a situation when a vast number of


FOCUS 33<br />

equipment is talking in many different ‘languages’, this creates<br />

‘noises of data’ that need to be managed & analysed – in other<br />

words, big data analytics. A single platform is required with<br />

the ability to consolidate, analyse & translate this data into<br />

meaningful operational & business information like a unified<br />

command centre, with one unified operational language,” he<br />

explained.<br />

<strong>Water</strong> utilities need to see the whole water cycle picture to know<br />

about what’s happening in their operation, but the utilities today<br />

don’t have this vision. As the various equipment are made to<br />

‘talk’, all the various departments tend to focus only on their own<br />

processes and work in individual silos, but they need to work<br />

together to have an integrated view of the whole operation.<br />

In the past, people relied on their own knowledge to figure out if<br />

the equipment is working and needed to update their colleagues<br />

manually. But now that machines are starting to talk, everyone<br />

gains better visibility on the entire process thus increasing<br />

transparency. This transformative shift from manually reporting<br />

information to machines providing insight is the essence of<br />

Industry 4.0.<br />

Shan also observed that as a concept, Worker 4.0 would have to<br />

reach far beyond the current generation of operators, to prepare<br />

for the next batch of workers: Generation Z, or Gen Z for short.<br />

“They’re the technology-smart generation. When they graduate<br />

and come out into the workforce, they expect technology to be<br />

helping them. That’s one key reason the acceleration (of Industry<br />

4.0) is faster now, because the industry needs to be ready for the<br />

next generation.”<br />

SETTING THE STANDARD FOR INDUSTRY 4.0<br />

However, one key issue in adapting to Industry 4.0 lies in setting<br />

standards – in terms of cybersecurity, how do operators know<br />

when a plant or operation is secure?<br />

Shan explained, “Cybersecurity is a continuous discussion –<br />

in a laptop for example, when you plug a thumb drive or new<br />

vulnerability is present, it immediately downloads software<br />

patches and updates. Imagine if that goes into an industry’s<br />

operation. How will the management of such security patches be<br />

handled?<br />

However, this shift towards a streamlined process is bound to<br />

create a new set of problems that need to be tackled head-on for<br />

the industry to move forward. Perhaps the most obvious problem<br />

would be the risk of machines completely replacing the workers<br />

as processes become increasingly transparent, thus requiring less<br />

manual oversight.<br />

The real question though, is if the utilities are ready for this and<br />

how they are adapting.”<br />

INTRODUCING “WORKER 4.0”<br />

According to Shan, much of the impact caused by the shift to<br />

Industry 4.0 would be in terms of operational behaviour.<br />

“As processes become increasingly transparent, operations will<br />

change, and silos will be broken down for greater integration.<br />

Operational behaviour will be affected, and typical feedback from<br />

operators becomes: ‘Will I lose my job?’. It’s a big challenge for<br />

water utilities. So, operators need to be trained to become what<br />

Singapore calls ‘Worker 4.0’ or ‘digital workers’.<br />

Moving towards Industry 4.0 is a big concern for any industry –<br />

but technology is not going to replace people. What will happen<br />

instead is that it will upskill talents, change job descriptions<br />

and working behaviours leading to a change management in<br />

operations,” he said.<br />

What are the guidelines operators need to follow if they want<br />

to implement talking equipment, for example? What security<br />

guidelines should they have? Every industry has its own needs to<br />

address, and the water industry is a bit different because it links<br />

back to the public. You cannot hack drinking water unless you<br />

contaminate it, but you can disrupt the operation and supply of<br />

water.<br />

In Singapore, the Cyber Security Agency (CSA) - founded in April<br />

2015 – helps engage with various industry segments to heighten<br />

cyber security awareness & guidelines as well as to ensure the<br />

development of Singapore’s cyber security standards.<br />

Critical infrastructure requires secured segment and network<br />

authentication but how can we enable it for OT? The IT equivalent<br />

is a zero-trust network, where you must authenticate all processes<br />

within the network as nothing is trusted. Considering the critical<br />

nature of our water utilities, this is most likely the type of OT<br />

network that they will want to implement.<br />

However, such a transformative paradigm shift will require<br />

management to come up with a plan on how to integrate these<br />

technologies without disrupting their core operational services.”<br />

WWA<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


34 FOCUS<br />

As the most widely used raw material in the pharmaceutical manufacturing<br />

process, water is an essential part of the production, processing, and<br />

formulation of pharmaceutical products. <strong>Water</strong> & <strong>Wastewater</strong> <strong>Asia</strong> (WWA) sits<br />

down with Veolia’s Market Manager, Tiyo Kok Fong, to learn more about how<br />

water is used in this industry and how wastewater from this process is treated.<br />

Tiyo Kok Fong,<br />

Market Manager, Veolia<br />

WWA: What is the importance of water in manufacturing for the<br />

pharmaceutical industry?<br />

KOK: The pharmaceutical industry requires consistent high-quality<br />

water for manufacturing, including product addition and dilution (as<br />

an ingredient in a dosage form), equipment washdown and rinsing,<br />

even as solvent or diluent for research in laboratory processes. With<br />

its polarity and hydrogen bonds, water possesses many unique<br />

chemical properties — allowing it to dissolve, absorb, adsorb, or<br />

suspend many different compounds. These include contaminants<br />

that may represent hazards in and of themselves, or that may be<br />

able to react with intended product substances, resulting in hazards<br />

to health.<br />

The major compendia (USP, EP and JP) require pharma<br />

manufacturers to begin with drinking water and purify it further to<br />

specific standards — depending on the use, such as purified water<br />

(PW) or water for injection (WFI) — as specified in monographs,<br />

which provide the baseline requirements for water used in<br />

pharmaceutical manufacturing processes.<br />

Typical wastewater treatment plants are constructed to remove<br />

solid substances, degradable organic substances, and nutrients.<br />

Many endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) or potentially<br />

harmful substances are not biologically degradable and are hardly<br />

absorbable. Hence, only very little amounts are removed or are<br />

not removed at all. Some studies in the West had highlighted the<br />

negative impact of Endocrine Disruptors in the Environment. So far,<br />

there is no regulation overall to seize the threats from EDCs.<br />

However, in the <strong>Asia</strong> Pacific region, the tightening of wastewater<br />

discharge limits and the enforcement of environmental regulations in<br />

many countries has led to greater demands for more sophisticated<br />

and innovative treatment technologies and solutions.<br />

Control of water quality, in particular the microbiological quality,<br />

is a major concern and the pharmaceutical industry devotes<br />

considerable resources to the development and maintenance<br />

of water purification systems. Subject matter experts (SMEs) of<br />

pharmaceutical manufacturers work closely with the compendial<br />

water/steam vendors to define and review compendial water<br />

and steam generation systems, as well as associated process<br />

manufacturing controls within the system that may potentially affect<br />

product quality and patient safety.<br />

WWA: How is wastewater from manufacturing in this industry<br />

dealt with, and how have treatment/disposal methods evolved in<br />

the past five years?<br />

KOK: <strong>Wastewater</strong> from the pharmaceutical industry is highly charged<br />

with TOC, COD, BOD, suspended matter or solvents, so it is imperative<br />

that manufacturers treat it before discharging the effluent.<br />

EVALED ® evaporators are low energy consumption and low CO 2 footprint<br />

systems to treat industrial wastewater, with capacities from 1-200 m 3 /day<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


FOCUS 35<br />

With sustainability being a common concern for many<br />

companies, Veolia aims to reduce energy needs by<br />

reusing water. <strong>Wastewater</strong> treatment also offers many<br />

opportunities to recover valuable elements. In addition,<br />

there is also a growing trend of single-use technologies<br />

in product manufacturing facilities that has reduced<br />

water consumption but increased the amount of plastic<br />

waste.<br />

The Orion is a sustainable solution with the potential to reduce overall<br />

water and energy consumption, as well as produce water that meets all the<br />

requirements of the new WFI Monograph<br />

<strong>Water</strong> is a major ingredient for most bulk waste and can be further<br />

treated with EVALED — a technological solution for disposal cost<br />

reduction and product recovery. <strong>Water</strong> can be reused for nonprocess<br />

purposes, and Minimum Liquid Discharge (MLD) or Zero<br />

Liquid Discharge (ZLD) may even be achieved within the ETP. For<br />

an effective way to remove micro-pollutants, companies may also<br />

choose to adopt the EXENO — Veolia’s solution for an effective<br />

and economically friendly biological removal of drug residues in<br />

wastewater that is based on the AnoxKaldnes MBBR.<br />

Sustainability is also a growing concern and many companies<br />

are looking at ways to maximise resources and develop a plan for<br />

sustainable growth. This often also helps companies fulfil their CSR<br />

commitments. Some options that companies are turning to include<br />

recycling wastewater for non-potable uses, turning wastewater into<br />

a resource through sludge treatment or biogas production, and<br />

dealing with the issue of drugged water and micropollutants.<br />

WWA: What are some of the risks associated with wastewater<br />

treatment in this industry, and how can companies deal with these<br />

risks?<br />

KOK: <strong>Water</strong> scarcity and tightening regulations have aggravated<br />

risks for the industry, particularly because of the high volume of<br />

water required. Unlike other raw materials, the quality of potable<br />

water varies significantly from one region to another, as well as from<br />

season to season. The quality and characteristics of the potable<br />

water supply have an important bearing on the purification regime<br />

required to produced purified water for use in the pharmaceutical<br />

manufacturing process.<br />

Changes in local regulations, such as the tightening discharge limits<br />

and quality of effluent discharged into the environment, have had a<br />

significant impact on the decisions that companies make regarding<br />

their water facilities, as well as water and wastewater treatment<br />

options.<br />

WWA: What are some of the challenges faced in the<br />

storage of water or water treatment in this industry?<br />

How do companies overcome these challenges?<br />

KOK: Storage tank and distribution systems are potential<br />

sources of contamination, particularly from bacteria.<br />

Good design and proper maintenance regimes are<br />

needed to minimise issues. With over 100 years of<br />

experience in water storage and distribution in larger<br />

markets such as municipal services, Veolia is able to<br />

adapt good design practices to help pharmaceutical companies<br />

reduce the risks surfacing from the storage and distribution of water<br />

— from the pre-treatment system to hygienic areas, such as PW and<br />

WFI storage and distribution.<br />

WWA: What technologies does Veolia have that are focused on<br />

water/wastewater treatment for the pharmaceutical industry?<br />

How does Veolia contribute?<br />

KOK: Veolia’s expertise enables us to offer complete solutions<br />

for quality water production and wastewater treatment for the<br />

pharmaceutical industry. From solutions for pre-treatment, PW or<br />

WFI, to solutions for storage, distribution or effluent treatment<br />

services, Veolia applies the latest technologies to improve<br />

production efficiency and reduce operating costs for customers —<br />

without compromising the safety of processes or product quality.<br />

For example, the Orion ® is a sustainable solution with the potential<br />

to reduce overall water and energy consumption, as well as produce<br />

water that meets all the requirements of the new WFI Monograph.<br />

The POLARIS can be used for distillation in the production of water<br />

for injection and highly purified water, while the EXENO works to<br />

remove COD/BOD, Endocrine Disruption Chemicals (EDCs), and<br />

nutrients from wastewater.<br />

The AQUAVISTA digital service platform is Veolia’s response<br />

to customer calls for data-driven optimisation in the water and<br />

wastewater treatment industry. Features like predictive maintenance<br />

and real-time optimisation taps on the latest innovation in IoT and<br />

artificial intelligence-based analysis — bringing about a plethora of<br />

benefits. These include allowing treatment plants to automatically<br />

adapt to various events and reduce operational expenditure. With<br />

this platform, customers can gain more meaningful insights and<br />

understanding of the water and wastewater treatment processes<br />

in their plant, and make informed decisions about optimising water<br />

consumption or the manufacturing process as a whole. WWA<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


36 FOCUS<br />

As one of the country’s Four National Taps, desalination has been a key part of Singapore’s water<br />

story since the first desalination plant was opened in 2005. As Singapore seeks to add the<br />

Jurong Island Desalination Plant (JIDP) to its map of desalination plants, <strong>Water</strong> & <strong>Wastewater</strong> <strong>Asia</strong><br />

(WWA) talks to Chen Rosenfeld, Sales & Solutions Manager for <strong>Asia</strong>-Pacific at IDE Technologies, to<br />

understand how the country is doing in terms of its desalination efforts and how IDE Technologies<br />

plays a part in the process.<br />

WWA: How is Singapore doing in terms of its current desalination<br />

efforts?<br />

ROSENFELD: Currently, Singapore desalinates 25% of its water<br />

demand and PUB, the Public Utilities Board, is set to reach the 30%<br />

mark by 2060 ahead of the 2061 expiration of the <strong>Water</strong> Transfer<br />

Agreement with Malaysia.<br />

On the same note, PUB plans to expand NE<strong>Water</strong>, Singapore’s brand<br />

name for potable-quality water produced from treated sewage,<br />

to meet roughly 55% of the national water demand by 2060. In<br />

Singapore, there are currently four large desalination plants which<br />

serve as part of the four main sources of water for the country.<br />

WWA: Please tell us more about the SWRO plant that will be<br />

supplied by IDE Technologies for the upcoming JIDP.<br />

ROSENFELD: IDE Technologies has been awarded the contract<br />

to deliver a reverse osmosis (RO) system for the JIDP. This plant<br />

will be Singapore’s fifth desalination plant and have a capacity of<br />

35.7 MGD (135,000 m 3 /d). This combined system will produce<br />

high-quality water to Singapore. As Singapore is a small city-state<br />

with limited water storage space, its water management policy is<br />

essential to its existence.<br />

Chen Rosenfeld, Sales & Solutions Manager<br />

for <strong>Asia</strong>-Pacific, IDE Technologies<br />

Large desalination plants are part of the four main sources<br />

providing water across the city, in addition to water imported from<br />

Malaysia, extensive rain water collection, and storage and water<br />

reuse facilities distributing water to potable quality. Singapore<br />

has set a target to have desalinated water meet up to 30% of the<br />

country’s future water needs by 2060. JIDP will be completed in<br />

June <strong>2020</strong>.<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


FOCUS 37<br />

overall water balance in most <strong>Asia</strong>n countries and the impact of<br />

desalination on the ratepayer can be a challenge for local and<br />

state utilities and governments.<br />

Nevertheless, more and more acceptance of this<br />

drought-proof solution, and the costs associated<br />

with it, are being viewed as a sustainable and sociallyresponsible<br />

alternative to our global reliance on<br />

depleting freshwater sources.<br />

WWA: What are the challenges facing countries in <strong>Asia</strong><br />

that want to adopt desalination?<br />

ROSENFELD: The main challenges facing countries wanting<br />

to adopt desalination is a regulatory framework<br />

that will allow for Public-Private-Partnership<br />

(PPPs) and long-term concessions so<br />

private initiatives and investments<br />

will provide the needed capital and<br />

expertise to implement desalination<br />

at a very competitive and affordable cost.<br />

Streamlined environmental permitting and other<br />

permitting processes also pose a challenge in <strong>Asia</strong>n<br />

countries. In addition, the distribution networks and sewage<br />

treatment plants (STPs) also pose a challenge for utilities.<br />

SWRO train as will be operated in Jurong Island Desalination Plant,<br />

Singapore, Formosa Taiwan and other desalination plants in <strong>Asia</strong><br />

WWA: How will IDE Technologies’ provision of RO solutions to<br />

the JIDP aid Singapore in its desalination efforts?<br />

ROSENFELD: The 135,000 m 3 /day (35.7 MGD) Sea <strong>Water</strong> Reverse<br />

Osmosis (SWRO) plant supplied by IDE to the Jurong Island<br />

desalination project is a significant addition to Singapore’s water<br />

security and independency. This plant will be Singapore’s fifth<br />

desalination plant and produce high-quality water for the country<br />

to help meet growing demand.<br />

WWA: How widely accepted is the desalination process in <strong>Asia</strong>?<br />

ROSENFELD: Desalination of sea water and brackish water is<br />

widely accepted in <strong>Asia</strong> and while Singapore is spearheading<br />

these efforts in the region, Taiwan, Thailand, India, China and<br />

Korea are also adopting this drought-proof solution to secure<br />

drinking water as water scarcity continues to be a growing<br />

problem.<br />

WWA: What is the impact of desalination in the <strong>Asia</strong>n region?<br />

How has it changed?<br />

ROSENFELD: Desalination is still a very small portion of the<br />

To overcome these challenges, the government must embrace<br />

Public-Private Partnerships to help expedite desalination<br />

infrastructure so the economy can have another droughtresistant<br />

method for access to a continuous supply of clean<br />

water. Environmental permitting also needs to be streamlined so<br />

innovative companies can deliver desalination processes that are<br />

offer increased efficiency and decreased energy usage.<br />

WWA: Going forward, where do you think the water industry in<br />

<strong>Asia</strong> is headed? What trends should companies look out for?<br />

ROSENFELD: IDE sees tremendous potential in the emerging <strong>Asia</strong>n<br />

water industry. In <strong>Asia</strong>, we believe that there will continue to be<br />

increased focus on eco-friendly water solutions. Chemicals like<br />

chloramine, a combination of chlorine and ammonia, can be quite<br />

toxic to the environment and when used as a disinfectant in water,<br />

chloramine can be fatal to fish and frogs.<br />

When used for water treatment, chloramine can cause a<br />

50% increase in power consumption and its by-products can<br />

have detrimental effects on humans. Chloramine can form<br />

N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), which is an organic contaminant<br />

suspected as carcinogenic. With eco-friendly water solutions, no<br />

chemicals are used in the process to clean or disinfect the water<br />

which protects everyone from the effects of harmful chemicals –<br />

and <strong>Asia</strong> is leading the way in adoption of these solutions. WWA<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


38 FOCUS<br />

Metal finishing industries<br />

(automotive, electronics,<br />

aerospace, hardware, jewellery,<br />

heavy equipment, appliances, tires, and<br />

telecommunications) generate wastewater<br />

with a high concentration of contaminants<br />

such as heavy metals, organic substances<br />

and inorganic acids. When it comes to<br />

heavy metals – nickel, zinc, tin, silver,<br />

lead, copper, chromium and cadmium<br />

are typically present in metal finishing<br />

industrial effluent, and are a big concern<br />

due to their toxicity to human and other<br />

biological life.<br />

Currently, the metal finishing industrial<br />

effluents are treated with traditional<br />

chemical methods that include the<br />

precipitation of heavy metals by<br />

neutralisation, flocculation and settling/<br />

clarifiers for discharge. The sludge will<br />

pass through a filter press to remove<br />

the solids, and the liquid will go for<br />

another cycle. This method requires a<br />

lot of chemicals and a good solid waste<br />

management system to handle the<br />

precipitated heavy metal sludge.<br />

In many cases, the treated water does<br />

not meet the discharge requirement due<br />

to a high amount of total dissolved solids<br />

(TDS). In such cases, it needs to be diluted<br />

with tap water to meet the discharge<br />

limit, or conventional evaporators and<br />

crystallisers need to be deployed to treat<br />

the salinity for discharge or reuse. Figures<br />

1 and 2 show the conventional metal<br />

finishing industrial effluent treatment<br />

methods with and without an evaporator<br />

and crystalliser. As the conventional<br />

method consumes a large quantity of<br />

chemicals and the evaporation method<br />

requires very high CapEx and OpEx, there<br />

is a growing need for a cost-effective,<br />

chemical-free method to handle the metal<br />

finishing industrial effluent treatment.<br />

Figure 1 and 2: Conventional metal finishing industrial effluent treatment method with evaporator and<br />

crystalliser<br />

Membrane Distillation (MD) is a fairly new<br />

process that is being considered worldwide<br />

as a low cost, energy-saving alternative to<br />

conventional separation processes such<br />

as distillation and multi-stage evaporation.<br />

In MD, a membrane permeable to vapour<br />

but impermeable to liquid water separates<br />

a heated water stream from the product<br />

stream. <strong>Water</strong> vapour from the heated<br />

stream passes through the membrane due<br />

to the gradient in the vapour pressure and<br />

condenses in the product stream.<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


FOCUS 39<br />

MD is a good option to treat wastewater<br />

containing inorganic content, but current<br />

MD membranes are limited to treating<br />

industrial wastewater containing high<br />

organic content. The membranes are very<br />

sensitive to acid and organic solvents<br />

that will alter the membrane surface,<br />

leading to membrane wetting. If the<br />

membrane undergoes wetting, it allows<br />

the contaminant to pass through the<br />

membrane.<br />

Several methods have been explored to<br />

prevent membrane wetting. The current<br />

solution to wetting is to apply a finely<br />

porous hydrophobic coating which helps to<br />

increase hydrophobicity while maintaining<br />

acceptable porosity. However, it reduces<br />

the pore size of the membrane, which<br />

reduces performance. Another method to<br />

increase hydrophobicity is by introducing<br />

fluoride-containing polymers or additives<br />

into the dope solution.<br />

as a post-treatment to the IMD system<br />

to recover more water, helping the whole<br />

system achieve zero liquid discharge (ZLD).<br />

Figures 3 and 4 show the novel methods<br />

for metal finishing industrial effluent<br />

treatment with minimum liquid discharge<br />

(MLD) and ZLD.<br />

Recently, two different case studies were<br />

carried out for metal finishing industries in<br />

Singapore. Both case studies were carried<br />

out without a crystalliser, and only focused<br />

on MLD. From the results shown, there<br />

is a high possibility for circular economy<br />

in metal finishing effluent treatment. The<br />

first case study was conducted based on<br />

the process described in figure 3. The<br />

pre-treated effluent was used to study the<br />

maximum water recovery from the TS-30<br />

IMD system.<br />

The feed water was heated up with an<br />

electrical boiler to 70±3 °C and supplied<br />

to the feed inlet of the membrane module<br />

by a circulation pump with a velocity of<br />

0.42m/s. A vacuum pressure of -0.2 bar<br />

Memsift Innovations Pte Ltd has developed<br />

STOMATE ® , a highly hydrophobic fibre<br />

membrane suitable for MD application<br />

– STOMATE ® is created with proprietary<br />

materials that contain 10X higher fluorine<br />

atoms per unit compared to current<br />

materials, and can overcome the wetting<br />

issue in MD.<br />

Figure 3: The novel methods for metal finishing industrial effluent treatment with MLD<br />

In addition to this, Memsift also has an<br />

Improved Membrane Distillation (IMD)<br />

process (TS-30) that utilises the<br />

temperature difference and pressure<br />

difference across the membrane as<br />

driving force. Memsift has also developed<br />

GRAVITY, a new generation crystalliser<br />

which works in the principle of centrifugal<br />

and gravitational force with some<br />

temperature differences. The newlydeveloped<br />

crystalliser requires one-third<br />

of the energy that is currently being used<br />

for conventional crystallisers. The IMD<br />

system can be operated with minimum<br />

pre-treatment for the metal finishing<br />

industry and the crystalliser can be used<br />

Figure 4: The novel methods for metal finishing industrial effluent treatment with ZLD<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


40 FOCUS<br />

Table 1: water quality analysis for the feed, concentration and permeate<br />

Figure 8: Image of feed, permeate and concentrated effluent<br />

Figure 6: Permeate flux and conductivity rejection vs time<br />

Figure 9: Image of feed, permeate and concentrated slurry<br />

and the concentrate.<br />

From the analytical data it was found that the TS-30 IMD system<br />

helped to recover >90% of the water in one step and the treated<br />

water meets the discharge limit without further post polishing.<br />

The treated water can be reused with minimum post polishing.<br />

The permeate flux and the conductivity (rejection) were stable<br />

throughout the experiment. Figures 6 and 7 show the permeate<br />

flux and conductivity rejection vs time and conductivity increases<br />

and permeate flux vs time. Figure 8 shows the images of feed,<br />

permeate and concentrated effluent. The remaining water from the<br />

concentrated brine can be recovered in future using the crystalliser<br />

GRAVITY to make it ZLD.<br />

Figure 7: Conductivity increases and permeate flux vs time<br />

was applied in the expansion chamber/permeate side. The vapour<br />

was collected and condensed in the condensation chamber by<br />

using cooling water (temperature 30±3 °C). The condensed<br />

permeate was collected in the permeate tank and the volume was<br />

measured to calculate the permeate flux. Feed, permeate and<br />

the concentrated effluent samples were collected to measure the<br />

water quality parameter to analyse the separation efficiency of the<br />

system. The following table shows the quality of feed permeate<br />

Another case study was conducted using the same method<br />

described in Figure 3. All the operating conditions were kept<br />

the same as the first case study. In this case study, the feed<br />

waster contained 12% hydrochloric acid (HCl) and 22% of<br />

copper chloride. Hydrochloric acid (12.5%) was collected as the<br />

permeate and a slurry (saturated solution) of copper chloride was<br />

collected in the concentrate side. Here the liquid-waste become<br />

valuable products (hydrochloric acid and copper chloride) and<br />

potentially both can be reused in the process again after some<br />

minor purification process. This case study shows the possibility of<br />

making circular economy from metal finishing industrial effluent.<br />

Experiments are ongoing to recover the copper chloride crystals<br />

using the novel crystalliser GRAVITY. WWA<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


VIEWPOINT 41<br />

1<br />

KSB Guard shows how it can help a<br />

system runs smoothly and minimise<br />

outlay for inspection and maintenance.<br />

It offers the ability to gain an overview<br />

of the data on all the pumps without<br />

having to be physically on site.<br />

By Bryan Orchard<br />

Call it Industry 4.0, digitalisation or<br />

digital transformation — the concept<br />

behind these words has been and still<br />

is on everybody’s lips. Frequently, however,<br />

it gives rise to the question how to actually<br />

tackle the challenge of digitalising an<br />

established plant, namely a brownfield plant.<br />

If pumps are involved, it raises the<br />

questions: How can pumps be made fit for<br />

the future? How can procedures surrounding<br />

pump maintenance and service be improved<br />

using digitalisation? How can pumps<br />

become smart? Is there an option of making<br />

a concrete start without major expense?<br />

Pump and valve manufacturer KSB SE & Co.<br />

KGaA, has addressed these questions with<br />

a monitor that was first introduced in late<br />

2018, and which is now been taken up by<br />

several major international manufacturers.<br />

The monitoring device, called KSB Guard,<br />

enables the transfer of existing pumps to the<br />

digital world, even during operation.<br />

COMPREHENSIVE MONITORING<br />

The compact device comprises a sensor<br />

unit housing a temperature and a vibration<br />

sensor. The vibration sensor has an<br />

accuracy of 1 kHz and measures in all<br />

three axes. The sensor unit is fastened to<br />

the pump (KSB or any other make) using<br />

industrial adhesive. This type of fastening<br />

is generally suitable for all dry-installed<br />

pumps and can even be fitted during pump<br />

operation (Figure 1).<br />

The second hardware component is a<br />

transmission and battery unit, which is<br />

connected to the sensor unit with a cable<br />

and supplies the sensors with power. This<br />

does away with the need to install an<br />

additional mains power cable to the sensors<br />

at the pump. The batteries have a life of up<br />

to five years and are easy to replace.<br />

Using a wireless connection, the data<br />

recorded are sent to a gateway, which<br />

is the third hardware component. The<br />

gateway can be used for up to 20 sensor<br />

units and fitted with a SIM card, it provides<br />

the required connection to the mobile<br />

phone network. This means the entire<br />

communication path has been defined and<br />

secured by KSB, minimising time and costs<br />

for installation and commissioning.<br />

To access the available information about a<br />

pump, the pump only needs to be assigned<br />

in the KSB Guard app or web portal and the<br />

name plate data of pump and motor need<br />

to be entered. If it is a KSB pump and its<br />

serial number is entered, the data will be<br />

called up from KSB databases and entered<br />

automatically. Even in all other cases,<br />

entering the data takes no longer than a<br />

few minutes and is as easy as filling in an<br />

entry screen in an online shop. There is no<br />

further requirement for setting any other<br />

parameters. The complete installation and<br />

commissioning process is so efficient, it<br />

is easy to make existing pumps in a plant<br />

smart and, with that, fit for the future.<br />

After commissioning, a multitude of<br />

information will be accessible in the web<br />

portal or app. For pumps made by KSB<br />

the serial number gives access, via app or<br />

web portal, to additional documents, such<br />

as the data sheet or a sectional drawing,<br />

so searching for pump information has<br />

become a thing of the past. Quickly and<br />

easily maintaining and calling up a history<br />

file for the pump is also an option. Any<br />

maintenance and repair work can be<br />

recorded with a few clicks and will then be<br />

visible to all those responsible (Figure 2).<br />

Particularly valuable are the status data<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


42 VIEWPOINT<br />

2 3<br />

Figure 1: Easy installation of the sensor unit at the pump<br />

Figure 2: KSB Guard fitted in the system<br />

Figure 3: Easy access via smartphone or tablet<br />

of the installed pump sets. They are not<br />

restricted to the current temperature and<br />

mean vibration velocity values, but also<br />

show trends. Since measurements are<br />

conducted once an hour or more frequently<br />

if needed, data can be examined over time,<br />

which enables any changes to the pump<br />

status to be identified. Alarm and warning<br />

limit values have also been defined for this<br />

purpose. If the limit values are reached,<br />

an alarm or warning message is triggered.<br />

These messages can be received by e-mail<br />

or as a push message on a mobile phone<br />

or tablet — whichever is most convenient<br />

(Figure 3). The limit values can be<br />

individually adjusted for each pump using<br />

the app or web portal.<br />

Apart from information on the temperature<br />

and mean vibration velocity, an operating<br />

hours counter, the load profile and the load<br />

status of the pump can be displayed. The<br />

speed can be derived from the measured<br />

vibrations. Initially, this indicates whether<br />

the pump is running or at standstill. For<br />

pumps without a variable speed system,<br />

the speed and an algorithm patented by<br />

KSB provide the facility to further identify<br />

the load condition of the pump, overload,<br />

optimum, part load or extreme part load. In<br />

this way, KSB Guard also helps to uncover<br />

energy saving potentials and optimise<br />

plants accordingly.<br />

KSB Guard’s main benefit is certainly<br />

that of monitoring the temperature and<br />

vibrations and the associated warning<br />

and alarm messages, which help identify a<br />

change in pump status at an early stage.<br />

This allows an early response before any<br />

failures or major damage occurs at the<br />

pump. The early-warning system has been<br />

tried and tested in many applications.<br />

SEEING THE FUTURE<br />

For example, the imminent clogging of a<br />

large, dry-installed waste water pump at a<br />

pumping station was detected at an early<br />

stage, thereby avoiding a problem. As the<br />

pumping station in question transports raw<br />

waste water, clogging is a common even<br />

and in the past this had led to numerous<br />

failures and costly repairs. What made<br />

it more difficult was that the pumping<br />

station was in a remote location and not<br />

supervised continuously. KSB Guard proved<br />

to be an ideal solution, providing the<br />

pumping station with a monitoring system<br />

in a simple and cost-effective way.<br />

In this particular case, KSB Guard detected<br />

that the mean vibration velocity was rising<br />

continuously. Based on this knowledge, service<br />

personnel were sent to the pumping station to<br />

remedy the cause of the high vibrations and<br />

prevent clogging. Without KSB Guard, a failure<br />

and the corresponding damage at the pump<br />

would have most likely been the outcome.<br />

Another example is that of a tubular casing<br />

pump that had been in operation for many<br />

years without any maintenance because<br />

the plain bearings were lubricated for life.<br />

However, after a very long period of use, more<br />

than 40 years in this case, these mechanical<br />

components were affected by wear. To ensure<br />

continued maximum operating reliability, KSB<br />

Guard was identified as the first choice as it<br />

allowed the pump to be simply and quickly<br />

fitted with an effective monitoring system.<br />

As in the previous example, the vibration<br />

values measured had increased over time. It<br />

was then discovered that the pump could no<br />

longer be rotated by hand. As a consequence,<br />

the pump was dismantled to prevent a failure<br />

incurring very costly repairs or even the need<br />

to purchase new equipment.<br />

With KSB Guard, every pump is quickly and<br />

easily integrated in the “Industrial Internet of<br />

Things”, and an existing pumping station can<br />

be given a new level of transparency without<br />

any risks. WWA<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


VIEWPOINT 43<br />

Artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning technologies offer possibilities for operation<br />

efficiencies in water infrastructure<br />

By William Yong, Managing Director, Southeast <strong>Asia</strong>, <strong>Water</strong>, Black & Veatch<br />

Thanks to rapidly-advancing technology and<br />

As a key element of digital transformation, the<br />

innovation, AI is perceived as a key pillar<br />

popularity of AI stems from its adaptability in many<br />

of urban water treatment and Southeast<br />

sectors. By facilitating right-sized, data-driven<br />

<strong>Asia</strong>n governments are now racing to establish the<br />

region as an AI hub. For example, Singapore has<br />

launched its National Artificial Intelligence Strategy<br />

investments, digital transformation offers utilities in<br />

<strong>Asia</strong> the opportunity to find strategies that address<br />

their different needs.<br />

and committed over $500 million to fund activities<br />

related to AI under the Research, Innovation and<br />

Enterprise <strong>2020</strong> Plan.<br />

At the core of digital transformation is aggregating,<br />

mapping and analysing data for greater insight and<br />

Not to be outdone, Malaysia has set up a one-billiondollar<br />

AI park to boost research and development in<br />

William Yong<br />

actionable information. Connected sensors provide<br />

data that supports deeper analysis, and actionable<br />

learnings are then generated from the analysis.<br />

the country, and the Philippines is working with the <strong>Asia</strong>n Institute<br />

of Management (AIM) Aboitiz School of Innovation, Technology and<br />

Entrepreneurship (ASITE) to prepare a roadmap which will position<br />

Here, we identify and predict possible opportunities for the <strong>Asia</strong>n<br />

water sector in the coming years.<br />

the country as an AI leader in Southeast <strong>Asia</strong>.<br />

A digital twin is a digital representation of water treatment and<br />

distribution infrastructure, with AI embedded into the digital<br />

twin. A water utility digital twin offers the prospect of optimising<br />

performance of existing assets and increasing the efficiency with<br />

which they are operated and maintained. The twin supports this<br />

by facilitating systems thinking — combining multiple internal and<br />

external data sources across the asset base with predictive analytical<br />

techniques served through multiple functional views. This enables<br />

improved insights that support better decisions, leading to better<br />

outcomes in the physical world. Photo credit: Black & Veatch<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


44 VIEWPOINT<br />

Prediction #1: The <strong>Asia</strong>n water sector launches numerous AI pilot projects<br />

Regional water leaders are assessing digital technologies to<br />

extend the value of existing water infrastructure while solving the<br />

complexities of underdeveloped or aging water infrastructure, as<br />

well as non-revenue water (NRW).<br />

Prediction #2: Leaders extend AI to various parts of the water value chain<br />

AI deployments will be extended to the water treatment process,<br />

decentralisation of water supply systems and infrastructure<br />

planning. <strong>Water</strong> and wastewater utilities will consider<br />

incorporating AI to improve the removal of nutrients by<br />

wastewater treatment plants, improve effluent quality and meet<br />

regulatory requirements.<br />

More pilot projects that focus on optimising distribution systems,<br />

treatment efficiency and asset management to deliver reliable<br />

and sustainable water supply and wastewater treatment will be<br />

launched.<br />

The water sector will also combine AI and machine learning<br />

with remote monitoring technologies to enhance efficiency from<br />

decentralised water supply systems. Utilities will refer to learnings<br />

generated from analysis to optimise risk-based strategies for assetreplacement<br />

investments – this will drive infrastructure planning and<br />

offer possibilities for urban water treatment designs.<br />

Prediction #3: Regional water leaders integrate predictive maintenance into their strategies<br />

Regional utilities will pilot more predictive analytics projects, such<br />

as predictive maintenance. Predictive maintenance uses machine<br />

learning, pattern recognition and advanced analytics to optimise,<br />

manage and deliver interventions. These interventions will give<br />

water utilities in <strong>Asia</strong> the opportunity to prioritise mission-critical<br />

investments through identifying equipment and processes that<br />

could result in the highest cost of failure.<br />

As water utilities seek to improve customer service and meet quality<br />

and environmental regulatory targets, predictive maintenance<br />

will be recognised by water leaders as a critical pillar of digital<br />

transformation. One result from predictive maintenance is minimising<br />

loss from NRW through leak detection and replacing fewer pipes.<br />

Prediction #4: Regional water leaders refine processes for systemic data integration<br />

To optimise the distribution system, some regional utilities<br />

are relying on sensors for flood prediction while others have<br />

implemented hydraulic modelling to manage stormwater runoff.<br />

Several utilities are adopting remote sensors to integrate geospatial<br />

data with pipe condition analysis to minimise NRW.<br />

While utilities are making steady progress, data is likely to reside in<br />

Prediction #5: The rise of digital twins in <strong>Asia</strong><br />

There will be a higher level of urgency in the region as it assesses<br />

opportunities to address water sustainability and security to meet<br />

the needs of rapidly growing populations and economies.<br />

One opportunity it will assess is the creation of digital twins,<br />

Prediction #6: AI reframes industry roles<br />

<strong>Water</strong> professionals will see the potential of AI for changing rather<br />

than losing roles. AI relies on data, but without the insight of people<br />

who are intimate with how assets have been designed and built, and<br />

how they will behave, the data is meaningless and the AI unfit for<br />

purpose. Expertise from a variety of disciplines across the utility will<br />

be necessary to provide insight into data patterns, and teach the AI<br />

how to recognise failures and what optimum performance looks like.<br />

The opportunity is in water industry professionals thinking of AI as<br />

information silos. Digital water — through next-generation collection<br />

devices and predictive analytics — can funnel disparate data into<br />

a single, meaningful snapshot of the entire water ecosystem. This<br />

allows users to gain insight on the connectivity and synergies within<br />

a system to drive operational efficiency and optimise workforce<br />

needs. Data has the power to understand, manage and guide us to<br />

reliability and optimisation.<br />

which enable predictive capabilities and intuitive decision support<br />

and intervention. The twin is in constant dialogue with its physical<br />

counterpart, enabling utilities to simulate and scenario-test options<br />

before putting them into action in the real world.<br />

another component of the water industry workforce. It can learn, but<br />

it needs to be taught; and then the AI needs to gain experience while<br />

operating under close supervision from those who know the assets well.<br />

The result will be a blended workforce of artificial and human<br />

intelligence – Engineer 2.0. The need for asset experts to be closely<br />

involved in the planning, implementation, training and operation of the<br />

AI will help the experts develop trust in the system.<br />

The future of AI holds much potential. Invariably, the path to<br />

digital transformation success starts with an open mind and<br />

leadership that values connectivity, innovation and automation,<br />

and is realised by a workforce that understands shared, real-time<br />

common data is the way forward and empowers them to further<br />

develop themselves, participating in the digital disruption. WWA<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


HOTSEAT 45<br />

Pani Energy CEO Devesh Bhadradwaj speaking at the recent H 2 O <strong>Asia</strong> Demo Day<br />

Pani Energy came from humble beginnings<br />

(it first started through research at<br />

the University of Victoria in Western<br />

Canada), and has now made a name for itself<br />

through the development of new technologies<br />

and its focus on improving efficiencies in<br />

the desalination and industrial wastewater<br />

treatment industries.<br />

The move past digital transformation’s initial novelty is<br />

a disappointing one, as users find previously industrychanging<br />

technologies may not deliver on everything they<br />

promised to. Pani Energy’s CEO, Devesh Bhadradwaj, takes<br />

us through how the company makes the most of artificial<br />

intelligence (AI) and machine learning to assist plant<br />

operators beyond cursory data monitoring.<br />

Said Pani Energy CEO Devesh Bhadradwaj,<br />

“We found that the water industry has been<br />

underserved by digital technologies, and there<br />

are many reasons for that – but the bottom-line<br />

is, this has created inefficiencies in operations.<br />

The price of desalination and wastewater is<br />

also much higher than normal freshwater<br />

treatment, and there’s a huge need to reduce<br />

these costs and improve efficiencies.”<br />

To do this, Pani Energy worked on harnessing<br />

AI, machine learning and deep domain<br />

knowledge in process modelling to improve<br />

plant efficiency at a low cost. With the creation<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


46 HOTSEAT<br />

of Pani Digital TM – the industry’s first Digital<br />

Operator Coach – Pani Energy now had<br />

an artificially intelligent expert looking at<br />

plant operational data in real-time, showing<br />

operators what they could do to optimise the<br />

plant they’re running.<br />

Explained Bhadradwaj, “Our technology<br />

doesn’t just visualise data, it can tell the<br />

operators to change a specific set-point,<br />

indicate when sensors have gone adrift,<br />

or recommend the optimal time to clean a<br />

membrane. We looked at this industry and<br />

we realised why digital technologies and<br />

AI haven’t been adopted at this wide scale:<br />

there’s a lot of buzz, a lot of people talk,<br />

but in general they’re just showing data. In<br />

the end, the operator does all the work to<br />

understand it, interpret it, then take action.<br />

It’s not realistic to expect them to comb<br />

through all the data, interpret graphs,<br />

analyse, then diagnose, then take a solution.<br />

So, we do that for them, we diagnose,<br />

interpret, and tell the operator exactly what<br />

they need to do.”<br />

DIGGING THROUGH THE DATA<br />

What sets Pani Digital TM apart from the rest,<br />

according to Bhadradwaj, is how it goes<br />

beyond mere visualisation by drawing upon<br />

deep domain expertise and decades of<br />

industry experience, reducing the risk of<br />

plant operations being disrupted and<br />

lessening the amount of work operators<br />

need to do.<br />

For example, Bhadradwaj shares, Pani Digital TM<br />

is working with a 6.6 million-litre-per-day<br />

(MLD) industrial desalination plant in <strong>Asia</strong> to<br />

streamline data collection and analysis.<br />

“This plant provides water to large assets,<br />

and was having issues with data – think pen<br />

and paper logs, hidden excel sheets – and<br />

they were all isolated. There was a lack of<br />

historical data available to help take them<br />

from where they were to where they should<br />

be. It was a good challenge for us to see<br />

how we could bring a plant which was quite<br />

archaic in their data approaches to something<br />

that can use AI.”<br />

He further explained, “The challenges for<br />

the plant were high OPEX, plant complexity,<br />

and plant upgrades with undetermined<br />

setpoints; the demand was lower than what<br />

they resupplied so they had to excessively<br />

shut down the plant, which caused problems<br />

with the pump and membranes. In general,<br />

the plant was facing a lack of good<br />

instrumentation, among other issues.”<br />

Since their involvement in the plant’s<br />

operations, the plant has improved its<br />

performance, and with continued use of<br />

Pani’s technology is projected to lower<br />

chemical costs by 11-15%, energy costs<br />

and consumption by 7-10%, and increase<br />

water recovery by 3-4% in reverse osmosis<br />

optimisation, as well as allow for longer<br />

equipment life and reduced risk of membrane<br />

fouling or failure.<br />

Bhadradwaj elaborated, “As far as overall<br />

operations went, we detected sensor errors<br />

leading the plant to think that they were<br />

producing more fresh water than they really<br />

were, and that other sensors had reached<br />

saturated conductivity, posing a risk in<br />

regulatory reports. Solving these problems<br />

meant major savings in time, on top of<br />

cost savings and better use of resources<br />

for the owners. All in all, this also reduced<br />

headaches and hassle for the operators.”<br />

Perhaps it is testament to Pani<br />

Digital TM ’s work and innovations that the<br />

company received a grant for $100,000<br />

(S$103,276.74) from the Sustainable<br />

Development Technology Canada (SDTC) in<br />

late 2019 – Bhadradwaj is visibly delighted<br />

when asked about this achievement.<br />

“We’re really humbled and grateful for the<br />

SDTC to believe in us, and that they chose<br />

us to be one of the five game-changing<br />

innovators, giving us this seed grant to grow.<br />

It’s great that another Canadian organisation<br />

– this organisation, the largest clean-tech<br />

fund—saw this potential in us and in the<br />

market.<br />

For Pani, this means that the company can<br />

take on more challenges and subsidise costs<br />

to adopt new customers. This has already<br />

shown great results. Apart from this, we<br />

have received other funding and resource<br />

injections which means general growth, and<br />

based on that we have already doubled our<br />

team size over the last few months, moved to a<br />

new location, and are seeing solid traction from<br />

our customers – we’re very happily surprised<br />

by the pull we’re getting from the market!”<br />

SO, WHAT’S NEXT?<br />

Besides the grant given by the SDTC, Pani<br />

Energy was also recently selected as the winner<br />

of Imagine H 2 O <strong>Asia</strong>’s demo days, an event that<br />

was sponsored by Enterprise Singapore, SUEZ,<br />

and Moya. Pitted against several of the world’s<br />

top water technology start-ups, Pani Energy<br />

prevailed to win the H 2 O Deployment Award and<br />

a $25,000 deployment grant.<br />

Bhadradwaj shares that even with these<br />

successes, the company is always looking<br />

towards bigger, better things. “We’re in our<br />

commercialisation stage right now, and<br />

the traction we’re getting and interest from<br />

customers and geographies much wider than<br />

what we initially planned for is a good sign for<br />

us. We’re expanding our team and customer<br />

base, and what’s next for us is what’s next for<br />

the industry.<br />

Over the next decade, the world bank predicts<br />

a significant gap in supply and demand of<br />

freshwater, and current research hints that<br />

a majority of this demand will be met by<br />

non-traditional treatment processes, such as<br />

desalination and wastewater re-use. We are<br />

also seeing growth in the adoption of Zero<br />

Liquid Discharge (ZLD), especially around<br />

<strong>Asia</strong>. I personally feel better knowing there are<br />

technologies out there that allow these plants<br />

to do more with less.<br />

Looking at climate from a holistic perspective,<br />

one of our lowest risk solutions in helping<br />

address climate change is increasing<br />

efficiencies of existing infrastructures. For the<br />

plants we are targeting, there is tremendous<br />

opportunity to increase efficiencies, and a<br />

software-as-a-service (SaaS) optimisation<br />

model, in comparison to large retrofits, presents<br />

low adoption barriers. With these plants being<br />

present at global scale with industries and<br />

municipalities, efficiency improvements directly<br />

benefit the Sustainable Development Goals for<br />

both clean water access and climate change.<br />

It’s a bright future for Pani, and a bright future<br />

for the industry as a whole.” WWA<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


41 st SINGAPORE WATER INDUSTRY NITE<br />

14 th November 2019, PUB <strong>Water</strong>hub Auditorium<br />

NEWSLETTER<br />

OF THE<br />

SINGAPORE<br />

WATER<br />

ASSOCIATION<br />

BRINGING<br />

A NEW VIBRANCY<br />

TO SINGAPORE’S<br />

GROWING<br />

WATER INDUSTRY<br />

The 41 st SWIN was evenul — with a special face-changing<br />

opening performance sponsored by China Harbour<br />

(Singapore) Engineering Pte Ltd.<br />

The event was well aended by 180 guests with China<br />

Harbour giving an overview of its local and overseas<br />

projects; SWA updates on <strong>2020</strong> acvies and events; PUB<br />

update on TWRP Contracts and Introducon of IH2O new<br />

cohorts.<br />

Special guests include First and Third Secretary of China<br />

Embassy, Mr Lee Pak Sing (ED of Enterprise Singapore)<br />

Regional Trade Officer of Canadian High Commission and<br />

Dr Andrew Benedek (Chairman of Anaergia, First Lee Kuan<br />

Yew Prize Award Winner).


EMERGING TRENDS IN THE WATER INDUSTRY<br />

10 th October 2019, CleanTech Park Seminar Room<br />

NEWRI, World Bank and several water industry stakeholders shared interesng and evenul sessions at the<br />

inaugural “Emerging Trends in the <strong>Water</strong> Industry” seminar on 10 October 2019.<br />

SWA Vice-President (Administraon), Mr Dinesh Sharma, delivered his welcome address to more than 70<br />

parcipants while NEWRI Execuve Director, Prof Shane, made his opening address by giving an overview of<br />

water problems in South East <strong>Asia</strong>.<br />

Other sessions include World Bank advising on the Challenges and Opportunies: <strong>Water</strong> and <strong>Wastewater</strong>; Tech<br />

Soluons to Emerging <strong>Water</strong> Problems; Innovave Sensors & Real-me Simulaons and Best Management<br />

Pracces in <strong>Water</strong> Industry.<br />

The event ended with a NEWRI and START Lab Tour.<br />

IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY WITH PRODUCTIVITY SOLUTIONS GRANT<br />

24 th October 2019, PUB <strong>Water</strong>hub Auditorium<br />

It was an interesng seminar where members of different industries and business porolios networked and<br />

shared experiences at PUB <strong>Water</strong>hub on 24 October 2019.<br />

Special thanks to PUB as the venue sponsor; <strong>Asia</strong> Hawk, Advanced Micro Control and Axiom for the sponsorship<br />

of refreshments; and Microso as guest speaker to share on possible Product Soluons Grants and Intelligence<br />

soware to maximise producvity with advancing IT developments.


TECHNICAL SITE VISIT TO WYETH NUTRITIONALS<br />

15 th October 2019, Wyeth Tuas Plant<br />

Boustead Salcon <strong>Water</strong> Soluons Pte Ltd arranged and hosted a site visit to the Wyeth Nutrionals Plant, where<br />

30 parcipants had the chance to see the plant and understand its effluent water processing systems.<br />

UPCOMING SWA ACTIVITIES<br />

TRAINING COURSES IN <strong>2020</strong><br />

Courses Days <strong>2020</strong><br />

1 Design of Industrial and Municipal Waste <strong>Water</strong> Recycling Plants (NEW) 2 10-11 Feb<br />

2 Design of Used <strong>Water</strong> Treatment Plant & Processes 3 25-27 Mar<br />

3 Design & Operate Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) Plants 3 27-29 Apr<br />

4 Project Contracts & Management for <strong>Water</strong> Professionals (NEW) 2 11-12 May<br />

5 Internet of Things & Data Analycs for the Industry 2 28-29 May<br />

6 Membrane Technology (MF/UF/RO/MBR) 3 27-30 Jul<br />

7 Operaon& Maintenance of SWRO Plants 3 26-28 Aug<br />

8 Design, Engineer & Operate Fresh <strong>Water</strong> Treatment Plants 2 28-29 Sep<br />

9 Energy Efficiency of Waste <strong>Water</strong> Treatment Plants (NEW) 3 21-23 Oct<br />

10 Desalinaon – Dynamics & Operaons (NEW) 3 28-30 Oct<br />

11 Sustainability for <strong>Water</strong> Business (Non-Revenue <strong>Water</strong>) (NEW) 2 9-10 Nov<br />

12 Sustainability for <strong>Water</strong> Business (Pumping Staon) (NEW) 2 16-17 Nov<br />

For more informaon on the above courses, please contact SWA office: Ms Cecilia Tan via<br />

email: cecilia@swa.org.sg or tel: (65) 6515 0812.


SINGAPORE PAVILIONS AT OVERSEAS TRADE SHOWS FOR <strong>2020</strong><br />

S/N<br />

Singapore Pavilions Days Dates<br />

1<br />

2<br />

3<br />

4<br />

5<br />

6<br />

7<br />

<strong>Asia</strong>water <strong>2020</strong>, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (IMAP Approved)<br />

Oz<strong>Water</strong> <strong>2020</strong>, Adelaide, Australia – Pending Approval<br />

Singapore Internaonal <strong>Water</strong> Week <strong>2020</strong> (IMAP Approved)<br />

Lankawater <strong>2020</strong>, Colombo, Sri Lanka (IMAP Approved)<br />

IFAT <strong>2020</strong>, Mumbai, India – Pending Approval<br />

Myanmar<strong>Water</strong> <strong>2020</strong>, Yangon, Myanmar – Pending Approval<br />

Viet<strong>Water</strong> <strong>2020</strong>, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam – Pending Approval<br />

3 31 March -<br />

2 April<br />

3 5 - 7<br />

May<br />

4 6 - 9<br />

July<br />

3 6 - 8<br />

August<br />

3 16 - 18<br />

October<br />

3 21 - 23<br />

October<br />

3 11 - 13<br />

November<br />

SWA WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS<br />

(joined from September to November 2019)<br />

ORDINARY MEMBERS<br />

• Alfa Laval Singapore Pte Ltd<br />

• Mectron Engineering Pte Ltd<br />

• <strong>Water</strong> Management Internaonal Pte Ltd<br />

• Watch <strong>Water</strong> (S) Pte Ltd<br />

INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERS<br />

• SG MEM, Singapore’s Membrane Consorum<br />

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS<br />

• Celli <strong>Asia</strong> Pte Ltd<br />

• Chemical Industries (Far East) Limited<br />

• DataKrew Pte Ltd<br />

• Golden Rock Investments Pte Ltd<br />

• Imagine H2O <strong>Asia</strong> (Limited)<br />

• Memsi Innovaons Pte Ltd<br />

• Phaidon Internaonal Singapore Pte Ltd<br />

• United Business Media (M) Sdn Bhd<br />

• WinWatec Pte Ltd<br />

PUBLISH YOUR<br />

ANNOUNCEMENTS OR<br />

ADVERTISEMENT<br />

Members, who have any press releases or corporate<br />

announcements to share with the public, kindly contact<br />

the SWA secretariat at enquiry@swa.org.sg.<br />

SWA reserves the right to edit the submied text.<br />

INTERESTED TO JOIN SWA?<br />

We welcome all organisaons who are acvely involved<br />

and interested in the water and wastewater industry to join<br />

Singapore <strong>Water</strong> Associaon as either Ordinary, Associate,<br />

Instuonal or Individual member.<br />

Sign up at hps://www.swa.org.sg/membership/sign-up-online


ON OUR RADAR 51<br />

Freshwater is becoming scarcer and more expensive, and seawater is an increasingly viable<br />

alternative to meet such demands – but for seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) plants,<br />

biofouling remains the biggest challenge.<br />

In response to this, DuPont has launched the FILMTEC SW30XFR-400/34, a fouling-resistant<br />

SWRO element. The element was first unveiled at the International Desalination Association’s<br />

(IDA) World Congress, which took place from 20-24 October in Dubai.<br />

FILMTEC elements take system performance to higher levels by combining premium membrane<br />

performance with automated precision fabrication, and the FILMTEC SW30XFR-400/34 is<br />

designed specifically to handle biofouling in seawater desalination plants. These elements are<br />

equipped with advanced fouling-resistant and cleanability features, helping plants reduce the<br />

number of chemical cleanings required while maintaining high rejection and low energy.<br />

Biofouling occurs when bacteria present in feed water settles on the membrane surface – this<br />

creates a biofilm, which triggers frequent Clean-in-Place. In challenging water, biofouling is more<br />

prevalent and the need for frequent cleaning shortens membrane life, resulting in increased cost<br />

for the plant.<br />

Compared to the standard SW30HRLE-400, the FILMTEC SW30XFR-400/34 offers up to a<br />

40% lower pressure drop with improved performance that normalises permeate flow and salt<br />

rejection. It also offers over 33% reduction in annual chemical Clean-in-Place frequency, which<br />

translates to less downtime, more productivity and increased savings for users.<br />

“Picture a 100,000 m³/d desalination plant – the improved capabilities of FILMTEC<br />

SW30XFR-400/34 translate to total savings of $490,000 (S$661,549) annually, as well as<br />

a 5.5% decrease in water cost during the RO stage,” said Gary Gu, global technology leader,<br />

DuPont <strong>Water</strong> Solutions.<br />

Other benefits of using the FILMTEC SW30XFR-400/34 include:<br />

• Fouling-resistant design, reducing the number of required chemical cleanings by over 33%<br />

• Durable membrane chemistry, maintaining stable and high rejection despite repeated chemical<br />

cleanings<br />

• Low element differential pressure, improving system hydraulic balance<br />

• More effective and efficient cleaning of biofilm, organic compounds and scale, achieved through<br />

the widest pH range in cleaning (pH 1-13)<br />

“DuPont’s membranes are taking desalination to the next level for our customers and the<br />

industry,” remarked H.P. Nanda, global vice president and general manager of DuPont <strong>Water</strong><br />

Solutions. “We’re proud to share them with others in the industry who are committed to meeting<br />

the United Nations’ Sustainability Goal 6: ensuring the availability and sustainable management<br />

of water and sanitation for all.” WWA<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


52 ON OUR RADAR<br />

AquaNERVA uses data analytics and machine learning techniques to perform condition monitoring,<br />

predictive diagnostics and prognostics – we find out how it’s being used at the Ulu Pandan <strong>Water</strong><br />

Reclamation Plant (UPWRP) to boost water security and quality.<br />

Singapore is constantly driven by its<br />

vision of being a smart nation, and the<br />

country is unafraid of encouraging digital<br />

innovation aimed at transforming the way its<br />

people live, work and play – this is the same<br />

when it comes to Singapore’s water supply.<br />

As an urban city that is scarce in natural water<br />

resources, water reuse through digitalisation<br />

could be a critical step in ensuring water<br />

sustainability for the future.<br />

The marine sector of local engineering group<br />

ST Engineering is aiding the Public Utilities<br />

Board (PUB) in digitalising the operations and<br />

management of Ulu Pandan <strong>Water</strong> Reclamation<br />

Plant (UPWRP) by using the AquaNERVA<br />

system.<br />

For the UPWRP project, AquaNERVA is<br />

a monitoring system that will receive<br />

data from the equipment performing<br />

wastewater treatment and apply the data<br />

analytics algorithm and machine-learning<br />

techniques to help improve the plant’s<br />

operational efficiency.”<br />

AquaNERVA is currently deployed at<br />

UPWRP to collect and analyse realtime<br />

data from key equipment. The<br />

smart system will be able to evaluate<br />

the equipment’s condition and detect<br />

anomalies, alert operators to potential<br />

problems that could lead to failures, as<br />

well as recommend actions for repair and<br />

maintenance. Through machine-learning<br />

techniques, AquaNERVA will also learn from<br />

past equipment failures and predict future<br />

ones more effectively.<br />

UPWRP is the first such facility in Singapore<br />

to use this solution – AquaNERVA has been<br />

tested extensively, and proven successful<br />

An in-house innovation of ST Engineering,<br />

AquaNERVA effectively incorporates data<br />

analytics and machine-learning techniques to<br />

perform condition-based monitoring, predictive<br />

diagnostics and prognostics.<br />

According to Sim Chee Chong, assistant<br />

director of Marine Technology & Solutions, Ship<br />

Management & Sensemaking Systems, Marine,<br />

at ST Engineering, this can greatly improve<br />

operational efficiency.<br />

AquaNERVA equipment monitoring and control<br />

“Firstly, it prolongs the maintenance intervals<br />

due to the implementation of the conditionbased<br />

monitoring. Maintenance is performed<br />

based on condition of the equipment as<br />

opposed to a fixed maintenance schedule. This<br />

improves uptime and extends the lifespan of<br />

equipment, hence generating cost-savings.<br />

Secondly, it prevents unplanned downtime<br />

through predictive diagnostics, which is<br />

essential to any plant operations. This<br />

changes the nature of maintenance from<br />

reactive to preventive.<br />

AquaNERVA prognostics<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


ON OUR RADAR 53<br />

to be applied at water reclamation plants,<br />

reducing equipment downtime and lifecycle<br />

cost through effective predictive<br />

maintenance.<br />

Explained Sim, “At this moment, we are<br />

still at the implementation phase of the<br />

AquaNERVA for UPWRP. However, we did<br />

apply similar data analytics and machinelearning<br />

techniques in the Marine industry,<br />

which we called the Sensemaking system.<br />

We have seen positive results during<br />

implementation where the system was able<br />

to successfully predict imminent failures.”<br />

Challenges faced in the implementation of<br />

AquaNERVA for UPWRP included the lack of<br />

quality data.<br />

AquaNERVA feature - maintenance e-log<br />

“This is very common for implementing<br />

data analytics and machine learning,” said<br />

Sim. “Massive amounts of good quality<br />

data are needed to train the machinelearning<br />

model, so that we can ensure the<br />

model is intelligent enough to perform<br />

its tasks. We overcame these challenges<br />

by working closely with UPWRP, so that<br />

we would identify which are the areas for<br />

improvement in terms of data management,<br />

and provide advice and suggestions. This<br />

will also help them build a more robust data<br />

management centre.” WWA<br />

AquaNERVA feature - Trending<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


54 ON OUR RADAR<br />

AQUALABO’s STAC2 is an on-line UV-Vis alert analyser for on-line water chemical quality<br />

monitoring of BOD / COD / TOC / TSS and Nitrates.<br />

Developed by Secomam, under<br />

AQUALABO, the STAC2 is the<br />

successor to the STAC1, a compact<br />

alarm system that measures the sample<br />

absorbance in specified areas of the UV<br />

spectrum and records the spectral profile of<br />

the sample as a true numerical picture of the<br />

water’s quality.<br />

The STAC2 analyser measures the<br />

absorbance of UV light over a broad range<br />

of wavelengths, providing an indication of<br />

the organic concentration in the sample.<br />

AQUALABO took the chance to introduce<br />

the STAC2 at the INDOWATER exhibition<br />

in August, where Joep Appels, manager<br />

analyser (business unit) at AQUALABO<br />

explained, “The heart of the technology is<br />

that we use light, light detection technology,<br />

but in different ways. The STAC2 uses UV<br />

light technology that go through the sample,<br />

and without any reagents or moving parts<br />

can give a result in COD and BOD where you<br />

would normally use chemical reagents to<br />

determine.”<br />

The STAC2 has the flexibility to use four<br />

different streams and combine this with up<br />

to 10 different models per sample stream.<br />

By scanning and measuring the entire<br />

absorption spectrum, the STAC2 can create<br />

a unique fingerprint from the sample<br />

analysed.<br />

The STAC2 is also able to connect to an<br />

Ethernet or WiFi network – human interface<br />

is based on an embedded webpage which<br />

users can access via the network, and<br />

allows the user to manage the configuration,<br />

status and results of the STAC2.<br />

According to Appels, challenges faced in<br />

implementing the STAC2 included a lack<br />

of legislation. “You have to work with the<br />

government, to prove that you have a more<br />

advanced and better technique, together very<br />

often with customer long-term testing so that<br />

over a period of a year or so you can show<br />

the data. But it needs time, so you cannot<br />

immediately start with selling, you need defined<br />

preferences, you need to work with research<br />

universities or institutes for that.”<br />

The STAC2 is suitable for use in various<br />

applications, including:<br />

• <strong>Wastewater</strong> treatment plants, as a follow-up<br />

for purification performance, input,<br />

discharge etc<br />

• Drinking water plants, for pumping station<br />

and tank management<br />

• Natural water sources<br />

• Processed water<br />

• River monitoring<br />

• Aquaculture<br />

AQUALABO is currently seeking to bring<br />

the STAC2 to the <strong>Asia</strong>n market, and Appels<br />

elaborated that the STAC2 would be very useful<br />

to many integrators in the market. “I think we<br />

see a lot of opportunities, the challenges in <strong>Asia</strong><br />

are big – <strong>Asia</strong> is looking for new technologies to<br />

help improve the environment.<br />

If I look to India and China, these are already<br />

the biggest markets in the world, but the<br />

Philippines and Indonesia are also looking at<br />

a tremendous challenge: The economy and<br />

industry are growing, which puts more pressure<br />

on the environment, but tourism is also growing<br />

and tourists will come if they have a nice beach,<br />

clean environment, and access to clean water.<br />

If the government is supporting this, they have<br />

a better environment for their own people and<br />

create a clean industry, and industries are<br />

capable of treating the wastewater.” WWA<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


ON OUR RADAR 55<br />

To curtail blockages, spills, maintenance<br />

and associated occupational health<br />

& safety (OH&S) issues in public<br />

works’ wastewater treatment plant (WWTP)<br />

applications, CST <strong>Wastewater</strong> Solutions<br />

introduces the advanced wastewater fine<br />

screening technology to Southeast <strong>Asia</strong>.<br />

even in the presence of fibrous products,<br />

and include screen and screening washing.<br />

Lifting and screenings handling can also<br />

be conducted outside the channel, which<br />

increases options for additional washing<br />

and dewatering, according to individual<br />

applications, said Bambridge.<br />

The robustly engineered horizontal in-channel<br />

rotary drum screening technology is designed<br />

to simplify fine screening processes, and save<br />

installation and operational costs, said CST<br />

<strong>Wastewater</strong> Solutions’ Managing Director<br />

Michael Bambridge.<br />

The low-maintenance high-quality stainlesssteel<br />

design features in-channel technology for<br />

low fluid head loss at peak flows to increase<br />

solids removal efficiency as compared with<br />

typical screening at the diverse wastewater<br />

treatment plants in the region.<br />

“Advantages of this technology when dealing<br />

with fine screening of larger flows (5mm or<br />

finer screening on flows up to 2000 l/sec flow)<br />

include mechanical simplicity, self-cleaning<br />

and high efficiency screening for reduced<br />

maintenance and cheaper whole-of-life costs<br />

compared with other types of screens, such<br />

as band and inclined drum screen designs, for<br />

example,” said Bambridge.<br />

“These are very important considerations<br />

when dealing with plants that may be remote<br />

from immediate technical support where<br />

ongoing reliability and simplicity of cleaning<br />

are important from engineering and<br />

environmental perspectives,” said<br />

Bambridge, whose international and<br />

regional experience includes both<br />

municipal and industrial WWTP<br />

engineering and green energy<br />

initiatives in partnership with local<br />

suppliers. CST <strong>Wastewater</strong> Solutions<br />

has a number of successful screening<br />

applications in service in SE <strong>Asia</strong>, including<br />

food and beverage and paper industry<br />

applications, for which the in-channel rotary<br />

CST <strong>Wastewater</strong> Solutions introduces the<br />

advanced wastewater fine screening technology<br />

to Southeast <strong>Asia</strong><br />

drum technology is also particularly<br />

suitable.<br />

THE WORKINGS<br />

Key to this functionality is the configuration<br />

of the design, in which the screening drum<br />

is installed horizontally semi-submerged<br />

in line with the incoming wastewater. The<br />

plate at the back of the drum directs flow<br />

radially through the mesh to optimise solids<br />

separation and self-cleaning.<br />

The rotary drum is manufactured from<br />

either self-cleaning wedge wire for primary<br />

screening, or perforated plate for fine premembrane<br />

bioreactor (pre-MBR) screening.<br />

It is washed by a system of spray nozzles at<br />

a moderate pressure.<br />

An internal hopper collects the screenings,<br />

which are flumed out to the integral lifting<br />

and dewatering screw, to efficiently dewater<br />

and reduce screenings volume. The lifting<br />

screw is shaftless to avoid any blockages,<br />

Functional layout of CST<br />

<strong>Wastewater</strong> Solutions’ In-Channel<br />

Rotary Drum technology<br />

“Screening and the solids lifting and<br />

dewatering are separate operations, using<br />

high efficiency screening technology to<br />

convert the high-flow, low-solids wastewater<br />

to low-flow, high-solids dewatering. Separate<br />

screening and lifting equipment make access<br />

simpler for more cost-effective housekeeping<br />

and maintenance for lower whole-of-life<br />

costs,” he explained. WWA<br />

ADVANTAGES OF HORIZONTAL DRUM<br />

DESIGN<br />

• Lowers operating depth and range<br />

to reduce average screen velocities for<br />

higher removal efficiencies, and easier<br />

cleaning than alternative screens.<br />

• Increases available open area for equivalent<br />

operating depth, which enhances<br />

functionality.<br />

• Robust construction tailored to local<br />

conditions. The one-piece, closed drum is<br />

fully assembled in a frame for installation into<br />

a channel. It incorporates a simple, long-life,<br />

robust inlet seal that can be replaced without<br />

removing all equipment from the channel.<br />

• All parts subject to routine maintenance are<br />

located above the sewage flow,<br />

again simplifying maintenance and<br />

reducing OH&S issues.<br />

• Screening and lifting screw equipment<br />

are proven, simple and robust technologies.<br />

No bearings or other high maintenance<br />

moving parts are located in the wastewater.<br />

Housekeeping and servicing are conducted<br />

from above the flow channel. No mechanical<br />

devices are used inside the screen drum.<br />

• Open entry for clean collection of solids<br />

— no rag wrapping, reducing maintenance<br />

and OH&S issues. The screen zone of the<br />

lifting screw incorporates a washing<br />

system to reduce the contents of faecal<br />

matter in the screenings.<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


56 ON OUR RADAR<br />

The VEGAPULS 31 for non-contact level<br />

measurement in simple applications<br />

VEGA has extended its VEGAPULS<br />

family with a new instrument series for<br />

continuous level measurement – this<br />

new series is based on 80-GHz technology,<br />

and features a specially-developed radarlevel<br />

microchip.<br />

Its suitable applications include the water<br />

and wastewater sector or in auxiliary process<br />

loops in process automation.<br />

COMPACT RADAR SENSORS<br />

DELIVER RELIABLE LEVEL VALUES<br />

INDEPENDENTLY OF PROCESS AND<br />

ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES<br />

Due to their physical measuring principle,<br />

ultrasonic sensors are easily affected by<br />

ambient conditions. For example, strong<br />

wind, rain, or fog can all dampen sound<br />

waves, and restrict measuring range,<br />

affecting measurement accuracy. Radar<br />

sensors, however, are not affected by<br />

temperature or pressure fluctuations,<br />

vapours, gases or vacuum and can deliver<br />

accurate readings under all conditions.<br />

In the water and wastewater sector, level<br />

measuring systems are regularly exposed<br />

to the adversities of nature. One example is<br />

flow rate measurement in the main sewers<br />

leading to the sewage treatment plant.<br />

Compared to ultrasonics, the new radar<br />

sensors have a higher accuracy and are<br />

independent of environmental influences.<br />

This enables precise measurement and thus<br />

a more reliable calculation of wastewater<br />

flows.<br />

The new compact radar sensor can also<br />

be used for trustworthy monitoring of river<br />

and flood levels. Its measured values are<br />

an important prerequisite for being able to<br />

react quickly and correctly in the event of<br />

flooding. Radar sensors can monitor river<br />

levels without being affected by temperature<br />

fluctuations, such as those caused by<br />

strong solar radiation. Even at a distance of<br />

30 metres from the water surface, a radar<br />

transmitter delivers level readings accurate<br />

to the millimetre.<br />

NEW COMPACT RADAR<br />

INSTRUMENT SERIES DEFIES<br />

BUILD-UP IN CONTINUOUS LEVEL<br />

MEASUREMENT<br />

Sensors constantly struggle with the<br />

problem of build-up at many level measuring<br />

sites. In the case of ultrasonic sensors,<br />

for example, contamination on the sensor<br />

face greatly affects the reliability of the<br />

measurement signal and enlarges the dead<br />

zone. The situation is different with radar<br />

technology. Optimised signal processing<br />

enables radar sensors to suppress<br />

interference caused by build-up on their<br />

antenna system. On top of that, radar<br />

technology is generally more immune to the<br />

effects of dirt and build-up and does not<br />

have to be cleaned.<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


ON OUR RADAR 57<br />

The VEGAPULS C21, a wired radar sensor for<br />

continuous level measurement<br />

STRONG FOCUSING ENSURES<br />

MORE PRECISE VALUES<br />

IN CONTINUOUS LEVEL<br />

MEASUREMENT<br />

Thanks to 80-GHz technology, the radar<br />

beam can be aimed at the measured<br />

medium with pinpoint accuracy. As a result,<br />

narrow shafts or deposits on vessel walls<br />

or internals such as pipes or pumps cannot<br />

generate interfering signals. So in contrast<br />

to ultrasonic, radar needs no false signal<br />

suppression. Even condensation and dirt do<br />

not bother the new VEGAPULS.<br />

Compact radar sensors without dead zone<br />

deliver reliable level values in small vessels<br />

These new sensors have no dead zone, and<br />

thus it is possible to measure right up to<br />

the top of the container. Typical areas of<br />

application are therefore emergency power<br />

generators or storage and buffer tanks,<br />

among others.<br />

Emergency power generators are an<br />

important precautionary measure to keep<br />

complex systems operating during a power<br />

failure. The fuel for generators is often<br />

stored in a main tank and in day tanks.<br />

To ensure that there is always enough<br />

fuel on hand, the levels in the tanks are<br />

continuously monitored. The new compact<br />

sensor delivers accurate measuring results,<br />

even in small tanks and media with poor<br />

reflective properties.<br />

Storage and buffer tanks guarantee<br />

the supply of raw materials for ongoing<br />

processes. The new radar sensors can<br />

exploit their strengths here, as they can<br />

be installed in very confined spaces and<br />

small process fittings. Even if the medium<br />

generates gases, the sensors remain<br />

unaffected and deliver reliable measuring<br />

results. In addition, they have an Ex<br />

approval for flammable media. So it makes<br />

them highly versatile for use in a wide range<br />

of applications.<br />

The new instrument series is available in<br />

two versions: as a compact model with<br />

cable connection housing and as a standard<br />

model with fixed cable connection (IP68).<br />

The sensors can be easily and safely<br />

adjusted via Bluetooth with a smartphone<br />

or tablet – ideal for harsh environments or<br />

hazardous areas. WWA<br />

In the wastewater industry, sewage<br />

treatment plants are one of the main<br />

application areas, for example in mechanical<br />

screening, where floating matter is<br />

removed. Measurement of the water level<br />

difference between each side of the screen<br />

or sieve is used to determine the degree<br />

of contamination and control the cleaning<br />

cycles. In such outdoor applications,<br />

whether in rain or intense sunlight, the<br />

new radar sensors perform with high<br />

accuracy.<br />

Another example is silo level measurement<br />

of lime, which is used to stabilise the<br />

effluent pH value. The radar sensors<br />

measure reliably, with no effect from the<br />

huge amounts of dust generated during<br />

the filling process. Thanks to strong signal<br />

focusing, build-up and deposits on the<br />

container wall or on the sensor itself are no<br />

problem.<br />

The VEGAMET 842 controller and display instrument for level sensors<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


58 ON OUR RADAR<br />

How China<br />

combats water<br />

shortage<br />

As the Yellow River conveys large quantities of<br />

sand, the pumps will be provided with a special<br />

abrasion-resistant coating.<br />

According to the United Nations’<br />

latest estimates, the earth will<br />

have a population of 9.8 billion by<br />

2050. And today there are already some<br />

2.7 billion people who are confronted<br />

with water scarcity for at least a month<br />

of the year. The World Resource Institute<br />

anticipates that, as a result of the economic<br />

and population development as well as<br />

various climate change scenarios, a total<br />

of 33 countries over all continents will<br />

face a shortage of water by 2040. With 14<br />

countries on this list, <strong>Asia</strong> is the continent<br />

that is most severely affected. As the <strong>Asia</strong>n<br />

country with the largest land area and<br />

largest population, China has already been<br />

working on sustainably optimising its water<br />

supply for several years now.<br />

China is facing the difficult situation of<br />

having to provide for 20% of the world’s<br />

population with only just over 7% of the<br />

global water resources. This situation is<br />

aggravated by the fact that 80% of Chinese<br />

water sources are in the southern part of<br />

the country, but 64% of the agricultural<br />

land is in the northern part, where<br />

more than 50% of the population live.<br />

Additionally, 85% of China’s coal reserves<br />

are hidden in the arid northern provinces<br />

and mining this coal requires large<br />

quantities of water.<br />

FROM SOUTH TO NORTH<br />

In order to solve this problem, China started<br />

a huge water supply project in 2002. The<br />

South-North <strong>Water</strong> Transfer Project is to<br />

transport 44.8 billion cubic metres of water<br />

from the wet south to the dry north of the<br />

country every year from 2050. The essential<br />

basis for this is provided by the three main<br />

routes — eastern, central, and western —<br />

that are to ensure a sustainable water supply<br />

in northern China in the future.<br />

In addition to the country’s longest river,<br />

the Yangtze, which divides China into a<br />

northern and southern part, the Yellow River,<br />

which is the country’s second longest river,<br />

plays a significant role in feeding these<br />

canals. Its name derives from the yellow<br />

mud and sediments that it picks up in the<br />

Shaanxi Loess plateau. Due to the<br />

high concentration of sludge and<br />

sediment in its bed, the river tends<br />

to burst its banks. And yet, the<br />

“River of Sorrow”, as it is also<br />

called because of the damaging<br />

effects of its floods, is a lifeline<br />

for northern China. It<br />

supplies water to<br />

155 million people — 12% of the Chinese<br />

population — and irrigates 18 million<br />

hectares or 15% of the agricultural land in<br />

China.<br />

MORE THAN JUST A<br />

HYDROELECTRIC POWER STATION<br />

The Xiaolangdi hydropower station on the<br />

Yellow River was completed in year 2000.<br />

It is the country’s second largest multifunctional<br />

plant after the Three Gorges<br />

Dam on the Yangtze River. Comprising of<br />

ANDRITZ is to manufacture and supply four<br />

two-stage vertical volute pumps for the Shanxi<br />

Xiaolangdi Yellow River Diversion Project.<br />

Photo credit: ANDRITZ<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


ON OUR RADAR 59<br />

underground power plants, sludge discharge<br />

channels, and a dam that is 1,317 metres<br />

long and 154 metres high, it performs<br />

several tasks, such as flood protection,<br />

industrial and urban water supply, and<br />

electric power generation of 5.1 billion kWh<br />

per year.<br />

With a capacity of 12.8 cubic kilometres, the<br />

dam — known as the Xiaolangdi Reservoir<br />

— has served as a water supply source for<br />

the dry north of the country ever since the<br />

plant was completed. In order to expand<br />

this source of irrigation, the water can now<br />

be taken directly from the reservoir fed<br />

by water from the Yellow River, which was<br />

used to irrigate the dry, northerly regions<br />

of Taiyuan, Pingsuo, and Datong in the past.<br />

This is a sub-project of the central route in<br />

the South-North <strong>Water</strong> Transfer Project.<br />

The Shanxi Xiaolangdi Yellow River Diversion<br />

Project is based on two reservoirs, several<br />

tunnels, subsurface channels, pumping<br />

stations, pipelines, and aqueducts and is<br />

designed to divert 247 million cubic metres<br />

of water annually. Irrigation will account<br />

for 116 million cubic metres, industrial<br />

and urban water demand for another 116<br />

million cubic metres, and 15 million cubic<br />

metres will be used for ecological purposes.<br />

For this, water from the Yellow River will<br />

be transported to a subsurface pumping<br />

station through a six-kilometre-long tunnel.<br />

The pumping station is equipped with four<br />

hydraulic machines that pump the water<br />

over a distance of roughly 60 kilometres to<br />

an artificial lake in the northwestern part of<br />

Shanxi Province.<br />

THE INFRASTRUCTURE EXPERTS<br />

As the best candidate in the call-for-tenders<br />

assessment process concerning project<br />

requirements and detailed proof thereof,<br />

ANDRITZ was awarded the order to deliver<br />

the four pumps for the subsurface station of<br />

the Shanxi Xiaolangdi Yellow River Diversion<br />

Project. The international technology group<br />

is by no means a newcomer in China.<br />

ANDRITZ ventured its first steps in this<br />

country more than 20 years ago. The<br />

subsidiary, ANDRITZ (China) Ltd., which<br />

was established in 2002, has a total of<br />

over 1,600 employees based in Beijing,<br />

Shanghai, Chengdu, and Wuxi, as well as<br />

in the production facilities in Foshan and<br />

Chengdu. Besides executing various orders<br />

for pulp and paper mills or the recent award<br />

of an order to supply pump turbines, motor<br />

generators, and auxiliary equipment for the<br />

ZhenAn pumped storage power station,<br />

ANDRITZ also provided assistance in other<br />

sub-projects of the South-North <strong>Water</strong><br />

Transfer Project in the past. At the Hui Nan<br />

Zhuang station, eight ANDRITZ horizontal,<br />

double-suction split-case pumps supply<br />

drinking water to the Chinese capital of<br />

Beijing, 60 kilometres away. Another 11<br />

ANDRITZ pumps of the same type are<br />

installed in two stations pumping 200,000<br />

cubic metres of water from the Yellow River<br />

to the city of Hohhot, the capital of the<br />

Inner Mongolia autonomous region.<br />

ANDRITZ is to manufacture and supply four<br />

two-stage vertical volute pumps for the<br />

Shanxi Xiaolangdi Yellow River Diversion<br />

Project. These pumps will be customised to<br />

meet the respective project requirements<br />

and will thus be the ideal water transport<br />

pumps for irrigation and drainage as well<br />

as for the supply of drinking and industrial<br />

water, each of them achieving a flow rate of<br />

five cubic meters per second over a head of<br />

236 metres at an output of 13 megawatts.<br />

Their appeal especially lies in the efficiency<br />

of more than 91%. As the Yellow River<br />

conveys large quantities of sand, the pumps<br />

will be provided with a special abrasionresistant<br />

coating.<br />

The hydraulic dimensioning and design of<br />

the volute casing depends on the specific<br />

output characteristics. Optimum flow in<br />

the volute is achieved due to its individual<br />

shaping, which also guarantees a high level<br />

of efficiency. By varying the trailing edge,<br />

high-precision adjustments can be made to<br />

the desired duty points. The volute casing is<br />

designed as a metal volute. This is a welded<br />

structure consisting of several segments,<br />

At the Hui Nan Zhuang station, eight ANDRITZ horizontal,<br />

double-suction split-case pumps supply drinking water to<br />

the Chinese capital of Beijing, 60 kilometers away.<br />

Photo credit: ANDRITZ<br />

which optionally can be embedded in concrete.<br />

A solution without concrete lends itself to the<br />

Shanxi Xiaolangdi Yellow River Diversion Project<br />

because higher delivery heads are necessary,<br />

which, due to the strength requirements,<br />

cannot be handled with a concrete volute.<br />

The guide vane mechanism is opened and<br />

closed in a continuous process. The guide<br />

vanes are individually connected to the<br />

operating ring by means of articulated<br />

levers. This ring is actuated via hydraulic<br />

cylinders and rotates the guide vanes into the<br />

desired position. A guide vane mechanism<br />

is an emergency closing element in case of<br />

difficulties with the electric power supply, but<br />

it can also be closed to keep the power input<br />

to a minimum if synchronous motors are used<br />

during start-up. By closing the guide vane<br />

mechanism it is as well possible to start up<br />

the pump when the pressure pipe is full. This<br />

guarantees a short start-up time with minimum<br />

power input.<br />

Delivery, installation, and start-up of the<br />

ANDRITZ pumps are scheduled to take place in<br />

about two years. This will be another successful<br />

step for China towards obtaining a sustainable<br />

water supply in the north of the country. WWA<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


60 SNEAK PEEK<br />

The 11 th edition of ASIAWATER Expo<br />

& Forum, the leading water and<br />

wastewater event for developing <strong>Asia</strong>,<br />

will take place at Kuala Lumpur Convention<br />

Centre from 31 March - 2 April <strong>2020</strong>.<br />

With more than 90% of booth space booked,<br />

ASIAWATER <strong>2020</strong> is the leading water and<br />

wastewater event in the region focusing on<br />

ASEAN water needs, including water supply,<br />

water resources, sanitation and purification.<br />

This is an unparalleled opportunity for<br />

companies to display their latest technologies<br />

and solutions to a top-level audience.<br />

With the central theme of “Embracing Change,<br />

Pursuing Excellence”, ASIAWATER <strong>2020</strong> has<br />

the support of the Malaysian Government<br />

in the efforts to transform and improve the<br />

country’s water supply and resources.<br />

“To protect our water resources, more<br />

advanced management skills and innovative<br />

technologies are required, and ASIAWATER<br />

<strong>2020</strong> plays an important role and acts as<br />

a platform for all water industry players in<br />

providing a unique opportunity to explore,<br />

share and showcase the latest solutions<br />

and technologies,” said Malaysia’s Prime<br />

Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Bin Mohamad.<br />

There will be three key themes for the<br />

11 th edition of ASIAWATER’s free-to-attend<br />

conference and seminars, which includes<br />

Policy & Governance, Financial & Technical<br />

Sustainability, and <strong>Water</strong> Resource<br />

Management.<br />

Dato’ Teo Yen Hua, Advisor of ASEAN <strong>Water</strong><br />

Series said, “I believe with the impressive<br />

lineup of international and regional speakers<br />

sharing and presenting, it will certainly<br />

benefit not just the private sector but also<br />

the Federal and State Governments of <strong>Asia</strong>”.<br />

ASIAWATER <strong>2020</strong> will be the best platform for<br />

open and constructive dialogues for players<br />

from within ASEAN and the rest of the world<br />

focusing solely on water and wastewater issues<br />

within the region.<br />

“The Philippine <strong>Water</strong> Works Association<br />

(PWWA) hopes to work with other<br />

organisations in the region to stimulate the<br />

growth of the water industry and sharing best<br />

practices and solutions to water-related crisis<br />

throughout ASEAN, and I believe ASIAWATER<br />

<strong>2020</strong> is the platform for this,” said the<br />

President of PWWA, ATTY. Vicente M. Joyas.<br />

Mrs. Eliane van Doorn, Regional Director<br />

Business Development – ASEAN, Informa<br />

Markets commented: “ASIAWATER has always<br />

been updating its content from year to year as<br />

the 11 th edition will be seeing fresh and new<br />

content. Besides the usual conference and<br />

seminars, ASIAWATER <strong>2020</strong> will have the new<br />

WATER TALKS where thought leaders in the field<br />

can find inspiration, share big or small ideas.”<br />

ASIAWATER <strong>2020</strong> is anticipated to host more<br />

than 1,200 exhibitors from 32 countries and<br />

will have 11 major international and regional<br />

pavilions including Austria, Bavaria, China,<br />

EU, Germany, Illinois, Korea, Singapore,<br />

Switzerland, Taiwan, The Netherlands and The<br />

United States of America.<br />

The list of confirmed exhibiting companies<br />

includes Ebara Pumps Malaysia, Ranhill <strong>Water</strong><br />

Divisions, George Kent Malaysia, TECHKEM<br />

Group, Endress Hauser, Molecor (SEA), Salcon<br />

Engineering, and many more. WWA<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com<br />

ASIAWATER <strong>2020</strong> will focus on the theme of “Embracing Change, Pursuing Excellence”


SNEAK PEEK 61<br />

The MENA <strong>Water</strong> Summit will be held<br />

under the patronage of the ‘Ministry<br />

of Electricity and <strong>Water</strong> – Kuwait’,<br />

which will focus on developing effective plans<br />

to establish advanced water management<br />

techniques. This is to cope with Kuwait’s<br />

2035 vision and current water situation in the<br />

MENA region while ensuring water security<br />

and sustainability for all. With an increasing<br />

demand for water owing to growing<br />

population and incessant urbanisation, water<br />

authorities and utility companies will need<br />

to augment their supply sources; discuss<br />

regulatory frameworks; innovate financing<br />

models and water treatment options as well<br />

as manage water demand with advanced<br />

technologies so as to address water security<br />

challenges of the 21 st century.<br />

Kuwait is shifting to innovative water<br />

treatment and renewable desalination<br />

technology as more than 95% of its potable<br />

water comes from desalination — an energyintensive<br />

technology burning fuels for<br />

drinking water and treatment of wastewater<br />

for domestic and irrigation purposes.<br />

discussions on policies and actionable<br />

ideas, which utilities can adapt to meet<br />

their commitment towards fostering<br />

innovative solutions and sustainable water<br />

management. It will also provide the<br />

opportunity to share success stories and<br />

explore ways to collectively respond to<br />

challenges.<br />

The Summit will bring together water<br />

and municipal authorities, regulators,<br />

sustainability leaders, international NGOs,<br />

water consultants, water and wastewater<br />

construction companies, academia,<br />

water management experts and solution<br />

providers who will discuss various strategies<br />

to encourage sustainability of water<br />

management and implementation of water<br />

stewardship standards. The Summit will<br />

offer unparalleled opportunities to network<br />

with peers and explore new products,<br />

technologies, and services.<br />

The Summit will be inaugurated by<br />

Mohammed Boshhari, Under Secretary -<br />

Ministry of Electricity & <strong>Water</strong>. WWA<br />

Key Highlights of the MENA <strong>Water</strong><br />

Summit:<br />

• Bridging the ‘<strong>Water</strong> Gap’ with<br />

innovations and Urban <strong>Water</strong> System<br />

• Meeting targets for the SDGs with<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Management Strategies<br />

• Reflecting on policies and practical<br />

cases applied to <strong>Water</strong> Governance<br />

• Exploring opportunities in Multi-<br />

Purpose <strong>Water</strong> Infrastructure<br />

• Rethinking design and delivery of<br />

Urban <strong>Water</strong> Systems<br />

• Upgrading to Energy Efficient<br />

Desalination process<br />

• Exploring Sustainable Solutions in<br />

<strong>Wastewater</strong> Treatment and Recycling<br />

• Next-gen <strong>Water</strong> Management with<br />

Artificial Intelligence, Internet of<br />

Things and more<br />

• Leveraging science and technology to<br />

meet <strong>Water</strong> Stewardship Standards<br />

The MENA <strong>Water</strong> Summit features interactive<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


62 RECAP<br />

The International <strong>Water</strong> Industry<br />

Exhibition in Myanmar recently<br />

staged its 6 th successful trade show in<br />

Yangon. Held at the Myanmar Expo Hall, from<br />

28 to 30 November 2019, the Expo attracted<br />

trade visitors from all over the country,<br />

making this event the focal gathering point<br />

for Myanmar’s entire water and wastewater<br />

industry.<br />

Co-located with MYANBUILD and<br />

MYANENERGY 2019, the International<br />

Exhibition featured the latest products and<br />

solutions designed to improve Myanmar’s<br />

production, supply and treatment of its<br />

The Expo included Pavilions representing Singapore, Taiwan,<br />

China, Vietnam, Thailand, India, Malaysia and Italy<br />

water and wastewater industries. The Expo<br />

included Pavilions representing Singapore,<br />

Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Thailand, India,<br />

Malaysia and Italy.<br />

Companies and brands that participated in<br />

the show included MW Aqua Solution Co.,<br />

Ltd, Mitsubishi Chemical Aqua Solution Co.,<br />

Ltd, Wa Min <strong>Water</strong> Co., Ltd, Kuaray <strong>Asia</strong><br />

Pacific Pte Ltd, Pipe Line Process & System<br />

Pte Ltd, Torishima Service Solutions <strong>Asia</strong> Pte<br />

Ltd, and Aqua Nishihara Corporation Limited.<br />

MYANWATER provided exhibitors and visitors<br />

with the ideal platform to find emerging<br />

water and wastewater treatment solutions,<br />

the latest technologies and instruments for<br />

the water management industry, source<br />

for new suppliers and distributors, build<br />

strategic business partnerships, network<br />

with major decision makers and industry<br />

peers, explore new business opportunities,<br />

and get updated on the latest trends and<br />

developments shaping the sector.<br />

Myanmar has grown by leaps and<br />

bounds over the past few years. Since its<br />

liberalisation in 2011, the Government<br />

has shifted from an authoritarian military<br />

rule to a democratic system, improving the<br />

country’s political and economic scenario.<br />

Aiming to create new growth and investment<br />

opportunities for the country’s main<br />

industries, significant efforts have been made<br />

to improve Myanmar’s business environment,<br />

in terms of dealing with permits, starting a<br />

business and enforcing contracts.<br />

Furthermore, with Yangon’s population<br />

estimated to grow by three million within<br />

the next 10 years, major improvements<br />

need to be made to ensure the management<br />

and treatment of Myanmar’s water and<br />

wastewater industries are carried out<br />

effectively and sustainably. This is sure<br />

to open up opportunities for local and<br />

foreign companies to capitalise on. Demand<br />

for products and services related to<br />

microfiltration, ultrafiltration, water softening,<br />

pumps, valves, chlorinators for water/<br />

wastewater systems and many more sub<br />

sectors of the industry are set to increase<br />

over the years as Myanmar works to improve<br />

its treatment standards and management<br />

strategies.<br />

The trade show is set to return in <strong>2020</strong> to<br />

host its 7 th edition, from 19 to 21 November,<br />

at the Myanmar Expo Hall in Yangon,<br />

Myanmar. WWA<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


YEAR<br />

<strong>2020</strong><br />

JANUARY<br />

MAY<br />

SEPTEMBER<br />

13 to 16<br />

WFES <strong>Water</strong> <strong>2020</strong><br />

Abu Dhabi, UAE<br />

5 to 7<br />

Ozwater <strong>2020</strong><br />

Adelaide, Australia<br />

22 to 24<br />

<strong>Asia</strong>n Utility Week <strong>2020</strong><br />

Jakarta, Indonesia<br />

20 to 31<br />

InterAqua Tokyo <strong>2020</strong><br />

Tokyo, Japan<br />

JUNE<br />

3 to 5 Aquatech China <strong>2020</strong><br />

Shanghai, China<br />

24 to 26<br />

Taiwan International <strong>Water</strong><br />

Week <strong>2020</strong><br />

Taipei, Taiwan<br />

FEBRUARY<br />

25 to 26<br />

MARCH<br />

31 Mar<br />

to<br />

2 Apr<br />

APRIL<br />

1 to 3<br />

21 to 23<br />

World <strong>Water</strong>-Tech Innovation<br />

Summit <strong>2020</strong><br />

London, United Kingdom<br />

<strong>Asia</strong> <strong>Water</strong> <strong>2020</strong><br />

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia<br />

WQA Convention and<br />

Exposition <strong>2020</strong><br />

Orlando, USA<br />

IE Expo <strong>2020</strong><br />

Shanghai, China<br />

4 to 8<br />

9 to 11<br />

11 to 13<br />

JULY<br />

5 to 9<br />

29 to 31<br />

AUGUST<br />

6 to 8<br />

IFAT Munich <strong>2020</strong><br />

Munich, Germany<br />

Indo <strong>Water</strong> Expo &<br />

Forum <strong>2020</strong><br />

Surabaya, Indonesia<br />

Pumps & Valves <strong>Asia</strong> <strong>2020</strong><br />

Bangkok, Thailand<br />

Singapore International<br />

<strong>Water</strong> Week <strong>2020</strong><br />

Singapore<br />

17 th EverythingAbout<strong>Water</strong><br />

Expo<br />

New Delhi, India<br />

LANKAWATER<br />

Colombo, Sri Lanka<br />

OCTOBER<br />

3 to 7<br />

21 to 23<br />

18 to 23<br />

NOVEMBER<br />

11 to 13<br />

19 to 21<br />

WEFTEC <strong>2020</strong><br />

New Orleans, USA<br />

Myanmar <strong>Water</strong> <strong>2020</strong><br />

21 to 23 October<br />

Yangon, Myanmar<br />

IWA World <strong>Water</strong> Congress<br />

& Exhibition <strong>2020</strong><br />

Copenhagen, Denmark<br />

Viet<strong>Water</strong> (Ho Chi Minh) <strong>2020</strong><br />

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam<br />

Myan<strong>Water</strong> <strong>2020</strong><br />

Yangon, Myanmar<br />

<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com


Advertisers Page Advertisers Page<br />

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MENA <strong>Water</strong> Summit 9<br />

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IBC<br />

Singapore International <strong>Water</strong> Week <strong>2020</strong> (SIWW) 1<br />

DuPont<br />

IFC<br />

Singapore <strong>Water</strong> Exchange (PUB) 17<br />

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<strong>Water</strong> & <strong>Wastewater</strong> <strong>Asia</strong> - Social Media 53<br />

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<strong>January</strong> / <strong>February</strong> <strong>2020</strong> • waterwastewaterasia.com

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