Water & Wastewater Asia November/December 2020

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2020 

www.waterwastewaterasia.com 

Aiding Mongolia 

The art of making intelligent decisions 

Fruitful endeavours 

PUB Singapore harnesses smart 

technology to fuel its asset 

renewal programme

04 Editor’s Note 

48 SWA Newsletter 

63 What’s Next? 

64 Advertisers’ Index 

16 

IN THE FIELD 

Pilot studies on the treatment of river water using coagulation-UF 

membrane fi ltration and direct UF membrane fi ltration 

18 Aiding Mongolia 

19 

WaterGEMS prioritises Manila water facilities for disaster resiliency 

and contingency plan 

22 The art of making intelligent decisions 

FOCUS 

24 

27 Industrial water reuse set to grow 

30 Fruitful endeavours 

32 

34 

PUB Singapore harnesses smart technology to fuel its asset 

renewal programme 

Why water is key to unlocking a circular economy between utilities 

& industries 

Seven sins against local water management 

November / December 2020 • waterwastewaterasia.com

VIEWPOINT 

36 Sustainable technology for on-site wastewater solutions 

40 Stretching your dollar with fl exible water treatment options 

42 Five signs your water treatment system needs refreshing 

HOTSEAT 

44 JKMATIC: Providing the right technology 

46 Gradiant Boleh! 

ON OUR RADAR 

52 Tsurumi debuts the KTZ-series 22kW 

Easy confi guration with new 80 GHz compact radar transmitters for 

53 level measurement 

54 

56 LACROIX Sofrel introduces SOFREL YDRIX 

58 High hydrolysis resistance with plenty of extras 

60 New UltraPure advances competitive edge for biotech and pharma 

61 SNEAK PEEK 

Sustainable food producer introduces NZ’s fi rst KDS sludge dewatering 

technology to cost-effi ciently reduce waste and environmental footprint 


FROM THE EDITOR 

WATER & WASTEWATER ASIA: 

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY 

PABLO SINGAPORE 

Publisher 

William Pang 

williampang@pabloasia.com 

Senior Editor 

Pang Yanrong 

yanrong@pabloasia.com 

Assistant Editor 

Natalie Chew 

natalie@pabloasia.com 

PANG YANRONG 

Senior Editor 

With a blink of an eye, we’re now on the last issue of the year. 

2020 has been a year of many major events – from the bushfires in 

Australia, the impeachment trial of US President Donald Trump, at the 

time of writing, the US drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qasem 

Soleimani to the current raging pandemic – it’s been a rough ride. 

But while the going gets tough, the tough gets going. The industry has 

remained resilient in times of tough economy and health. 

Business Development Manager 

Graphic Designer 

Circulation Manager 

PABLO BEIJING 

General Manager 

YanJun Pang 

yanjun@pabloasia.com 

Edwin De Souza 

edwin@pabloasia.com 

Shu Ai Ling 

circulation@pabloasia.com 

Ellen Gao 

pablobeijing@163.com 

For instance, physical shows have turned virtual in order to continue 

providing solutions to users (p.8). Growth is also happening as seen 

with Gradiant acquisition of Sigma Water Malaysia (p.9) and Hach’s with 

Arachem’s water quality business (p.11). This is on top of UK-India 

memorandum of understanding (MOU) to boost trade in the water 

sector (p.10) as well as the MOU between PILLER and Memsift (p.12) 

to combine both companies’ efforts and expertise. 

Then there’s Cla-Val helping to rehabilitate Ulanbataars Water supply 

in Mongolia (p.18) and Bentley Systems stepping in to assist Manila 

Water in the Philippines in reducing their losses (p.19). 

Despite a gloomy year, with many countries still on lockdown there are 

still fun moments too. The National University of Singapore (NUS) has 

discovered a novel usage for the pineapple by converting its leaves into 

ultra-light, biodegradable aerogels (p.30). There’s also a listicle on the 

seven sins against local water management (p.34). 

So while this year has not exactly been ideal, there were still good 

moments. And we’re looking to taking on 2021 with much gusto! 

So stay safe, everybody. 

Oh, and please do not forget to check out Water & Wastewater Asia’s 

new logo and website (p.6)! 

Cheers, 

PABLO SHANGHAI 

Editor 

Published by 

Pablo Publishing & Exhibition Pte Ltd 

3 Ang Mo Kio Street 62 #01-23 

Link@AMK Singapore 569139 

Tel : (65) 6266 5512 

E-mail: info@pabloasia.com 

www.waterwastewaterasia.com 

Company Registration No: 200001473N 

Singapore MICA (P) No: 073/09/2020 

REGIONAL OFFICES (CHINA) 

Pablo BEIJING 

Tel : +86 10 6509 7728 

Email: pablobeijing@163.com 

Sharon Wu 

pabloshanghai@163.net 

Pablo SHANGHAI 

Tel : +86 21 5238 9737 

Email: pabloshanghai@163.net 

All rights reserved. Views of writers do not necessarily reflect the views of the Publisher and the Singapore Water 

Association. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, without prior permission in 

writing from the Publisher and copyright owner. Whilst every care is taken to ensure accuracy of the information in this 

publication, the Publisher accepts no liability for damages caused by misinterpretation of information, expressed or implied, 

within the pages of the magazine. 

All advertisements are accepted on the understanding that the Advertiser is authorised to publish the contents of the 

advertisements, and in this respect, the Advertiser shall indemnify the Publisher against all claims or suits for libel, violation 

of right of privacy and copyright infringements. 

Water & Wastewater Asia is a controlled-circulation bi-monthly magazine. It is mailed free-of-charge to readers who 

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Water & Wastewater Asia is the official publication of the 

Singapore Water Association 



6 THE NEWS 

Water & Wastewater Asia unveils new logo, revamps website 

WATER & WASTEWATER ASIA, the trade 

professional’s go-to for expert sources of 

industry information, recently launched its 

new corporate brand identity, redesigned 

logo, and website. 

These changes come at a time when the 

company is evolving and diversifying its 

service offerings to the industry. 

Designed to work effortlessly across digital 

and physical channels, the new logo brings 

forth the image of waves moving across 

the water’s surface, reflecting the water 

and wastewater industry’s dynamism and 

constant change. 

To date, Water & Wastewater Asia’s logo 

has been primarily blue and white – the new 

logo incorporates blue colour gradients, 

transitioning from dark to light blue, and 

signifying movement and change. 

The newly-redesigned website allows for 

ease of navigation, with a layout structured 

to provide a seamless user experience. 

A new “Virtual Exhibition” page has also 

been added, to cater to the increasingly 

digital landscape that trade shows and 

exhibitions now need to navigate. With this 

new addition, Water & Wastewater Asia 

displays how it is primed to bring industry 

professionals everything they need to stay 

at the forefront of the industry’s innovations. 

The changeover to the new brand design 

is expected to be completed by the end of 

2020. 

Visit Water & Wastewater Asia’s website 

(https://waterwastewaterasia.com) for 

daily industry news and updates! 

DuPont’s OxyMem wins “Breakthrough Technology 

Company of the Year” at Global Water Summit 

OXYMEM, a recent acquisition by DuPont, 

was recently named the “Breakthrough 

Technology Company of the Year” by the 

Global Water Awards for its innovative 

Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor (MABR) 

technology for the treatment and purification 

of municipal and industrial wastewater. 

Named one of the most impressive 

commercial breakthroughs into the global 

water technology market in 2019, OxyMem’s 

drop-in MABR modules intensify the biological 

process on existing wastewater treatment 

plants, increasing treatment capacity with 

minimal energy consumption. 

OxyMem, a recent acquisition by DuPont, won the “Breakthrough Technology Company of the Year” 

by the Global Water Awards. Photo credit: Global Water Awards’ website 

Rather than expanding existing wastewater 

treatment plants, MABR offers a cost-effective 

way to retrofit and upgrade activated sludge 

plants to meet tightening effluent standards 

and to cater for population growth. 

Once in place, MABR delivers oxygen to 

the established biofilm via millions of gas 

permeable membrane fibres; a mechanism 

capable of using up to 75% less energy 

than traditional bubble aeration. 

In older plants, OxyMem’s MABR may also 

improve sludge settlement and generate 

less waste biosolids, reducing the cost and 

effort of removal from site. 


THE NEWS 7 

Bentley Systems announces winners of Year in 

Infrastructure 2020 Awards 

Bentley Systems, Incorporated, the 

infrastructure engineering software 

company, has announced the 

winners of the Year in Infrastructure 

2020 Awards. The annual awards 

programme honours the extraordinary 

work of Bentley users advancing 

design, construction, and operations 

of infrastructure throughout the world. 

Sixteen independent jury panels 

selected the 57 finalists from over 

400 nominations submitted by more 

than 330 organisations from more 

than 60 countries. 

Bentley Systems acknowledged 19 Year 

in Infrastructure 2020 Awards winners 

and 14 Special Recognition awardees 

on October 21 during the Year in 

Infrastructure 2020 Conference, held 

virtually for the first time. 

The Year in Infrastructure 2020 Special 

Recognition awardees for the water 

categories are: 

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plants 

Hatch 

Ashbridges Bay Treatment Plant Outfall 

Toronto, Ontario, Canada 

Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater Networks 

DTK Hydronet Solutions 

Digital Water Network Engineering & Asset 

Management of Dibrugarh Water Supply Project 

Dibrugarh, Assam, India 


8 THE NEWS 

ASIAWATER goes virtual 

INFORMA MARKETS, the organiser of 

ASIAWATER, has officially announced that 

the event will go on as a virtual event from 

30 November to 2 December 2020. 

ASIAWATER 2020 was originally scheduled 

to take place at Kuala Lumpur Convention 

Centre (KLCC) in Malaysia as a hybrid 

event, combining both physical and virtual 

exhibition and conference in one event, 

but the COVID-19 situation has meant that 

organisers have to remove the physical 

aspect of the event. 

The decision was made considering the 

latest development of the COVID-19 

situation in Malaysia, as well as the 

government’s decision to implement the 

Recovery Movement Control Order until 

31 December 2020. The uncertainties 

currently posed by the global pandemic 

and the subsequent travel control 

measures have disrupted most business 

activities and restrained the participation 

of international exhibitors and visitors to 

the physical event. 

ASIAWATER 2020 Virtual Event is aimed at 

keeping the water and wastewater industry 

in Malaysia and across South East Asia 

connected with their leading exhibiting 

brands, assisting industry players and 

manufacturers to collaborate, share best 

practices, and adopt a cost-effective 

method in growing their businesses 

digitally. Running concurrently with the 

virtual exhibition will be ASIAWATER’s 

Conference & Seminars, which will also be 

held virtually during the ASIAWATER 2020 

Virtual Event. 

“With the recent global pandemic, 

businesses around the globe have been 

badly affected due to travel restrictions and 

other business uncertainties, which directly 

inhibits business dealings and face-to-face 

interactions. In the meanwhile, adapting to 

the new norm of digitisation, ASIAWATER 

2020 is proud to debut our virtual event 

this year to ensure our stakeholders can 

conduct business and continue the industry 

conversation. 

Our virtual event is one of ASIAWATER’s 

many digital solutions designed to 

facilitate businesses for our customers,” 

said Mr Gerard Leeuwenburgh, country 

general manager of Informa Markets in 

Malaysia. 

The virtual event is designed to replicate 

the appearance of a live event, creating 

a virtual presence of exhibiting brands to 

ensure a realistic and immersive experience 

for both exhibitors and visitors to 

connect in a non-restricted virtual 

space. Customised exhibition booths 

and structures are available across the 

platform, where visitors can conveniently 

visit and browse the exhibitor’s offerings. 

ASIAWATER 2020 Virtual Event platform 

will be kept running 24 hours a day 

for the span of the three days, to keep 

exhibitors and visitors from different 

parts of the world and time zones 

connected. 

In addition, the virtual exhibition includes 

an interactive online business matching 

platform where buyers can engage in a 

meaningful real-time conversation and 

information sharing with all the exhibitors 

through a one-on-one session in a live 

chatroom. 

ASIAWATER 2020 Virtual Exhibition is 

expected to draw more than 1,000 quality 

virtual trade visitors along with some 

100 participating companies. 

ASIAWATER 2020 will be a virtual event. Photo credit: ASIAWATER’s website 


THE NEWS 9 

Gradiant acquires Sigma 

Water (Malaysia) as part of 

South East Asia growth strategy 

GRADIANT, an international end-to-end water solutions provider, 

has acquired Malaysia-based Sigma Water Engineering (M) Sdn Bhd 

to expand its regional operations throughout South East Asia and 

provide support to its project achievements in Singapore, Vietnam, 

Malaysia and Indonesia. 

Sigma Water Engineering, based in Selangor, Malaysia, is an 

industrial water and wastewater treatment company with repeated 

success in delivering industrial water treatment systems in food 

and beverage, oil and gas, glove manufacturing, and other various 

water intensive industries. 

Additionally, Sigma Water has a strong manufacturing front with 

a fabrication and chemical storage facility also based in Malaysia 

along with established relationships with both global and local 

customers, contractors, and other resources supplying Gradiant 

with further reach and experience throughout the region. 

The combination of Gradiant’s award-winning technologies and 

strong financing capabilities alongside Sigma Water’s project 

delivery and O&M expertise presents the South East Asian water 

market with a new and significantly improved suite of sustainable 

and cost-effective solutions to water treatment. 

Gradiant will integrate its brine concentration product suite utilizing 

its proprietary Carrier Gas Extraction CGE and RO Infinity ROi 

systems with Sigma Water’s engineering and execution abilities 

to better serve regional customers across different sectors. These 

customers will also benefit from the new asset performance 

management services that will manage plants remotely and on-site. 

“This acquisition solidifies Gradiant as the premier choice for 

complex wastewater treatment in the South East Asian water 

market. Sigma Water has the experience, the manufacturing 

scale, and the reputable network bolstering Gradiant’s presence 

throughout the region and improving upon our customer offerings. 

Our collective approach will increase freshwater recovery, reduce 

harmful wastewater volumes to zero or minimum liquid discharge 

(ZLD/MLD), improve asset performance and improve overall 

lifecycle costs for our customers. This means better for our 

environment and better for our customers – a true win-win,” said 

Prakash Govindan, co-founder and COO of Gradiant. 

This announcement comes off the back of a strong year for 

Gradiant, which recently announced that it won 12 projects in H1 

2020 across Asia Pacific, ranging from the production of domestic 

water from rivers to treatment of high-contamination industrial 

effluent for reuse, including ZLD applications. 


10 THE NEWS 

UK-India water MoU offers “great boost” to trade 

BRITISH Water Chief Executive Lila 

Thompson says a new Memorandum of 

Understanding (MoU) agreed between 

India and the UK’s leading water sector 

trade association will “bring a great boost” 

to trading relationships between the two 

countries. 

Thompson’s comments came at the India- 

UK Water Partnership Forum, a virtual event 

which took place on 22 September 2020. 

The collaborative agreement has been 

signed by British Water, cGanga - a thinktank 

set up by the Indian Government’s 

Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation (Jal 

Shakti) - and the National Mission for Clean 

Ganga (NMCG). With some $200 billion of 

investment planned for the Indian water 

market, the MoU has been formalised to 

make it easier for the UK water industry to 

participate in the opportunities and for Indian 

companies to access global markets. 

Thompson said that India’s Environmental 

Technology Verification programme is a 

particularly useful channel for UK technology 

companies seeking to enter the Indian 

market. 

“A number of companies, including British 

Water members, have already been selected 

for work on the Clean Ganges Programme 

and are already in the process of rolling out 

their pilots and demonstration projects,” 

she said. 

India’s Secretary of the Ministry of Jal 

Shakti, Upendra Prasad Singh, gave a 

keynote address to delegates. He explained 

the vast challenges faced by the country, 

which includes bringing drinking water and 

sanitation to every household. The ambitious 

2024 deadline for the drinking water mission 

(Jal Jeewan) means making 1.1 million 

connections each day. 

“We can’t afford to fail,” he said, outlining 

the two key components for the Ministry 

which are civil management of water and 

wastewater and ensuring greater flow in all 

The new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreed between India and the UK’s leading water 

sector trade association will “bring a great boost” to trading relationships between the two countries 

river basins. “We have always welcomed any 

kind of cooperation, technical or otherwise, 

from other countries and we have tried to 

remove any entry barriers for companies 

from other countries so that we get best 

technologies and best of their practices.” 

Secretary Singh also explained how by 

streamlining the design, construction 

and operation of new infrastructure, the 

Government aimed to raise the standard of 

project delivery and operation. 

Dr Vinod Tare, founding head of cGanga, told 

the Forum that the Indian Government has 

to deliver and needs to bring the very best 

know-how, technology and best practice 

from around the world and to “develop a 

unique blend of experience from developed 

and developing world approaches.” 

Finance and investment were also 

major themes of the Forum, which saw 

participation from the City of London 

Corporation (CLC) and the London Stock 

Exchange. 

In her inaugural address, the Indian High 

Commissioner to the UK, Gaitri Issar Kumar, 

said, “The UK is at cutting edge of innovation 

in the water sector and is also the leading 

green finance hub of the world – there are 

today tremendous business and investment 

opportunities in the Indian water sector.” 

The MOU was facilitated by British Water’s 

International Forum and international 

manager, Karolina Perét alongside British 

Water international business mentor for 

India and Asia, Jas Sohl. 

Speaking after the event, Perét said, “After 

many months of planning and collaboration, 

I am thrilled this important MoU has been 

signed. British Water has a long history of 

organising business development visits to 

India, and this partnership will open many 

more doors for our members, who have a 

depth of experience and expertise. We look 

forward to working with cGanga to help 

deliver critical transformation of water and 

wastewater services in India.” 

Next steps for the collaboration include 

further briefings on cGanga and other 

project opportunities and the exploration of 

UK participation at the India Water Impact 

Summit. The UK will play to host the Indian 

Government and industry with planned 

site visits to see water technology and 

engineering innovations in action. 

The partners will also work together to 

shine a spotlight on water at COP26 - 

the 26 th United Nations climate change 

conference - which takes place in Glasgow, 

Scotland from 1 November 2020. 


THE NEWS 11 

Hach acquires Arachem’s Water Quality business, 

expands training centre in Malaysia 

HACH COMPANY, a subsidiary of Danaher 

Corporation based in Loveland, Colorado, USA, 

has recently acquired the Environment, Process 

and Service divisions of Arachem, a specialised 

supplier of laboratory and online analysers for 

water and wastewater based in Malaysia. The 

acquisition expands Hach’s direct presence in 

Malaysia, while strengthening their ability to 

ensure water quality across Asia. 

The business, which will be called Hach 

Malaysia, will offer water quality expertise, 

support and service. Hach Malaysia will also 

house a robust technical training centre that 

will serve customers and associates across 

the Asia-Pacific region. Hach Malaysia will 

support growth initiatives for businesses 

across Danaher’s Water Quality Platform 

including Trojan Technologies, OTT Hydromet 

and SeaBird Scientific. Hach Malaysia further 

increases the analytics and treatment 

capabilities of these businesses and their 

expertise to solve tough water challenges 

that impact health and infrastructure around 

the world. 

“This acquisition is an important moment 

in our global growth and water leadership 

because it gives us added 

training capabilities in the 

Asian region, which means 

more people who are 

equipped to tackle tough 

improvement guides growth 

while keeping operations 

and decisions smart, 

innovative and anchored to 

the voice of customers. 

water issues,” said Sahil 

Sansi, general manager of 

Hach Malaysia. 

“We’ve built a trusted 

partnership with Arachem 

over the past several years, 

“This acquisition allows us 

to deepen our presence in a 

fast-growing region where 

the issue of water quality 

Hach’s acquisition of the 

Environment, Process and 

so we are looking forward to 

strengthening and building 

on that collaboration. 

Malaysia is one of the 

Service divisions of Arachem 

will only continue to gain 

sees the company expanding 

leading geographies for 

significance. Arachem has its presence in Malaysia, while Hach within the Asian 

strengthening their ability to 

an exceptionally talented 

ensure water quality across Asia 

team and has built a strong 

region, with Arachem 

being one of Hach’s 

reputation and customer relationships, 

which gives us the foundation to provide 

top distributors globally,” said Hermes 

Gonzalez, president of Hach. 

deep expertise through technical support 

and exceptional customer service.” 

“Strong market dynamics in South East 

Asia make it the right time to deepen our 

GROWTH STRATEGY 

Hach and Danaher have a strong track 

record of integrating acquisitions, 

improving businesses, expanding 

innovation and offering new products 

direct presence in the region in terms of 

selling to customers, enhancing service 

capability and building a strong technical 

training centre. Arachem is the ideal 

partner to achieve these goals.” 

to customers. A focus on continuous 


12 THE NEWS 

PILLER signs MOU with Memsift 

Customised PILLER MVR Blower solutions 

PILLER, a German-based blowers & 

compressors manufacturer, recently signed a 

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with 

Singaporean industrial liquid-waste treatment 

company Memsift Innovations – this MOU 

promises to combine both companies’ efforts 

and expertise, creating a new benchmark for 

industrial liquid-waste treatment and zero 

liquid discharge (ZLD). 

Jeff Choong, regional sales engineer for 

Piller SEA Pte Ltd, said, “PILLER and Memsift 

joined hands in cooperation in order to 

combine efforts and expertise, setting a 

new benchmark for industrial liquid-waste 

treatment and ZLD. 

Being the technological leader in MVR blower 

technology, Piller Blowers & Compressors is 

always striving for innovations and futureoriented 

projects. Blowers from PILLER are 

used as a core element in a wide range of 

wastewater applications. 

Our latest development, the PILLER VapoFan, 

a compact and modular MVR blower, is the 

perfect fit to Memsift’s system: The Blower 

is specifically designed for low flow rates 

(200kg/hr to 5000kg/hr of steam) – an 

excellent solution for the low flow brine 

treatment. 

This matches Memsift’s innovative thermal 

membrane process, used for ZLD, treating 

industrial waste water with highest 

efficiency.” 

Located in Singapore, Piller SEA Pte Ltd 

covers the sales areas of South East Asia, 

Oceania, Taiwan, Australia and South Korea. 

PILLER offers centrifugal MVR Blowers since 

the 1980s, which are applied in various 

industries such as dairy, petrochemical, 

chemical and beverage processing. Through 

their continuous improvement programme, 

PILLER has developed a new solution for low 

flow MVR applications - the VapoFan series. 

This series of MVR Blowers offers advanced 

performance with improved reliability in 

a compact modular equipment offering. 

The VapoFan series is a complete system 

consisting of a vertically arranged blower, 

a high-speed motor and a Variable 

Frequency Drive (VFD). The system 

convinces with its compact and modular 

design, resulting in lower cost and shorter 

delivery, as well as with perfectly matched 

blower and motor for mass flows from 

200kg/hr to 5,000kg/hr. These features 

match with Memsift’s current focus. 

PILLER and Memsift will work together in 

developing a prototype industrial liquidwaste 

treatment system by integrating 

PILLER’s VapoFan into Memsift’s TS-30 

ZLD System. 

“Memsift will be responsible for the 

technology of the system in general, 

while PILLER provides the solution 

for vapour compression within that 

system,” said Choong. “Our blower will 

thus be important for overall energy 

efficiency. Memsift’s system is currently 

in the development phase, and they are 

optimistic to launch it in the market 

in 2021.” 


THE NEWS 13 

For Memsift, the partnership will allow 

them to tap into German technology 

and the expertise to demonstrate a 

low-temperature liquid-waste treatment 

system that will reduce energy 

consumption by up to 90% when 

compared to conventional liquid-waste 

incineration methods. 

For PILLER, working with Memsift will 

open new doors of opportunity. “With this 

new partnership, PILLER again proves 

its innovative strength and customer 

orientation,” said Choong. “The project 

implemented by Memsift addresses the 

waste disposal cost issues for many 

industrial companies. This means a huge 

step in wastewater industry, offering a 

solution to recover waste energy and 

reducing CO 2 emissions.” 

PILLER will work with Memsift to develop a prototype industrial liquid-waste treatment system 

“As one of the technological leading 

recovery; as an Industrial Heat Pump. 

centrifugal MVR blower manufacturers, 

we are acting internationally – providing Against the backdrop of rising energy 

customised high-performance blowers and prices, generating or recovering steam is 

compressors for the process industry. an attractive option in many industries and 

countries. Extreme reductions in energy 

Besides offering high-performance blowers, consumption and costs can be achieved 

PILLER uses MVR technology for heat by implementing our solution.” 

He added, “The collaboration with Memsift 

shows the demand in low flow ZLD 

treatment and unites that with reliable, 

efficient vapour compression solutions – 

as environmentally-friendly solutions. With 

the increasing awareness in wastewater 

treatment, energy recovery and CO 2 

emission all over the world, we look ahead 

to a lot of opportunities – even for the 

South East Asian region.” 


14 THE NEWS 

Cerahelix names William Paulus CEO 

CERAHELIX, INC., an organisation involved 

in the development and manufacture of 

disruptive ceramic nanofiltration membrane 

products, has announced the appointment 

of William (Bill) Paulus as chief executive 

officer. 

Paulus, who joined Cerahelix in January 

as chief operating officer, will oversee the 

company’s plans to accelerate growth and 

firmly establish its leadership in the growing 

market for ceramic nanofiltration to solve 

often complex filtration and separation 

challenges. 

Manufactured using the company’s 

patented thin-film and DNA templating 

technology, Cerahelix ceramic nanofiltration 

membranes represents the next generation 

in filtration and separation technology. 

They are being used by a growing number 

of companies to address their filtration, 

treatment and separation requirements. 

William Paulus, newly-appointed CEO of Cerahelix 

“At Cerahelix, our goal is to help customers 

solve their filtration and separation challenges 

and improve process efficiency by leveraging 

the power of ceramic nanofiltration. I am 

grateful for the confidence that has been 

placed in me, and look forward to helping 

the company grow and also advance the use 

ceramic nanofiltration as a powerful solution for 

a wide array of applications,” said Paulus. 

Paulus brings more than 30 years of experience 

in manufacturing and global operations to his 

position. Prior to becoming part of the Cerahelix 

team, he was vice president of Global Operations 

at Celgard, a global leader in the development 

and manufacturing of high-performance 

membrane separators, where he also served 

as vice president of Product Development and 

director of intellectual property and corporate 

strategy. 

“At Cerahelix, our goal is to help customers solve 

their filtration and separation challenges and 

improve process efficiency by leveraging the 

power of ceramic nanofiltration. I am grateful 

for the confidence that has been placed in me, 

and look forward to helping the company grow 

and also advance the use ceramic nanofiltration 

as a powerful solution for a wide array of 

applications,” said Paulus. 

Organisational changes in Grundfos to improve customer 

proximity and fuel innovation 

Grundfos recently announced the next 

step in their global transformation 

to strengthen its position as one of 

the world’s leading water technology 

companies, pioneering solutions to the 

world’s water and climate challenges and 

improving quality of life for people. 

The company is responding to trends in 

changing customer needs by reorganising 

for simplicity and speed, and by investing 

significantly into innovation and digital 

capabilities. 

For instance, it is organising its sales, 

marketing, technology and operations 

functions to serve four different customer 

segments: Commercial Building Services, 

Domestic Building Services, Industry, and 

Water Utility. This creates a more customer 

centric structure, where the whole value 

chain is focused on meeting customers’ 

unique needs. 

Even though the COVID-19 pandemic has 

had a significant impact on markets globally 

in the first half of 2020, Grundfos is making 

these changes from a position of strength. 

Jens Moberg, chairman of the Holding 

Board of Directors, said, “Our strong 

performance allows us to make these 

changes from a position of strength. Now is 

the right time for us to make the changes to 

put our strategy into action.” 

This transformation results in a reduction of 

approximately 600 employees worldwide. 

In line with its values, Grundfos will treat its 

employees with the utmost respect and provide 

them with support. 

Moberg expressed, “It will be very sad to see 

some of our colleagues leave us at this pivotal 

time, and I would like to thank everyone for 

their hard work and loyalty. We will make 

sure to care for them as they have cared for 

us and our customers during their time with 

Grundfos.” 

“Since the birth of the business back in 1945 

we have changed many times to ensure our 

success. Now is no different, we are taking 

these important moves to proactively put 

our strategy in to action and better fulfil our 

purpose.” 


THE NEWS 15 

Veolia wins $183 million contract and contributes to 

drinking water access in Sri Lanka 

BY winning a €156 million ($183 million) 

contract from the Sri Lankan National 

Water Supply and Drainage Board, Veolia, 

through its subsidiaries OTV and SADE, 

will help provide access to water on a large 

scale in the Greater Matale area. 

Located in Sri Lanka’s Central Province, 

some 150 kilometres from the 

capital, Colombo, Greater Matale is a 

predominantly agricultural region. Veolia, 

through its subsidiary OTV, has just 

been appointed project manager for the 

construction of five new water treatment 

plants in the region along with 12 service 

reservoirs, five pumping stations and more 

430km of transmission and distribution 

pipes. This system will ensure drinking 

water quality and secure supply for more 

than 350,000 people. 

Clarification, settling and filtration, the 

Matale (30,000m 3 /d), Ambanganga 

(18,000m 3 /d), Ukuwela, Udatenna and 

Rattotta (9,000m 3 /d each) water treatment 

plants will incorporate the Veolia solutions 

and technology that best suit local 

conditions. Another Veolia subsidiary, 

SADE will act as subcontractor to design 

and build the 433km transmission and 

distribution network. 

This contract was made possible with 

the support of local French government 

services through a financial scheme 

combining export credit from a syndicate of 

banks (CACIB, Natixis, Unicredit and BNP 

Paribas), with a guarantee from the French 

Ministry of Finance and a local commercial 

loan from HNB bank and treasury bonds. 


16 IN THE FIELD 

Pilot studies on the treatment of river water 

using coagulation-UF membrane filtration 

and direct UF membrane filtration 

Today, major water purification 

methods used municipal and industrial 

water treatment facilities consist of a 

combination of coagulation and flocculation, 

sedimentation, rapid sand filtration, and 

disinfection. Membrane filtration using 

microfiltration (MF) or ultrafiltration (UF) 

membranes have also been recognised as 

suitable alternatives to rapid sand filtration, 

due to the ability of MF and UF membranes 

to remove particles, bacteria, and protozoa. 

Recently, Japanese water treatment company 

Kuraray conducted pilot-scale tests for river 

water treatment using the FG module, which 

is applicable to high-turbidity water - this 

was to evaluate the water quality, and 

examine the stability of UF membrane 

filtration without pre-treatment. 

KURARAY’S FG MODULE 

The FG module is an outside-in, dead-end 

type UF membrane module, which consists 

of hydrophilic Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) 

hollow fibre membranes with an effective 

surface membrane area of 40m 2 . One end 

of the hollow fibre membranes is potted 

by polyurethane resin. The hollow fibres at 

opposite side are sealed separately. The oneend-free 

structure enables particle removal 

easily during backwashing and air scrubbing. 

have a higher pure water permeability as 

compared to other MF and UF membranes. 

A combination of the one end free structure, 

the centre distributor, and the high-flux 

hollow fibre membrane, enables operation 

with higher flux for higher turbidity water. 

THE EXPERIMENT 

River water was taken by a submerged 

pump and fed to the 1-m 3 reaction tank and 

mixed with chemicals. Backwashing and air 

scrubbing were performed periodically. After 

stopping the filtration, compressed air was 

fed to the filtrate side pipe for backwashing. 

The FG module was periodically maintained 

by automatic chemical cleaning (ACC) to 

avoid bacterial growth and coagulant fouling. 

The experiment sought to record and analyse 

the pressure of feed water and filtration, feed 

water temperature, filtrate flow rate, raw 

water turbidity, and filtrate turbidity, by using 

pressure sensors, resistance thermometer 

sensors, electromagnetic flow meters, and 

turbidity meters. The tests were conducted 

at two different locations in Vietnam - the Da 

river, and the Lo river. 

Kuraray’s FG module consists of PVDF hollow 

fibre membranes with an effective surface 

membrane area of 40m 2 

The element has a piping structure called 

centre distributor with holes on its surface. 

Water and the air can be fed through the 

centre distributor so that the particles on the 

hollow fibres especially around the potting 

side and the centre of the element are 

removed easily. 

The hollow fibre membrane has fine pores on 

the outside (which act as a filtration layer) 

and bigger pores on the inside (acting as 

the support layer), which are continuously 

connected and gradually widening. This 

allows for the hollow fibre membrane to 

Water samples taken from the Lo and Da rivers during the experiment conducted 


IN THE FIELD 17 

How the FG module works 

TMP range for CIP recorded during the operation 

EXPERIMENT RESULTS 

Tests conducted using surface water 

from the Da river showed that the colour, 

turbidity, iron, and aluminium from raw 

river water did not meet Vietnamese 

drinking water quality standards, but water 

samples collected from the UF membrane 

filtrate met the same standard across all 

parameters. The team concluded that 

a combination of coagulation and UF 

membrane filtration with disinfection as 

a post-treatment would be applicable for 

drinking water production. 

CONCLUSIONS DRAWN 

The tests conducted to test the 

effectiveness of UF membrane filtration 

for river water were carried out with and 

without coagulation as a pre-treatment 

test – the tests that used the UF membrane 

were found to produce water that met 

Vietnamese drinking water quality 

standards. 

This indicated to the team that this method of 

water treatment could be used to avoid coagulation 

and/or sedimentation as pre-treatment steps. 

In addition to this finding, the filtration flux of 

the tests conducted also found that the flux 

was higher than reported reference values, 

indicating that the number of modules required 

for water treatment plants could be reduced 

with the usage of Kuraray’s FG modules. 

For the Lo river, the team found that 

samples taken from the river contained 

colours and levels of turbidity, iron, 

aluminium, and arsenic that did not 

meet Vietnamese drinking water quality 

standards. With the UF membrane, all 

samples were found to be well below 

restrictions implemented by Vietnamese 

drinking water quality standards, with the 

exception of colour (which was close to the 

standard value of 15 TCU). 

The colour could be removed through 

a combination of coagulation and UF 

membrane filtration, which were found to 

effectively remove humic substances in the 

river water. 

Tests were conducted on the Lo and Da rivers in Vietnam using Kuraray’s FG modules 



Aiding Mongolia 

Climate change and rapid 

urbanisation are threatening 

fragile water resources in 

Mongolia where more than half 

the inhabitants have no access to 

clean water, according to a report 

released by the Mongolia Water 

Authority and the United Nations 

Environment Programme (UNEP). 

Climate change and rapid urbanisation are threatening fragile water resources in Mongolia where 

more than half the inhabitants have no access to clean water, according to a report released by the 

Mongolia Water Authority and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) 

In Mongolia, surface water is covered 

by ice for about half the year, hence, 

groundwater becomes the primary 

source of water for major urban areas, and 

it’s expected that climate change will affect 

these resources throughout the country in 

the coming years. 

These effects have been compounded by 

rapid urbanisation, reducing the availability 

of water for both domestic and industrial 

use. The population has grown from 

896,000 in 2005 to a projected 1.7 million 

by 2030. This situation is particularly 

serious in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar 

where nearly 40% of the population resides. 

In 2017, a major 

rehabilitation of Ulanbataars 

Water supply was instigated 

and critical to that was the 

application of Cla-Val’s range 

of automatic control valves 

Globally, Mongolia is one of the 60 countries 

with limited water resources. The total water 

consumption is approximately 540 million 

cubic metres per year, and over 80% is 

consumed by the industrial and agricultural 

sectors, leaving 20% for domestic use. If this 

status quo continues, the country will not be 

able to provide sustainable water resources 

for its population. In Ulaanbaatar, the daily 

consumption is only about 5-10 litres per 

capita per day and very few are connected to 

the city’s water distribution network. 

Currently, water in the city is being withdrawn 

faster than the rate of discharge and 

groundwater tables have shown a marked 

decline in the past 50 years. The temperature 

increase in the last 20 years has gone up by 

2.14°C and dry desert area has increased 

by 21% in the last 20 years. Changes to dry 

and harsh winters and hot dry summers are 

reducing river flows and ground water tables. 

UNEP (United Nations Environmental 

Programme) has identified increased 

investment and rehabilitation of existing 

water supply networks as a key component 

of improving the management of water 

supply utilities. 

In 2017, a major rehabilitation of 

Ulanbataars Water supply was instigated and 

critical to that was the application of Cla-Val’s 

range of automatic control valves. 

Model 340 series rate of flow control valves 

from 150mm through 500mm and 360-02 

series pressure control valves from 200mm 

through 400mm were installed into the 

network to able remote control of both flows 

and pressures across the network. 

Ten existing 25-year-old Cla-Val 90 series valves 

were fitted with the latest generation of Cla- 

Val’s 34 series actuated pilot controls and 117 

series of position transmitters to enable these 

long serving valves to be upgraded to the latest 

technology. 

The application of the flow control valves 

enabled the city to obtain a much more even 

distribution of flow throughout the network 

while the CRDHS 34 actuated pilot allowed them 

to alter the flow set points, particularly during 

times of high demand such as the spring festival. 

Control of pressure dramatically reduced NRW 

(non-revenue water) and line break frequency. 

And with the usage of CRD34 pilots, it allowed 

the city the ability to manipulate the pressure 

at times of high demand. With this latest 

technology, the city forwards to another 25 

years of trouble-free performance from their 

Cla-Val automatic control valves. 

All images are credited to Cla-Val. 

With the 

technology from 

Cla-Val, Ulanbataar 

forwards to 

another 25 years 

of trouble-free 

performance 



WaterGEMS prioritises Manila 

water facilities for disaster 

resiliency and contingency plan 

Utility’s masterplan reduces potential losses by $380m using WaterGEMS 

Located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, the 

Philippines experiences frequent 

earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and 

typhoons that cause catastrophic losses. 

Manila Water Company, Inc., prepared 

a Natural Calamity Risk Resiliency and 

Mitigation Masterplan to ensure that there is 

a reliable water supply in the event of a 

natural disaster for the service area 

covering the East Zone of Metro Manila (the 

National Capital Region) and Rizal Province. 

Modelling with WaterGEMS illustrated what 

would happen if one or more interconnected 

supply systems shut down and which 

facilities would cause the most losses if they 

were operating at less than full capacity. 

The results helped Manila Water prioritise 

resiliency measures and contingency plans 

for more than 100 facilities, reducing 

potential losses by $380m compared to 

$520m without such measures. 

ASSETS AT RISK 

Manila Water operates the concession to 

provide water treatment, water distribution, 

sewerage, and sanitation services to the 

eastern side of Metropolitan Manila, where 

there are more than six million residential, 

commercial, and industrial customers. The 

concession encompasses 24 cities and 

municipalities in a 1,400-square-kilometre 

area. Manila Water has a mandate to 

provide customers with an uninterrupted 

water supply that complies with national 

drinking water standards. Manila Water aims 

to maintain reliable water service during 

natural disasters, when it is essential for 

sanitation, hygiene, and preservation of life. 

The Philippines are threatened by an average 

of 20 typhoons every year, with 10 making 

landfall and five reaching superstorm 

proportions. In 2009, the deadliest season 

in decades, Typhoon Ketsana left more than 

670 dead and $237m in damages. The 

country also suffers at least one destructive 

earthquake each year. When the magnitude 

7.6 Samar earthquake struck in 2012, it 

displaced more than one million people 

and destroyed extensive infrastructure, 

leaving critical facilities inoperable and 

disrupting water service. Government 

hazard assessments predict that the next 

catastrophic earthquake could cause as 

many as 34,000 fatalities and disrupt access 

to drinking water for months. 

To assess preparedness for such a calamity, 

Manila Water conducted a Resiliency and 

Business Interruption (RBI) study to 

determine which of its facilities would be the 

most vulnerable. The RBI study confirmed 

that the utility would suffer significant 

damage to dams, water transmission and 

distribution pipelines, treatment plants, 

reservoirs, pump stations, and other 

facilities. Damage assessments indicated that 

it would take $520m to restore service. 

The utility concluded that it could not 

afford to lose these critical facilities and 

that it would take too long to restore them 

to full operational capacity. The RBI study 

suggested high-priority facilities that 

would need to be made more resilient to 

minimise damage. Lower priority facilities 

would require contingency plans in case of 

their loss. The objective was to mitigate 

the adverse effects of a natural disaster, 

ensure a reliable water supply during such 

calamities, and accomplish these objectives 

for the most economical cost. Savings would 

not only benefit the private utility and its 

public partners but also be passed on to 

customers in the form of lower tariffs. 

MASTERPLAN FOR RESILIENCY 

Manila Water undertook a rigorous process 

to optimise the masterplan for improving 

resiliency and mitigating risk at its more 

than 100 facilities. WaterGEMS, Bentley’s 

water distribution analysis and design 

software, was used to build a model and 

simulate operations of the entire water 

supply system. The model incorporated data 

from internal and external sources, including 

ground elevations, demand loading 

and patterns, pipe profiles, and other 

parameters. Various WaterGEMS capabilities 

used for model building, such as automated 

elevation and demand assignment node 

allocation, helped Manila Water create an 

accurate hydraulic model efficiently. 

Simulating operations under various 

scenarios revealed the effects of losing one 

or more components of the water system, 

illustrating how interconnected systems 

would react if one or more systems shut 

down. The what-if scenarios included 

assessing options for evacuation centre 

locations, network segmentation, water 

storage capacities, and other variables. The 

results allowed Manila Water to identify and 

prioritise critical facilities with confidence. 



For example, if damage to a primary water 

main would cause loss of pressure, WaterGEMS 

calculated how much water could be supplied 

from alternate sources and for how long. This 

indicated which facilities would have the highest 

impact on water availability and so required 

resiliency measures. 

The modelling also helped the utility to make 

contingency plans in case of catastrophic 

losses. The simulations identified the 

best locations for underground 

emergency reservoirs to supply 

evacuation centres and other population 

centres, if connecting systems were 

damaged. The masterplan also prioritised 

facilities whose failure would cause 

further damage, such as a dam that 

would cause a catastrophic release of 

water if it failed. 

PUBLIC-PRIVATE COLLABORATION 

Throughout the study and planning process, 

Manila Water collaborated with local 

government units and the National Disaster 

Risk Reduction and Management Council. 

This ensured that the utility’s masterplan 

was aligned with each government 

agency’s plan for emergency response. 

The WaterGEMS model helped the agencies 

select the most suitable location for the 

location of evacuation sites: the visuals 

created by an overlay of pressure and flow 

profiles generated by WaterGEMS, on a 

GIS-based map helped to envision the water 

supply in relation to population centres. 

Then, Manila Water used WaterGEMS to 

ensure these sites would have a secure 

and reliable water supply in case of a 

catastrophic event. WaterGEMS produced 

project cost calculations, supporting 

documentation, and detailed reports for 

review by all stakeholders. The plans made 

clear the risk associated with taking no 

action, and the rewards of taking measures 

to ensure access to potable water under 

different contingencies. The model not only 

prioritised capital expenditures by criticality 

of facilities, but also prevented unnecessary 

expenditures on non-critical facilities. In 

short, the study helped to determine where 

to expend resources most economically for 

the greatest benefit. These were results that 

stakeholders could embrace. 

AFFORDABLE RISK REDUCTION 

According to final RBI study projections, 

applying the resiliency and contingency 

measures to the prioritised facilities would 

decrease damages during a catastrophic 

event by $380m. The WaterGEMS 

simulations demonstrated that the proposed 

measures would significantly reduce 

property damage and business interruption 

in Metro Manila and Rizal Province. More 

importantly, the plan would ensure a stable 

water supply for Manila Water’s customers. 

A resiliency and business interruption (RBI) study conducted by Manila Water indicated which 

facilities would be most vulnerable to calamities 

Rather than settle for the initial projections, 

which estimated a recovery cost of $520m 

paid largely through tariffs, Manila Water 

found a viable, economical way to minimise 

damages and provide reliable water service 



Bentley’s WaterGEMS software was able to model and simulate operations of the entire water supply system 

during a calamity. The RBI study and 

master planning process provided Manila 

Water with the information required to 

make prudent decisions. The masterplan’s 

financial viability gave the utility’s partners 

and stakeholders confidence that, for a 

minimal investment, life-saving results 

could be achieved. 

Diogenes Adelbert Voltaire B. Evangelista, 

Water System analysis and planning 

engineer, Manila Water Company, Inc., 

said, “Mitigation of the adverse effects 

of a natural calamity is a race against 

time. Bentley’s WaterGEMS helped 

Manila Water minimise the amount of its 

investment while maximising the resiliency 

and contingency of its facilities. Both 

were highly beneficial to the customers 

it serves. Without this capability, the 

masterplan would be completed and 

optimised later rather than sooner.” 

Project Summary 

Organisation 

Manila Water Company, Inc. 

Solution 

Water Networks 

Location 

National Capital Region, Rizal Province, Philippines 

Project Objectives 

• Mitigate the adverse effects of natural disasters on Manila Water customers in the 

National Capital Region and Rizal Province. 

• Ensure that there is a reliable water supply during such calamities at an economical cost. 

• Prioritise resiliency measures and contingency plans for more than 100 facilities. 

Products used 

WaterGEMS, Bentley Map 

Fast facts 

• WaterGEMS’ criticality analysis helped to prioritise the rehabilitation of facilities. 

• Hydraulic simulations helped to locate evacuation sites near secure and reliable water 

supplies. 

• The simulations identified locations for underground emergency reservoirs near 

population centres. 

ROI 

• Initial estimates predicted it would cost $520m to restore water service after a calamity. 

• Estimates based on WaterGEMS simulations reduced the cost to restore reliable water 

service by $380m. 

• The masterplan saved $30m in insurance costs through the end of Manila Water’s 

concession period. 



Advanced analytic solutions used to implement state-wide monitoring programme to improve system 

reliability and prolong the life of infrastructure assets 

Air Selangor serves a population of 11 million residents 

and manages over 6200km of trunk mains, ranging from 

300mm up to 2200mm, in Selangor — with much of the 

pipeline located in remote areas of the state 

Air Selangor is a large water distribution 

company owned by the Malaysian 

state of Selangor. The public utility 

serves a population of 11 million residents 

and manages over 6,200km of trunk mains, 

ranging from 300mm up to 2,200mm with 

much of the pipeline located in remote areas 

of the state. 

As a national water company making efforts 

to cost-effectively manage its network, Air 

Selangor wanted to reduce its high rate of 

non-revenue water loss (NRW), which in 2017 

stood at 31.5%. 

Air Selangor had concerns about its ageing 

infrastructure and took a proactive approach 

to reduce leaks and bursts — identify the 

causes of pressure surges to mitigate the 

damaging transients that could reduce the 

lifespan of its pipes. By identifying leaks before 

they become serious bursts, repairs can be 

made without line shutdown or disrupting 

water supply to the local community. 

CHALLENGE 

In the past, Air Selangor used a variety of 

techniques to identify leaks and bursts. 

However, there was still a need for quicker 

response to minimise the runtime of leaks 

or bursts and the disruption caused. 

Historically, the utility faced a long runtime 

of leaks before discovery, often due to the 

remote geographical location of its trunk 

main network. Furthermore, pressure 

transients were known to be an issue within 

the network, but without information of 

their sources or cause. 

Air Selangor also noticed that leaks often 

recurred in the same pipes shortly after 

repairs, causing concern and harming the 

utility’s reputation. The utility actively 

sought innovative ideas for continuous 

monitoring to identify leaks and pressure 

surges earlier, reduce NRW and improve 

customer relations. 

SOLUTION 

Turning to Xylem, a long-term, state-wide 

monitoring programme was developed to 

understand their trunk main system while 

lowering volumes of water lost. To do so, 

Xylem’s Decision Intelligence approach 

was used, which includes LeakView and 

SurgeView, two complementary real-time 

monitoring solutions well suited to help Air 

Selangor prevent premature asset failure 

across the system. 

Xylem’s LeakView platform in Malaysia 

combines and analyses analytics from two 

major leak detection methodologies — 

pressure transients and hydrophones — to 

help utilities localise pipe bursts within 

minutes and detect slowly growing leaks. 

This automated process, which is 

supervised by analysts in a 24/7 monitoring 

environment, simplifies the analysis, 

visualisation and interpretation of massive 

quantities of data and helps repair crews 

prioritise their response. 



Xylem’s SurgeView transient pressure 

monitoring platform is a non-invasive 

and cost-effective way to monitor water 

networks for the presence of damaging 

pressure surges. Through its inline 

detection of pressure transients, the 

solution helps determine the source 

of these events and identifies pipes 

under stress with high likelihood of 

leakage. This early warning helps 

manage damaging pressure variations 

and mitigate the risks associated with 

premature pipe failure; prolonging the 

effective life of infrastructure assets. 

OUTCOME 

The monitoring programme started in 

2018 with 660 sensors successfully 

deployed in the first year and 70 major 

leaks and bursts identified and repaired 

through close collaboration with Air 

Selangor. The programme continues 

today, with ongoing installation of new 

sensors brought into operation daily 

(900 sensors deployed and counting*). 

The Air Selangor–Xylem analytic team 

identifies about three leaks per week, 

with more than 120 found to date* along 

with continuous monitoring for further 

leaks on the same pipe — helping Air 

Selangor reach its NRW targets and 

a stark improvement from traditional 

methods where the same pipe may not 

be revisited for months or years. 

Data from high resolution pressure and 

acoustic sensors have enabled important 

insights into the operation of the network 

and the nature and distribution of 

leaks on the trunk mains. In addition, 

the transient pressure monitoring has 

identified operational issues related 

to pump changeovers, allowing Air 

Selangor to implement interventions 

to prevent premature failure of assets 

across their system. 

That’s the power of decision intelligence. 

Xylem’s SurgeView transient pressure monitoring is a non-invasive way to monitor water networks 

for the presence of damaged pressure surges 

Programme highlights 

• State–wide monitoring programme — the first of its kind in Malaysia 

• Continuous remote monitoring solution used to detect bursts and harmful 

pressure transients, reducing the runtime of leaks to days instead of 

months and years 

• High resolution pressure and acoustic sensors enable greater understanding 

about the nature and distribution of bursts on the trunk mains 

*As of July 2019 


24 FOCUS 

Echologics field specialists gathering 

acoustic properties of a pipe segment 

using a LeakFinderST correlator 

PUB Singapore harnesses 

smart technology to fuel 

its asset renewal programme 

By Mark Nicol, Echologics Senior Director of Sales & Operations, 

International for Mueller Water Products 

PUB, Singapore’s national water agency 

manages a potable water network of 

5,500km of mains that deliver water to 1.5 

million customer accounts. Regular asset renewal 

and maintenance is one of PUB’s key focus areas 

to strengthen network resilience by anticipating 

and responding to leaks and damage with minimal 

disruption to their operations. 

PUB has been implementing an ongoing pipeline 

replacement programme since the 1980s, with an 

objective to reduce the leakage rate and maintain a 

level of less than six leaks every 100km per year. 


FOCUS 25 

In recent years, PUB has adopted a pre-emptive 

leak management approach to proactively 

replace older or leak-prone pipes under the 

Pipe Renewal Programme. For this project, PUB 

used pipe condition assessment technology and 

data analytics to determine the health status of 

the pipes to prioritise pipe replacement efforts 

for cast iron (CI) mains, which are generally 

more prone to leak failure. 

PUB identified 450km of CI mains across 

Singapore that were between 100mm and 

400mm in diameter, for leak failure risk 

analysis. The objective was to determine the 

risk of failure of these selected mains, formulate 

a replacement plan based on a geographic 

scope and risk level for pipeline prioritisation, 

and eventually replace all CI mains. 

Following an open bid, PUB appointed 

Echologics ® to develop a prioritisation plan 

through a combination of desktop study and 

field data capture on 80km of the CI network 

using its proprietary non-intrusive and nondestructive 

pipe condition assessment tool, 

ePulse ® . To assist with the desktop model, 

Echologics engaged SUEZ, whose Netscan 

analytics software has been proven to work 

well with ePulse through prior collaborations 

in France. 

A multi-staged approach, combining 

condition-driven asset management (CDAM) 

and asset management desktop models 

(AMDM) was put into effect for this project. 

Echologics and SUEZ engineers began the 

process by collecting physical, operational 

and environmental data. A series of statistical 

methodologies were applied to determine the 

likelihood of failure (LoF) and identify pipe 

clusters for pipe condition assessment. The 

selection and assessment of 80km of mains 

was divided into three phases to increase 

the likelihood of surveyed pipes that best 

represent each cluster and the network as a 

whole. At this juncture, ePulse was deployed. 

ePulse combines acoustic data measured 

in the field with information about a pipe’s 

construction to determine its current 

structural wall thickness. The technology 

calculates the percentage of wall 

thickness loss by drawing comparison 

of the measured thickness to the design 

thickness of the pipe. 

While some assessment approaches rely 

on excavating and examining a small 

section of pipe, ePulse takes a different 

approach, employing acoustics to establish 

the actual condition of an entire pipe 

segment. Completely non-invasive and 

using existing valves or fire hydrants 

as contact points, assessments are 

completed above ground with no impact 

on the network. 

As an added benefit, ePulse is also able 

to detect and pinpoint existing leaks 

while conducting field measurements. 

The position of the leak is then determined 

based on the time delay of the noise 

reaching each sensor and the distance 

between sensor points. This unparalleled 

benefit allows the assessment cost to 

be offset by the savings inherent in 

leakage reduction. 

Figure 1: Project Cycle Breakdown 


26 FOCUS 

Figure 2: SUEZ Netscan user interface, focuses on network characteristics and leak history 

With the help of Netscan, the ePulse data was 

extrapolated to the remainder of the CI mains, 

which in turn generated a specific value for 

each pipe segment to interpret the likelihood 

of failure, and subsequently, the risk of failure. 

Netscan is an innovative asset management 

tool based on a collaborative web platform 

that maximises the benefits of pipe 

investment plans. It uses advanced modelling 

and predictive analysis to prioritise pipe 

renewal. 

Figure 3: Remaining service life per pipe degradation 

In order to determine the LoF, SUEZ employed 

a linear extension of the Yule model. The 

parametric nature of this model used eight 

years of historic burst data for rounds 

of calibration and validation, which was 

combined with various other parameters, 

before arriving at a LoF forecast. 

Concurrently, a consequence of failure (CoF) 

model was developed with PUB’s water supply 

network team to identify CoF criteria and its 

associated weighting. Thereafter, an individual 

CoF score for each pipe segment was 

computed and attributed to the model. 

Finally, the consequence of failure was 

converted to a likelihood of failure threshold, 

used to determine the risk of failure. 

Of the 80km of CI pipeline tested using 

ePulse, the field crew identified approximately 

half had lost more than 30% of its original 

wall thickness. This data was then 

extrapolated to the entire 450km data 

set, and likelihood of failure analysis was 

performed. By integrating the result gathered 

with the consequence of failure, the crew was 

able to determine which pipe segments had 

exceeded its risk threshold, and therefore 

needed to be replaced. 

PUB was able to use the results to develop a 

comprehensive pipe replacement programme 

over the next five years. A significant 

percentage of the original CI network planned 

for replacement were able to be deferred as 

the pipes were still in good condition. 

The project also revealed five potential Point 

of Interest (POI) within the surveyed network, 

with the use of LeakFinderST ® correlators. The 

field engineers made recommendations for 

a follow-up investigation to be carried out to 

confirm the leak presence. 

A failure risk analysis, which combines 

CDAM and AMDM, proves to be an extremely 

effective tool when it comes to determining 

asset renewal and replacement needs. The 

seamless integration of technologies - ePulse 

and Netscan, has empowered PUB to make 

informed decisions on its underground pipe 

network, enabling continued provision of a 

reliable and sustainable water supply to its 

customers now and into the future. 


FOCUS 27 

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), water 

demand in manufacturing is only expected to increase. 

By Natalie Chew 

The topic of water reuse is not a 

new one, in the age of climate 

change and an increased 

scramble for limited resources. Even 

now, trends point toward more and more 

industries seeing water reuse as an 

essential part of their operations, and 

the OECD predicts that water demand in 

manufacturing is expected to increase 

by 400% by 2050. 

Water & Wastewater Asia (WWA) talks 

to Eric Lai, business managing director 

for industry, Grundfos China, to find out 

more about these changing trends and 

how the industry will likely accommodate 

them. 

Eric Lai, Business Managing Director for Industry, Grundfos China 

WWA: What can you tell us about the trends 

in industrial water reuse? 

LAI: Increasingly, industry players are 

recognising that their operations will only 

get more water intensive as we move into 

the future - water reuse, and subsequently 

wastewater treatment, will play an integral 

role for the future of our water security. 

We foresee digitalisation playing a key part 

in taking industrial water reuse to the next 

level. This is because as industries evolve, 

wastewater produced becomes increasingly 

complex. For example, the growth of the 

electronics industry now poses new challenges 

when it comes to treating wastewater, because 

they contain compounds and contaminants 

that have never been in industrial wastewater 

before, such as exotic metals. 

As a result of these challenges, wastewater 

treatment will become increasingly 

complicated, and in turn demand greater 

manpower and accuracy to adequately 

manage the entire process. This 

translates to opportunities for greater 

digitalisation and automation throughout 

the operations – through metering 

devices, tracking devices and automated 

analytical procedures. 

WWA: What are some of the benefits of 

industrial water reuse? 

LAI: For certain industries, reusing 

wastewater can benefit them 

economically by supporting a circular 

economy. Wastewater and its discharged 

sludge contain a great number of valuable 

resources such as nitrogen, phosphorus, 

energy, and other nutrients that can be 

recovered and reused, achieving the 

overall objective of resource efficiency. 

By treating used water back to a usable 

quality and then feeding it back into a 

company’s water cycle, its operations will 

essentially be closer to moving away from 

its reliance on one-time use and shifting 

towards a more sustainable method of 

handling water. 

WWA: What are some challenges that 

might arise from industry players adopting 

water reuse for sustainable cooling? 

LAI: Industrial cooling towers have special 

needs and requirements to the water 

they use. If the water does not fulfil the 

requirements in terms of chemical and 

biological parameters, the operation can 

be costly, ineffective and, in case of high 

biological contamination, even dangerous. 

Because of its original pollutants, when 

water is reused, the potential for biological 

regrowth is extremely high, even if the 

treatment is tightly controlled. Water 


28 FOCUS 

Water used for temperature control in cooling towers is one of the most suitable applications for water reuse 

conditioning plays an important role in 

reuse because of this. 

WWA: You mentioned water conditioning 

- how does the quality of water used 

in cooling towers differ from other 

standards of treated water? 

LAI: Water used for temperature control 

in cooling towers is one of the most 

suitable applications for water reuse, as it 

requires a relatively low quality of water. 

However, a certain level of quality needs 

to be maintained with the water used as 

accumulation of sludge can cause the 

eventual growth of biofilm, which can 

negatively impact the overall efficiency of 

the cooling system. 

This is because biofilms can contain 

sulphite-reducing or iron-depositing 

bacteria that destroy steel, wreaking 

havoc on water cooling system pipes. 

This microbiological corrosion is 10 to 

1,000 times quicker to develop and 10 to 

100 times more aggressive than standard 

corrosion. 

WWA: Do you have any case studies 

you could share about a country’s 

temperature and climate affecting the 

water reused for cooling towers? 

LAI: Singapore is hot and humid 

throughout the year, making it almost 

necessary for Singaporeans to have an airconditioning 

system. This is no different 

for a building situated at an industrial 

site in Singapore, which hosts office and 

production facilities with approximately 

200 people. The building needs constant 

climatisation, which means the system 

must provide cooling 24/7. 

The cooling tower is installed as an open 

system on the roof of this industrial 

building, where constant sand, dust and 

airborne pollutants are dragged from 

the sprinkled water and deposited in 

the cooling water sump tank, creating 

undesired sludge. 

The cooling tower is cleaned at a monthly 

interval manually by operations staff, but 

also employs a UV system installed in a 

bypass to conduct regular disinfection 

in between sessions of manual cleaning. 

The water is also exchanged in biweekly 

cycles, which leads to greater 

consumption of freshwater as well as 

increased tariffs for the wastewater 

released. 

However, this still proved insufficient in 

the face of constant operations, as the 

system still experienced a biofouling 

problem after three years, where biofilm 

had grown at the pipes and the reservoir 

of the cooling tower. 


FOCUS 29 

WWA: What did you have to do to resolve 

this issue? 

LAI: Firstly, we dosed chlorine dioxide in 

the bypass to remove the existing biofilm 

using Grundfos’ Oxiperm Pro. To ensure 

the cooling towers has the adequate water 

reuse infrastructure to avoid running into 

the issue of biofouling again, Grundfos 

proposed implementing digital dosing 

pumps into the system for the dosing of 

antiscalants and pH correction. 

To ensure appropriate dosing with an 

accurate and efficient system, Grundfos 

employed an optimum solution through 

the use of SMART Digital DDA and the 

DID measuring and control system. The 

digital dosing pumps not only regularly 

introduces chlorine dioxide into the 

system, it ensures that the right amount 

of chlorine dioxide is used for each 

dose, by measuring the chlorine dioxide 

concentration, pH and conductivity in the 

recirculation loop. To control the dosage, 

a measurement and control system has 

been installed. The whole system is 

connected to the BMS or SCADA to provide 

documentation and insights. 

The concentration in the water is also 

measured continuously online, where the 

dosing is only done if the chlorine dioxide 

concentration drops below a certain level. 

These measures in turn minimises the use 

of chlorine dioxide as much as possible, 

while still ensures the water is disinfected 

without requiring valuable labour 

resources for cleaning. 

Meanwhile, the DID measuring and control 

system allows the monitoring of 

concentration level of impurities in 

the water system. This consists of two 

conductivity sensors which constantly 

measures the water’s conductivity, 

ensuring the constant monitoring of any 

changing feed water condition or corrosion 

risk due to increasing salt concentration 

in the cooling tower loop. This puts the 

system owner in control of the cycles of 

concentration that the cooling tower is 

operating at any time, without the need 

to wait for laboratory results or manual 

measurement. 

In summary, Grundfos was able to achieve 

three key benefits: 

1. Reduced operation expenses: The 

SMART Digital DDA has a dosing 

accuracy better than +/- 1% of the 

set point, which enables increased 

system performance and savings of 

chemical consumables. 

2. Water efficiency: Through the precise 

measuring and controlling capabilities 

of the DID measuring and control 

system, unnecessary production 

downtime is avoided while the 

intelligent system also enables 

reduction of cleaning water to lower the 

environmental footprint of facility. 

3. Optimised process: Operators will feel 

more confident in using and adjusting 

the SMART Digital DDA equipment, 

as the clear plain texts is available in 

25 languages, and the traffic light 

system indication the operating status, 

are easy to operate. 

WWA: We understand some methods 

of treating water include using UV 

sterilisation - what are some fallbacks 

of using this method, and how does the 

technology that Grundfos offers compare? 

LAI: While UV sterilisation has proven to be 

effective in the rapid, effective inactivation 

of microorganisms, it might not work 

in some cases as demonstrated by the 

Singapore cooling towers case, where the 

system was still overtaken by a biofouling 

issue three years into its operations. 

On the other hand, chemical disinfectant 

like chlorine dioxide have a residual effect, 

which means that they remain active in 

the water after disinfection. It continues to 

prevent pathogenic microorganisms from 

growing in the plumbing after disinfection. 

Concerns around exceeding the required 

amount of chemicals into the water is 

addressed through our technology’s 

ability to measure the concentration in 

the water continuously online, where the 

dosing is only done if the chlorine dioxide 

concentration drops below a certain level. 

In addition to what I had shared on the 

digital dosing pumps and other measuring 

applications, Grundfos has also developed 

an app to ease the chemical management 

in dosing applications. Managing 

hazardous chemicals, reporting, logging, 

and surveillance will no longer be a worry 

for cooling tower owners and operators. 

All components function perfectly on their 

own but with the chemical management 

app, users can add another layer of safety, 

while ensuring compliance with legislation. 

The onsite chemical preparation combined 

with the digital dosing technology, the 

measurement and control devices deliver 

safe and reliable operations for the 

system’s end-user. For chemical suppliers 

and the system builders or operating 

companies, the solution helps secure the 

chemical handling and the operation of the 

overall cooling system. 

WWA: Is there anything else you would 

like to add? 

LAI: Digitalisation unlocks efficiency, 

profitability, and resilience in the water 

sector, and this is best exemplified by new 

technologies that are currently emerging 

for industrial water reuse. As industries 

continue to evolve, business leaders 

should not neglect opportunities to also 

innovate in all aspects of their operations, 

especially water management, which 

plays a big role in operational cost and 

consumption of resources. With water 

being an increasingly scarce resource, 

industries need to play their part in 

reducing their water consumption to 

strengthen global water security. 


30 FOCUS 

Fruitful 

endeavours 

From tasty treat to wastewater 

treatment essential, is there anything 

the pineapple cannot do? 

Associate Professor Duong Hai-Minh (centre) and his team of 

researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) 


Ever since they were first discovered 

by the Europeans in 1493, pineapples 

have fascinated humankind to no end. 

The spiky fruit is surprisingly versatile, with 

applications ranging from: 

- The gourmet (and how the pro-vs-anti 

pineapple on pizza debate rages on), 

- The practical (when mixed with sand, 

pineapple juice makes for quite the decent 

cleaning solution), and 

- The eco-friendly (we hear Piñatex is doing 

quite well these days). 

Yes, the humble Ananas comosus is capable 

of a great many things - and as of this year 

has been found to be a potential boon for the 

water and wastewater treatment industry. 

This comes as researchers from the 

National University of Singapore (NUS) have 

discovered a more novel use for the tropical 

fruit by converting its leaves into ultra-light, 

biodegradable aerogels. 

“Every year, 27.4m tonnes of pineapples are 

harvested, and 76.4m tonnes of pineapple 

leaf waste is generated. This in turn could 

release harmful chemicals and greenhouse 

gases such as carbon oxide and nitrogen 

oxide, that can cause serious environmental 

problems,” explained Associate Professor 

Duong Hai-Minh, who leads the nine-person 

team from the NUS Faculty of Engineering’s 

Department of Mechanical Engineering. 

“By converting pineapple leaf waste into 

high-value materials such as aerogels, we 

can help to solve environmental problems.” 

“EIGHTEEN TIMES FASTER THAN 

CONVENTIONAL METHODS” 

The process of manufacturing these 

biodegradable aerogels (referred to by 

Duong as eco-aerogels) is 18 times faster 

compared to conventional methods of 

producing commercial aerogels, needing 

only 10 to 12 hours to be ready. 

Duong describes the process. “Firstly, the 

pineapple fibers are extracted from the 

leaves by the decortication machine. This 

is a low-cost but highly effective method to 

obtain the fibers. Then, the fibers are cut 

into small pieces and mixed with crosslinker 

polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in a desired 

ratio. The mixture is sonicated for 10 minutes 

for homogenization and cured at 80°C to 

promote the cross-linking reaction between 

the fibers and PVA. After that, the suspension 

is freeze-dried to produce eco-aerogels. 

The fabrication process varies according to 

the type of raw material used. The key steps 

are: shredding/blending, mixing with water 

and a small amount of non-toxic chemicals, 

stirring, ageing, freezing, and freeze-drying.” 

He further explained that no expensive 

or hazardous chemicals are used in 

manufacturing the eco-aerogels, and a 

1sqm sheet of eco-aerogel with a 1cm 

thickness will cost less than $10 to produce, 

and can be sold for between $30-$50. At 

present, commercial aerogels on the market 

are costly, and comparatively speaking a 

commercially-manufactured blanket thermal 

insulation sheet made from aerogels of the 

same size can be sold for over $300. 

“These eco-aerogels made from pineapple 

leaf fibres are very versatile,” said Duong. 


FOCUS 31 

The pineapple fibres only need 10 to 12 hours to be processed into the eco-aerogel 

“They are effective as oil absorbents, and 

we have also demonstrated their potential 

applications in food preservation and 

wastewater treatment. This is a big step 

towards sustainable agriculture and waste 

management.” 

Previously, the NUS team had experimented 

with producing eco-aerogels using other 

kinds of agricultural and food waste such 

as sugarcane bagasse, coffee grounds, and 

okara. 

PINEAPPLES AND WASTEWATER 

So what can the eco-aerogel do, exactly? 

According to Duong, utilisation of the ecoaerogels 

will be targeted at the removal 

of heavy metal pollutants in wastewater. 

“As cities move towards industrialisation, 

common heavy metal pollutions in 

wastewater are expected - for example, 

nickel (II) ion: A non-biodegradable toxic 

metal ion and known carcinogen. Ingesting 

water with nickel (II) ion concentration 

exceeding the permissible limit of 0.02mg/L 

would affect human organs and the central 

nervous system. 

treatment. We would first functionalise or 

modify our eco-aerogels with different amine 

groups, which can be very useful when it 

comes to removing heavy metal ions from 

wastewater. 

The porous structure of our aerogels helps 

with the adsorption process, because it 

increases the surface area exposed to the 

wastewater. This application can help with 

wastewater treatment in areas where high 

concentrations of heavy metal ions are found 

in the wastewater.” 

For example, Duong elaborates, ecoaerogels 

are able to remove up to four times 

more nickel ions in industrial wastewater 

when coated with diethylenetriamine (DETA), 

as opposed to conventional methods that 

use naturally-derived clay and syntheticallydoped 

graphene. 

What’s even better, he explains, is that this 

process does not generate secondary waste, 

and the eco-aerogels can be reused several 

times - which can go a long way in helping 

treatment plants achieve higher efficiency at 

lower costs. 

Duong and his team are currently working 

with DP Aerogels and Mapletree to pilot the 

large-scale production of these eco-aerogels 

for high-value applications. The eco-aerogels 

are expected to be in the market within the 

next three years. 

All images credited to the National University 

of Singapore. 

Eco-aerogels made from pineapple leaf 

fibres have stronger mechanical properties 

and they are suitable for use in wastewater 

This eco-aerogel will prove useful in the removal of heavy metal ions in industrial wastewater 


32 FOCUS 


FOCUS 33 

There is a critical mass of projects 

being assembled to accelerate the 

Water Circular Economy in Europe, 

with key learnings of interest to utilities 

across Asia. 

From water utilities to a beer brewery, 

in total 10 NextGen projects have 

been selected to represent a variety of 

stakeholders who could participate and 

benefit from circular economy activities. 

Gerard van den Berg, Coordinator of ULTIMATE 

and Project Manager of the International 

Research Programme at KWR 

While innovations unlocking resources from 

wastewater, including water, energy, and 

resources are encouraging, the needed link 

between water utilities and industries is 

often missing. 

Two exciting European projects, being led 

by KWR Water Research Institute in the 

Netherlands, are linking together multiple 

stakeholders to accelerate knowledge 

transfer and help bridge this gap. 

Under the ULTIMATE project, a total of 

27 project partners have come together 

to create economic value and increase 

sustainability by valorising resources within 

the water cycle. 

Co-financed by the European Commission, 

the four-year Horizon2020 project is 

being carried out under the EU Water 

in the Context of the Circular Economy 

programme. 

Christos Makropoulos, principal scientist, 

KWR, said, “Traditional, linear supply chains 

involving production, consumption and 

disposal have become vulnerable. Climatic 

changes, commercial competition and 

environmental degradation, are putting 

existing business models under strain. 

While solving each of these challenges on 

their own is very difficult, what if we could 

help to solve all three problems at once? 

Developing local, robust and transparent 

markets for water-embedded resources, 

including water, energy and materials can 

help to climate-proof the European society.” 

As well as leading ULTIMATE and NextGen, 

KWR is involved in all relevant EU projects 

on circularity. Bridging science to practice, 

the organisation has expertise in creating 

new business models and values, involving 

stakeholders and identifying unknown risks 

in the transition to a circular economy. 

Christos Makropoulos, Principal Scientist, KWR 

In total, nine large-scale demonstrations 

across Europe have been selected for 

ULTIMATE, from the agro-food, beverage, 

chemical/petrochemical and biotech sectors. 

Gerard van den Berg, coordinator of 

ULTIMATE and project manager of the 

International Research Programme at KWR, 

indicates that “besides developing sound 

technological innovations supporting the 

Circular Economy we will also look into 

partnerships between industries and water 

utilities and (co-)ownership of water 

service providers”. 

A second project, NextGen, will drive the 

Circular Economy through a wide range of 

water-embedded resources, including water, 

energy and materials. 

Key findings will be instrumental in 

developing an EU Roadmap and will provide 

new insights that support wider uptake of 

circular solutions in the global water sector. 

Jos Frijns, coordinator of NextGen and 

Resilience Management & Governance team 

leader at KWR, added, “To unlock resources 

and water in the circular economy, there is 

a need for innovative technology, business 

and governance solutions. 

A rejuvenation of local, national and 

regional economic activity could help 

towards economic growth with low 

environmental impact.” 

Jos Frijns, Coordinator of NextGen and Resilience 

Management & Governance team leader at KWR 

The four-year H2020 project brings 

together a partnership of 30 organisations 

to demonstrate technological, business 

and governance solutions for water in the 

circular economy. 


34 FOCUS 

According to research results 

published by the Environmental 

Institute at the University of Witten/ 

Herdecke (IEEM), it is possible to double 

the hit rate of the water sector. These 

results were published on 21 October as an 

outcome of the BMBF programme GRoW - 

Global Resource Water. 

The research results were surprising: 

Instead of being due to a lack of money 

of technologies, defaults of water service 

performance were found to be often due 

to a lack of “good water governance” 

– good governance of the water sector. 

This means that it is predominantly 

political or institutional deficiencies that 

ultimately cause malfunctions in local 

water management, up to and including 

total failure of the water supply and severe 

wastewater contamination. 

The seven most important factors in terms 

of frequency and relevance have now been 

listed by scientists as the “Seven Water 

Sins”. If addressed and properly mitigated, 

these seven topics can be considered as 

seven success factors and starting points 

to secure water service performance and 

prevent sunk investments. 

Professor Karl-Ulrich Rudolph, general 

director of the IEEM, said, “For the German 

tax budget, it may be considered a “singledigit, 

billion-euro-per-year problem” that 

the water supply and wastewater treatment 

fails so often because of these institutional 

shortcomings, despite considerable financial 

aid and good technologies from Germany, 

among others - especially in developing 

and emerging countries. However, the 

consequential damage caused by these 

failures is far greater. 

With the seven-sins list, a concrete guideline 

for the water sector is now available. 

Some of it can also be transferred to other 

infrastructure services and ecosystem 

services, such as the waste sector, recycling 

management or the energy industry. If this 

is implemented in practice, it can contribute 

to considerable improvements in the hit rate 

of technical and financial investments in 

research and development projects.” 

Photo credited to Maruxa Lomoljo Koren 


FOCUS 35 

1POOR INCENTIVES FOR 

WATER SERVICE 

PERFORMANCE 

Public services are seldom structured 

to pay different salaries for different 

work performance. Neglected staff and 

equipment for operation and maintenance 

(O&M) is a major bottleneck of success 

in service performance, and often the 

first expenditure which treasurers cut 

in times of financial difficulty. With no 

incentives for those responsible for water 

management on a local level, it is unlikely 

that water facilities are as well-functioning 

as they should be. 

The introduction of penalties and rewards 

(monetary and others) among different 

staff levels is important, and may help to 

reduce current difficulties in attracting 

qualified personnel and keeping them 

motivated. 

2 

INSUFFICIENT COST 

TRANSPARENCY 

Too many decisions are made in an 

information vacuum, leaving city councils 

and utility leaders without knowledge of 

real costs and unable to navigate without 

transparent financial data. 

Financial modelling that is focused on the 

needs of local water utilities and adapted 

to the structure of utility bookkeeping 

should be established. 

3NEGLECTED DEMAND 

MANAGEMENT 

To raise awareness is inevitable but of 

little value without reliable commitment. 

Low, subsidised tariffs, flat-rate tariffs, 

poor collection rates, legal barriers to 

cut or limit water supply can ruin all 

efforts for reasonable water demand 

management and finally the quality of 

water services. 

Utilities and organisations should realise 

water demand management targeted 

as one element of water efficiency, in 

combination with water loss reduction 

programmes addressing physical losses 

(such as leakages) and administrative 

losses (including water theft, unbilled or 

unpaid water consumption). Compared to 

the past, digitised water metering, leakage 

and pressure control is much easier. 

Progress has been achieved, but more can 

be done. 

4EMPLOYMENT OF 

CONSULTANTS INSTEAD 

OF LIABLE WATER SERVICE 

PROVIDERS 

Consultants can be of great help for water 

utilities. Independent advice without 

conflicts of interest to select between 

competing technologies or services shall 

come from independent consultants, not 

from companies selling this. To purchase 

water technologies or operational services 

is a different issue than to seek for advice. 

In most developing countries and emerging 

markets, there are often many consultants 

involved. Utilities and operators should 

use consultants, municipal twinning, water 

operator partnerships and others 

to train local staff, prepare procurement 

and supervise liable providers of goods 

and services. 

However, they should take care not to 

substitute liable technology and service 

providers with consultants paid per hour 

without output-based liability, even if others 

pay the bill. 

5WEAK LOCAL WATER 

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT 

Water and environmental services support 

the development of the local economy 

significantly. Local contracting will enhance 

political acceptance and willingness to 

charge respectively to pay for good water 

and sanitation services, in line with Social 

Development Goals (SDGs) set by the 

United Nations. 

Utilities should make use of lean design 

tender documents with work packages 

that are designed in a way to make certain 

lots more attractive to local entrepreneurs, 

in terms of risk share and obligations. For 

more ambitious works, authorities should 

make sure that international technology 

and service providers are not chased 

away, but incentivised to partner with local 

companies in a way that the local market 

can develop further. 

6 

NO IMPACT OF INVESTMENT 

FINANCE ON O&M 

Subsidised investment finance without 

risk on side of the lending banks is a 

fertile ground for insufficient O&M and 

sunk investments in the water sector. 

Blended (or hybrid) finance with a 

certain component of private risk finance 

contributed by commercial banks can be a 

reasonable solution, provided the technical 

risks of project development and execution 

are not socialised generating hidden 

risk guarantees to the disadvantage of 

taxpayers respectively water consumers. 

Wherever possible, lenders should prefer 

loans from financing institutions with a 

commercial component and collect 

competing offers from various, different 

banks. 

7 

POLITICAL INFLUENCE ON 

EXECUTIVE OPERATIONS 

Public entities and municipal water utilities 

are under political governance. This is 

justified for political decision-making and 

supervision, but not for the operational 

execution of what has been decided. 

However, and far too often in certain 

countries, water utilities are misused 

for self-catering. Execution fails without 

executives empowered to act according 

to managerial, technical, entrepreneurial 

needs disregarding political interferences. 

Ring-fenced utilities (not necessarily 

established as autonomous legal entities, 

but committed to act as a commercial 

company with the council as shareholders 

and the utility leader as CEO) can be a 

good way to make sure that the different 

political and executive roles and players are 

clearly defined and strictly separated. Ringfencing 

could be protected under binding 

contracts as pre-condition of donations 

under international law. 


36 VIEWPOINT 

Sustainable technology for 

on-site wastewater soluons 

By Steve Dennis, BMech(Hons), NER, CPEng, IntPE(Aus) 

Technical Engineer, Advanced Enviro-Septic (Asia-Pacific) 

According to a 2019 World Bank 

report, 780 million people in Asia 

still practice open defecation and 

80% of wastewater is disposed of without 

any type of treatment. 

Short of installing expensive sewage 

infrastructure, any attempts to address 

these concerns have generally relied on 

old-style on-site aerated wastewater 

(AWT) treatment systems of the kind 

that have been around for decades. Yet 

problems remain; a report by the Asian 

Development Bank into the region’s 

wastewater failings identified the need for 

operational maintenance and desludging 

and high failure rates as central. These 

issues are common to old-style aerated 

systems. 

Advanced passive systems are distinct 

from the older-style AWT systems with 

which many will be familiar. Passive 

wastewater treatment requires no 

electricity, uses no chemicals and has 

no troublesome mechanical parts. Many 

have no functional components above 

ground and wastewater is most commonly 

dispersed cleanly and safely below ground. 

As a leading Australian advanced passive 

wastewater treatment provider with 

thousands of successful domestic and 

commercial projects in Australia behind 

it, we believe advanced passive on-site 

treatment systems represent a more 

sustainable future for on-site wastewater 

management across Asia in the coming 

decades. 

wastewater in anaerobic (no oxygen) and 

anoxic zones (no free oxygen but utilising 

bound oxygen, such as via nitrates). 

A correctly designed septic tank will 

remove a significant amount of food in 

the form of Biochemical Oxygen Demand 

(BOD5) and Total Suspended Solids 

(TSS) from the raw wastewater. Solids 

accumulate on the base of the primary tank 

and floating material (scum) accumulates 

on the surface. This creates an airtight seal 

and anaerobic treatment conditions. 

The primary treated wastewater is then 

treated aerobically to either secondary 

or advanced secondary standard as the 

diagram for AES in Figure 1 shows. 

The AES system uses a number of 

3mx300mm pipes with ridges and skimmer 

tabs to aid in stripping solids whilst cooling 

the effluent. A bio-accelerator geo-textile 

mat that surrounds the bottom third of the 

pipe acts as a bio-mat whilst the pipe is 

wrapped in plastic fibres with a black geotextile 

outer layer. 

The pipes are installed in various 

arrangements, depending on the daily 

hydraulic load and site and soil constraints 

and are laid in a sand bed designed to 

meet local aggregate specifications. 

The system is aerobically vented using 

differential air vents and wastewater is 

discharged to the surrounding sand as a 

highly purified effluent. 

This system has now become the world’s 

most practical, economic and effective 

wastewater treatment system providing 

a clean, green alternative to traditional 

septic tank drainfield systems. The system 

is now approved and operating in over 14 

countries around the world. 

SOLVING ASIA’S SANITATION 

PROBLEMS 

Asian conditions vary hugely, of course. 

But issues such as high population 

densities, environmental degradation, 

severe weather outbreaks and climate 

change impact, under-developed 

WASH infrastructure, limited access to 

centralised services, and the lack of 

trained wastewater professionals are 

among those which are common across 

the region. 

AES advanced systems are able to 

address these concerns. 

NATURAL DISASTER 

RESILIENCE 

Our systems are below ground, so are 

less likely to be damaged. Also, they will 

continue to operate in a situation where 

power supply has been cut-off. 

This decreases the public health risks 

of over-flowing or broken wastewater 

treatment systems and also allows 

evacuated residents to move back home, 

even if the dwelling is damaged, and 

access a functioning wastewater system. 

HOW PASSIVE SYSTEMS WORK 

For these systems, the septic tank 

provides primary treatment of domestic 

Figure 1 


VIEWPOINT 37 

NO SERVICING 

AES systems are lightweight, easy to handle 

and do not require regular maintenance, 

such as the scheduled operational services 

needed for older-style AWT systems. 

This addresses one of the central 

problems for on-site wastewater treatment 

management across Asia and negates the 

need to train and monitor local service 

providers. 

1 

COST EFFECTIVE 

These systems require less outlay for 

installation - on a per-head basis - and 

have significant in-built savings due to 

few lifetime maintenance costs and no 

electricity requirement. 

This is good news for anyone from 

individual consumers to governments 

and water authorities, private investors 

and/or PPP project managers looking 

to work to strict budgets, especially in 

under-developed or remote and out-lying 

communities. 

ALL CONFIGURATIONS 

These systems are completely scalable. 

Assuming soil conditions and other issues 

are sorted, our systems will work perfectly 

well for anything from large commercial or 

multi-person situations (such as hotels and 

even townships) to single-person dwellings. 

2 

3 

AES systems can handle differing daily flow 

levels, at the same site. When installed, 

the system is brought up to the discharge 

specification immediately (each has a 

minimum 3,000-litre septic tank as a 

buffer). This allows maximum operational 

flexibility for a single site that may have 

multiple uses and variable occupancy rates. 

In comparison, some old-style AWT systems 

can take up to eight weeks to get up to 

discharge requirements and cannot cope 

with inconsistent food and flow levels. 

1: A large service centre in SE Queensland 

2-3: The day use area in an Australian national park 


38 VIEWPOINT 

ECO-FRIENDLY 

The reliance on various additives, such as 

chlorine or enzymes, for aerated systems 

can lead to environmental and health 

disasters. 

For instance, chlorine, a common additive 

for AWT systems, can, if used incorrectly, 

damage and even sterilise surrounding 

soil. It can also lead to a false sense of 

security for those who don’t understand 

how to apply the sanitiser material, leading 

to health problems through proximity to 

improperly treated wastewater effluent. 

AES systems require no chemical input. 

Also, the sand/soil interface in AES passive 

systems prevents a clogging layer that may 

occur with aerated systems, which can lead 

to land application area failure. 

The AES advanced product requires a 

relatively small footprint on-site. In sandy 

soil, the land use for our product is around 

10% of the comparable area for irrigated 

old-style AWT systems. 

LOW MAINTENANCE 

Often, on-site systems breakdown because 

there are no parts available, or because 

there is no personnel trained to service 

them, nor anyone willing to. 

AES systems require no maintenance, 

having no mechanical devices that can 

break and no need to clean. As already 

noted, no chemical readings are needed 

and there are no pumps and filters that 

need to be checked. Components do not 

need replacing. 

FINDING NEW SOLUTIONS 

As Asian communities face the existing 

pandemic and soon, hopefully, a period 

of recovery, finding safe, eco-friendly 

and economical solutions to the region’s 

massive wastewater and sanitation issues 

will be paramount. 

It’s perhaps time old-style wastewater 

treatment systems and technology are 

re-evaluated, especially given that a 

legacy technology that gives back to 

the environment, which doesn’t require 

upgrades or maintenance, and has a long 

lifespan, is now available. 


November / December 2020 • waterwastewaterasia.com 

VIEWPOINT 39

40 VIEWPOINT 

In a recent report, GWI WaterData 

estimated that the global total industrial 

capital expenditure is set to contract 

by 12.1% between 2019 and 2020, due 

to the impact of COVID-19 on businesses. 

Regardless of sector or industry, adopting 

measures to optimise production processes 

during these uncertain times can help 

businesses achieve improved performance 

capabilities and reduced operating 

costs, while minimising the need for 

capital expenditure. One way to enhance 

operations cost-effectively is to adopt water 

treatment solutions that offer versatility 

in consumption — adjusted according to 

production needs — or ones that cater 

to flexible contract durations. This way, 

businesses can strengthen business and 

operational resilience through solutions that 

offer operational and financial flexibility. 

Here are three flexible water treatment 

solutions that can help to optimise 

processes and maximise operating budgets: 

By: Alicia Chow, Veolia Water Technologies 

1 . 

MOBILE WATER SERVICES 

Modular or containerised water 

treatment systems like Veolia’s 

Mobile Water Services can assist 

with temporary or longer-term water 

treatment needs, based on a rental 

or leasing basis (depending of the 

length of hire). Such systems can be a 

cost-effective and efficient alternative to 

fixed plants for a wide range of industrial 

situations. Businesses can enjoy the 

flexibility to hire the required solutions 

for a period of time to address immediate 

water treatment needs, especially in cases 

where a plant is not permanent or if there 

are plans to make changes to it some 

time later. And as these water treatment 

systems are on a leasing scheme, 

businesses will not have to worry about 

retrofitting or upgrading costs. 

Veolia offers mobile water services to assist with temporary or longer-term water treatment 


VIEWPOINT 41 

By renting out cylinders to be exchanged after 

using them for water purification, business are able 

to focus on their core production processes 

SERVICE DEIONISATION & 

2. REGENERATION 

Service deionisation and regeneration 

offer businesses (such as those in 

the microelectronics industry) a 

worry-free experience for achieving 

high purity water during sensitive 

manufacturing processes. With this 

rental service, when exchangeable 

cylinders of media for water 

purification are exhausted, they will 

be replaced by regenerated cylinders 

delivered directly to the customer’s site. 

This way, businesses can focus on their 

core production processes and leave the 

job of ensuring a constant supply of pure 

water to solutions partners like Veolia. 

Rental of these cylinders is based on 

consumption levels and this allows greater 

flexibility for businesses to rent only what 

their production requires. Investment cost 

is significantly reduced as portables and 

projected maintenance costs will be borne 

by the service provider. 

3 . HYDREXTM CONTROLLER 

A smart chemical dosing and 

monitoring technology for cooling 

systems, Veolia’s Hydrex TM Controller 

allows for automated optimisation of 

chemicals in the treatment process. 

Poorly controlled water quality can 

result in undue expenses in the form 

of equipment failure, high energy 

bills, and high chemical, labour, and 

water costs. By optimising the levels 

of chemicals used and by achieving 

the correct chemical dosing required 

for treatment processes, businesses 

enjoy the need for less frequent 

maintenance sessions, benefit from 

maximum asset protection, and 

achieve bottom-line savings through 

reduced operating costs. 

With over 160 years of experience 

and a comprehensive range of 

service offerings, Veolia is a trusted 

partner who can address the water 

and wastewater challenges that 

businesses are faced with — no 

matter how complex these challenges 

may be. Tailored to meet customers’ 

needs, Veolia’s service offering 

allows businesses to optimise their 

operations with Veolia’s engineering 

expertise and service agility, and 

tap on the company’s cost-effective 

and flexible solutions to stretch their 

dollar. 

Veolia’s Hydrex TM controller, which allows for automated optimisation of chemicals in the 

treatment process 


42 VIEWPOINT 

By Grant McNay, Veolia Water Technologies 

With any piece of equipment, maintenance and repairs are required to ensure the system is performing at the highest standard. 

But how can one tell if a water (and wastewater) treatment plant is performing optimally? What are some tell-tale signs that 

reveal possible issues with a treatment system? As these treatment systems can have significant impact on a business’s 

competitivity and continuity, it is imperative for businesses to pay closer attention to when the systems require refreshing — either in the 

form of repairs or upgrades. 

Read on to find out more about five common warning signs that a water or wastewater treatment system may not be performing properly. 

1 . 

REDUCED SYSTEM RELIABILITY 

For any manufacturer, ensuring the 

reliability of the production processes 

is of utmost importance. Any system 

downtime, including breakdowns, can 

impact the bottom line significantly. 

If a plant is experiencing downtime or 

breakdowns more frequently, it might 

signal that the plant’s process water or 

wastewater treatment systems are not 

running normally. Production processes 

that rely heavily on a stable water treatment 

system will be adversely affected and 

operations can be halted altogether — 

ultimately leading to financial losses — if 

the reliability of the water treatment 

system deteriorates. Regular checks can be 

adopted as a preventive measure and the 

need for an upgrade can be identified and 

addressed early. 

2 

DECREASE 

. 

3 . 

IN EFFICIENCY 

An inefficient water treatment 

system can result in undue expenses 

on higher energy, water, and even 

chemical usage just to produce water 

or discharge of a certain quality. In 

the long term, a system’s sub-optimal 

performance may also mean a higher 

FLUCTUATIONS IN WATER 

QUALITY 

Water and wastewater treatment 

plant operators are no strangers to 

the standards for water or discharge 

quality (usually for compliance with 

local regulations). These standards 

serve both as a guide for the business 

and as a target for plant operators, 

which goes a long way to ensuring 

that the plant serves the business’s 

production needs well. When the water 

quality produced by a plant begins 

to deteriorate or fluctuate despite all 

other factors remaining constant, it 

could be an indication of issues with 

the treatment system. Variability in 

risk of equipment failure due to the greater 

strain it places on the equipment. Plant 

operators who are observing an increase in 

consumption of resources, such as electricity, 

water, and chemicals, should assess the 

systems to determine if there are issues with 

the plant that may have caused efficiency 

levels to dip. 

conductivity, total organic carbon (TOC), 

biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), 

chemical oxygen demand (COD), total 

suspended solids (TSS), and pH levels are 

some common indicators. 

When a system performs inconsistently, 

there can be serious repercussions for the 

business, such as delays to the production 

process or even additional cost to treat the 

water or wastewater again. Plant operators 

can look into upgrading systems to 

advanced water or wastewater technologies 

that will allow them to achieve a steady 

water or discharge quality — ensuring 

production process or environmental 

discharge requirements are met. 


VIEWPOINT 43 

. 

DECLINE IN TREATMENT treatment system, engineers considers the 

4 CAPACITY 

plant’s water needs and specifies a system 

Another indication that the water with the required capacity. A decline in 

treatment system is not working well is the system’s treatment capacity reflects 

a decline in capacity that may lead to possible issues with the plant and that it 

an inability to support production. One may be due for some repairs or upgrades. 

such example is a dip in the system’s 

flowrates. When designing a water 

INCREASED REPORTS OF control agent when treating process water 

5 . SAFETY INCIDENCES 

so as to control pure water quality and 

Most facilities that deal with water or prevent biofouling. 

wastewater treatment are classified 

hazardous due to the high amounts Safety incidences are serious warning signs 

of energy and chemicals consumed that the water treatment system is not 

during the treatment processes. performing optimally and presents risks 

It is also important to monitor the to both the staff and equipment involved. 

operations for safety hazards like rising Plant operators will do well to ensure their 

gas pressure in tanks or a sudden treatment systems meet safety standards 

release of pressure, gases, or heat — through conducting regular audits to 

which are complications that could identify gaps in processes or issues with 

arise due to the processes involved the current system. Automated solutions 

in treating water or wastewater. For like chemical dosing equipment can also be 

example, nitrogen gas is commonly adopted to reduce employee exposure to 

injected to the stream as a bacterial chemicals and to minimise risks. 

OPTIMISATION TO ENHANCE 

BUSINESS COMPETITIVITY 

Water (and wastewater) treatment systems 

that perform sub-optimally can affect 

production lines, damage reputations, and 

even lead to financial losses. Businesses 

may need to constantly optimise their 

water and wastewater treatment systems 

in order to remain competitive. An 

experienced partner like Veolia can offer 

businesses a comprehensive range of 

service offerings, including maintenance 

services, audit programmes, and real-time 

digital monitoring tools, which can mitigate 

possible performance issues and overcome 

the challenges in managing the health of 

their treatment systems. 


44 HOTSEAT 

Seawater desalination project in the Philippines 

With JKMATIC’s super low 

pressure (SLP) and no spring 

and metal material (NSM) 

technology, it enhances disc filter 

backwash pressure to as low as 1.2 bar 

(17psi), hence, saving energy. 

By adopting the NSM technology, there 

is no direct connect between water and 

metal. In addition, the disc filter has 

excellent corrosion resistance along with 

enhance applicable option of desalination 

or brackish water filtration. 

In 1997, JKMATIC was the first company 

to introduce the disc filter technology 

to the Chinese market and is one of the 

pioneers in the market of systems for 

industrial water treatment. 

For more than two decades, JKMATIC has 

been one of the world leaders in industrial 

water treatment including disc filter, 

diaphragm valve and multi-valve controller 

system technology. The company has its 

own research-develop-and-manufacture 

disc filter factory in China, allowing it to 

constantly carry out technical optimisation 

upgrades to achieve international 

advanced standards. In addition, JKMATIC 

also pays close attention to its product 

quality. This is seen in its disc filter where 

it is fatigue resistance, impact resistance 

and has a service life that can exceed its 

competitors. 

Consultation with clients is provided by 

leading specialists and managers who 

are ready at any time to offer the best 

solution for the most complex problems in 

the field of water treatment. Their technical 

specialists have a huge experience in 

installing the equipment and can quickly 

and easily organise the transfer of dirty 

water into clean. 

Thanks to its leading technology and 

excellent quality, the company was able to 

provide excellent service and technology 

during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“We firmly believe that be being customeroriented, 

providing state-of-the-art 

technology and paying close attention to 

quality, we can then continue to bring the 

best into the market,” said JKMATIC. 



HOTSEAT 45

46 HOTSEAT 

Gradiant’s recent acquisition of Sigma Water is a 

strategic one, and Water & Wastewater Asia sits down 

with Sankar Natarajan, Vice President of Sales, Gradiant 

Corporation, to find out what’s on the cards for the 

company with this new partnership 


Sankar Natarajan, VP of Sales, Gradiant Corporation 

The effects of climate change are 

becoming more and more apparent in 

Malaysia, according to Sankar Natarajan, 

Gradiant Corporation’s Vice President (VP) 

of sales. 

“Erratic weather patterns are leading to water 

shortages. This raises the overall need for more 

responsible practices when it comes to water 

treatment, allowing for finite water resources to 

be maximised,” he explained. 

“However, a major challenge Gradiant faced 

in Malaysia as well as many regions of South 

East Asia was the relatively low level of 

awareness of the value that industrial 

wastewater management systems can 

provide. Without recognising the importance 

of safeguarding and maximising water resources, 

prospective clients are often unwilling to invest 

financially. This invariably becomes the main 

obstacle for companies such as ourselves 

to deliver services at an optimal level, being 

constrained by conservative budgets.” 

Being able to face this challenge head-on was a 

key factor in the company’s recent acquisition 

of Sigma Water Engineering, an industrial water 

and wastewater treatment company based in 

Selangor, Malaysia. 

“Sigma Water was identified as a 

complementary partner to Gradiant based on 

its extensive experience, manufacturing 

capabilities, and reputable network. The 

company also has a highly successful track 

record serving clients in Food and Beverage, 

Oil and Gas, Glove Manufacturing, Leachate 

treatment and other various water-intensive 

industries across Malaysia with industrial 

water treatment systems,” said Sankar. 

“In addition to the strong relationships 

that Sigma Water enjoys with key vendors 

and clients in Malaysia, it also has a strong 

manufacturing front, operating a fabrication 

and chemical storage facility.” 

With this partnership between Gradiant and 

Sigma Water, Gradiant’s team is confident 

that they will be able to provide more 

effective support to projects in key markets 

including Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, and 

Indonesia. The combination of Gradiant’s 

technologies and financing capabilities 

alongside Sigma Water’s project delivery and 

O&M expertise will enable Gradiant to offer 

an extensive suite of sustainable and costeffective 

water treatment solutions to water 

markets in Malaysia and South East Asia. 

Sankar said, “Gradiant’s acquisition 

strategy is centred around acquiring 

synergistic entities, possessing strengths 

complementary to its technology portfolio 

and strong financing capabilities. By virtue 

of its strong operating track record and 

established connections across the 

Malaysian business landscape, Sigma 

Water will enhance Gradiant’s market 

access, enabling the company to reach 

out to potential customers with a value 

proposition that combines local credibility 

with a proven technology portfolio backed 

by global expertise.” 

For Gradiant, this acquisition couldn’t have 

come at a better time: the company has 

enjoyed a strong year so far, winning 12 

projects in H1 2020 across the Asia Pacific 

region, ranging from the production of 

domestic water from rivers to treatment 

of high-contamination industrial effluent 

for reuse, including Zero Liquid Discharge 

(ZLD) applications. 

This comes as Malaysia’s industrial water 

and waste water treatment market is 

expected to grow upward of $700 million 

by 2022, according to a report published 

by Ken Research. While policymakers 

in Malaysia have recognised the need 

for water and wastewater management 

technologies to safeguard water resources, 

a key growth driver will likely be the 

country’s manufacturing hub aspirations. 

Gradiant has anticipated that these plans 

will boost demand for water treatment 


HOTSEAT 47 

technology across industries, with existing 

facilities upgraded to cope with modern 

demands. Research has also suggested that 

membrane-based treatment processes such 

as ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis are 

the technologies poised to be the most in 

demand in the coming years. 

Gradiant is well placed to capitalise upon 

this trend, having recently introduced RO 

Infinity (ROi), consolidating Gradiant’s 

membrane innovations into a single 

integrated solutions suite. Aimed at 

maximising recovery rates from municipal 

and industrial wastewater, ROi solutions 

can nearly double the amount of freshwater 

traditionally produced by conventional 

processes. 

Looking at the big picture, water demand is 

expected to increase across the South East 

Asian region, with unprecedented changes 

coming off the back of dealing with the 

current COVID-19 pandemic. 

Sankar commented, “While prospects may 

have been impacted in the early days of the 

pandemic due to the economic uncertainty, 

sustainability has emerged at the core of 

post-pandemic recovery strategies in the 

region, delivering a boost to sustainable 

technologies such as Gradiant’s. Decision 

makers in ASEAN have viewed the disruption 

caused by the pandemic as an opportunity 

to rejig economies for long term growth. 

At the 36 th ASEAN Summit, sustainability 

was recognised as being key to long term 

growth, and is expected to form a core 

GRADIANT 

component of post-pandemic economic 

recovery plans. 

Furthermore, the risk of water scarcity in many 

parts of Asia, driven by the impact of climate 

change, could potentially elevate interest 

and demand for desalination and water 

filtration solutions, which we believe constitutes 

an incremental addressable market worth 

$500 million. Moving ahead, Gradiant 

foresees this trend to continue as the global 

economy stabilises and refocuses on long term 

sustainable growth.” 

A mutually beneficial relationship 

Between Gradiant and Sigma Water, Sankar has outlined the following benefits that both 

sides gain from this partnership: 

- Physical presence in Malaysia 

- Local market insight, capabilities, and 

access into local industries such as 

FMCG and glovemaking 

- Access to high-quality, low-cost 

manufacturing base 

SIGMA WATER 

- Access to Gradiant’s R&D and product 

platforms 

- Access to capital that will boost its ability 

to participate in Build-Own-Operate (BOO) 

projects and larger Engineering, Procurement 

and Construction (EPC) projects 


SWA Virtual Tour: Experimental Power 

Gride Centre 

18 th September 2020, Complimentary, Cisco Webex 

NEWSLETTER 

OF THE 

SINGAPORE 

WATER 

ASSOCIATION 

BRINGING 

A NEW VIBRANCY 

TO SINGAPORE’S 

GROWING 

WATER INDUSTRY 

Singapore Water Associaon organised an inaugural virtual 

visit to the Experimental Power Grid Centre (EPGC) on 

Thursday, 18 September, 10am, facilitated by the Smart 

Grid & Power Electronics Consorum Singapore (SPECS). 

Dr Marcus Koh also gave a comprehensive overview of 

EPGC’s megawa-scale (MW) grid facility which is one of 

the largest facilies in this region. They have a complete 

range of generaon sources, energy storage systems, and 

loads, which allow equipment manufacturers and system 

integrators to test out their technology or configuraon at 

actual power before deployment. 

SWA Webinar: Unlocking the potenal of 

Wastewater 

22 nd September 2020, Complimentary, Cisco Webex 

Organised by the Singapore Water Associaon and The 

Royal Danish Embassy, a complimentary webinar was held 

on September 22 nd 2020, and was well aended by 104 

parcipants. The objecve of the webinar was to establish 

and foster potenal collaboraons between the Singaporean 

and Danish companies, focused in the area of wastewater 

businesses. 

This webinar has also been included as one of the 

acvies in the official working programme under the new 

environmental collaboraon agreement between Denmark 

and Singapore by the Embassy, supported by the State of 

Green, The Danish Export Associaon and PUB, Singapore’s 

Naonal Water Agency.

SWA Technical Briefing: PUB BIM e-Checker Iniave 

6 th October 2020, Complimentary, Cisco Webex 

PUB has launched BIM, a self-checking system for Building Plan Consultaon, and the Singapore Water Associaon 

arranged a Technical Briefing on this e-Checker iniave on Tuesday, 6 October. Forty-two parcipants aended 

the complimentary session and gained knowledge from the plaorm overview and live demonstraon. 

SWA 17 th Annual General Meeng: 

21 st September 2020, Cisco Webex 

The inaugural e-AGM was held on 21 st September with more than 50 aendees, amongst whom 34 are eligible 

voters. The new 2020-2022 Council was elected and concluded aer a round of electronic vong. 

Execuve Council for Year 2020 - 2022 

Office-Bearers 

President 

Chew Men Leong 

ST Engineering Marine Ltd 

Immediate Past President 

Tan Cheng Guan 

Sembcorp Industries Ltd 

Vice-President 

(General Affairs) 

Charles Quek 

HSL Constructor Pte Ltd 


(Finance) 

Adrian Yeo 

Sembcorp Industries Ltd 


(Administraon) 

Dinesh Sharma 

DNR Process Soluons Pte Ltd

Execuve Council for Year 2020 - 2022 (con't) 

Council Members 

Chiu Kuang Ping 

AECOM Singapore Pte Ltd 

Tse Yau Shing 

Black & Veatch (SEA) Pte Ltd 

Vinod Singh 

JACOBS 

Mamta Jain 

DHI Water & Environment (S) Pte Ltd 

Michelle Liu 

UES Holdings Pte Ltd 

Co-opted Council Members 

PUB Representave 

Robin Wong 

Xylem Water Soluons (S) Pte Ltd 

Chen Chia Lung 

Environmental & Water Technology 

Centre of Innovaon 

Kunal Shah 

Anaergia Inc. 

Michael Toh 

(Appointed 1 April 2020) 

UPCOMING SWA ACTIVITIES 

SWA WEBINAR: Indian Water Market 


SWA Virtual introducon: PUB Water Reclamaon Process & Technology outlook 

22 nd October 2020, Complimentary, Cisco Webex

SWA Virtual introducon: 

Overview of CCKWW Upgrading Project – Use of Ceramic Membranes 


SWA WEBINAR SERIES 

November 2020 

Date Time 

3 rd November 10.00am to 

2020 11.30am 

11 th November 1.30pm to 

2020 2.30pm 

19 th November 3.00pm to 

2020 4.30pm 

Agenda 

Water for All – Sustainable resource 

management 

In conversaon with SWA members and 

Enterprise Singapore 

Advancing Innovaons Through 

Partnerships: The Singapore Experience 

Technical Site Visit 

December 2020 

Date Time Site Locaon 

1 st December 9am to 12pm Takeda Pharmaceucal Plant @ Woodlands 

2020 

SWA WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS 

(joined in August and September 2020) 

ORDINARY MEMBERS 

• BIOPSIN Pte Ltd 

• Robert Bosch (SEA) Pte Ltd 

• Tialoc Singapore Pte Ltd 

ASSOCIATE MEMBER 

• ION-Asia Pte Ltd 

PUBLISH YOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS OR ADVERTISEMENT 

Members, who have any press releases or corporate announcements to share with the public, kindly contact the 

SWA secretariat at enquiry@swa.org.sg. 

SWA reserves the right to edit the submied text. 

INTERESTED TO JOIN SWA? 

We welcome all organisaons who are acvely involved and interested in the water and wastewater industry 

to join the Singapore Water Associaon as either Ordinary, Associate, Instuonal or Individual member. 

Sign up at hps://www.swa.org.sg/membership/sign-up-online

52 ON OUR RADAR 

Since its foundation in Japan in 1924, 

Tsurumi Manufacturing Co., Ltd. has 

been engaged in the manufacturing, 

supplying and sales of various pumps 

including submersible pumps as key product 

as well as environmental devices and related 

equipment. 

True to its name, Tsurumi is now debuting 

two 22kW models. The new models will 

be added to its flagship KTZ-series of 

submersible pumps which support a product 

lineup from 1.5kW to 15kW. 

The new kW models are available in two 

types: KTZ422 (4-inch) and KTZ622 

(6-inch). These pumps provide a maximum 

head of 71m and maximum capacity of 

4m 3 /min. Built with a cast iron body and 

high-chromium cast iron impeller, the 

pumps are durable and wear resistance. 

For the discharge design of these pumps, 

a top discharge side flow structure is used 

which enables the slim body to be installed 

in a confined space while ensuring extended 

operation at a low water level. 

Heavy duty and highly reliable, the 

KTZ-series are suitable for harsh work 

environments such as mining, quarrying, 

construction and tunnel work sites. In 

addition, the Tsurumi’s original multidirectional 

hose coupling structure enables 

flexible on-site setup for either vertical 

or inclined discharge with just a wrench. 

This is on top of Tsurumi’s standardised 

requirements for general submersible 

pumps anti-wicking cable, motor protector, 

dual inside mechanical seals with silicon 

carbide faces, and Oil Lifter. 

Additionally, as found on the 7.5kW and 

higher motor output models of the KTZseries, 

the 22kW models have seal pressure 

relief ports in the pump unit which prevent 

pump pressure from being applied to 

mechanical seals. 

The semi-open impeller mounted on the 

KTZ-series is stronger against wear as 

compared to closed impeller, which reduces 

the performance degradation rate. This 

results in easier maintenance as frequent 

gap adjustment is not required. In order to 

compensate higher thrust load that acts 

on the bearings of the pump with closed 

impeller, Tsurumi adopts a double bearing 

KTZ pumps with multidirectional 

discharge 

and an impeller design that reduces the 

thrust load for KTZ 22kW models. 

These features are the results of the 

innovative technologies and unmatched 

know-how that Tsurumi has cultivated 

over years of manufacturing pumps for 

construction purposes. 

In addition to these pumps, Tsurumi offers 

a variety of pumps with excellent reliability 

and durability that can withstand harsh 

work conditions. 


ON OUR RADAR 53 

Easy configuration with new 

80 GHz compact radar transmitters 

for level measurement 

Siemens presents two new additions 

to the Sitrans LR100 series of 

80 GHz radar transmitters. These 

high-frequency, compact transmitters 

deliver robust, reliable measurements even 

in the most challenging environments. 

Both deliver fast and easy setup. Sitrans 

LR140 features 4-20 mA simplicity and 

is configured via Bluetooth wireless 

technology and the Sitrans mobile IQ App. 

Sitrans LR150 offers a four-button 

user interface on an optional HMI for 

configuration or monitoring. Configuration 

is also available via Bluetooth wireless 

technology and the Sitrans mobile IQ App 

or remotely with 4-20 mA/HART using 

Simatic PDM. 

The easy-to-use Quick Start Wizard 

will have the transmitter operational in 

minutes. Custom microchip technology 

delivers fast response and extremely high 

sensitivity to detect even the weakest of 

signals. 

Reliable readings mean reduced operator 

exposure to hazardous situations: no need 

to climb tanks, lean out over sumps, or 

crawl into confined spaces to maintain 

instruments. Zero blanking distance 

allows measurement right up to the 

sensor, thereby avoiding costly overfilling. 

And two-millimetre accuracy enhances 

operational safety through precise 

measurement through the full range of the 

application. 

All this robust performance is wrapped 

in a submersible housing constructed of 

corrosion-resistant materials. 

Integrating critical level readings or 

process control data into operations can 

unlock new opportunities to react to safety 

concerns, analyse processes and identify 

areas for improvement. 

Users can monitor level measurements or 

diagnostic and maintenance information 

from the comfort of the control room or 

connect to Siemens MindSphere, the cloudbased, 

open IoT operating system or any 

other IoT solution of their choice. 



Australasian deciduous crops such as apples and pears have a clean, green reputation internationally, which extends from growing through to production, 

and KDS sludge dewatering technology is being used internationally to handle food and beverage waste in an environmentally sensitive manner 

Sustainable food producer introduces NZ’s first KDS 

sludge dewatering technology to cost-efficiently reduce 

waste and environmental footprint 

A 

New Zealand food processing 

company committed to 

environmental excellence has 

become the country’s first adopter of a 

sludge dewatering technology engineered 

to cost-efficiently reduce the sustainability 

footprint of food, beverage, and wastewater 

treatment. 

The fruit producer is installing a compact 

and cost-efficient KDS multidisc Roller 

system from CST Wastewater Solutions 

to dewater wet sloppy screened waste 

from the peeling process. This transforms 

fruit waste from a wet and sticky heavy 

mass to a much drier product that is less 

messy, easier to handle, and transport for 

stockfeed or landfill. 

of $150 a ton to dispose of, including the 

specialised transport from the places where 

trade wastes are generated to centres where 

compacting, drying, recycling and disposal 

can take place in controlled environments,” 

said CST Wastewater Solutions Managing 

Director Mr Michael Bambridge. 

The NZ producer – which cannot be named 

because of contractual confidentiality 

provisions – is adopting its KDS technology 

to handle a highly variable quality and 

volume of up to 5m 3 /h. 

“This first NZ adopter of the KDS technology 

had previously tried alternative technologies, 

but none handled the variable volume 

involved or dewatered the fruit waste enough 

to prevent excess water and product from 

creating an unhygienic site and causing 

leakage,” said Mr Bambridge. 

The NZ producer selected a model SS611 

KDS with a longer press zone to achieve 

optimum dewatering of the sloppy and 

wet mix of peelings, leaves and pulpy 

fruit material. 

The technology will reduce volume by up 

to 90%, thus reducing transport costs and 

preventing any potential spillages during 

transport. There are also operational and 

OH&S benefits with the site being cleaner 

and easier to maintain, and the financial 

gain of not paying for transport and 

disposal of unnecessary water. 

“Heavy cakes of byproduct from growers 

and food processors can cost upwards 

KDS technology with its multi-roller system (above) eliminates sticky, sloppy sludge and spillages by 

producing a drier, much lighter and hygienic waste that is more easily transported and recycled) (See 

animation of the rollers here. See a video of the KDS used in fruit processing here.) 



Wet, sloppy waste is eliminated by KDS technology, which produces a lighter, drier, and more hygienic waste product 

KDS technology is also available in a skidmounted 

version, pictured above, which can 

be easily transported by truck or trailer to 

remote, sensitive or difficult to access sites 

“The dewatering concept being employed in 

this instance is to spread the waste over the 

table width and dewater a mat of material 

to maximise the surface area and minimise 

water retention. 

Waste activated sludge dryness levels are 

typically 15%-18% dryness. The high 

quality, Japanese-manufactured stainlesssteel 

technology: 

• Uses minimal energy, consuming as little 

as 0.06kW hr of electricity 

• Operates at low (63dBa) non-intrusive 

noise and vibration levels 

• Does not need water to keep clean, 

eliminating aerosol OH&S problems 

• Requires minimal daily maintenance, 

saving cost and enhancing OH&S 

performance 

• Occupies typically half the space or less 

of conventional dewatering plants 

• Is engineered to overcome the limitations 

of technologies such as screw presses, 

belt presses and centrifuges typically 

employed by small-to-medium 

applications to treat the sludge produced 

by their operations. 

This lighter, dryer waste it produces – in 

addition to being easier and cheaper to 

transport – reduces the need for manual 

labour in cleaning and transport operations 

and curtails the need for staff to handle 

sloppy heavy waste potentially hazardous 

to health in applications including: fruit 

and vegetable producers, juice processing 

and production facilities, food kitchens 

and catering facilities, as well as livestock, 

horticulture, agribusiness producing waste 

during processing of grains, cereals and 

grapes. 

The technology is also suitable for 

municipal and remote industrial worksite 

waste handling. where its cost-effectiveness 

and low-maintenance operation is a major 

advantage where engineering support may 

be far distant. 

This is an outstanding application of this 

globally proven technology, which is 

eminently suited to the food and beverage 

processing industry. It also very costefficiently 

advances the environmental 

credentials of a significant member of the 

Australasian fruit industry, which is also a 

major contributor to the local and export 

agricultural market,” said Mr Bambridge. 

The largest KDS unit can handle about 

100kg DS (dry solids) an hour at 98% solids 

capture, explained Mr Bambridge. 

The KDS technology limits the possibility 

of spillages on public roads while sludge is 

being transported, as well as reducing their 

carbon footprint required to transport the 

much lighter and more hygienic byproduct. 

Used for thickening of dissolved air flotation 

sludge – a very common application 

throughout wastewater operations – the 

KDS achieves solids capture of 97% 

thickened sludge at a dryness of 17%. 

Pristine Lord Howe Island uses waste treatment technology incorporating KDS 

technology, which produces drier, lighter and healthier output that is easier to handle 



LACROIX Sofrel, specialising in water 

network telemetry with more than 

40 years’ experience, is expanding 

its range of RTUs entirely dedicated to 

managing hydraulic installations. SOFREL 

YDRIX represents LACROIX Sofrel’s 

know-how in water networks telemetry, 

its constant listening to the needs of 

water operators and integration of new 

technologies. The new product is part 

of the corporate strategy “Connected 

Technologies for a Smarter Environment” 

and is fully integrated into the concept of 

telemetry 4.0 for water networks. 

SMART & MODULAR RTU FOR 

TELEMETRY AND PROCESS 

CONTROL OF WATER NETWORKS 

AND FACILITIES 

Designed to meet the needs of water 

network operators and localities, the 

SOFREL YDRIX RTU combines integrated 

4G communication, cybersecurity and 

process control in a single product. 

Equipped with 6DI (Digital Inputs), 2AI 

(Analog Inputs), 4DO (Digital Outputs) 

and serial communication ports RS485/ 

RS485i and RS232, making it easy to 

add Input/Output expansion modules, 

the SOFREL YDRIX RTU can easily be 

interfaced with pumps, valves, sensors 

and modbus equipment present at 

hydraulic facilities. Fully modular and 

offering “water business” function blocks, 

SOFREL YDRIX adapts to all types and 

sizes of installation: 

• Boreholes 

• Pumping stations 

• Booster stations 

• Water tanks 

• Drinking Water Treatment Plants 

• Wastewater lift stations 

• Wastewater Treatment Plants 

In addition to its remote control and 

monitoring features, its computational 

intelligence makes it possible to automate 

processes and optimise facility operations. 

SIMPLIFYING IMPLEMENTATION 

AND JOBS IN THE FIELD 

Integrators looking for efficient and fast 

implementation solutions will especially 

appreciate the 2G/3G/4G modem and 

the two ethernet ports fully integrated 

into the product. The setIT configuration 

software makes it simple and graphical 

to configure the product, communication 

modems, modbus interfaces, RTU inputs/ 

outputs and I/O extension modules. For 

greater efficiency, the software includes a 

help feature and diagnostic tool to assist 

the user at each step of the equipment 

configuration. 



A COMPLETE PROCESS CONTROL 

SUITE AND A VAST LIBRARY OF 

“WATER USE CASES” FUNCTION 

BLOCKS 

The installation processes are published in 

a process control suite included in SOFREL 

YDRIX. The powerful suite is compatible 

with the IEC 61131-3 standard and offers 

standard programming languages: ST, 

Ladder, FBD and SFC (Grafcet). Integrators 

also have a vast library of function blocks 

dedicated to the water business (volume 

calculations, flow rates, PID regulation 

function, etc.). For wastewater lift stations, 

in particular, the software has all the 

functions required to control the pumps 

and manage pump efficiency. Process 

control technicians can use a wide range of 

test, simulation and online debug tools to 

develop and adapt their programs on site or 

remotely. 

COMPLIANT WITH DNP3 AND 

IEC-60870-5-104 PROTOCOLS TO 

INTERFACE WITH ALL SCADA 

Interoperability with the TCP/IP networks 

and operators’ supervisors is guaranteed 

by the standard communication protocols 

DNP3 and IEC-60870-5-104 supported 

by SOFREL YDRIX. Based on these 

protocols, the RTU fits perfectly into the 

existing telemetry and SCADA networks 

and communicates securely with any 

standardised industrial SCADA software. 

SECURE COMMUNICATIONS AND 

CYBERSECURITY INTEGRATED 

SOFREL YDRIX supports VPN server 

protocols that ensure the cybersecurity of 

the infrastructure. The RTUs and operational 

supervisors are authenticated and certified. The 

data exchanged between its connected systems 

is fully encrypted. To complete all this, SOFREL 

YDRIX can interface with a Syslog server that 

tracks events in an operating log. 

The YDRIX RTUs are “full IP”; they communicate 

via their 2G/3G/4G modems or their ethernet 

links to the SCADA Central Station. These 

multiple systems allow for redundancy between 

the communication media. In the event of 

a failure on the main telecommunications 

network, SOFREL YDRIX automatically switches 

to secondary support and returns to normal 

when the initial network operates again. 

Operators can rely on this system to never lose 

information and to recover all their network 

data in real time. 

M2M COMMUNICATION WITH 

SOFREL LS/LT DATA LOGGERS 

The SOFREL LS and LT data loggers located 

on sites isolated from the network (reservoirs, 

manholes for metering or pressure monitoring, 

etc.) can communicate with a remote SOFREL 

YDRIX. Either periodically or when a certain 

level has been exceeded, SOFREL YDRIX 

receives the information from the data loggers 

and decides whether to fill the reservoir while 

also taking into account the needs of the 

network and electricity price periods. They also 

allow remote control of pressure on the water 

distribution network. 

By combining expertise in the telemetry & 

telecontrol over IP or 4G connection, water 

sector and cybersecurity SOFREL YDRIX 

provides an extremely innovative solution 

to guarantee the safety and performance of 

drinking water and wastewater networks. 



The new Pocan XHR (Xtreme 

Hydrolysis-Resistant) product range 

from LANXESS boasts outstanding 

resistance to hydrolytic degradation in 

very hot and humid conditions. In internal 

testing with standardised test specimens 

based on the stringent SAE/USCAR2 Rev. 

6 long-term hydrolysis tests of the US 

Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), 

the compounds reached Class 4 or Class 

5 – the top two ratings. 

“However, the launch of Pocan XHR has 

demonstrated that the additional benefits 

of the materials are just as important to 

many users. They often make the most 

of the high resistance to thermal shock, 

hot air, and chemicals, as well as the 

mechanical properties of the compounds 

based on polybutylene terephthalate 

(PBT),” explained Ralf Heinen, application 

developer at the High Performance 

Materials business unit. 

STABLE IN HOT AND DRY 

CONDITIONS 

Many electrical and electronic devices are 

exposed to ever-higher thermal loads for 

reasons including confined installation 

spaces or elevated operating temperatures. 

When used in dry environments, the 

plastics for these devices need to be 

able to withstand long periods in hot air. 

“That is another strength of Pocan XHR. 

For example, the impact strength of most 



product types in the XHR series remains 

virtually unchanged even after 3,000 

hours of being stored in 150°C air,” said 

Heinen. This makes the compounds ideal 

for parts in engine compartments, such 

as connectors, or for power electronics 

components. 

TAILOR-MADE FOR 

OVERMOULDING OF METAL 

PARTS 

Rapid and extreme changes in temperature 

often cause stress cracks in components 

with overmoulded metal areas because of 

the differences between metal and plastic 

in terms of thermal expansion. That is 

why LANXESS has given the Pocan XHR 

series elongation at break of up to 4.7% 

(ISO 527-1,-2) because high elongation at 

break counteracts the formation of stress 

cracks. Moreover, the improved longterm 

temperature stability and hydrolysis 

resistance reduce susceptibility to stress 

cracks. Stress crack resistance is tested 

under extremely harsh conditions in heat 

shock tests. This involves subjecting 

the overmoulded components to abrupt 

changes in temperature from -40°C 

to 125°C and back in several hundred 

cycles and keeping them at the various 

temperatures for extended periods (such 

as 30 minutes). 

As Heinen explained, “In heat shock 

tests, components with Pocan XHR metal 

overmoulding exhibit no stress cracks 

or, if they do, the cracks do not appear 

until after many multiples of the usual 

number of test cycles.” That makes the 

XHR products exceptionally well suited 

to overmoulding metal parts such as bus 

bars, connectors, power strips and main 

supporting frames. 

GOOD PROCESSING 

CHARACTERISTICS 

The melt viscosity of all Pocan XHR 

variants remains constant for a long time 

at the injection-moulding temperatures 

customary for PBT. The materials can 

therefore be injection moulded stably 

within a wide processing window. The 

improved flowability relative to comparable 

standard PBT materials makes it possible 

to implement thin-walled geometries. 

Furthermore, overmoulding of metal parts 

can take place at lower filling pressures, 

which means that the metal inserts are not 

distorted or pushed out of position in the 

tool by the molten material. 

IMPROVED ALKALINE STABILITY 

Standard PBT already has good chemical 

resistance, and Pocan XHR has taken 

that a step further. For example, it offers 

good resistance even to very strong 

alkalis. This reduces elongation at break 

only by around 40% when the material 

is stored at 55°C in 1-molar sodium 

hydroxide solution for 100 hours. That 

is a marked improvement over standard 

PBT. On vehicle underbodies in particular, 

a combination of road salt, cast iron, 

and moisture can cause a mildly alkaline 

environment to build up. “Our XHR 

compounds are therefore the material of 

choice in this application for electrical and 

electronic components such as sensors, 

housings and connectors,” explained 

Heinen. 

FLAME-RETARDANT XHR 

COMPOUNDS SOON TO BE 

LAUNCHED 

In response to requests from customers, 

LANXESS is currently adding more flameretardant 

compounds to the XHR product 

range. They are particularly well suited 

to live components in hot and humid 

conditions, which have to exhibit excellent 

hydrolysis stability and fire resistance 

at the same time. The flame-retardant 

compounds are reinforced with glass fibres 

(15%, 25%, and 30% by weight). 

An unreinforced version of the product 

will also be available. All materials are 

equipped with a halogenated flameretardant 

package and achieve the top 

classification of V-0 with low specimen 

thicknesses according to flammability 

tests in line with US standard UL 94 

(Underwriters Laboratories Inc.). 

“This classification is required for many 

plastic components in batteries of electric 

and hybrid vehicles, for example,” said 

Heinen. 

POCAN XHR ACTS AS A 

COMPLEMENT TO POCAN HR 

Pocan XHR is the third generation of 

hydrolysis-stabilised PBT compounds from 

LANXESS. It complements the second 

material generation of Pocan HR. 

“This is held in high regard by our 

customers. It remains part of our range 

because it is an established feature of 

many series-production applications, and, 

because of its hydrolysis resistance and 

other properties, it already covers most 

common requirements,” said Heinen. 



New UltraPure advances competitive 

edge for biotech and pharma 

Alfa Laval UltraPure products boost 

pharma and biotech process 

efficiency, productivity and endproduct 

quality. The new LKH Prime 

10 UltraPure self-priming pump and 

upgraded LeviMag ® UltraPure magnetic 

mixers also reduce total cost of ownership 

while ensuring more responsible use 

of resources for sterile processing 

applications. Both are also backed by the 

Alfa Laval Q-doc documentation package 

for full supply chain transparency. 

“To improve manufacturers’ ability to 

compete, the UltraPure portfolio optimises 

pharma and biotech processes, pushing 

the boundaries of sterile production,” said 

Per-Åke Olsson, industry owner, Biotech & 

Pharmaceutical, Alfa Laval. 

ONE ASEPTIC PUMP, TWO DUTIES 

The LKH Prime 10 UltraPure is the most 

compact ever in the LKH self-priming pump 

range. Perfect for duties up to 35m 3 /h, it is 

primarily engineered for Cleaning-in-Place 

(CIP) return, but also transfers product in 

sterile processes. This delivers savings of up to 

50% in capital expenditures and installation, 

and 30% in annual operating expenses. 

Other advantages include: 

• Up to 60% more energy savings than 

liquid ring pumps and up to 25% more 

than other airscrew pumps 

• A fully CIPable, EHEDG-certified hygienic 

design 

• 80% lower noise levels for a better 

working environment 

• Easy maintenance and streamlined spare 

parts inventory due to the common LKH 

platform 

UPGRADED ASEPTIC MAGNETIC 

MIXER 

The upgraded Alfa Laval LeviMag ® 

UltraPure broadens the scope of hygienic 

mixing. An optional ATEX/EEx motor 

and exotic alloys now enable use in 

potentially explosive and highly corrosive 

environments. In addition, it is easy and 

affordable to transform the old MagMixer 

UltraPure into the new LeviMag UltraPure 

in minutes without touching the tank. 

Other benefits: 

• Increased yield due to gentle product 

treatment and the ability to mix to 

the last drop, with optimised impeller 

geometry and 100% levitated design 

• Highest hygiene possible as the unique 

levitating impeller design eliminates 

product contamination from wear 

particles and secures full cleanability 

• Sustainable, low-cost operation: 40% 

higher pumping capacity and reduced 

energy costs and CO ² 

emissions due to 

flow optimised impellers 

• Easy maintenance: Readily accessible 

wear parts take minutes to replace 

onsite 


SNEAK PEEK 61 

The Kingdom of Cambodia is a 

landlocked South East Asian nation 

with an abundance of freshwater. 

From the Mekong River to the Tonle Sap, 

Cambodians rely heavily on the Kingdom’s 

waters for sustenance. Aquaculture, 

supported by adequate and unpolluted 

freshwater flow from upstream, is a major 

pillar of Cambodia’s economy. Economic 

growth in recent decades has driven 

Cambodia’s economy in utilising its water 

resources, affecting water quantity and 

quality. 

Enter CAMWATER 2021 – Cambodia’s 

number one international water and 

wastewater industry exhibition & 

conference. Drawing thousands of 

businesses in showcasing Cambodia’s 

thriving water industry, CAMWATER 

2021 is set to take place in the Diamond 

Island Exhibition & Convention Centre 

from 17-19 September 2021. Featuring 

a comprehensive range of the latest 

products, equipment, and technology for 

water industry professionals, the three-day 

expo serves as a strategic platform for key 

stakeholders of the industry to discuss and 

share ideas and solutions on developing 

Cambodia’s water and wastewater 

treatment systems. 

Envisioning a goal of providing basic access 

to water nationwide by 2025, Cambodia 

and the Asian Development Bank has 

pumped over $119m worth of investments 

for a provincial water supply and sanitation 

project to upgrade water supply services to 

the Kingdom’s various cities. As Cambodia 

develops rapidly with the influx of 

investments in its construction and tourism 

sectors, the Kingdom’s need for clean 

water and sanitation becomes crucial to 

accommodate for the growing population. 

Featuring the latest products, equipment, and technology for water industry professionals, CAMWATER 

allows key stakeholders of the industry to discuss and share ideas and solutions on developing 

Cambodia’s water and wastewater treatment systems 

As part of Cambodia’s economic vision, 

the government is opening up investments 

and business opportunities to provide all 

citizens with adequate access to clean 

water by 2025. 

CAMWATER 2021 will host numerous 

exhibitions, co-located seminars, and 

tech symposiums attracting thousands of 

industry professionals, including officials 

from government and private sectors, 

developers, manufacturers, engineers, 

consultants, agents and distributors. 

Visitors can expect to join and exhibit their 

brands in the business expo, expanding 

business in a new and exciting market. 

CAMWATER 2021 is one of the many 

business expos organised by Tarsus 

Southeast Asia, a leading trade show 

organiser in the region. The Group’s 

portfolio covers leading shows in 

Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, 

Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines, 

focusing on industries such as building 

and construction, water and wastewater 

treatment, food and beverage, hospitality, 

automotive parts and accessories, livestock 

and agriculture, and many more. 

Water and wastewater treatment exhibitions 

organised by the Group include MYANWATER 

in Myanmar, LAOWATER in Laos, and 

LANKAWATER in Sri Lanka. 


62 SNEAK PEEK 

One of Myanmar’s international 

water supply and treatment 

industry exhibition and conference 

is returning to the Myanmar Expo Hall in 

Yangon this from 25-27 November 2021. 

Serving as a strategic platform for key 

stakeholders of the industry to discuss and 

share ideas and solutions on developing 

Myanmar’s water and wastewater treatment 

systems, MYANWATER 2021 will feature a 

comprehensive range of the latest products, 

equipment and technology. 

A mountainous and forest-clad nation with 

plateaus, valleys and plains, Myanmar is 

endowed with abundant water resources. 

With the population increasing rapidly, 

authorities and policy makers are pushing 

for Myanmar’s urbanisation development, 

aiming to bring the country on par with 

neighbouring and regional cities. Dubbed 

as “Asia’s Final Frontier”, the government 

has implemented several initiatives 

to develop the water and wastewater 

treatment industry. 

The ambitious New Yangon City project has 

reached a framework agreement in April 

2018 for $1.5b for Stage 1 infrastructural 

work, including two bridges, roads, power 

plants, water and wastewater treatment 

plants and an industrial estate. A flood-risk 

assessment was carried out last year in 

ensuring the project’s progress. 

MYANWATER 2021 aims to be a driving force, 

spurring the development of Myanmar’s 

water and wastewater industries with 

emerging technologies and innovative 

products and solutions. This three-day 

event is set to bring together industry 

professionals including officials from 

Government and private sectors, developers, 

manufacturers, engineers, consultants, 

agents and distributors. 

Through the numerous co-located 

seminars and technology symposiums in 

MYANWATER 2021, business owners and 

industry professionals are able to explore 

and discover the best solutions to transform 

Myanmar’s water utilities in pursuit of 

developing the nation’s water sector. 

The international exhibition is organised 

by Tarsus Southeast Asia, a leading trade 

show organiser in the region. The group’s 

portfolio covers leading shows in Bangladesh, 

Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, 

and the Philippines, focusing on industries 

such as building and construction, water and 

wastewater treatment, food and beverage, 

hospitality, automotive parts and accessories, 

livestock and agriculture, and many more. 

Water and wastewater treatment exhibitions 

organised by the group include CAMWATER 

in Cambodia, LAOWATER in Laos, and 

LANKAWATER in Sri Lanka. 

Showcasing a wide range of products, services 

and technologies from over 150 companies 

and brands hailing from various countries, 

MYANWATER 2021 promises an opportunity 

for business expansion and networking. 


2020 

NOVEMBER 2020 

Singapore International Water 

Week Online 

18 to 19 November 

Virtual 

Asia Water 2020 

30 November to 2 December 

Virtual 

DECEMBER 2020 

InterAqua Tokyo 2021 

9 to 11 December 

Tokyo, Japan 

MyanWater 2020 


Yangon, Myanmar 

2021 

FEBRUARY 2021 

World Water-Tech Innovation 

Summit 2021 

23 to 24 February 

London, United Kingdom 

MARCH 2021 

Asia Smart Water Utilities 2021 

10 to 11 March 

Singapore 

Enlit Asia 2021 

(formerly known as POWERGEN 

Asia & Asian Utility Week) 

23 to 25 March 

Jakarta, Indonesia 

APRIL 2021 

WFES Water 2021 

05 to 07 April 

Abu Dhabi, UAE 

IE expo 

20 to 22 April 

Shanghai, China 

MAY 2021 

IWA World Water Congress & 

Exhibition 2020 

09 to 14 May 

Copenhagen, Denmark 

Pumps & Valves Asia 2021 

12 to 14 May 

Bangkok, Thailand 

JUNE 2021 

LAOWATER’21 

17 to 19 June 

Vientiane, Lao 

Singapore International Water 

Week 2021 

20 to 24 June 

Singapore 

JULY 2021 

VietWater (Hanoi) 2021 

20 to 22 July 

Hanoi, Vietnam 

Indo Water Expo & Forum 2021 

21 to 23 July 

Jakarta, Indonesia 

AUGUST 2021 

LANKAWATER’21 

05 to 07 August 

Colombo, Sri Lanka 

OCTOBER 2021 

Myanmar Water 2021 

20 to 22 October 

Yangon, Myanmar 

WEFTEC 2021 

18 to 20 October 

Chicago, USA 

NOVEMBER 2021 

Vietwater (Ho Chi Minh) 2021 


Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam 

2022 

MAY 2022 

IFAT Munich 2020 

30 May – 2 June 

Munich, Germany 


Index of Advertisers 

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ANDRITZ AG - SEPARATION 

OBC 

LACROIX SOFREL 9 

CLA-VAL 11 

DANFOSS INDUSTRIES SDN BHD 7 

OVARRO CONNECTING TECHNOLOGIES 1 

VAUGHAN CO., INC. 45 

DUPONT 

IFC 

WATER & WASTEWATER ASIA HOUSE AD - WEBINAR 5 

GUANGDONG LESSO TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD IBC 

HARBIN FIRSTLINE ENVIRONMENT TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD 13 

WATER & WASTEWATER ASIA HOUSE AD - SOCIAL MEDIA 15 

WATER & WASTEWATER ASIA HOUSE AD 39 

MAKE WAVES 

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020 

IN THE WATER AND 

WASTEWATER INDUSTRY 

Water & Wastewater Asia 

INCORPORATING THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE SINGAPORE WATER ASSOCIATION 

MICA (P) No: 076/05/2019 • ISSN: 2010-233X • KDN: PPS 1501/11/2012(022878) • www.waterwastewaterasia.com • JULY/AUGUST 2020 

20-5-20_FC_WWA JulyAugust 2020.indd 1 6/7/20 5:18 PM 



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