Water & Wastewater Asia September/October 2018

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CONT 

04 Editor’s Note 

48 SWA Newsletter 

66 Events Calendar 

68 Advertisers’ Index 

XYLEM SPECIAL 

12 Water in emerging markets 

14 Dewatering 

IN PERSON 

16 Sustainable. Effective. Innovative. 

18 Breaking the ozone code 

22 Grundfos and PUB enter a new milestone in partnership 

FROM THE GROUND 

24 Surpassing requirements 

26 When wastewater and lifestyle come together, benefits abound 

28 Hydraulic modelling for Esri© ArcGIS users 

32 Legendary 

35 Ushering in sludge treatment technologies into Asia 

INSIGHT 

38 What is water’s true power? 

42 Today’s solution for tomorrow’s need 

44 Making waves in sustainability and digitalisation 

46 In a time of aging infrastructure, Schneider Electric revolutionises with digitalisation 

TECH ROUND UP 

52 The submersible pump for provisional sewage bypass between manholes 

55 SHOW PREVIEW 

60 SHOW REVIEW 

ENTS Water 

& Wastewater Asia September / October 2018

Editor’s Note 

PANG YANRONG 

Editor 

LET'S CONNECT! 

 

@waterwastewaterasia 

The Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) 2018, held from 8 to 

12 July, concluded on a high; garnering close to S$23 billion in total 

value for the announcements on projects awarded, tenders, investments 

and MOUs (p.60). 

For instance, Grundfos and PUB, Singapore national water agency, 

signed a MoU to extend the collaboration (of three years) between 

the two organisations to continue to work together on research and 

development projects in water treatment and water quality monitoring 

technologies, and digital water solutions, as well as applications of highefficient 

pump solutions in water treatment (p.22). 

The event also provided a strategic platform for key stakeholders 

within the water industry to come together to discuss and co-create 

solutions to global water challenges; focusing on emerging themes such as 

smart technology, resource-efficient water treatment and the accelerated 

commercialisation of innovative water technologies. 

For example, there was the launched of Diehl Metering’s HYDRUS 2.0 

(p.32) and Festo’s introduction to modular automation (p.42). 

We also sat down with Xylem to learn about how the organisation 

had helped in the Thai cave rescue operation and the importance of 

dewatering (p.14) along with the issues that emerging markets are 

facing and the advice from Xylem on what can be done to address these 

challenges (p.12). 

“SIWW 2018 marks 10 years since the first event in 2008, and this 

year’s edition is the culmination of the last decade’s efforts in driving 

industry growth and helping to shape a much more sophisticated and 

forward-looking water industry,” said Bernard Tan, managing director of 

SIWW. The key initiatives at SIWW 2018 will accelerate the future of the 

water industry and see how smart water and new facilities will challenge 

the innovation frontiers to create growth for the industry. 

Also, to learn more about what’s happening in the industry, don’t 

forget to follow us on Facebook (@waterwastewaterasia) and LinkedIn! 

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WATER & WASTEWATER ASIA September / October 2018

6 | NEWS 

Xylem and Manchester City announces new 

global partnership 

From left: Damian Willoughby, Senior Vice President of 

Partnership, City Football Group; Club Legend Joleon 

Lescott; and Patrick Decker, President and CEO, Xylem 

PREMIER League Champions, Manchester 

City announced a global multi-year 

partnership with Xylem to become the Club’s 

Official Water Technology Partner. 

The partnership was announced at the 

Singapore International Water Week 2018, 

the world’s premier global platform for cocreating 

innovative water solutions, which 

was attended by Club legend, Joleon Lescott. 

Through the partnership, Xylem aims to 

raise awareness about pressing global water 

challenges and solutions. 

Xylem will also work with Manchester City 

on Xylem Watermark projects, such as 

building water towers in communities around 

the world without access to clean water. 

Xylem Watermark is the company’s social 

investment platform. 

Across the globe, 2.1 billion people lack clean 

drinking water at home which has serious 

consequences for community development. 

Every year, 443 million school days are lost 

worldwide due to water-related illnesses, and 

women and children spend more than 200 

million hours collecting water daily, drastically 

limiting time for more productive endeavours. 

Xylem branding will feature at the Club’s 

Etihad Stadium on matchdays and also at the 

City Football Academy. 

Damian Willoughby, senior vice president 

of Partnership at City Football Group, said, 

“We are delighted to announce this new 

partnership with Xylem. 

Manchester City and Xylem share a common 

commitment to operating in a sustainable 

and innovative way, whilst enhancing the 

lives of people in our communities around the 

world. We are excited to harness the global 

appeal of football to raise awareness of water 

challenges and support Xylem’s efforts to 

tackle these issues.” 

Patrick Decker, president and CEO of Xylem, 

said, “We are thrilled to be partnering with 

Manchester City and excited to engage with 

their amazing fans around the world. From 

our first meeting, it was clear that City’s value 

system was aligned with Xylem’s. Our purpose 

as a company is to create both economic 

and social value. We do that every day by 

bringing solutions to market that solve water 

needs and challenges, and through our Xylem 

Watermark program. 

To partner with a Club that is committed 

to bringing about positive social change 

through football is a natural fit. Working with 

Manchester City, we will extend our reach 

to their massive fan base and, in doing so, 

increase our ability to create social value.” 

WWA 

National Parks Board and PUB receive global tech awards 

SINGAPORE’S National Parks Board 

(NParks) and PUB, Singapore’s National 

Water Agency, recently received the Special 

Achievement in GIS (geographic information 

system) (SAG) award, in recognition of their 

innovation and excellence in applying 

location analytics for improving Singapore’s 

key public services. 

Selected from among more than 100,000 

organisations worldwide, NParks and PUB 

were presented with the award by Jack 

Dangermond, founder and CEO of global 

mapping giant Esri, at the world’s largest 

geospatial event – the Esri International 

User Conference in San Diego, California, 

U.S.. 

LOCATION ANALYTICS FOR 

MANAGING SINGAPORE’S 

WATER SUPPLY 

At PUB, Singapore’s national water agency, 

ensures a diversified and sustainable supply 

of water for Singapore through four sources 

of water – local catchment water, imported 

water, NEWater and desalinated water. 

To support water operations, infrastructure 

planning and business processes, the agency 

worked with ESRI to develop a customised 

solution for Singapore’s integrated water 

management requirements. 

Resource Information System (GERI) 

is designed to provide an overview of 

PUB’s used water, drainage and water 

Water & Wastewater Asia • September / October 2018

NEWS | 7 

infrastructure with a comprehensive digital 

representation of the island-wide network 

such as pipes, meters, valves and other 

critical facilities. 

The implementation of the GERI system has 

reaped several key benefits for PUB. GERI 

provides PUB officers with both geospatial 

asset and operational information to make 

informed decisions and take relevant 

actions. 

“To better serve our customers, geospatial 

technology is one of the technologies 

used daily by our engineers for planning, 

operation and maintenance work,” 

Michael Toh, chief information officer, 

PUB, said. “For example, our Engineers 

can access asset information such as 

critical pipelines, incident history, as-built 

drawings, material, profile and age to plan 

operations, maintenance and infrastructure 

renewal works. In addition, GERI’s location 

analytics algorithm further enhances 

productivity, by automatically identifying 

PUB’s network infrastructure underground 

and above-ground located within upcoming 

developments. This allows PUB to safeguard 

our existing infrastructure by alerting the 

relevant parties.” 

“Location-based analytics underpins the 

planning and development of many cities 

around the world. And the principle that 

guides their decision-making stems from 

a concept called Smart City thinking that’s 

increasingly becoming more relevant today 

as cities and nations such as Singapore 

drive innovation to improve the quality of 

life in our communities,” shared Thomas 

Pramotedham, CEO of Esri Singapore. 

“NParks and PUB are great examples of 

organisations that have embraced this 

concept by using geospatial technology for 

the benefit of the wider public, and we look 

forward to supporting more organisations 

in driving innovation and sustainability in 

our urban environments.” WWA 

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“ 

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all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, 

because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing 

it was bought to do. 

Here at Balmoral Tanks we relate to this fully. The range of quality installations 

spanning the Americas, Europe, Middle and Far East is evidence of a growing 

portfolio of discerning customers that also concur. 

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8 | NEWS 

Xylem on FORTUNE’s 2018 Change the World list 

GLOBAL water technology company, Xylem 

Inc., has been included on FORTUNE’s 

2018 Change the World list, a ranking of 

50 companies that have made a significant 

social impact through their core business 

strategy. Listed as number seven in the 

ranking, Xylem has been recognised for 

creating tangible social value through its 

innovative solutions that are helping to solve 

water challenges across the world. 

Patrick Decker, president and CEO of Xylem, 

said, “At Xylem, we are privileged to operate 

in an industry where we pioneer innovative 

approaches and technologies that are not 

only core to our business, but also have 

a lasting impact on communities. We are 

honoured to be recognised by FORTUNE as 

a company that is driving social impact – a 

testament to the work of Xylem’s nearly 

17,000 colleagues who are committed to 

making water safer, more accessible and 

more affordable for people and communities 

around the world. Our global mission of 

solving water is rooted in our purpose as an 

enterprise, which is to create both social and 

economic value in all that we do.” 

Now in its fourth year, FORTUNE’s Change 

the World list ranks companies using 

factors including measurable social impact, 

business results, degree of innovation 

and corporate integration. Other notable 

Xylem initiatives recognised by FORTUNE 

include the Company’s ongoing work to 

help strengthen cities’ resilience so they are 

better equipped to cope with the impact of 

climate change and natural disasters, and 

Xylem’s actions to advance smart water 

solutions. 

The Company’s role in supporting the Thai 

cave rescue mission was also noted. A team 

of Xylem engineers worked with the Thai 

authorities to re-configure the dewatering 

pumps in place at the cave, increasing 

pumping capacity by 40 per cent and 

enabling the successful rescue of the young 

soccer team and their coach. 

Over the past year, Xylem has received a 

number of recognitions for its leadership 

in sustainability. Forbes and JUST Capital 

included Xylem in their America’s Most JUST 

Companies list and Barron’s ranked Xylem 

in the top 10 on its inaugural list of the 100 

Most Sustainable Companies headquartered 

in the United States. Xylem also received 

an Engage for Good Gold Halo Award 

for the Company’s Watermark employee 

volunteerism efforts. WWA 

Bentley Systems announces finalists in the Year in 

Infrastructure 2018 Awards Programme 

BENTLEY Systems, Incorporated, a leading 

global provider of comprehensive software 

solutions for advancing infrastructure, 

today announced the finalists in the Year 

in Infrastructure 2018 Awards program. 

The annual awards program honours 

the extraordinary work of Bentley 

users advancing infrastructure design, 

construction, and operations throughout 

the world. Twelve independent jury panels of 

distinguished industry experts selected the 

57 finalists from 420 nominations submitted 

by more than 340 user organizations around 

the world. 

The finalists for Year in Infrastructure 2018 

awards for going digital advancements in 

infrastructure are: 

DIGITAL CITIES 

• Avineon India Pvt. Ltd. – Digital 3D 

Building Model of Rotterdam – Rotterdam, 

Netherlands 

• CCCC Water Transportation Consultants 

Co., Ltd. – BIM Technology Application in the 

Municipal Infrastructure Phase I Project of 

Zhong-Guan-Cun Science and Technology 

Town – Baodi District, Tianjin City, China 

• Yunnan Yunling Engineering Cost 

Consultation Co., Ltd. – New Municipal Road 

Construction PPP Project of the Municipal 

Public Facility Construction Project of 

Guandu Culture New City – Kunming, 

Yunnan, China 

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING 

• China Water Resources Pearl River 

Planning Surveying & Designing Co., Ltd. – 

Jiangxi Xinjiang Bazizui Navigation-Power 

Junction Project – Shangrao, Jiangxi, China 

• PT. WIJAYA KARYA (Persero) Tbk – 

Landslide Disaster Protection Project on the 

National Road Network – Cianjur, West Java, 

Indonesia 

• Setec-Terrasol – Extension L11 – 

Adaptation of the Mairie des Lilas Station 

– Paris, France 

UTILITIES AND INDUSTRIAL 

ASSET PERFORMANCE 

• Oman Gas Company S.A.O.C – Asset 

Performance Solution for Reliability 

Management – Al-Khuwair, Muscat, Oman 

• Vedanta Limited - Cairn Oil and Gas – Well 

Integrity and Flow Assurance Management 

– States of Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, and 

Gujarat, India 

• Volgogradnefteproekt LLC – Object 

Modeling and Life Cycle Management: 

Project Implementation and Commissioning 

– Volgograd region, Russia 

UTILITIES TRANSMISSION AND 


NEWS | 9 

DISTRIBUTION 

• Northeast Electric Power Design Institute Co., Ltd. of China Power 

Engineering Consulting Group – New project of a 750 kV substation 

in the Bortala Mongol Autonomous Prefecture – Bortala Mongol, 

Xinjiang Uyghur, China 

• Pestech International Berhad – Substation Design & Automation 

for Olak Lempit Substation Project – Banting, Selangor, Malaysia 

• POWERCHINA Hubei Electric Engineering Corporation Limited 

– Cha’anling-Xiaojiazhou 220 kV Electric Transmission Line Project 

– Xianning, Hubei, China 

WATER AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS 

• MCC Capital Engineering & Research Incorporation Limited – 

400,000 ton/day Water Supply Project of Wenjiang District, Chengdu 

City – Chengdu, Sichuan, China 

• Shanghai Civil Engineering Co., Ltd of CREC – Civil engineering 

of the Beihu sewage treatment plant and auxiliary project – Wuhan, 

Hubei, China 

• Suez Water Technologies & Solutions – Ultra Pure Water Project 1 

GW Manufacturing Solar Silicon PV Cells & Modules – Kutch, Gujarat, 

India 

the chance to meet the finalists and watch their project presentations, 

which represent this year’s most outstanding going digital 

advancements in infrastructure.”This year’s conference will include: 

• Thought-provoking keynotes by industry leaders including Chair 

of National Infrastructure Commission for the UK, Sir John Armitt, 

and Chief Strategy Officer for Siemens AG, Dr. Horst J. Kayser 

• Digital Advancement Academies—interactive half-day learning 

sessions led by subject matter experts in their areas of expertise 

including BIM advancement, construction, constructioneering, digital 

advancement research, process industries, and reality modelling 

• Live technology presentations and panel discussions from 

Bentley’s strategic partners – Microsoft, Siemens, and Topcon 

• Opportunities for attendees to meet for one-on-one discussions 

with awards finalists 

• Informative industry forums and panel discussions 

• Year in Infrastructure Awards finalists’ presentations on October 

16 and 17 

• Evening ceremony and gala featuring announcement of the Year 

in Infrastructure Awards winners on October 18 WWA 

WATER, WASTEWATER, AND STORMWATER 

NETWORKS 

• Beijing Institute of Water – Beijing South-to-North 

Water Diversion Auxiliary Project: Hexi Branch Project – 

Beijing, China 

• DTK Hydronet Solutions – Conceptioneering and 

Master Planning of Bankura Multi Village Bulk Water Supply 

Scheme – Bankura, West Bengal, India 

• NJS Engineers India P Limited – JICA Assisted Agra 

Water Supply Project – Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India 

The finalists will present their innovative projects to their 

peers, the jurors, industry thought leaders, and more 

than 130 members of the media as part of the related 

infrastructure forums at Bentley’s Year in Infrastructure 

2018 Conference, to be held from October 15 to 18, in 

London at the Hilton London Metropole. 

Chris Barron, Bentley Systems’ chief communications 

officer, said, “The Year in Infrastructure Conference 

is an ideal opportunity for infrastructure leaders from 

around the world to network with their peers, and learn 

about technologies and best practices to accelerate 

their organizations’ digital advancement. As part of 

the conference, we are pleased to congratulate and 

acknowledge the awards program finalists for their 

excellent work, and to provide conference attendees with 


10 | NEWS 

Grundfos Singapore appoints new country manager 

LEADING pump manufacturer Grundfos has 

recently announced the appointment of Ki 

Woong Ahn to the role of country manager of 

Grundfos Singapore. In his new role, Ki Woong 

will lead the overall sales operations for the 

key business areas: Industry, Commercial 

Building Services, Domestic Building Services, 

Business Development and Aftermarket 

Service Sales. Along with Singapore, he will 

oversee the Export Markets of Cambodia, 

Myanmar and Sri Lanka. 

Ki Woong brings with him 18 years of 

professional experience from different 

positions and companies. He worked in 

Grundfos Korea for seven years, having joined 

the company in 2011 as a segment manager 

for Commercial Building Services. Prior to this 

appointment, Ki Woong was director, Strategic 

Planning & Business Development, and before 

that he was operations director. 

Before joining Grundfos, he held multiple 

positions in the areas of sales, marketing 

and engineering with IBM in Korea, as well as 

having had his own start-up company. 

“With his extensive experience in the Asia 

Pacific region and his deep understanding 

of the business, I am sure that Ki Woong will 

further strengthen our focus and growth in 

Singapore and the export markets,” Chee 

Khuan Leong, area managing director, South 

Asia, Grundfos, said. 

Ki Woong holds a Bachelor of Electrical 

Engineering from Korea University, Seoul, 

Korea, and an MBA from Kelley School of 

Business, Indiana, U.S. (United States). WWA 

Singapore Minister highlights Singapore’s water 

management at UN Forum 

SINGAPORE’S water innovation and 

management were some of the key issues 

Minister for the Environment and Water 

Resources Masagos Zulkifli presented in New 

York on July 18 at the High-Level Political 

Forum on Sustainable Development. 

Singapore was one of 47 countries 

presenting Voluntary National Reviews 

at the United Nations’ forum aiming to 

provide political leadership, guidance and 

recommendations on rolling out the 2030 

Agenda for Sustainable Development, as 

well as the 17 Sustainable Development 

Goals, some of which are no poverty, zero 

hunger, good health and affordable clean 

energy. 

Emphasising resilience in current times of 

climate change-induced weather volatility, 

Mr Masagos told the forum, “Our national 

water recycling system collects and treats 

every drop of wastewater and transforms 

it into Newater - Singapore’s ultra-clean, 

high-grade reclaimed water.” 

He also presented on the country’s Deep 

Tunnel Sewerage System for its role in 

collecting and transporting wastewater. 

The current tunnel, 48km long and linked 

to 60km of sewers, will be extended by 

100km by 2025 to transport and treat more 

wastewater into Newater for industrial use 

and domestic consumption. 

MASAGOS: LESS RAINFALL IN 

SINGAPORE OVER THE YEARS 

“By reusing water endlessly, Newater 

cushions our water supply against dry 

weather, enhancing Singapore’s water 

sustainability and resilience to shifting 

climatic patterns,” he remarked. 

Speaking to The Straits Times in a separate 

interview, he said that “there are existential 

issues we have defined for ourselves; water 

is one example. And when people think 

the problem is over, suddenly something 

happens that reminds us it is not.” 

He also pointed out that “even (nature) is not 

reliable. Our rainfall in Singapore has been 

falling over the years.” 

He also highlighted technology is a key 

challenge. 

“By moving away from nature to used water, 

and also desalinated water, instead of being 

weather-reliant, we have become energyreliant, 

and now our new pursuit is to find 

energy solutions to our water problem,” said 

Mr Masagos. 

But opportunities can be found behind all the 

climate change-related problems mankind is 

facing, he said. “In our case, water is the best 

illustration; we are turning to technology to 

resolve the problems.” 

He added, “Even after finding reverse 

osmosis will solve our problem, we are 

looking for technologies to reduce the 

amount of energy by half of what we’re 

(using) today.” WWA 


NEWS | 11 

AKVOTEK provides water filtration system for a 

school in Vietnam 

AKVOTEK, together with Australia 

government (Australian Aid), Australian 

Water Association and HydroScience Asia 

handed over its Advanced Water Filtration 

System to Trường Tiểu học Mỹ Hòa 1, an 

elementary school in Đồng Tháp province, 

Vietnam. 

lack of clean water in this locality. The school 

and its community take on the responsibility 

to manage and maintain the water treatment 

system to ensure the continued success 

of this project,” said Nguyen Thanh Hoan, 

deputy director of the Department of 

Agriculture and Rural Development. 

This plant treats highly turbid river water 

into safe drinking water without the use 

of chemicals —making this the latest and 

most advanced treatment technology being 

applied to a school in rural Vietnam. 

The event was well-attended by officials from 

Australia, Vietnam and Cambodia parties, 

signifying the massive support for this project 

But this is only the beginning as Akvotek 

plans to continue helping other communities 

live fuller lives by providing cleaner drinking 

water. WWA 

The safe and affordable water is catered to 

more than 800 people — for the students 

and faculty of the said school, and the school 

intends to engage local women to operate a 

business in selling the potable water to the 

local community so as to provide low-cost 

safe drinking water; replacing the bottled 

water they current purchase. 

“We are thankful that we are able to share 

our technology to this community. This 

advance water treatment system takes 

raw river water and process it to provide 

safe, drinkable water. Providing a modern, 

yet affordable water treatment system is 

a great opportunity for Akvotek, not only 

to demonstrate our company’s capability, 

but also help elevate the lives of people and 

actually make a difference,” said Akvotek 

CEO Mark Forbes. 

The event was well-attended by officials 

from Australia, Vietnam and Cambodia 

parties, signifying the massive support for 

this project. 

“The Australian Water Association shares in 

the vision to provide safe drinking water to 

everyone. Drinking water that is free from 

From left: An Nguyễn (Position, Company), Paul Smith (International Manager, Australian Water 

Association), Mark Forbes (CEO, Akvotek), Murray Winstanley (Chairman, Akvotek), Ken Huynh 

(Managing Director, HydroScience) and George Harris (Chairman, HydroScience) 

contamination, liberates a person from water 

borne illnesses and dehydration. Now that 

this fundamental need is fulfilled, we can 

expect the community to perform in better 

capacity and achieve higher pursuits,” 

said Paul Smith, international manager of 

Australian Water Association. 

Akvotek’s advanced water treatment 

system’s technology can filter dirty water 

into clean water with a capacity of 10,000 

liters per day. The system serves not only 

the entire school population, but also the 

community it belongs to. 

“We thank the Australian sponsors for 

installing the advanced water treatment 

system at Trường Tiểu học Mỹ Hòa 1. This 

is an important solution to our problem, the 


12 | XYLEM SPECIAL 

Steve Leung, 

Senior Vice President & President, Emerging Markets, Xylem 

Water in 

emerging 

markets 

Steve Leung, senior vice 

president & president of Xylem’s 

Emerging Markets, shares 

perspectives on the issues that 

Asia is facing and strategies 

to address the challenges. 


XYLEM SPECIAL | 13 

Q: What are some of the issues you see in emerging markets? 

SL: You can almost see the disparity of two different market segments here in Asia — emerging markets and mature ones. For example, 

you see Singapore in the forefront in trying out new technology and using technology as a mean of solving their water challenges. Similarly, 

China has pretty high-end sophisticated wastewater management systems such as the drinking water facilities in coastal cities like Shanghai, 

Beijing and Guangzhou. But on the other hand, you also see other less developed or much less developed Asian countries that are struggling 

to provide accessible drinking water to most of their population. 

In order to address the issues, there’s a basic fundamental, which is to work with the local municipal government to understand what’s 

needed. And in some cases, we even customise solutions for them. Overall, I think the challenge is due to aging infrastructure which causes 

high non-revenue water on the whole distribution network and impacts treatment capability. For example, in India, there’s a lot of investments 

now focused on enhancing the treatment capability of the country so that they can treat more wastewater. I think it’s very promising for the 

market and from an opportunity perspective. 

Q: Do you think the emerging markets in Asia are working fast to address these issues and how is Xylem helping? 

SL: I believe that for most of the Asian countries, the government is aware. But there is always the constraint on funding which can affect 

projects. 

In many cases, governments look for collaborations — a different funding model — like the PPP (Public private partnership). For example, 

the Asian Development Bank, Infrastructure Development Bank and Africa Development Bank. They have similar funding models available for 

infrastructure. So, this is an avenue that the government can pursue. The good news is I’ve never encountered any municipalities or government 

officials who are not aware of the challenges. 

From Xylem’s side, we can provide a sustainable and cost-effective solution. At the end of the day, it is all about energy savings and efficiency. 

We are able to help in reducing non-revenue water in the network. 

Q: Do you think the current technology is good enough to address a lot of these issues? 

SL: There is debate whether existing technologies are adequate in addressing these issues. There are a lot of existing technologies for which 

I think the take up can be be faster in order to address the issues. The water industry, in general, is a pretty conservative industry. But this 

is partly because water can be, to some extent, a life and death situation. You really need to be sure that it is safe to drink, reasonably priced 

and can be deployed on a massive scale. 

There are a lot of constraints and considerations so the government and the people have to be careful. Overall, I think the technology is 

available and if the industry can be a little more aggressive, we can move faster. If they can jointly collaborate, even better. I think that will 

probably accelerate the process. 

Q: In terms of technology take up, do you think Asia is fast in moving forward with it? 

SL: I think it’s moving quite fast. Even when the take up is very fast, it still takes time. The good news is when you have a new technology and 

you are in an emerging market, regulation is less of a factor in technology adoption. In a mature market, more complex regulatory conditions 

can make the introduction of new technologies slower. So, in the emerging markets, implementation of new technology can actually have a 

fast uptake if we have the right approach. 

Q: What makes Xylem different from the other companies in helping its customers to resolve challenges? 

SL: Our company is almost 100 per cent dedicated to the water industry. A lot of the customers’ feedback is, “You guys are different because 

you are passionate about water.” Many of the companies approach the customers with a focus very much on the project or the product, but 

we really listen and understand what the issue is. I think that makes us different in the market. WWA 


14 | XYLEM SPECIAL 

DEWATERING 

Demand for dewatering technology is growing in Asia as global warming impacts climate change in the 

region. David Flinton, Xylem’s senior vice president & president of the company’s dewatering business, 

shares how Xylem is able to help and the importance of dewatering. 

The huge rescue of the 12 Thai boys and their football coach 

who were trapped in a cave in northern Thailand was one of 

the news stories this year, capturing global attention — with 

many countries across the globe providing help. 

In fact, at the time of this interview, David Flinton, senior vice president 

& president of Xylem’s dewatering business was receiving minutueby-minute 

updates and arranging flights to have their equipment sent 

to Thailand from Europe and U.S.. 

Among those involved in the complicated rescue operation is Xylem. 

Two engineers from Xylem Thailand and Singapore were sent to the 

cave initially for an assessment and to make recommendations in 

improving the pumping powers. They were soon joined by engineering 

colleagues from the U.K. and the U.S.. 

“What they really need are smaller slimmer design products. I read that 

they have to take off their scuba tanks to get through some of those 

passages. And we’ve a line-up of slim line dewatering parts that’s about 

the size of a scuba tank that they can take into the cave,” said Flinton. 

The success of the rescue mission brought great relief to the world and 

joy to the team who were pleased to lend their expertise to support 

this important international operation. 

IMPORTANCE OF DEWATERING 

With the world turning to sustainability, dewatering has never been 

more important, especially in Southeast Asia. 

“In Asia, the amount of rainfall and flooding events are going to 

increase by about 20 per cent over the next 30 years. Unfortunately, 

it’s kind of the new normal — these weather events are becoming 

more frequent and they are getting more challenging,” said Flinton. 

Southeast Asia is the wettest region in the Asia Pacific — getting 

an average of about 1000mm rainfall annually. With the increasing 

amount of rainfall, the region is prone to flooding, hence, placing 

millions of lives at risk. 

“And so, that’s why Xylem is really focusing on helping the customers 

and communities in the region to put in place more resilient 

technologies to support or mitigate the impact of severe weather,” 

said Flinton. 

“We are investing significantly in developing technologies that are 

David Flinton, 

Senior Vice President & 

President of Xylem’s dewatering business 


XYLEM SPECIAL | 15 

particularly focused around resilience: How 

to help customers and communities become 

more resilient when it comes to these natural 

disasters, flooding events and so forth,” he 

added. 

An example is the unveiling of the new 

Godwin FP Dri-Prime Flood Protection Series 

at Singapore International Water Week 

(SIWW) from July 8-12. 

UNDERSTANDING THE 

GODWIN FP DRI-PRIME FLOOD 

PROTECTION SERIES 

This latest innovation from Xylem’s renowned 

Godwin brand is the first set of high flow, 

portable pumps certified to handle the 

world’s toughest dewatering challenge: 

Flood protection. Specifically designed for 

the removal of destructive floodwaters, the 

Godwin FP Series is the first set of high flow, 

portable flood mitigation pumps to earn the 

seal of approval from FM Global, the largest 

private insurer of commercial and industrial 

properties in the world. 

Flinton explained, “They [FM 

Global] have a very stringent 

certification process. They 

focus on loss prevention — 

not just insuring against 

it but how to prevent 

losses. They have a global team of engineers 

that develop very strict products standards 

too.” 

“The Godwin FP Series has been tested to their 

rigorous standards down to the individual 

component level to make sure they operate 

properly in really harsh environments,” he 

added. 

Cities across Asia, from Mumbai to Jakarta, 

are increasingly exposed to unpredictable 

weather patterns. Globally, FM Global report 

that annual losses due to flooding costs 

companies US$2-3 billion worldwide and 

this figure is expected to rise — endangering 

property, livelihoods and the environment. FM 

certified flood mitigation pumps have been 

rigorously tested for their ability to efficiently 

and reliably remove water. 

The wide range of the Godwin FP Series 

— which includes the FP100, the FP150, 

the FP225, and the FP300 — enables rapid 

dewatering of any flood protection challenge. 

The portable Godwin Flood Protection Series 

offers optional Field Smart Technology — 

the first-in-industry telemetry and wireless 

technology that provides smart remote 

monitoring and control of the pump from 

any smartphone, tablet or desktop computer. 

The pumps available in the Godwin FP Dri- 

Prime Series also come equipped with the 

exclusive Godwin liquid bath mechanical 

seal to enable extended dry-running, helping 

to reduce overall maintenance costs. The 

powerful flood mitigation series is further 

strengthened by the portability of the pumps, 

allowing for rapid deployment in the most 

hazardous conditions during emergency 

situations. 

“It’s beyond the price. It’s not just selling a 

piece of metal or renting a piece of metal. 

It’s really about helping the customers 

develop a complete solution that 

will mitigate the impact of 

floodwaters,” said Flinton. 

WWA 

The Godwin FP 

Dri-Prime Flood 

Protection Series 


2 

1 3 

Sustainable. Effective. 

Innovative. 

PWNT explains why the CeraMac ® C-series is the 

way to go. 

1. Debbie Middendorp, Chief Marketing Officer of 

PWNT; and Joke Cuperus, CEO of PWN and PWNT 

2. METAWATER’s ceramic membranes have been 

proven to be in stable operation for 20 years 

and more 

3. PWNT have designed the CeraMac ® C-series 

that is robust, has a long life cycle, reliable, easy to 

maintain and with low energy consumption 

At this year’s Singapore International 

Water Week (SIWW), the crowd 

was highly appreciative of a new 

sustainable and innovative stand-alone 

solution — the CeraMac ® C-series skid 

packages; the C19 and C37. 

Based on ceramic membranes, the 

CeraMac ® is a well designed and engineered 

filtration process that has lower energy 

consumption, high reliability and a powerful 

backwash (at a pressure of 5 bar). 

“The most remarkable thing about the ceramic 

membranes is that they are handmade. They 

come from Japan and are very sustainable. A 

polymer membrane is the standard treatment 

in some utilities and lasts about five years. But 

ceramic membranes can last at least 20 years 

or even longer,” said Debbie Middendorp, chief 

marketing officer of PWNT.

IN PERSON | 17 

Developed by PWNT’s partner, METAWATER 

Japan, the sustainable ceramic membranes 

have been successfully operating in Japan 

for more than 18 years. But housing each 

membrane module in individual casing has 

proven to be costly with a large footprint. 

By customising the number of ceramic 

membrane elements into one vessel, the 

application of the ceramic membranes 

becomes a compact solution that is highly 

economical. The smaller CeraMac ® systems, 

like the C-19 and C-37, are ideal as a standalone 

solution for remote locations where 

connecting several water plants or mobilising 

a site team can be difficult or costly. 

PROVEN RESULTS 

The effectiveness of the CeraMac ® was 

demonstrated when PUB (Public Utilities 

Board), Singapore’s national water agency, 

employed the pilot test of the ceramic 

membranes for Singapore’s Choa Chu Kang 

Water Works (CCKWW) in 2011 — making 

the water utility the first in Asia to use this 

technology. 

“We started with a capacity of 1.2 million 

cubic metres per day and after 18 months, 

we reached a capacity of three million litres 

per day,” said Middendorp. 

“This was very important not only in terms 

of capacity but also in terms of water quality. 

The water quality was very high and based 

on that, PUB decided to fully implement our 

technology in 2015. Now, we are building 

a full-scale installation, which we aim to 

complete by the end of the year.” 

membrane technology for a few years now, 

and we are satisfied with the results,” said 

PUB’s chief technology officer, Harry Seah, 

on using ceramic membranes for CCKWW. 

And with a long-life expectancy, no risk 

of fibre breakage, very narrow pore size 

distribution, high backwash rate and high 

productivity of more than 97 per cent, the 

potential of the CeraMac ® has garnered a 

large amount of interest. 

“A lot of people come to us and say, “We want 

to use them too. Can you come to Scotland 

or the UK?”, and amongst others. We see 

it getting more and more popular. Even 

Australia already has some pilots, and the 

USA is very interested, along with Sweden,” 

said Joke Cuperus, CEO of PWN and PWNT. 

ON THE INDUSTRY 

According to Cuperus, as the industry moves 

towards a more sustainable way of purifying 

water, the CeraMac ® can also be an effective 

sustainable alternative for water re-use. 

“In the beginning, there was not much belief. 

But a lot of utilities started having difficulties 

with the polymer membrane due to its short 

life cycle,” she said. 

She also noticed that there is a constant 

search for innovations in Asia’s water and 

wastewater industry, which is reflected in 

PUB’s collaboration with PWNT. 

“That [PUB’s drive to innovate] gave us 

the opportunity six years ago to test our 

technology,” said Middendorp. 

“Before this, I’ve told him about our 

partnerships with Singapore, Lucerne 

[Switzerland], UK [South West Water] 

and many others, as well as our good 

cooperation with the Japanese. He saw the 

CeraMac ® plant that we are building at Choa 

Chu Kang Water Works and all the interest 

in our technology — there was news in the 

newsletters, seminars and panels. He was 

impressed!” she said. 

“They have to experience it for themselves, 

which is a very human thing,” Middendorp 

explained. 

ON PWNT 

With PWNT under the umbrella of PWN, 

Cuperus said it gives customers a boost in 

confidence that the technology is developed 

by a water utility that is using it as well. 

“They [Customers] always ask me as CEO 

of PWN to stay close with the daughter 

company [PWNT], or otherwise they wouldn’t 

do it,” said Cuperus. 

“Because it gives them confidence,” 

explained Middendorp. “If we were just 

another water technology provider, it 

wouldn’t give them that kind of confidence,” 

she added. 

While PWNT’s close cooperation with 

METAWATER and PUB has helped the 

company to tap into opportunities in Asia, 

Cuperus hopes that PWNT will continue 

to grow further on the global stage so 

as to showcase the benefits of ceramic 

membranes to the world. 

Upon completion, CCKWW will be one of 

the largest ceramic membrane plants for 

drinking water treatment in the world. 

“PUB is always on the lookout for more 

innovative and cost-effective ways of 

treating and producing water. We have been 

studying and testing the merits of ceramic 

In fact, for companies or utilities looking 

to innovate or drive growth in the industry, 

Cuperus’ advice is to “bring your governor 

along with you.” 

At SIWW 2018, Scottish Water brought their 

governor along, and he was wowed by the 

features of the ceramic membranes. 

“That’ll be really amazing,” she said. WWA 


18 | IN PERSON 

Breaking 

the 

Water disinfection is 

currently a key area explored 

extensively as water quality and 

safety face ever stricter regulations and 

more utilities in the region are turning to 

advanced solutions. 

Marwan Nesicolaci, Sr., Vice President of Global Sales & 

Operations Asia, Water Technologies Business, 

De Nora Water Technologies 

Water & Wastewater Asia had the pleasure to speak 

with Marwan Nesicolaci, Sr., vice president of Global 

Sales & Operations Asia, Water Technologies Business, 

De Nora Water Technologies who shared valuable 

insights on key issues in water disinfection - the 

serious threat of micropollutants, DNWT’s 

latest innovation in ozone disinfection 

and its regional plans for the near 

future. 

zone 

code 



While there is always the traditional 

gas chlorination method, De Nora 

Water Technologies (DNWT) 

has been developing alternative solutions 

such as on-site chlorine generation, ozone 

and chlorine dioxide, in combination with 

filtration technologies. Utilities in countries 

like Myanmar, the Philippines and Singapore 

now supply safe and clean water more 

sustainably because of DNWT’s technologies. 

De Nora’s acquisition of Ozono Elettronica 

Internazionale (OEI) in 2015 has allowed the 

company to introduce CAPITAL CONTROLS ® 

Ozone Generators to the market. Ozone, a 

natural element, has proven to be a formidable 

force in the water disinfection market as it 

is more effective than chlorine in destroying 

viruses and bacteria while leaving no harmful 

residue. It can also be used in combination 

with existing disinfection infrastructure for 

difficult-to-treat applications, in advanced 

oxidation processes and sludge reduction. 

people in Asia Pacific, and not only to deliver 

the product but to also support it from the 

region as well. 

Q: Municipalities nowadays are 

more open to explore alternative 

disinfection method besides the 

traditional gas chlorine, how do 

ozone disinfection solutions fare 

in the global market? 

MN: The advantage De Nora has, is that 

we can provide the majority of disinfection 

technologies in the market now. We don’t 

try to convince clients that one solution 

is better than the other, rather we look 

at the issues they have and give them 

the right solution, which may involve 

one or multiple disinfection or filtration 

technologies. 

Why? Because it depends on the type of 

water you are disinfecting and the budget 

availability of the user. 

In many cases with ozone, clients buy 

smaller scale pilot system first because 

they want to see the effects of ozone on 

the particular water they have. Usually they 

will observe its performance for 60 to 90 

days to see its effectiveness, check for byproducts, 

etc. 

Q: Where is ozone disinfection 

technologies in use now? 

MN: It depends. Every country has a 

different disinfection preference. In France, 

the municipalities prefer ozone as the 

method for disinfection of potable water. 

Historically, it is what they decided to go 

with. In India, the municipalities prefer gas 

chlorine and chlorine dioxide. 

Other than looking at the type of water and 

the budget they have, sometimes it also 

depends on the availability of chemicals that 

are to be used by the chosen disinfection 

technologies. 

Q: For how long has DNWT 

been developing alternative 

solutions such as on-site chlorine 

generation, ozone and filtration? 

MN: Ozone, in other words, is technology. 

We are in a very unique position because we 

have a very broad product line that includes 

multiple disinfection technologies and one of 

the products we did not have was the ozone 

technology, so De Nora’s acquisition of OEI 

in 2015 allowed us to introduce the ozone 

technology into our disinfection product line. 

OEI was an Italian company with a strong 

presence in the international market. 

The ozone product that we have is one 

that has over 3000 installations in Europe, 

especially in Italy over the last 30 years, so 

it is not a new technology but an improved 

one. Being that it was a small, Europe-based 

company, its primary market was in Europe. 

Through our presence and organisation 

in Asia, primarily in China, Japan and 

Singapore, we are making this product 

available by direct distribution through 

sales channels, and through our direct sales 

For reasons of costs and ease of operation, 

chlorine gas disinfection is still very 

widely used in the public sector—it is very 

efficient and very inexpensive. But there 

are also municipalities which are looking 

for alternatives, such as Hong Kong. They 

have looked at all different technologies 

before going with on-site chlorine generation 

because it suited them best. That is looking 

at transportation, the quality of water, 

by-products, safety and such. It also 

depends on the chemical compositions in 

the wastewater. 

When water is disinfected with different 

technologies, there are different by-products 

that are formed, which is an important issue 

in municipalities now. Besides by-products, 

the other consideration is residuals of 

the disinfectant used. Ozone is one of the 

strongest oxidants, so if you want a high 

oxidant agent for disinfecting your water, 

there is nothing better than ozone. If the 

solution to a water issue requires no residual 

and very low or no by-products, then ozone 

is an ideal technology to use. 

In Italy, the availability of the sodium chlorite 

chemical as one of the raw materials to create 

chlorine dioxide is very prevalent in the 

province of Lombardia where it is produced, 

so the disinfection solutions adopted in 

Italy included the use of this chemical. 

The operational costs of chlorine dioxide 

technologies are inexpensive provided you 

have readily available raw materials, which 

are usually sodium chlorite and hydrochloric 

acid, among other chemicals. 

Japan uses ozone in various applications, 

some in the municipal sector but more on the 

industrial side. Ozone has been used quite 

effectively, primarily because the industrial 

sites have very difficult wastewater and 

again, you need a very powerful oxidant 

to oxidise the compounds in industrial 

wastewater. 

Ozone is also very commonly used in the food 

and beverage industry, usually to disinfect 

bottled water. Water treated with ozone 

doesn’t carry any aftertaste and it also has a 

short enough lifespan such that it evaporates 



by the time that you open the bottle of water, 

so you get no aftertaste but still have clean 

water. It is therefore the right technology for 

that application. 

A lot of F&B companies in Asia are using 

this technology. Most Asian countries that 

produces bottled water in Asia use ozone. 

Again, it is a relatively new solution. A lot 

of studies and pilots are going into this. In 

Asia, we have the same issues and concerns, 

especially in Singapore. There is not a lot 

of regulation for now, but it is being looked 

at by various government, UK and the EU 

in general is currently the most advanced 

in this. 

are in it and the potential long-term effects 

on the population that you are delivering 

the water to, even it is just reused for 

reclamation purposes, such as addressing 

stale water intrusion in the aquifers. This is 

really the driver, and a lot of that need to be 

regulated by a combination of industry and 

regulators. 

Q: What are the latest innovations 

De Nora is looking at now? 

MN: In recent years, we have been looking 

at different issues in water and looking at 

combining different technologies. 

One of which is for the treatment of 

micropollutants. Micropollutants are not 

yet well-regulated globally, but it is an issue 

that is starting to gain more importance. 

Micropollutants come from one of the 

biggest industries — the pharmaceutical 

industry — where traces of pharmaceuticals 

can now be found in water bodies. 

Our typical wastewater treatment plants 

are not designed to remove these 

micropollutants, so when it comes to reusing 

the water, although it may meet general 

standards, these micropollutants in the 

water may lead to health issues. 

So we are looking at various solutions in how 

to resolve this issue of micropollutants and 

one very effective way, which we are piloting, 

is the combination of ozone and biologically 

aerated filtration (BAF). The combination of 

the two is an excellent and very powerful 

solution because the ozone technology 

can convert these compounds from nonbiodegradable 

to biodegradable. Then you 

have to filter them out, this is where BAF 

is very effective in removing these 

compounds. 

Q: What is the potential in this 

innovation? 

MN: This particular solution will be piloted in 

Europe and the U.S. The potential is mainly 

in countries which have been looking at the 

issue for a few years. The US is one of the key 

countries looking at these issues and with a 

lot of potential, especially in states which are 

water stretched, like California and Florida, 

where water reuse is very important. UK is 

definitely one that we are looking at as well. 

Legislation with regards to micropollutants 

in municipal waste water is being looked into 

as well, a lot of studies are going on right 

now to understand the extent of the issue 

and what potential solutions are available. 

Switzerland is one of the countries at the 

forefront of this drive. 

Q: What is the motivation 

behind such innovations? Is 

micropollutants such a huge 

threat? 

MN: It is driven primarily by the need 

of supplying the population with the 

safest water possible. Water reuse is very 

important, but how do you regulate the water 

reuse for human consumption or for water 

reclamation? You have to look at a number of 

different issues. But for now, micropollutants 

is one of main issues. 

Also, as we start to reuse wastewater, there is 

a need to understand all the compounds that 

That is already happening in some countries. 

For example, in the US, both the regulators 

and the industry are trying to understand 

micropollutants and how to treat them and 

they have combined efforts to make this 

happen: Funded workshops and programmes 

that share pilots to advance understanding. 

Eventually when regulation really do happen, 

they will be assured that these issues can be 

solved. Many a times, when there are yet to 

be regulations, there is no proven effective 

way of resolving the issue. 

As with anything, the technology may be 

expensive, but there are drivers such as 

regulations and safety, and it is something 

you need to meet, whatever the solution. 

Q: What is DNWT’s regional 

development plans? 

MN: The target of our growth in Asia is 

primarily in Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, 

Myanmar and Philippines — those are 

five countries for us that have a number 

of different drivers: economic growth and 

infrastructure growth, within the industry 

that we cater to — municipal, energy (oil, 

gas, power) and petrochemical industries, 

which is a new industry that we are starting 

to enter. 

We always had some products in the 

petrochemical industry but we are trying to 

penetrate markets such as the hydrocarbon 



processing industry. We are targeting the 

hydrocarbon industry as there are many 

requirements for water treatment and our 

analysis has shown that a large part of our 

technologies portfolio offer solutions in the 

water aspect of that industry. 

Q: How do the water challenges 

and conditions differ in 

Singapore and in other SE Asian/ 

Asian countries? 

MN: Singapore has done tremendously 

well over the past few years and they have 

become an example to many municipalities 

around the world, in terms of adapting new 

technologies. 

The challenges really are whether they 

continue to encourage the development 

and implementation of new technologies in 

a sustainable way. 

We are one of the very first ones in Asia 

to implement brine electro-chlorination as 

an alternative method for disinfection for 

potable water. And we are very pleased 

to be there from the beginning in piloting 

the technology for PUB when they were 

looking at various alternative disinfection 

technologies. Because of its success, we 

sold a number of different brine electrochlorination 

systems. 

The adoption of newer and alternative 

technologies to meet their water needs is 

really something Singapore need to sustain 

moving forward and that is something that 

in the past differentiated them from the rest 

of Asia. 

Q: What are the newly improved 

technologies and features found 

in the CAPITAL CONTROLS ® Ozone 

Generators? 

MN: The biggest improvement is really to 

use more updated electronics and console 

that can be remotely monitored. The 

digitalisation of components is an ongoing 

task which everyone is tackling now. 

The other thing is localisation and 

regionalisation of the products. In China, 

ozone has a very important place in their 

water treatment industry. We are managing 

our infrastructure there by including local 

cross-engineers and local cross-institutions 

expertise to not only bring products into the 

market, but to deliver them together with 

the support team that is within the country. 

What we do very well is transferring the 

knowledge and technology from our centres 

of excellence to the regional areas. To be able 

to support the product at local and regional 

level is very important, and in any market, 

providing support is critical to sustain the 

growth of the market in that country. We 

have been developing and strengthening 

our after-sales capabilities globally for at 

least seven years. 

Years ago, we were more in a reactive mode 

in terms of after sales, so we were basically 

reacting to what the market needed. But 

we realised that our customers needed 

continuous support to be able to get the full 

life expectancy and value out of the products 

and the only way to meet this requirement 

was to be a lot more proactive in working 

with them. It is not only about making 

good business sense, but also to ensure 

that the customers are satisfied with their 

purchases over the whole life of the asset 

they purchased. 

Q: What is the cost difference: 

Ozone versus Chlorine Gas? 

MN: Ozone is a little expensive on the capital 

expenditure (capex) side, but it is not very 

expensive on the operational expenditure 

(opex) side, because you produce ozone from 

air or oxygen, so you don’t have chemicals 

to add. Other disinfection technologies have 

lower capex but higher opex. 

That is why some end users look at the 

whole life cost instead when they analyse the 

different technologies, because sometimes 

the right technology is the one that has the 

least life costs rather than just looking at 

the capex of it. 

Life costs include the power required, raw 

chemicals, the storage, the maintenance 

time, the complexities of the maintenance 

etc… there are a lot of things to look at, but 

it usually can be the best way to analyse 

various disinfection technologies. WWA 



Grundfos and PUB enter a 

new milstone in partnership 

At this year’s Singapore International Water Week (SIWW), Grundfos and Singapore’s PUB 

(Public Utilities Board), the national water agency in Singapore, signed a memorandum 

of understanding (MoU) to jointly develop efficient water technologies and solutions. 

Building on an agreement established by Grundfos and PUB 

in 2014, this latest MoU signed at SIWW 2018 extends the 

collaborations (of three years) between the two organisations 

to continue to work together on research and development projects in 

water treatment technologies, water quality monitoring technologies 

and digital water solutions, as well as applications of high efficient 

pump solutions in water treatment. 

“Water demand is rising across homes and businesses, and it is set 

to double by 2060,” said PUB’s Assistant Chief Executive (Future 

Systems and Technology) Harry Seah. “To meet this demand 

efficiently, it is imperative for Singapore to continue investing in 

research and development to secure our water supply for future 

generations. We are excited to strengthen our collaboration with 

Grundfos by sharing our expertise to develop sustainable water 

treatment solutions together.” 

Grundfos regional managing director Asia Pacific, Kim Jensen (KJ) 

said, “This strategic agreement aligns to both PUB and Grundfos’ 

agenda on developing sustainable water supply solutions. We realise 

that this collaborative partnership can lead to potential solutions that 

will support not only Singapore’s efforts in ensuring a sustainable 

water supply, but can become a case study for other countries 

and cities as well. As a company, Grundfos is firmly committed to 

becoming a true global role model within water and climate.” 

The 2014 agreement saw the development of two water innovation 

projects – the Cake Filtration project and the BACMON++ project. 

Completed last year, the Cake Filtration project was pilot-tested at 

the Kranji Water Reclamation Plant and explored a new wastewater 

treatment concept that used sludge generated from the treatment 

process to filter the wastewater. Grundfos is currently exploring 

possible applications of the technology. 

The BACMON++ project is aimed at demonstrating and evaluating 

the operational value of applying Grundfos BACMON sensors in 

PUB’s water supply system. Grundfos BACMON technology offers 

on-line monitoring of total bacteria concentration in near real-time. 

Several BACMON sensors will be installed at suitable PUB service 

reservoirs for further testing. If successful, the BACMON sensors 

could be applied within PUB’s water supply network to ensure safe 

water storage and delivery. WWA 

Kim Jensen, 

Regional Managing Director, 

Grundfos Asia Pacific


From left: PUB Assistant Chief Executive Harry Seah, PUB Chief Executive Ng Joo Hee, Danish Ambassador Her Excellency Dorte Bech Vizard, 

Grundfos Regional Managing Director Kim Jensen and Grundfos Head of Innovation Hub Gao Xin 

Q : Can you share your thoughts with us about Grundfos’ latest MoU with PUB? 

KJ : We are excited because Singapore has this special situation. They are very active on the water agenda and obviously, for most companies 

in the water sector, it’s exciting to cooperate and collaborate with PUB. Since it’s the second time, it gives us some confidence that 

what we do is appreciated and we appreciate what PUB does. It’s a big day for Grundfos. 

Q : How is the water and wastewater industry in Asia faring? 

KJ : First of all, business is very good. I think there are several factors driving that. Economies are relatively good. Economic growth is 

better than it has been for several years. 

Grundfos is present in all the main markets here and when there is economic progression, we’re well positioned to take part. But of 

course, we also proactively do something to improve our situation including many good products that we have launched recently. 

Maybe not revolutionary products but products that extend our reach. Our availability in Asia, in general, is second to none. 

The feedback we get from our customers is very positive. So, I think there’s also something on the collaboration agenda that we are 

doing well. 

Q : Do you anticipate growth in this region? 

KJ : The underlying factor is economic growth. That has shown to be positive. Population growth, positive. Raw materials and pricing are 

growing so that’s a great outlook for the southern part of Asia. I think there’s no reason to think that the next 18, 24 months will not 

be positive. For sure it will. 

There are also all the infrastructure changes that are going on. You cannot go to any city in Asia without seeing new metro lines above 

the ground, below the ground or new circular lines. These are evidences of infrastructure that enables growth. 

Q : Grundfos recently launched the CR pumps, what is unique about it? 

KJ : What is unique is the efficiency. We’ve been talking about efficiency for a long time and everybody says we’ve great efficiency and it’s 

all very positive. But it’s really amazing the efficiency that the CR pumps have been able to demonstrate.WWA 


24 | FROM THE GROUND 

Surpassing requirements 

MICRODYN BIO-CEL ® -MCP MBR was chosen by a tuna cannery in Mexico to comply with the 

environmental regulations in Mexico. The results…. Astounding. 

A tuna cannery in Mexico needed to update 

their wastewater treatment plant to comply 

with new regulations 

Located in Mazatlán, Mexico, a tuna 

cannery needed to update their 

wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) 

to comply with new regulations and reuse 

water at the plant. The tuna cannery needed 

to treat 1150 m 3 /day (304,000 GPD) of 

wastewater from its tuna processing, and 

its waste stream has an exceptionally high 

total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) 

as well as higher organics (COD/BOD) 

concentrations. 

Hence, MICRODYN BIO-CEL ® -MCP MBR 

process was chosen due to its small footprint 

and low chemical costs. 

USING MICRODYN BIO-CEL ® 

Ten MICRODYN BIO-CEL ® 400 membrane 

modules were installed at the plant. 

Unit operations for the WWTP are as 

followed (see Table 1 for operational 

parameters): 

• Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) treatment 

• Equalisation tank 

• One mm Rotating mechanical screen 

• One Anoxic basin 

• One Aeration basin (Two dissolved oxygen 

zones) 

• Two Filtration basins 

• Tertiary treatment 

Table 1: Plant BIO-CEL ® MBR operational parameters 

Table 2: water quality from the different unit operations at the WWTP 


FROM THE GROUND | 25 

Table 3: Cost savings of reusing tertiary treated water versus using municipal water 

Since the operation in 2012, the plant 

continues to deliver excellent results in 

regards to effluent quality and flow (see 

Table 2). All permit requirements are met and 

virtually, all solids are removed. In addition, 

the MBR effluent has an SDI < 3, which allows 

for further tertiary treatment to treat colour 

and odour by reverse osmosis, ozone, and 

carbon filters. 

The MICRODYN BIO-CEL ® -MCP MBR process 

allows the tuna cannery to limit their 

maintenance cleanings (MC) quarterly and 

extended maintenance cleanings (EMC) 

annually. 

In fact, about 35 per cent of the tertiary 

treated water (400 m 3 /day or 106,000 GPD) 

is reused for the cooling towers, washing 

docks/boats, bathrooms, cleaning the WWTP 

and preparing chemicals for the WWTP. 

STRONG RESULTS 

By using the MICRODYN BIO-CEL ® -MCP 

MBR process, the tuna cannery was able 

to dramatically reduce biochemical oxygen 

demand (98.8 per cent), chemical oxygen 

demand (95.5 per cent), total nitrogen (96.8 

per cent), total phosphorous (80 per cent) 

and total suspended solids (97.7 per cent) 

concentrations in its wastewater and feed a 

tertiary treatment system. 

After the tertiary system, 

about 35 per cent of the 

wastewater was reused in 

other parts of the plant, 

which saved the company 

an estimated US$76,300 

in water costs. 

Ten MICRODYN BIO-CEL ® 

400 membrane modules were 

installed at the plant 

This system allows the plant to meet the 

environmental permit requirements while 

utilizing lesser space as compared to 

the conventional activated sludge waste 

treatment plant. In fact, the MICRODYN 

BIO-CEL ® -MCP MBR also allowed the plant to 

reduce its annual chemical usage for system 

cleaning too WWA 

All images are credited to SSOZ. 

From left to right: Raw effluent, DAF (dissolved air floatation) effluent, MBR permeate and tertiary effluent 


When wastewater 

and lifestyle come 

together, benefits 

abound 

Doubling wastewater treatment 

plants as recreational spaces is 

not a new concept, with nations 

such as Singapore looking into it 

due to land and space constraints. 

But with Pantai 2 Regional Sewage 

Treatment Plant, the concept and 

benefits are made much clearer. 

Pantai 2 Regional Sewage Treatment Plant, a state-of-the-art 

mechanised underground facility with public amenities above ground 

Pantai 2 Regional Sewage Treatment 

Plant (Pantai 2 RSTP), built by 

Malaysia’s national sewerage company, 

Indah Water Konsortium Sdn Bhd (IWK), has 

made waves in Southeast Asia with its cuttingedge 

underground mechanised facility 

and public amenities close to Malaysia’s 

Kuala Lumpur City Centre, a densely 

populated area that includes Petaling Jaya, 

Mid Valley, and KL Sentral, the largest transit 

hub in Malaysia. 

Capable of treating up to 320 million litres of 

water daily for up to a population of 1.423 

million, IWK overcame numerous challenges 

to realise the plant, addressing numerous 

issues including housing and sustainable 

living. 

But all these factors came together to create 

an innovative solution that has culminated in 

Pantai 2 RSTP, Asia Pacific’s first wastewater 

treatment plant that is also a recreational 

space. In this continuation of the article first 

published in the immediate last issue, Water 

& Wastewater Asia explores Pantai 2 RSTP’s 

many benefits with Ir. Mohamed Haniffa 

Hj Abdul Hamid, chief operating officer of 

IWK. 

RESOURCE RECOVERY 

One of the few large-scale plants equipped 

with various green elements and technologies, 

Pantai 2 RSTP is looking to initiate a 

paradigm shift in wastewater treatment 

facilities, encouraging them to move towards 

sustainable water management and promote 

a low carbon environment. 

Though the Pantai 2 RSTP and the Eco Park 

located on its grounds are two different 

entities with no common shared facility and 

separate operating boundaries, the dual 

usage of the plant and public park is the first 

of its kind and addressed accordingly. 

“The treated water will be used for washing, 

cleaning, chemical preparation, and even 

supply water to the aquatic skylight located 

in the Eco Park,” Haniffa elaborated. “On top 

of that, we also generate power from the 

biogas from the anaerobic digester and rain 

harvesting system, to name a few.” 

At present, Pantai 2 RSTP is producing less 

than 10 per cent of energy for consumption, 

though the amount is due to rise to 15 per 

cent when it has received 100 per cent of its 

designed hydraulic capacity. 

“Pantai 2 RSTP’s research and development 

team is currently looking for ways in which 

to enhance the production of biogas as 

well as explore new technology to be selfsufficient 

in terms of energy production,” 

Haniffa added. “We hope to have another 



breakthrough in this potential field.” 

POSITIVE INFLUENCE 

Able to directly and indirectly affect human 

behaviour on water usage, Pantai 2 RSTP 

can also double as a platform to educate the 

general public on the value of water. 

“Once they understand and appreciate the 

tedious and costly treatment process involved 

in treating wastewater, they will likely be 

more prudent in using the water and avoid 

wastage,” Haniffa pointed out. “This is also in 

line with the Malaysian Greentech Master Plan 

2030, which is aiming to lower the current 

consumption of water from 225 litres a person 

a day to 180 litres per person daily.” 

One of the strategies Pantai 2 RSTP has 

in mind for this is to “consult and engage 

stakeholders through education, awareness, 

consultation, and engagement as stated 

under the National Sewerage Catchment Plan, 

Planning Policy Statement Seven. 

Pantai 2 Regional Sewage Treatment Plant, a state-of-the-art underground wastewater treatment facility with 

public amenities. 

All images are credited to Indah Water Konsortium 

“Continual engagement and awareness 

campaigns should be formulated to engage 

stakeholders and promote water stewardship,” 

Haniffa continued. “Allowing and arranging 

for the general public to witness effluent 

water reused in industry, construction, and 

landscape usage will potentially have an 

impact on mindset change.” 

NEW SOLUTION, OLD PROBLEM 

As the demands in the water and sewage 

industry continues to change, Pantai 2 RSTP 

is a pioneer with its new and innovative 

solutions specially designed to tackle old 

issues consistently plaguing the water 

industry. 

For instance, green technology is more 

sustainable than the traditional ones found 

in most sewage treatment plants. 

“We have also certainly optimised the land, 

giving green spaces to the community. A 

park and a wastewater treatment plant in 

the same compound is also unprecedented 

in Malaysia, pushing wastewater treatment 

plants to the centre of the community, as 

well as promoting sustainable living and a 

comprehensive water management in large 

catchment areas,” Haniffa said. 

“The concept of wastewater treatment is also 

no longer confined to treating and disposal, 

but is instead migrating towards resource 

recovery.” 

THE FUTURE 

However, for water treatment plants such 

as Pantai 2 RSTP, a long-term vision and 

planning is crucial for decision makers, 

leaders, and planners alike. 

“The operation of and maintenance of 

Pantai 2 RSTP is not easy; it requires skilled 

workers and a strong financial commitment,” 

Haniffa cautioned. “Cost benefits should be 

carefully assessed to ensure sustainability of 

the construction as well as operation of the 

facilities. It should be operationally viable, 

commercially feasible, and should positively 

serve the public among other factors.” 

The advanced technologies needed would 

also cause deviations from the typical design 

requirements, and planning the layout of the 

area is of a priority as well, though there are 

many benefits. 

“This could be the trend in the future,” Haniffa 

concluded. “Holistic resource recovery 

centres with provision for mutual economic, 

environmental, and community benefits.” 

This is the second article in a series of two 

where Water & Wastewater Asia took a look 

at the Pantai 2 Regional Sewage Treatment 

Plant. The last article was published in the 

immediate last issue. WWA


Hydraulic modelling for 

Esri © ArcGIS 

users 

In this first of the two parts, Bentley Systems shows how modelers of water 

and wastewater systems and GIS professionals can leverage enterprise 

Esri geospatial data repositories and ArcGIS technology in an immersive 

single modelling application. 

By Gregg Herrin, 

Director, Product Management; 

and 

Cyndi Smith, 

Senior Industry Marketing Director 

Water and wastewater networks 

are inherently geospatial — 

comprising of interconnected 

assets that are often underground, and buried 

beneath urban and rural communities. To 

effectively manage these assets, a utility must 

know what they are, where they are located, 

and how they are connected both physically 

and functionally. To optimise these assets for 

its customers, a utility must also know how 

their water and wastewater networks operate 

in various conditions. 

Two systems are at the core of serving these 

related needs. A geographic information 

system (GIS), such as Esri’s ArcGIS, manages 

all types of geospatial business data, including 

land use and parcel information, as well as 

the locations and basic characteristics of 

water and wastewater network assets. A 

hydraulic modelling system (HMS), such as 

Bentley WaterGEMS or SewerGEMS, provides 

additional hydraulic characteristics for the 

network elements and offers engineering 

insight into the complex behavior that defines 

how that network performs. 

These two complementary technologies offer 

analytical solutions for planning, design, 

and operational intelligence for water and 

wastewater utilities. The intention of this 

article is to demonstrate how modelers of 

water and wastewater systems and GIS 

professionals can leverage enterprise Esri 

geospatial data repositories and ArcGIS 

technology in an immersive single modelling 

application. This integration ensures 

that utilities attain the most value from 

their investment in GIS technology and 

related geospatial business data through 

their hydraulic modelling analytical 

capabilities. 

Water and wastewater modelling applications 

can seamlessly provide advanced hydraulic 

modelling capabilities through the ArcGIS 

platform that is familiar to Esri users. 

The applications can take advantage of 

any geospatial data managed in Esri’s 

geodatabases and shapefile formats. This 

capability enables the hydraulic modelling 

and GIS communities to simultaneously 

build and update network models using 

data from Esri geodatabases and geometric 

networks as well as manage hydraulic 

network model data in an Esri geodatabase. 

Additionally, these users can modify network 

and geospatial data using ArcGIS tools, the 

full power of ArcGIS for spatial analysis, 

and the analytical capabilities of water and 

wastewater modelling applications, such as 

WaterGEMS and SewerGEMS, to simulate 

network models directly within the ArcGIS 

platform. 



GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION 

SYSTEMS 

GIS evolved from a modest beginning, in which 

it provided a digital map of network assets. 

This is a key service in delivering enterprise 

spatial data and advanced capabilities 

that allow a water or wastewater utility 

to better manage, operate, and maintain 

critical infrastructure. GIS technology, 

such as ArcGIS, support geospatial data 

management, visualisation, query, analysis, 

and reporting capabilities in a spatial context. 

The GIS team in a water utility is typically 

responsible for keeping the network and 

its supporting geospatial data up to date 

and for providing efficient access to the 

rest of the organisation. One of the most 

demanding groups in need of this data 

is the hydraulic modelling team. In fact, 

GIS has evolved in tandem with hydraulic 

modelling to become an essential capability 

for the water and wastewater modelling 

communities as a source of modelling 

data for spatial analysis and decision support. 

HYDRAULIC MODELLING 

Hydraulic modelling involves the simulation 

and analysis of water, wastewater, and 

stormwater network systems. It uses 

mathematical models to solve specific design, 

planning, and operational problems related to 

capacity, flow, pressure, water quality, energy, 

and other considerations that go beyond the 

physical characteristics and the geospatial 

data that GIS technology manages. 

The hydraulic modelling team in a water utility 

or consulting firm comprises of specialists 

in hydraulic or environmental engineering 

who have extensive knowledge of and 

experience in modelling for a wide variety 

of applications. These applications include 

master planning, pump scheduling, water 

quality analysis, emergency response, and 

others. The hydraulic modelling community 

requires extensive continuous education 

and training in the applied field of hydraulic 

engineering and design as well as experience 

with commercial hydrodynamic modelling 

products. 

GIS technology and geospatial data play a 

significant role in any successful hydraulic 

modelling effort, supplying planners and 

operators with more reliable geospatial 

inputs into these modelling processes, so 

hydraulic modelers have unavoidably become 

GIS “savvy.” 

Manila Water Company wanted a 

comprehensive, holistic, and integrated 

master plan for water and wastewater 

that facilitated capital investment and 

helped them meet business and regulatory 

commitments for Boracay Island, a popular 

tourist destination. Water coverage for the 

island was 60 per cent and water supply 

was available 95 per cent of the time. The 

WaterGEMS users can take advantage of ArcGIS and the hydraulic modelling environment in a single application 



Ceywater Consultants Pvt. Ltd., Non-revenue Water Reduction Project for Colombo Municipal Area, Colombo, Western Province, Sri Lanka 

company wanted to increase these metrics 

to 100 per cent while preserving natural 

resources. Manila Water needed to review 

current network capacity and growth of 

development, augment and expand the 

system to support future development, 

and schedule capital investments. Planners 

aggregated massive and diverse data 

sources (including GIS files), visually 

analysed the likely development on the 

island, and determined the best strategy to 

supply water to the island while minimising 

environmental impacts. The planning 

team created a master plan that ensured 

prudent, cost-effective, and timely delivery 

of capital investments that will meet the 

island’s current and future needs for water 

and wastewater management. Because 

the GIS data was compatible with 

WaterGEMS and SewerGEMS, it was 

easy to plot survey information as it 

became available and to see the actual 

site in comparison to initial plan 

assumptions. 

Callout: Calibrating the water system using 

WaterGEMS helped Manila Water Company 

identify water losses, reducing NRW from 

29 per cent in 2010 to 17 per cent in 2014. 

Early modelling analysis systems used 

stand-alone or CAD data sources to build 

network hydraulic models. Working with a GIS 

application allowed the modelling community 

to visualise and interpret network elements 

and model results through a map-based 

interface rather than through a simplified 

schematic. The priority for the GIS community 

was knowing the type and location of the 

infrastructure, whereas the models were 

more concerned with network connectivity, 

operational settings, controls, and flow 

conditions. However, as GIS technology 

advanced, hydraulic modelling applications 

became further integrated, enabling network 

assets to be geo-referenced and spatial 

relationships with other geospatial data, such 

as soil, transportation, land-use, and parcel 

maps, to be developed. 

Planners, engineers, and technicians have 

access to more reliable, concurrent, and 

accurate information and the integration 

of GIS with hydraulic modelling enables 

water utilities to maximise the value of their 

investments in both systems. This translates 

to tangible and measurable value to the 

business when evaluating capacity and supply 

deficiencies, avoiding sanitary and combined 

overflows, detecting and locating leaks, 

optimising energy utilisation, and lowering 

electricity costs, among other improvements. 

The integration has also fostered closer 

working relationships between the hydraulic 

modelling and GIS communities, each gaining 

a better understanding of the requirements 

of the other. 

Additional benefits are also realised. For 

example, geospatially referenced network 

asset data is customarily used in the planning 

and operation stages of the water and 

wastewater infrastructure lifecycle. When 

an asset is rehabilitated or replaced, or 



when new pipes in a recently developed area 

extend the existing network, the geospatial 

database is updated. This provides an “as 

operated” state of the network that benefits 

other enterprise business applications, such 

as hydraulic modelling systems. When an 

analysis is performed to determine how to 

optimise pump operations in that new area, 

the hydraulic model is synchronised to the 

geospatial database allowing simulated 

results to reflect what would occur in 

the network. Interoperability between 

geospatial and water and wastewater 

modelling applications is an important 

consideration for improving and sustaining 

water infrastructure. 

In a USD400 million project for the National 

Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) 

in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Ceywater Consultants 

joined Nihon Suido Consultants Co. and 

NJS Consultants Co. to introduce district 

metered area (DMA) sectorization into the 

existing water distribution network. The 

project team modeled and analysed network 

hydraulics and identified opportunities to 

reduce non-revenue water (NRW) to 18 per 

cent from the prevailing rate of 40 to 50 per 

cent. Ceywater’s team used WaterGEMS in 

conjunction with the NWSDB’s GIS to model 

the existing network, identify optimal zones 

for the DMAs, and pinpoint suitable locations 

for the new valves. GIS integration with 

WaterGEMS allowed hydraulic modelling 

specialists and GIS professionals to work on 

models simultaneously, saving considerable 

time and reducing errors. 

Outcome demand allocation among the DMAs 

was based on prevailing water consumption 

rates. Low pressure zones prone to water 

intrusion were recommended for pipe 

replacement or rehabilitation. The reduction 

of NRW will eventually improve the NWSDB’s 

revenue, reduce the waste of potable water, 

and conserve Sri Lanka’s valued water 

resources. Seamless information mobility and 

interoperability permitted modelers to extract 

data from AutoCAD drawings to WaterGEMS 

and, similarly, from ArcGIS to WaterGEMS. 

The integration of WaterGEMS and GIS also 

enabled the use of existing satellite images 

and other GIS data for modelling purposes, 

minimising the need for costly and timeconsuming 

manual site surveys. WWA 

The second of this two-part series will be out 

in Water and Wastewater Asia Novermber/ 

December issue. 



L E G E N D A R Y 

Leaks, inaccurate measurements, fraud or poor management of water systems 

are issues for many water utilities. To combat these challenges, Diehl Metering 

improved the HYDRUS and launched the HYDRUS 2.0 to meet the global water 

challenges with precision and performance. 

In a study done by the World Bank, the 

global estimate of physical water losses 

is at 32 billion cubic meters annually, 

hence, water utilities are faced with huge 

financial costs in treating and pumping 

water, but only to have it leaked back into 

the ground and losing the revenue. 

With better non-revenue water management, 

utilities are able “to expand and improve 

service, enhance financial performance, 

make cities more attractive, increase 

climate resilience and reduce energy 

consumption,” according to Bill Kingdom, 

lead water and sanitation specialist for 

the Water Global Practice of the World 

Bank. 

With over 150 years of experience and a 

leader in providing smart metering solutions, 

Diehl Metering improved its HYDRUS and 

launched the HYDRUS 2.0. 

Allan Toh, Head of Southeast Asia Operations, Diehl Metering; and Florian Hostert, 

Head of International Sales, Diehl Metering Germany 



The HYDRUS 2.0 series range from DN 15 to DN 300 

THE ANSWER TO ALL WATER 

METERING CHALLENGES 

The HYDRUS 2.0 is the first step towards 

modernsing utility infrastructure and 

optimising processes. 

A highlight of the HYDRUS 2.0 is its precise 

and dynamic “ability to handle both high 

and low flows, which currently a lot of the 

existing brands or water meters are unable 

to do so,” said Allan Toh, head of Southeast 

Asia Operations at Diehl Metering. 

By covering the entire flow spectrum, the 

HYDRUS 2.0’s revolutionary ultrasonic 

technology and IoT-readiness provide water 

utilities the power to get information on how 

much water is flowing at high level or low 

while incorporating it with Diehl Metering’s 

high-performance radio whereby readings 

can be carried out immediately via drive-by 

or walk-by. 

“What we have done previously were small 

flows or small residential units. Now, we’ve 

gone into the big league where the flows are 

larger, which helps utilities get their water 

measurements from the main pipelines 

before they go into the residences. So, what 

we have done is actually cover the whole 

dynamics,” said Toh. 

“The meter dynamic is something that’s 

completely new. So many utilities are losing 

money because they are not measuring 

accurately enough — not only on the 

residential side but also in the network or 

where you have billing meters for commercial 

or industrial places. They are losing money 

because the meters are not the right type for 

the water measurement,” explained Florian 

Hostert, head of International Sales of Diehl 

Metering Germany. 

Hence, the HYDRUS 2.0 series has a range 

from DN 15 to DN 300. And with its dynamic 

measuring range, water suppliers just have 

to keep only a few variants in stock. 

“The HYDRUS 2.0 is a game changer,” said 

Toh. 

“For many parts of Asia, water isn’t clean. 

Sometimes, after plumbing works or pipe 

laying, the contractor just flushed the water 

and everything goes — the mud, stones, 

pebbles, even plastic bags and occasionally, 

leftover cement and cement bags in the 

pipeline. It goes right into the water mains 

and water meters. The traditional water 

meters will be totally destroyed and loses 

its accuracy. However, with HYDRUS, as it’s 

ultrasonic, it does not have any mechanical 

parts and is in the pipe by itself. It senses 

based on ultrasonic waves.” 

In fact, even under these harsh conditions, 



The HYDRUS 2.0 is the first step towards modernsing utility infrastructure and optimising processes 

the lifetime of the HYDRUS can hit up to 12 

years or more. 

PROVEN RESULTS 

The ability of the HYDRUS is proven with 

Jamaican National Water Commission (NWC) 

in Jamaica. The water utility needed to 

ensure water supply to 400,000 households, 

avoid water losses in pipelines and to find 

a technology that can adapt to extreme 

weather and environmental conditions. 

NWC did a pilot with Diehl Metering, which 

became a huge success and led to the order 

for more HYDRUS ultrasonic water meters. 

With the installation of the HYDRUS and 

using the drive-by and walk-by methods, 

information was transmitted on an hourly 

basis for 24 hours, seven days a week, 

365 days a year, while detecting leaks and 

reducing non-revenue water. 

“The installation of smart metering 

infrastructure increases the efficiency of 

the reading process and reduce costs. Diehl 

Metering technology will help us to minimise 

invoice complaints and disputes due to the 

billing,” said Mark Bernett, president of NWC. 

In Berlin, Germany, the Berlin Water authority 

needed to improve the performance of the 

management network and its service to 

consumers. By turning to the HYDRUS and 

using the drive-by method, it saved time for 

the water operators and improve efficiency. 

Billing was also optimised as 100 per cent 

of the meters were read. 

“From the collection of indexes to the billing 

system, the Diehl Metering Drive-By solution 

has made our management process more 

efficient and reliable. In the future, we can 

establish a fixed network to monitor the 

entire network, at any time,” said Thomas 

Vollmar, metering manager of Berlin Water 

Authority. 

The HYDRUS 2.0 was launched globally at 

this year’s Singapore International Water 

Week, which reiterates the company’s belief 

in the Southeast Asian market. In fact, 

there’s no stopping the company as they 

look into innovating themselves further. 

“Diehl Metering is always a company 

that is evolving in our R&D (research and 

development), said Toh. 

“We’re talking about water quality, we’re 

talking about pressure monitoring, and 

we’re talking about integrating several other 

technologies. So those are the next things 

we see,” said Hostert. 

We can’t wait to see what Diehl Metering will 

bring next. WWA 



Ushering 

in sludge 

treatment 

technologies 

into Asia 

Sludge treatment technologies and 

energy recovery from sludge has been 

around for decades. But in Asia, the 

uptake rate has been rather slow until 

recent years due to limited budget or 

a lack of public acceptance — simple 

reasons which are difficult to tackle. 

Water and Wastewater Asia recently had 

the chance to speak with a very amiable 

Dr Chen Xiaohua, Municipal Process & 

Application Director APAC as well as 

Municipal Engineering Director SEA & 

Australia for Veolia Water Technologies 

Asia Municipal since 2003. Having been 

with Veolia for 25 years and within 

Veolia’s Headquarters in France for 10 

years, Dr Chen is a recognised expert 

on advanced water, wastewater, and 

sludge treatment, with an immense 

amount of deep insights to share. 

Dr Chen Xiaohua is the Municipal Process & 

Application Director APAC as well as Municipal 

Engineering Director SEA & Australia for Veolia 

Water Technologies Asia Municipal since 2003 



Qns: In the Asia context, have people 

understood the importance of sludge 

treatment and sludge as energy? 

Dr Chen: For a long time, people have 

understood sludge discharge as waste 

containing organic matters with nutrients and 

energy. However, along with the new design 

of wastewater treatment plants, people have 

begun to consider sludge waste as a resource 

and source of recoverable energy, such as 

fertilisers and green energy in the form of 

biogas. 

Sludge can be a form of fertiliser for 

agriculture purposes, and can also be 

extracted for chemicals containing ammonium 

phosphate, also known as Struvite, a type 

of slow-releasing fertiliser. Sludge can also 

be extracted to produce bioplastic, and 

Veolia’s Cella technology can help to 

facilitate biopolymer production during sludge 

treatment to produce biodegradable plastics. 

But the most valuable application of sludge is 

in energy recovery. In its dried form, sludge 

is a good source of fuel with a lower calorific 

value (LCV) close to that of wood. However, 

drying consumes a lot of energy. The most 

optimal solution is to produce biogas, and 

eventually biomethane — which is easy to 

handle, transfer, and use. Through digestion, 

biogas is produced. It can be burnt in a 

combined heat and power system (CHP), 

producing electricity and thermal energy. 

Biogas can also be purified and injected 

into a city’s gas network. Through sludge 

incineration, energy can be recovered in the 

form of electricity and thermal energy — 

either in the form of steam or hot water. 

Cost: A primary challenge for 

recovered resources 

However, there is always the question of cost. 

The cost of fertilisers recovered from sludge 

is usually higher than what an end user can 

buy from the market. However, the carbon 

footprint of fertilisers sold in the market is 

significantly higher and less sustainable in the 

long term — phosphorus resources derived 

from mining is not inexhaustible. The same 

applies for the cost of bioplastic recovered 

from sludge — which may cost two to 

three times more than bioplastic derived 

from potatoes. 

Hence, there is a need for incentives from 

the government. With incentives, recovered 

energy can be sold at more competitive prices, 

and end users will be more willing to buy the 

recovered energy. This is happening for both 

biogas and electricity. For example, with the 

incentives in Europe, a company can sell the 

energy to the electricity grid for almost twice 

the amount they would have paid to buy it 

from the grid. 

Currently, there are no incentive policies 

in China and most South-East Asian (SEA) 

countries, though companies can still sell 

electricity to the grid, purified biogas to the 

natural gas network, or recovered heat to the 

heating centres. Some recovered resources 

are already being sold in China and Hong 

Kong, but because electricity is sold at 

the same price as it is purchased for use, 

recovered electricity is only used domestically 

in China. Electricity generated through sludge 

treatment can make up to 60 per cent of the 

total power requirement of a wastewater 

treatment plant. 

Incineration now a highly preferred 

sludge reduction method in Asia 

In China and SEA, a lot of emphasis is placed 

on water treatment, but what happens is that 

a huge amount of sludge is also generated, 

which some municipals do not know how 

to dispose. Veolia is able to offer effective 

solutions in this area with its portfolio of 

technologies for wastewater and sludge 

treatment — turning sludge into resources 

for other uses. 

China’s regulation stipulates that sludge 

dryness must be of 40 per cent before being 

disposed in landfills. However, in other cities, 

sludge cannot be disposed in landfills. Sludge 

digestion process with upstream advanced 

pre-treatment, such as the thermal hydrolysis 

process (THP), can be an effective way for 

sludge stabilisation (by approximately 30 to 

65 per cent), volume reduction, and biogas 

production. But it cannot offer ultimate sludge 

volume reduction. In such cases, incineration 

is considered the best technology, despite 

being the costliest among many advanced 

sludge treatment technologies. 

Moreover, incineration is an effective way to 

recover energy, including electricity, and inert 

ash generated after incineration can be reused 

for construction materials, such as bricks and 

road materials. 

Hong Kong’s T-Park is a successful example 

of a sludge incineration project. Equipped 

with 2x14 MW power generators, the plant 

generates enough electricity to sustain its 

operations and surplus electricity can be sold 

to the grid. In Hong Kong, sludge from all 11 

wastewater treatment plants is sent to the 

incineration plant. Japan is another example 

where municipalities have adopted advanced 

sludge incineration and digestion treatment 

technologies. 

Qns: Why is sludge treatment important 

in Asia’s context? 

Dr Chen: It is important in a global context, but 

more emphasis is necessary in Asia, because 

sludge treatment had taken off much earlier 

in Europe. In France, Veolia constructed the 

first incineration plant 50 years ago. In Asia, 

there is possibly less budget, which is why 

municipalities tend to focus on the water 

treatment instead of sludge treatment, which 

takes up 30 to 50 per cent additional costs 

in wastewater treatment. When investment is 

limited, the priority will predictably be water 

treatment, and sludge treatment will only be 

considered at a later stage. 

Nonetheless, sludge issue is more critical in 

Asia countries with fast growing urbanisation 

and high population density with low land 

availability — there is simply no more space for 

burying sludge in landfill. In the Philippines, for 

example, multi-storey wastewater treatment 

plants are constructed to overcome land 

scarcity. 

Qns: Hong Kong has the biggest sludge 

incineration plant in the world, what 

were the challenges faced? 

Dr Chen: The Hong Kong government entrusted 

a consulting company to do a feasibility study, 

spanning more than 10 years, to compare 

the different sewage solutions and sludge 

treatment solutions. Eventually, the proposed 

solution was to build a centralised incineration 

plant, which was more difficult to construct. 

But there were also major technical challenges. 

We needed to better understand the sludge 



characteristics, which originated from 11 

different wastewater treatment plants. 

We also needed to better understand 

the sludge quality and the difference in 

sludge quality from the different plants. We 

needed to ensure a good mix with constant 

quality before feeding the sludge into the 

incinerator. 

Moreover, for a centralised plant like this, 

good coordination was paramount — whether 

it is with contractors or various government 

departments for licenses and design approval 

on top of approvals for different building 

stages. Internal coordination is an even bigger 

job, between the general contractor and many 

other contractors. This shows Veolia has the 

capacity to build a mega-treatment plant like 

the T-Park, which cost HK$5 billion (US$636.9 

million). Veolia also invited French architect, 

Claude Vasconi, to design the multi-purpose 

T-Park, which incorporates an environmental 

education centre and a large landscape 

garden within the facility. 

Greatest challenge: gaining public 

acceptance 

However, the greatest challenge and the most 

important aspect of the project was to gain 

public acceptance. Before embarking on a 

sludge treatment plant, it is crucial to secure 

public acceptance. The odour is usually 

the foremost concern for the public. It is 

also important to change people’s 

perception through education and 

communication, to show that waste treatment 

plants can be beautifully designed and would 

not emit odours with today’s technologies. 

It is natural for people to be hesitant about 

having sludge treatment plants in their 

neighbourhoods, and their concerns need to 

be addressed. In Guangdong, some sludge 

incineration and solid waste incineration 

projects were halted due to objections from 

the neighbours. 

The Hong Kong government is committed 

in providing an environmentally sustainable 

plant. And having garnered public 

acceptance, the T-Park is now a model for 

other governments looking to build sludge 

treatment plants. 

Qns: Will mega-waste treatment plants 

be a trend in the future? 

Dr Chen: This depends on the situation, 

especially the capacity that needs to be 

treated. For a wastewater treatment plant 

with a capacity of less than 200 million 

litres per day (MLD), a decentralised plant 

is usually preferred. A decentralised plant 

offers the added advantage of a consistent 

sludge quality. If you receive sludge from 

11 different plants, the sludge needs to be 

mixed to achieve a constant quality and can 

pose potential challenges to the treatment 

process due to the mixed microbial culture. 

Another advantage of a decentralised plant 

is that transportation cost is greatly reduced. 

With land scarcity in Hong Kong, adopting a 

decentralised approach for waste treatment 

would not have been feasible. 

On the other hand, a centralised plant allows 

for easier sludge management. A highly 

skilled team can also be hired to oversee 

operations at the plant and the most advanced 

technology can be employed for large-scale 

applications. 

Qns: What are some factors to consider 

when deciding to build a centralised or 

decentralised sludge treatment plant? 

Dr Chen: There are several factors to consider. 

For example in Shenzhen, they plan to build 

a centralised sludge treatment plant, like 

Hong Kong’s T-Park, as Shenzhen may not 

be suitable for a decentralised approach 

due of space constraints. On the other hand, 

Shanghai is divided into three or four zones 

and a centralised sludge treatment plant 

is designated for each zone. In Beijing, 

the city has adopted the decentralised 

approach, with five large wastewater 

treatment plants that are all equipped to 

carry out thermal-hydrolysis process (THP) 

and digestion. 

Qns: Is incineration the most popular 

sludge treatment method in Asia 

counties? 

Dr Chen: In larger cities, digestion with 

possible THP as an upstream pre-treatment 

and incineration methods are two of the most 

suitable methods for sludge treatment. In 

China, cities like Shanghai and Shenzhen use 

incineration. Beijing, on the other hand, uses 

THP followed by digestion. 

Qns: What is the potential like for the 

future of sludge treatment and the 

technologies involved? 

Dr Chen: The future of sludge treatment 

lies in two main technologies highlighted 

earlier — digestion with possible upstream 

THP pre-treatment and incineration. Other 

technologies like thermal drying, gasification, 

and carbonisation, can help to enhance the 

results of digestion and incineration. However, 

drying consumes a considerable amount of 

thermal energy, while the gasification and 

carbonisation technologies are deemed 

immature for large-scale applications. 

Apart from the technologies mentioned 

earlier, Veolia also offers wet oxidation, 

which is a flameless incineration technology 

developed more than 10 years ago. In this 

process, sludge is placed in a high-pressure 

45 to 50 bar reactor, and pure oxygen is then 

introduced. The final product is minimal ash 

(otherwise known as ‘Techno-sand’). Wet 

oxidation is already employed in some cities. 

Veolia has carried out four to five projects in 

France and Belgium where incineration is not 

allowed. The wet oxidation method offers a 

more environmental-friendly alternative to 

incineration. 

Qns: What are the challenges in sludge 

treatment technology today? 

Dr Chen: One of the main challenges is 

ensuring a good understanding of the 

characteristics of the raw sludge that needs 

to be treated. This is paramount for designing 

a suitable sludge treatment. 

Other key concerns in developing sludge 

treatment technology include improving 

the reduction of sludge volume, ensuring 

the best quality results (in terms of nutrient 

content, odour, calorific value, texture etc.), 

and mitigating potential environmental and 

safety issues. 

Public acceptance — especially when it comes 

to odours, transportation of sludge, noise, 

and aesthetics — may also pose a challenge 

in developing a suitable sludge treatment 

solution. WWA 


38 | INSIGHT 

What is 

water’s true 

power? 

Although growth in 

Southeast Asia is expected 

to be the highest in the 

world, the region is still 

prone to flooding 

A resource and necessity often taken for granted, 

water is more than just the precious resource flowing 

out of our taps with a flick of our fingers. Water is also 

an economic boon, raging element, enabler of nature… 

and a terrifying force if not properly harnessed. 

A 

resource without which there will be 

no life, balancing the presence of 

water and its quantity is a necessity. 

Immediate issues such as too much water 

can cause floods and related damage, while 

drought threatens water security. But in fact, 

water-related problems go much deeper 

than that. 

From affecting natural ecosystems to 

disturbing weather patterns, water is a far 

more precious resource than many may 

assume, and as such, its reach and sphere 

of influence extends far beyond what many 

may imagine, affecting the very core of life 

and industry itself. 

Recently, Water & Wastewater Asia had 

the opportunity to chat with Professor 

Jeff Obbard, executive director and 

environmental consultant at Tembusu Asia 

Consulting, Singapore & Southeast Asia, to 

talk about the impact water has on the world, 

economically, socially, and environmentally, 

especially in this era of climate change. 

THE HYDROLOGICAL CYCLE 

The hydrological cycle, or water cycle, begins 

with water evaporation, and as the moist 

air continues lifting into the sky, cools 

to water vapour, condensing to form 

clouds. From there, the moisture is 

transported around the world, blown about 

by wind, until returning to the earth’s 

surface through precipitation, such as rain 

or snow. 


INSIGHT | 39 

From there, the precipitation either 

evaporates back into the atmosphere, 

beginning the cycle all over again or goes 

through the surface, becoming groundwater 

that would either make its way back into the 

atmosphere through transpiration or slowly 

trickle into streams, rivers, or oceans. 

But climate change has altered the water 

cycle, with high temperatures and a warmer 

atmosphere leading to a greater intensity of 

water scarcity that has resulted in increased 

drought around the world. 

“More evaporation over large land masses, 

sucking water out of the soil, implications 

of water security,” Professor Obbard flatly 

stated. “And because of the higher latent 

heat energy in the atmosphere which is 

holding more moisture, it seems that the 

precipitation is coming out in more intense 

bursts of rainfall.” 

Moreover, examples are appearing all 

over the world, with the January floods in 

Singapore considered the worst in thirty 

years. 

“There is a lot of variability in the system, 

and when you look at the trends long-term, 

you’ll notice that those trends are up,” 

he added. “So it becomes a real threat to 

security in terms of food, energy, and water.” 

RISKS AND IMPACT 

In Southeast Asia, flooding is almost the 

norm, especially during the annual monsoon 

season, where rains batter the region and 

waterways swell. But Southeast Asia is also 

the region where the population is growing 

along with its economy, and urbanisation is 

following at a rapid pace. 

“Growth is expected to be the fastest in this 

part of the world,” Professor Obbard said. 

“And that inevitably puts a lot of demand on 

natural ecosystems, the supply of water, as 

well as cities which are responsible for the 

supply of water for the population as well as 

carrying wastewater away.” 

Moreover, water scarcity, drought, flooding, 

as well as other related issues have 

the potential to negatively impact 

businesses in the region, and even human 

behaviour. 

“In the event of a drought, increasing water 

tariffs and increasing water restrictions are 

going to affect manufacturing and business, 

along with economic security,” Professor 

Obbard explained. “On the other hand, 

floods and heavy precipitation can damage 

infrastructure very rapidly, and can knock 

local economies sideways pretty quickly with 

the consequences in terms of costs for clean 

up and additional infrastructure.” 

As the hydrological cycle continues to alter, 

heavy rains and drought will become more 

common. Here, a pair of siblings search 

for water in drought-stricken Uganda 


40 | INSIGHT 

But water can pose indirect risks as well, 

enabling natural disasters such as mudslides 

and landslides through the disruption of 

the hydrological cycle, as Professor Obbard 

pointed out. On top of that, businesses would 

be affected on multiple levels and in many 

different ways. 

“When we remove forests, we affect 

transpiration and the formation of rainfall, 

and also affect the behaviour of the 

catchment system as well,” he stated. 

“So more water is going into the ground, 

which increases the likelihood of mudslides 

and landslides and other terrible 

catastrophes associated with that. And as 

we make our catchments more impermeable 

by urbanising them, the risk for increased 

runoff and flash flooding increases, thus 

further impacting urban infrastructure.” 

THREATENED INDUSTRIES AND 

ECONOMIES 

Although businesses related to the 

management, supply, and removal of water 

would be the most at risk, other businesses 

seemingly unrelated to the water industry 

would be as well. 

“I think transportation would possibly be 

at risk because of the flooding-related 

effects on infrastructure,” Professor Obbard 

elaborated. “And generally, businesses will 

be affected as people become more affected 

by climate change and a more extreme 

hydrological cycle. 

One such example is the effort expended 

on clean up operations following natural 

catastrophes such as typhoons and 

hurricanes, with costs to rebuild and restore 

affected sites escalating. 

“Where you have very extreme events that 

cause major impacts much like flooding, 

and money needs to be released from the 

financial system quickly, there may be 

economic implications,” Professor Obbard 

Professor Jeff Obbard, Executive Director and 

Environmental Consultant at Tembusu Asia 

Consulting, Singapore & Southeast Asia. 

Image credit: Professor Jeff Obbard 

explained. “And with so many countries 

economically overextended in terms of debt 

levels, cheap lending could create problems 

in terms of releasing equity quickly to deal 

with major infrastructure impacts. This could 

implicate some local, regional, and even 

global, economies.” 

While Southeast Asian nations are certainly 

preparing for a water risk with awareness 

of the changing climate and hydrological 

cycle rising with the frequency of storm 

events, drainage systems are modified and 

extended, and water reclamation levels, 

revised with respect to changing sea levels. 

“But I think less fortunate counties in 

Southeast Asia who are a little further down 

on the development scale – and let us be 

aware that these countries have the least 

to do with climate change but are likely to 

suffer the greatest impacts – are going to 

struggle the most to adapt to the changing 

climate,” Professor Obbard pointed out. 

“There is provision for that in the Paris 

Climate Agreement to assist developing 

countries in preparing for the worst effects, 

and businesses are beginning to see it as an 

opportunity as well as a risk.” 

And Singapore, though no longer a 

developing nation, is at risk at well, though 

there are opportunities as well. 

“When we think about Singapore, we must 

think about climate change and all the 

issues with water in terms of strategic 

risk. Singapore is a low-lying island state 

nation and the Intergovernmental Panel 

on Climate Change (IPCC) has specifically 

warned low-lying island-state nations that 

they are susceptible to the changes in 

the hydrological cycle,” Professor Obbard 

explained. 

“And Singapore may not have a lot of natural 

resources, it does have a lot of smart, welleducated 

people who are very good at 

understanding global trends and how they 

relate to Singapore’s economic success.” 

Moreover urban populations are continuing 

to grow, and with it, wastewater is changing 

as well. 

“We are seeing new emerging contaminants 

in wastewater, such as microplastics. So 

with the rapidly urbanising, changing, 

developing global civilisation, we have to 

be very careful with the proper scalability 

and implementation of water treatment 

technology as well as water supply,” 

Professor Obbard elaborated. 

“There is always a lag between innovation, 

investment, and implementation, and that 

is true of any industry, including the water 

industry. We have to become smarter, 

more novel, more dynamic, and we need 

to implement change faster while also 

remaining practical.” WWA 


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42 | INSIGHT 

Today’s solution for 

tomorrow’s need 

As the production and digital world meet, there is increasing need for flexibility, energy efficiency and 

linking logistics processes more closely. Festo is a major player in industrial automation and at this year’s 

Singapore International Water Week, we sat down to find out how the company looks into driving the 

projects of the future. 

As Industry 4.0, Internet of Thing and 

smart factories drive smart projects 

of the future, there is a need for 

solutions to be ever faster, more diverse, 

more flexible and more intelligent. There 

is also a call for greater availability, energy 

efficiency and just-in-time production that 

are on the rise. 

To answer for the volatile markets in process 

industries such as water and wastewater, 

Festo has innovate the plants of the future 

with modules where there are smaller batches 

and different types of product in the same 

plant – thus, catering to the customers’ 

needs. 

the application software. The modules can be 

integrated with minimal effort into the overall 

automation solution for the production 

process. This allows several automated 

modules to be added to the plant without the 

need to extend the automation technology of 

the overall plant. 

And the central element to this concept is the 

automation platform CPX — reflecting the 

motto “numbering up instead of scaling up“. 

AUTOMATION PLATFORM CPX 

The automation platform CPX has proved 

to be ideal as the central element of a 

modular automation system. This platform 

can accept not only pneumatic components 

in its IP65/67 variants but also different 

controllers and remote IOs for a number of 

sensors, for example for pressure monitoring 

or temperature measurement, on a modular 

basis. 

In the field of water treatment, for example, 

This is based on the “Lego” principle whereby 

users can add modules or switch them off 

in line with requirements. But this can be 

achieved only with modular automation. 

MODULAR AND INTELLIGENT 

The plants of the future will consist of 

modules. Each module will incorporate all the 

automation functions which requires to carry 

out its own process. Automation functions 

could also be provided by a central control 

system. However, a master control system 

is not designed for modular plants with 

their requirement for easy replacement of 

individual modules. Process-related modules, 

on the other hand, need a small, adaptable 

and autonomous automation system. 

By implementing decentralised, intelligent 

solutions in the individual modules there is 

no need to re-programme and re-configure 

From left: Leonard Lau, Head of Sales Process Industry, Southeast Asia, Festo; and 

Armin Mueller, Segment Management, Water & Wastewater, Festo 


INSIGHT | 43 

skids in different configurations can be 

created, depending on the application. 

These fully transportable filter systems 

are especially interesting in cases where 

the demand for water is low, requiring the 

treatment of up to 1,000 m³ of water per 

day. With transportable filter systems, water 

production can start up very quickly. 

“We feel the CPX will be the future for plants 

in Southeast Asia,” said Leonard Lau, head of 

Sales Process Industry, Southeast Asia, Festo. 

FLEXIBLE, ROBUST, HIGH 

PERFORMANCE 

Another highlight for Festo in the modular 

trend is its VZXA, the angle seat valves. 

Angle seat valve 

with diaphragm 

actuator VZXA 

Quarter-turn actuator DFPD 

“The unique part of it is that it’s a two-piece 

design, whereby you can remove the actuator 

part of it and replace,” said Armin Mueller, 

Segment Management, Water & Wastewater, 

Festo. 

Different actuators are usually needed when 

the water pressure is different. But with the 

VZXA, “it is only one interface,” said Mueller. 

The modular design allows the valves bodies 

and actuators to be flexibly combined for 

configuration of applications. In fact, with 

a patented seal system, it prevents the 

operating medium from leaking out. In 

addition, the well-thought-out interface 

means the actuator can be replaced without 

opening the piping. 

“There’s no need to remove all the pipes to 

do this,” explained Lau. 

The VZXA consists of an angle seat valve body, 

a piston or diaphragm actuator and a visual 

position indicator. Its flow-optimised valve 

body, made of stainless steel, is available in 

the nominal sizes DN15 – DN65. Additionally, 

interfaces are provided, together with internal 

channels for the operating pressure to allow 

the subsequent addition of positioners and 

valve control heads. 

VERSATILITY MEETS DESIGN 

Modern, simple and compact, the quarterturn 

actuator DFPD can be used with ball 

valves, shut off valves or air dampers in 

the chemical, pharmaceutical or beverage 

industry or for water treatment. 

Another highlight for the DFPD is its gliding 

system. 

“Cheap actuators just have one ceiling ring 

so you have a high friction, producing a 

“slip stick” effect. But the DFPD moves very 

smoothly so its very good for the control of 

flow, which is a big thing,” explained Mueller. 

With nine different spring combinations, the 

DFPD can meet the most precise operating 

pressure requirements of between 2 and 6 

bar. 

“For example, if you have a pressure of three 

valves, maybe you only need three springs. 

If you have five valves, then you just need 

four springs. It’s easily adjustable to the 

requirement,” said Mueller. 

In fact, just the basic version of the DFPD 

is suitable for temperatures between -20 

and +80°C. The low-temperature variant 

is designed for arctic regions and covers a 

temperature range of -50°C to + 60°C. The 

high-temperature variant can be used at 

temperatures of between 0°C and +150°C. 

With its versatile and corrosion-resistant 

surface coatings, the actuator can also be 

reliably and flexibly used in harsh conditions. 

It can be mounted anywhere and the end 

positions can be adjusted by ± 5° at both ends, 

ensuring high flexibility during operation. 

NEXT FOR FESTO 

With the modular concept, customers can 

enjoy the economies of scales in production 

and assembly while reducing their costs. 

In addition, it helps them to enhance their 

delivery while reaching their end users quickly 

with the right quantities of new products. 

As digitalisation becomes the next big global 

trend, big changes can be seen in the near 

future for Festo. 

“Last year, we reached a turnover of 

€3 billion and we are very confident for a 

much higher growth in the next few years,” 

said Mueller. WWA 


44 | INSIGHT 

Making waves in sustainability 

and digitalisation 

Arcadis recently launched its latest drone deployment services in construction and is one of the first companies to do so in 

Singapore. As a leading global design and consultancy firm for natural and built assets with deep market sector insights, 

we are excited to hear what Arcadis’s Global Cities Director, John Batten and Global Leader, Intelligent Water Networks, 

Giles Booth have to say about urban sustainability challenges and Arcadis’ digitalisation journey at this point in time. 

Q: Arcadis has been providing 

solutions for all kinds of urban 

environmental and sustainability 

problems, can you point to three 

main sustainability challenges in 

the water industry that countries 

worldwide should give priority 

to? 

JB: The first has to be water quality. 

With urbanisation, industrial migration 

and others factors in play, contamination 

is always affecting receiving water and 

ground water. If you look at PFAs, the 

emerging contaminant issue, then you 

have challenges of quality even at drinking 

water level. Water quality continues to be 

a challenge and will remain a challenge 

as we have more and more emerging 

contaminants like PFAs. 

The challenge of water quality is 

particularly prominent in China, where 

major cities have undergone rapid 

urbanisation since the country opened its 

economy in 1978. The state has recently 

identified 21 cities failing to meet the 

target of improving the quality of “black 

and smelly” water bodies, and that the 

country will need US$147 billion to clean 

its urban rivers. As evidenced by the case 

of China, water quality will not only affect 

the health and well-being of its residents 

and environment, but also have economic 

consequences. 

The second issue is resilience. That means 

the ability of a city to respond to disruptive 

water events like scarcity, floods and 

droughts. A city now must have the ability 

to live with such fluctuations and events in 

water because of climate change, changing 

water patterns, sea level rise and political 

changes, which are all very real problems 

and very much in play. Among the largest 

resilience programmes is the sponge city 

initiative in China. Sponge city is an innovation 

solution to create more green public spaces 

to absorb storm water, making the city more 

permeable and resilient. Wuhan, the most 

populous city in Central China, is one of the 

programme’s 16 pilot cities and Arcadis is 

honoured to be appointed as the principal 

consultant by the Wuhan Water Authority for 

the city’s programme. 

The third is the area of system efficiency in 

asset management. In water networks, the 

amount of leakage can be significant so the 

stability aspect of leakage has a lot to do with 

the system too. In water networks, particularly 

older ones, the amount of leakages can be 

significant, resulting in revenue losses to water 

utility. Non-revenue water is something to be 

tackled as it leads to a lot of wastage, and 

when you consider people who are without 

water supply while we are losing that amount 

of water from our network, it just doesn’t make 

sense. Managing water leakage and driving 

down non-revenue water is therefore an 

imperative for cities, especially ones dealing 

with water scarcity. Singapore’s PUB is a 

good example of a city utility that is investing 

significantly in tightening up its distribution 

system in preventing leakages and breakages. 

Q: With governments taking the 

lead to seek solutions to manage 

such challenges, what can the 

private sector in water industries 

in Asia do to tackle sustainability 

issues? 

JB: You have the Dow Jones sustainability 

index, which is your corporate social 

responsibility from an environmental view, 

tracking the stock performance of the world’s 

leading companies in terms of economic, 

environmental and social criteria. More 

investors are now paying attention, as there 

are growing expectations from shareholders 

for companies to be more environmentally 

sensitive and responsible, so that trend is the 

global trend. 

Q: In some developing countries, 

the priority is to solve more 

immediate water problems such 

as water supply and drinking water 

quality, not sustainability. Is it 

possible to still bring sustainability 

issues to their table? 

JB: Sustainability does come at a cost. When 

you do the cost benefit analysis, I think that 

sustainability, in the long run, is a good 

investment because it improves quality of 

life to make a city a better place to live in. 

Liveability is a big issue in Asia, investing 

in sustainability and liveability is a priority 

on both public and private sector level. 

The two definitely should join up and work 

together to create sustainable outcomes. 

By prioritising urban sustainability, a city’s 

water environment directly benefits from that 

investment. 

Q: Are there any challenges 

implementing it in SEA? 


INSIGHT | 45 

John Batten, 

Global Cities Director, Arcadis 

Giles Booth, 

Global Leader, Intelligent Water 

Networks, Arcadis 

JB: I think it is a work-in-progress. From 

a corporate social responsibility point of 

view, many multi-national corporations 

(MNCs) get the imperative. They understand 

that the way they operate in SEA should 

be no different from how they operate in 

North America or Europe. And we see that 

corporate standardised operating mentality 

and compliance more and more throughout 

the world. Whether it is in the pharmaceutical, 

life sciences, chemical manufacturing sector 

or food and beverage sector, I see a lot more 

global consistency of practise and we help our 

MNC clients do exactly that. 

Q: Being a global design and 

consultancy firm for natural and 

built assets, what do you think are 

some of the common weaknesses 

in the management of water 

infrastructures in Asia? 

GB: We are working in various geographies 

in Asia where there is a mix. In Manila, we 

are improving quality of life for residents by 

designing a sewerage infrastructure – there 

are some sewerage systems, but it is far from 

universal coverage, and lags significantly 

behind potable water service. But that’s a very 

different issue from what Singapore is facing 

in water security, for example, hence it is very 

difficult to group Asia together as having one 

singular challenge. 

It is however possible to identify a common 

weakness in water services provision; split 

responsibility across multiple agencies 

(supply, sanitation, stormwater) hampers 

opportunities for holistic management in the 

urban environment. Close agency cooperation 

and collaboration supports the goal of one 

water. 

Q: Can you specify the types of 

digital technologies currently used 

by Arcadis for your own projects? 

Have they revolutionised the way 

you work on your projects? 

GB: We have been using drones for 

construction management to understand 

the progress of road infrastructure, and also 

use it for leak detection of pipelines. It is a 

less intensive way of finding leaks than we 

normally do when we rely on manpower 

to assess. Our third pillar of our corporate 

strategy focuses on innovation and growth, 

so we are constantly upskilling our people 

and paying close attention to their digital 

development, while absolutely recognising 

the importance of Big Data and technology. 

As a digital frontrunner we are helping clients 

in many forms. For example, in water, we help 

transform traditional conveyance systems 

into Intelligent Water Networks. These 

augment physical assets with data and digital 

technologies to provide closer control and 

deeper insight into their performance. We 

have used machine learning to perform deep 

analysis on water quality data in distribution 

systems, allowing optimisation of treatment 

with significant savings in operational costs. 

We also employ cloud computing technologies 

to speed up our responses in examining 

clients’ problems. We use data analytics to 

generate deep insight and powerful stories to 

plan the performance of utility networks and 

optimise investment plans. 

In other sectors we have employed digital 

image recognition to ensure safe passage 

around busy highways, merging camera 

technology and deep learning algorithms to 

eliminate 80 per cent of costly manual labour. 

Our parametric design algorithms allow us to 

experiment with possible infrastructure and 

building designs in real time. 

Q: How do you advocate 

digitalisation to your clients? 

GB: Deep Orange is our global flagship cocreation 

and innovation programme where 

we work with clients to co-create solutions for 

problem statements that have been identified 

with clients. Each of the clients has a unique 

challenge which we then use design thinking 

over the four days to ideate, problem-solve, 

prototype and come up with a digital solution 

that is supported by ecosystem partners, or 

technology, or a digitalisation business model. 

We have already done this in cities such as 

Manchester, Amsterdam, Eindhoven and New 

York. For the first time in July, we brought 

this to Kuala Lumpur, Asia as our 5 th global 

edition. It is also the first in this industry; 

I don’t think there are other companies 

out there currently adopting this approach 

to advocate digitalisation in this way with 

clients. It is very much focused on liveability 

and this agenda is high on the platform for 

Asia. For Kuala Lumpur in particular, we are 

working with public bodies – which are our 

clients – to address thematic topics around 

liveability in KL. 

This is a very new concept and programme, 

and it is definitely one that marks us as 

different in our approach to digitalisation. WWA 


46 | INSIGHT 

Left to right: Shanmugavel Subramaniam, Segment Leader, Water & Wastewater Segment; Peter Herweck, Executive Vice President, Industry; and 

Doug Warren, Vice President, Strategic Partnerships, AVEVA, at Singapore International Water Week 

In a time of aging 

infrastructure, 

Schneider Electric 

revolutionises 

with digitisation 

Founded in 1836, over the years, 

Schneider Electric has not only 

expanded to all corners of the globe, 

they have developed a sense of where the 

future lays, choosing to concentrate on 

providing solutions, energy management and 

automation with almost uncanny acumen. 

“One of the things that is very important 

next to the broad spectrum of products that 

we offer in energy management, automation 

and digitisation is that we’re also trying 

to specialise by “verticalising” markets,” 

Executive Vice President, Industry, Peter 

Herweck, said. 

Schneider Electric is leading the digital transformation of energy 

management and automation. Discover how this smart water technology 

leader enhances key processes and applications across the water cycle. 

“We believe that this is very important 

because the customers we meet are usually 

experts in their respective fields and they 

want to talk to other experts not on a 

product level, but also to people who want to 


INSIGHT | 47 

understand their process, their applications, In March this year, AVEVA and Schneider 

and at the same time, can talk about offering Electric’s industrial software business 

a solution that we have, and this is becoming combined to create a leading engineering 

more and more important as we move into a and industrial software company. 

digitised world.” 

Unlike other analytics tools, AVEVA’s water 

And with aging infrastructure becoming an network management and optimisation 

increasing point of worry for many water solutions use real-time data to analyse 

utilities worldwide, Schneider Electric’s and track the current state of the network. 

commitment to digitisation may pay off for Its hydraulic modelling tools simulate the 

the industry on a massive scale. 

flow and pressure in the water distribution 

system, and water quality analysis is used 

VERTICAL ARCHITECTURE 

to determine chemical composition in 

Schneider Electric’s specialty vertical every part of the water network, enabling 

architecture, EcoStruxure, is smart, versatile operators to make better, smarter and more 

and vertical. With three layers of product, timely decisions to optimise production and 

control and software, applications, and other distribution, enhancing overall economic 

analytics and additional services that are performance. 

cybersecure, it is also very open, and many 

partner networks can be deployed on it. “The first layer gathers all the information 

and provides visualisation of the network, 

“We wanted to have an architecture that is and on top of that would be the online 

very open, because we understand that not hydraulic model that provides analytics to 

everything is going to come from us. We want show not just what is happening right now, 

to invite others with standard interfaces to but predict things in the network further down 

use it, and it also allows our ecosystem of in the future,” Doug Warren, Vice President, 

partners, meaning local system integrators Strategic Partnerships, AVEVA, added. 

or advanced engineering houses to build 

on this architecture,” Herweck elaborated. DIGITISATION 

In India, Schneider Electric has been 

“With these “verticalised” applications, you selected by Naya Raipur Development 

don’t have to worry about having a large Authority (NRDA) to be a key partner for the 

application in a water network,” Herweck development of the first green field integrated 

continued. 

smart city of Naya Raipur. Schneider Electric 

Herweck demonstrates the many uses of Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure 

will be responsible for executing the entire 

gamut of the integrated Command & Control 

Center which will be the central hub for 

city management from citizen applications, 

end-to-end Water Management System and 

Building Management System. The entire 

structure is open, scalable and interoperable. 

“Many water utilities and networks deliver 

high pressure in water for customers on old 

pipes, over-pumping just to make sure that 

the pressure is at the top when you open the 

faucet,” Warren said. “Now, the more you 

pump, the higher the pressure you build, the 

more aging water infrastructure will leak.” 

“There is an ability to connect all of the 

equipment that has been deployed if one 

wants to stay with the infrastructure,” Warren 

explained. 

And that is where advanced analytics tools 

come in – the pressure optimisation algorithm 

would be able to ensure that the pumps 

and valves are not over-pressured with the 

amount of water pumped into the system. 

“But by doing that, you can also find out 

where the leaks are, whether at different 

pressures or different locations, and it would 

be easier to follow up on,” Warren added. 

And with water scarcity becoming more of a 

reality every day in Singapore, also one of the 

most water-stressed countries in the world, 

digitisation would certainly optimise its water 

resources – especially as the infrastructure 

continues to age. WWA 

The Schneider Electric industrial software 

business and AVEVA have merged to trade 

as AVEVA Group plc, a UK listed company. 

Learn more about Schneider Electric’s 

EcoStruxure TM for water and wastewater. 


SWA GOLF 2018 @ SIWW 

8 July 2018, Singapore Island Country Club, New Course 

NEWSLETTER 

OF THE 

SINGAPORE 

WATER 

ASSOCIATION 

BRINGING 

A NEW VIBRANCY 

TO SINGAPORE’S 

GROWING 

WATER INDUSTRY 

The SWA Golf Tournament took place on 8 July 2018 

at the Singapore Island Country Club, New Course. 

Traditionally held in conjunction with SIWW, the SWA 

Golf 2018 was the perfect social gathering for business 

networking with water utility leaders and global water 

professionals. 

The event was graced by Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister 

for the Environment & Water Resources; and welcomed 

H.E. Ek Sonn Chan, Secretary of State for Cambodian 

Minister of Industry and Handicrafts; and Mr Peter 

Ng, Chief Executive of PUB together with 140 SWA 

members and SIWW delegates who have enjoyed the 

game and forged new connections and partnerships 

amidst the natural terrain, wildlife and rainforest on a 

beautiful Sunday morning. 

The success of the tournament was a testament of 

the support received and belief in SWA’s mission in 

developing a vibrant and dynamic water Industry in 

Singapore.

SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL WATER WEEK 2018 

9 – 11 July 2018, Marina Bay Sands Singapore 

The 8 th Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) was held in conjunction with the 6 th World Cities Summit and 

the 4 th CleanEnviro Summit Singapore from 9 – 11 July 2018 at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay 

Sands in Singapore. SIWW is the global platform to share and co-create innovative water solutions. The biennial 

event gathered more than 1,000 exhibitors from the global water industry to share best practices, showcase the 

latest technologies and tap onto business opportunities over a space of 32,640 sqm. 

The Singapore Pavilion, organised by SWA, hosted 32 exhibitors across a space area of 696 sqm. The Association 

also co-organised the SWA-APDA Joint Conference with APDA (Asia Pacific Desalination Association), partook in the 

Singapore Business Forum and supported business networking sessions with Israel and U.S. Embassies as well as EU 

Business Avenue. 

THE YOUNG WATER LEADERS SUMMIT (YWLS) @ SIWW 

8 – 10 July 2018, SIWW, Marina Bay Sands Convention Halls 

At this year’s SIWW, SWA YWPG co-organised The Young Water Leaders Summit (YWLS) with PUB — bringing 

together 80 selected participants from over 30 countries. The Summit seeks to influence, equip, and transform 

the young leaders into effective catalysts of continuous change in their home region and the wider water world. 

Designed by young water professionals for young water professionals, YWLS aims to PROFILE the global water 

industry as an exciting and innovative sector; INSPIRE young water professionals with leadership potential to 

develop their careers in the water industry; and CONNECT them with established business leaders, who will serve 

as role models.

CANADA WATER TECH SEMINAR 

13 July 2018, e2i Hall 3 and 4 

Forty-two Singapore companies and 20 Canadian companies participated in the Canada Water Tech Seminar, 

which was co-hosted by SWA and the High Commission of Canada on 13 July 2018. The seminar was graced by 

Mr Richard Dubuc, Commercial Counsellor and Senior Trade Commissioner of High Commission of Canada in 

Singapore. Mr Foo Hee Kiang, SWA VP (Finance), gave a welcome address while Dr Pang Chee Meng, Director of 

Industry Development, PUB; and Mr Klaus Houben, Chief Representative Southeast Asia, Export Development 

Canada provided valuable introductions on the research and development opportunities in Singapore and export 

developments between the two nations. 

There were 85 attendees for the morning presentations by the Canadian companies followed by an interactive 

coffee break and networking lunch. Fifty-seven B2B meetings were scheduled in the afternoon with potential 

deals and co-working opportunities. 

CORUN/SUPPORTED TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCES IN 3Q & 4Q 2018 

Event Date Venue 

Tech Innovation 2018 18 – 19 September 2018 Marina Bay Sands 

Singapore Week of Innovation & 

Technology (SWITCH) 2018 

– Launch of Imagine H20 Asia 17 – 20 September 2018 Marina Bay Sands Halls E & F 

EWTCOI TechForum 2018 12 October 2018 Ngee Ann Polytechnic 

SWA-SIMTech Round Table * 26 October 2018 SIMTech Building 

Inter TACs Carnival * 2 November 2018 TA Hub 

* May subject to change

TRAINING COURSES IN 4Q 2018 

S/N 

Training Courses 

No. of 

Days 

Nov 

Dec 

1 

Membrane Technology (MF/UF/RO/MBR) 4 

2 Design of Used Water Treatment Plant & Process 

3 

For more information on the above courses, please contact SWA office: Ms Cecilia Tan via email: cecilia@swa.org.sg or 

tel: (65) 6515 0812 

SINGAPORE PAVILIONS AT OVERSEAS TRADE SHOWS IN 4Q 2018 

With support from IE Singapore under the iMAP Grant of up to 50% off participating fee for: 

No. of 

S/N Trade Shows Days Nov Dec 

1 

Vietwater 2018 

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 3 7 - 9 

2 

Myanwater 2018 

Yangon, Myanmar 

3 

29 Nov – 1 Dec 

For booth participation under Singapore pavilion, please contact Event Secretariat: Ms Joanne Tan via 

email: joannetan@epc.com.sg or tel: (65) 6377 6619 

SWA WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS 

ORDINARY MEMBERS 

Novexx Pte Ltd 

Smitech Engineering Pte Ltd 

Mettler-Toledo (S) Pte Ltd 

Champs Industrial Pte Ltd 

Teho Water & Envirotec Pte Ltd 

Ebara Engineering Singapore Pte Ltd 

Flowserve Pte Ltd 

Vector Biomed Pte Ltd 

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS 

Asia Technology & Engineering Pte Ltd 

NKH Building Services Pte Ltd 

Evottar Pte Ltd 

Mecflou Pte Ltd 

Universal Filtration Solutions Asia Pte Ltd 

Delta Water Engineering 

PUBLISH YOUR 

ANNOUNCEMENTS 

Members, who have any press releases or corporate 

announcements to share with the public, can contact 

the SWA secretariat at enquiry@swa.org.sg. 

SWA reserves the right to edit the submitted text. 

Interested to join SWA? 

Calling ALL Professionals, lecturers, supervisors 

and technicians. Your company may be a corporate 

member of SWA, but as a professional, you can benefit 

and join as an Individual Member to interact with likeminded 

professionals and practitioners. 

All this for only $10 a month.

52 | TECH ROUND UP 

The submersible pump for 

provisional sewage bypass 

between manholes 

NEW SUBMERSIBLE PUMP FOR 

SEWAGE BYPASS 

Tsurumi has a new pump for bypassing 

sewage between manholes in the sewage 

piping renewal work. Known as the KRSU822, 

the new product is a submersible sewer 

bypass pump. 

Since sewage piping suffers from agingrelated 

deterioration and can be damaged 

by earthquakes, sewage piping requires 

regular and consistent repairs and 

replacement. In addition, the area residents 

who will be inconvenienced by the sewage 

piping repair works will also need to be 

addressed too. And this is on top of work 

efficiency, and the health and safety of the 

workers who will be handling the inflow 

sewage. Hence, provisional draining that 

temporarily bypasses the sewage via a 

pump is extremely effective. 

UNDERSTANDING THE KRSU822 

The KRSU822 submersible pump features a 

maximum head of 26.5m, maximum capacity 

of 5.7m 3 /min, and a compact space-saving 

design of just 546mm in diameter. With 

the standard engine pumps, it is usually 

difficult to suck up fluid from a depth of 7m 

or more, but the KRSU822 pump is able to 

Water & Wastewater Asia • September / October 2018 

Submersible sewer bypass pumping

TECH ROUND UP | 53 

The KRSU822 submersible pump being installed into a manhole 

fit into the deep and limited confines of the 

manhole and drain it. In addition, its semivortex 

structure has a large solid passage 

of 56mm in diameter to prevent clogging of 

foreign matter, particularly fibrous solids in 

the impeller which is the biggest problem 

for sewage draining. For the stand, there is 

a bottom plate structure so that the pump 

can stand stably by itself even when the 

pump is placed on earth, sand or sludge. 

There is also a top discharge as well as a 

side flow structure that effectively cools the 

motor — even when the pump runs with the 

motor is openly exposed. 

The KRSU822 pump comes with an antiwicking 

cable, motor protector, dual-inside 

mechanical seals with silicon carbide faces, 

and oil lifter — making it a highly reliable 

and durable bypass pump that is ready for 

tough job sites. 

JAPANESE REPRESENTATIVE 

SUBMERSIBLE PUMP 

MANUFACTURER 

Tsurumi has been developing pumps for 

harsh conditions through its accumulated 

years of experience and know-how. As a 

result, many products in Tsurumi’s line-up 

Model KRSU822 

can withstand the brutal field conditions 

of moving and draining high temperature 

liquids, corrosive liquids and seawater. 

Submersible pumps are its key products, 

and since its founding in 1924 in Japan, 

Tsurumi has been the leading company for 

submersible pump fields. 

Tsurumi’s submersible pumps are designed 

in Japan and based on Tsurumi-original 

design. These pumps have been developed 

and designed from the user’s viewpoint to 

provide excellent durability, maintainability 

and reliability that can deliver continuous 

duty for a long period of time as well as 

stability. In addition, the company also 

has a line-up of submersible construction 

dewatering pumps, wastewater pumps and 

water treatment equipment. WWA 

Scan to find out more about 


SHOW PREVIEW | 55 

The sixth edition of 

Water Loss Asia is in Taiwan 

Water Loss Asia 2018 will take place from 29 th to 31 st August 2018 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan 

Water Loss Asia (WLA), a specialised conference and 

exhibition which addresses challenges, opportunities, 

latest technologies and innovations to reduce water loss, 

will be held in Taiwan this year. This biennial event, started in 2008, 

will be held in different cities — bringing the NRW (non-revenue water) 

industry together to share experiences and knowledge while bringing 

solutions to the host country and the region. 

Themed “Efficient NRW reduction through holistic approach and 

successful implementation”, Water Loss Asia 2018 aims to bridge 

the gap, and engage the government, water utilities, industry and 

research institutes (quadruple helix partnership). Together, the event 

place a spotlight on NRW challenges faced by Asian utilities through 

sharing of success stories, learning how to achieve successful NRW 

reduction through a holistic approach and discover how to ensure 

continuous success, while finding out about the latest innovative 

technologies available as well as many other knowledge-sharing 

opportunities throughout the event. 

Proudly supported by the Taiwan Water Corporation and Aqua Taiwan, 

WLA2018 brings together NRW professionals from all over Taiwan and 

the region. Here, NRW professionals can meet, network, and share 

their experiences with key industry players, technology providers and 

explore solutions and best practices in NRW management. 

WLA2018 CONFERENCE (29-30 AUGUST) 

WLA2018 Conference is where NRW professionals; water utilities; 

government; and researchers meet, learn, and network. Don’t miss this 

important gathering to learn from expert practitioners, water utilities, 

key players, policy makers, and technology innovators. Discussions at 

this conference will focus on current issues, challenges, best practices, 

case studies, methodologies and solutions for a holistic approach and 

successful implementation of sustainable NRW. 

NRW WORKSHOP: THE FOUR PILLARS OF MANAGING 

PHYSICAL LOSSES (31 AUG) 

NRW is an issue that many water utilities across Asia are struggling 

to manage. However, it is the volume of physical losses that is most 

significant due to aging infrastructures and the ever-expanding 

networks, which place an operational strain on the utilities. 

This workshop will concentrate on the four pillars of managing physical 

The theme for Water Loss 2018 will be “Efficient NRW reduction through 

holistic approach and successful implementation” 

losses, which is set out by the International Water Associations’ Water 

Loss Specialist Group. A key feature will be the introduction of the 

latest technologies in Asset Assessment, Leakage Detection, Pressure 

Management and Repair technologies, which are rapidly becoming 

the most effective methods for managing physical losses. 

This workshop will focus on: 

• Advances in intelligent pressure control. 

• Low-impact in-pipe inspection technologies for leak detection and 

condition assessment. 

• The necessary detection of leakage in trunk mains. 

• Repairing mains under pressure to reduce the effect on customers. 

Water Loss Asia 2018 will take place from 29 th to 31 st August 2018 

in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. WWA 


56 | SHOW PREVIEW 

Myanwater 2018 brings together 

the latest technologies and 

developments for the Myanmar 

water and wastewater industry 

Mark your diaries! MYANWATER 2018 

– Myanmar’s leading international 

water supply and treatment industry 

exhibition and conference is back to generate 

more business deals and partnerships for 

the advancement of Myanmar’s water and 

wastewater industry. 

Bringing together a comprehensive range of 

the latest technologies and developments, 

the expo is a strategic platform for key 

stakeholders of the industry to discuss, 

and share ideas and solutions focusing on 

resource-efficient water treatment systems 

and innovative technologies. 

Myanmar’s water and wastewater sector 

has been experiencing an economic boom in 

recent years. The Myanmar government has 

also drawn up wastewater-related laws and 

regulations such as the Environmental Impact 

Assessment Procedure and Environmental 

Quality (Emission) in 2015 to drive the 

industry forward. However, despite these 

developments, numerous companies across 

various industries in Myanmar are functioning 

without a quality wastewater treatment 

system. According to the 2018 Ayeyarwady 

State of the Basin Assessment, industrial 

wastewater pollution was found to be a 

significant threat to Myanmar’s freshwater 

ecosystem. 

In light of a growing need to satisfy the 

many urban water and environmental issues, 

MYANWATER 2018 aims to be an integrated 

platform for companies to procure efficient 

water treatment solutions, launch innovative 

MYANWATER 2918 will take place from 29 th November to 1 st December 

All images are credited to AMB Tarsus Events Group. 

products and technologies and form lucrative tradeshow organiser in the region. The Group’s 

business partnerships. 

portfolio covers leading shows in Bangladesh, 

Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, 

Held at the MEP Mindama in Yangon from and the Philippines; focusing on industries 

29 th November to 1 st December 2018, this such as building and construction, food and 

is one Expo you do not want to miss out on. beverage, hospitality, automotive parts and 

The international exhibition is organised accessories, livestock and agriculture, water 

by AMB Tarsus Events Group, a leading and energy and many more. WWA 



InfraWater Indonesia 2018 will take place from 31st October to 2nd November 2018. Photo credit: Robin Widjaja 

Tarsus Indonesia, a businessto-business 

event, exhibition, 

conference, and media company 

presents InfraWater Indonesia 2018, an 

Indonesian international exhibition on 

technology, solutions and services for 

the water and wastewater infrastructure 

market. 

From 31 st October to 2 nd November 2018 at 

Jakarta International Expo in Kemayoran, 

the three-day event will open doors to its 

second edition. 

Based on the Indonesian Ministry of 

Public Works and Housing, by 2019, the 

government aims to provide 100 per cent 

access to drinking water to every urban 

and rural area in Indonesia. In 2016, 71.14 

per cent was achieved with the remaining 

28.8 per cent still available for business 

players to partake in the government’s 

water projects. 

In addition, the Indonesian National 

Development Planning Board (BAPPENAS) 

& BPPSPAM also reported that there are 

several water supply projects across the 

archipelago that can be of opportunities 

for business players too. 

Cheah Wai Hong, portfolio director of 

Tarsus Indonesia, commented that with 

the opportunities and the huge potential 

of the market, InfraWater Indonesia 

2018 will be the right platform for 

industry players to showcase their best 

products, services, and solutions in order 

InfraWater Indonesia 

2018 opens door 

to Indonesia’s 

multi-billion dollar 

water and wastewater 

infrastructure market 

to support the government in achieving 

their target. 

As a part of Indonesia Infrastructure Week 

(IIW) 2018, InfraWater Indonesia 2018 

offers a unique and proven marketing 

platform with more than 12,000 trade and 

professional attendees. The show is also 

co-located with specialised infrastructure 

trade shows to meet, build network and sell 

directly to key buyers. 

Key buyers present at this event include 

government and authorities for the water 

supply & waste disposal (central, provincial, 

and municipal), new and existing water 

and wastewater infrastructure project 

owners, operators and managers, engineers 

and contractors, equipment suppliers, 

distributors and dealers, construction 

machinery suppliers, water and waste 

infrastructure developers, builders and 

consultants, as well as land surveyors. 

IIW 2018 focuses on specific areas of 

national development plans, infrastructure 

investment, infrastructure and connectivity, 

and industry development. The event also 

provides six different segments: InfraEnergy 

Indonesia 2018, InfraPorts Indonesia 2018, 

InfraSecurity Indonesia 2018, InfraRail 

Indonesia 2018, InfraWater Indonesia 2018 

and Special Economic & Industrial Zones. 

Co-located with Konstruksi Indonesia 2018; 

Green and Smart Building Indonesia 2018; 

Intertraffic Indonesia 2018; and Design X 

Indonesia 2018, IIW 2018 will surely bring 

an all-rounder exhibition for business players 

to broaden their business market or to tap 

into a new potential market. WWA 


58 | SHOW PREVIEW 

VIETWATER 2018 to 

return in November 

VIETWATER 2018, will take place at the 

Saigon Exhibition & Convention Center (SECC) 

from 7 th to 9 th November, 2018 

By 2025, Vietnam’s water industry aims to 

provide about 95 per cent of its citizens accessibility 

to clean drinking water 

This year, VIETWATER, marks a ten-year growth 

journey servicing the Vietnam’s water industry 

Growing stronger year by year, 

Vietnam’s leading international 

water resources and technology 

event, VIETWATER 2018, will take place at 

the Saigon Exhibition & Convention Center 

(SECC) from 7 th to 9 th November, 2018. 

A DECADE OF INDUSTRY 

SUPPORT AND ENGAGEMENT 

By 2025, Vietnam’s water industry aims 

to provide about 95 per cent of its citizens 

accessibility to clean drinking water and to 

bring down its water loss to less than 15 

per cent. In addition, sewage management, 

a growing issue, is targeted to serve more 

than 70 per cent of the urban and developed 

areas. 

This continual demand has supported the 

growth of VIETWATER, the premier annual 

event in Vietnam for water resources and 

technologies. This year, a newly dedicated 

waste technology and waste management 

sector has been added to support Vietnam’s 

industrialisation and urbanisation. 

VIETWATER 2018 marks a ten-year growth 

journey servicing the Vietnam’s water 

industry. Additionally, the new waste 

management exhibition is expected to 

occupy 13,000 square meters of the 

exhibition area and feature more than 500 

exhibitors with an expected attendee turnout 

of 15,000. 

RECOGNISED TRADE EVENT IN 

VIETNAM 

The show is expected to welcome 13 

international groups such as the UK, 

Belgium, Finland, Germany, Denmark, Korea, 

Netherlands, China, Taiwan and Singapore. 

Alongside these large group pavilions, many 

leading brand names will also be present 

such as Tsurumi Pump, Tan A Dai Thanh, 

Tabuchi, Sawatech, Goshu Kosan, Vucico, 

Viet An Environment, Vinaworldlink, Binh 

Minh Plastic, JFE Engineering, ARK, HCP, 

Kobelco Eco Solutions, Dow Chemical, 

Balem. 

ENHANCING KNOWLEDGE 

OPPORTUNITY 

At VIETWATER 2018, visitors will have the 

opportunity to participate in many insightful 

seminars. 

In fact, a pre-event seminar was held on 

August 8 th in Hanoi with the theme, “Smart 

Water Management - Towards Sustainable 

Development”. The seminar garnered great 

support from many professionals in the 

industry as well as from the Vietnam Water 

Supply & Sewerage Association (VWSA), 

Ministry of Construction (MOC), Department 

of Water Resources Management, Ministry of 

Natural Resources & Environment (MONRE). 

The conference offers participating delegates 

a comprehensive insight into Vietnam’s 

water operation & management and will be 

a primer for VIETWATER 2018 in Ho Chi Minh 

later in the year. 

In 2017, VIETWATER had 14,072 visitors and 

253 delegates of suppliers, manufacturers, 

construction units in the water industry. And 

according to the organiser, about 96 per 

cent of the audience was satisfied with the 

exhibition, which is also the motivation for 

the 10 th edition. WWA 



MyanmarWater 2018 will take place from 11 to 13 October 2018 

at Yangon Convention Center in Yangon, Myanmar 

MyanmarWater 

2018: Get ready 

for action! 

MyanmarWater 2018 Expo is part 

of the ASEAN Water Series exhibitions 

organised by UBM Asia. It is a 

specialised annual event held in perfect timing, especially with 

major investments in water management programmes that are now 

critical in Myanmar and the other ASEAN countries. 

MyanmarWater 2018 has grown to become the leading water exhibition in 

Myanmar, and business opportunities are exceptional. The event will showcase 

the latest technology and innovations in areas involving water resources & 

treatment for municipalities and industry. This includes sewage, rainwater 

harvesting, particle separation, removal technology, residual treatment, sludge 

thickening and other areas of major importance. 

MyanmarWater 2018 is set to host more than 8,000 quality trade visitors and buyers 

from 20 countries. International and regional pavilions from China, Israel, Japan, 

Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan and Thailand are expected to exhibit once again. 

MyanmarWater 2018 has grown to become the leading 

water exhibition in Myanmar, and business opportunities are 

exceptional 

Running in conjunction with MyanmarWater 2018 exhibition are the MyanmarWater 

Conference and Technology Symposium — the perfect academic platforms for 

reinforcing solutions to Myanmar’s water challenges and establishing new business 

partnerships with government officials, researchers and international experts. 

MyanmarWater 2018 will be co-located with the Renewable Energy Myanmar, 

Construction, Power and Mining Myanmar, INTERMACH Myanmar, MTA 

Myanmar and SUBCON Myanmar – The Mega Industrial & Infrastructure 

Event for Myanmar! 

The show will take place from 11 to 13 October 2018 at 

Yangon Convention Center in Yangon, Myanmar. 

MyanmarWater 2018 is set to host more than 8,000 quality 

trade visitors and buyers from 20 countries 


60 | SHOW REVIEW 

Ending on a high note 

Panel at Water Leaders’ Summit at SIWW 2018 

Singapore International Water Week managing director of SIWW. “The depth of the 

2018 (SIWW), the global water discussions, the landmark announcements 

conference held from 8 — 12 July that pave the way for industry acceleration, 

2018, concluded on a high; garnering 

close to S$23 billion in total value for the 

announcements on projects awarded, tenders, 

investments and MOUs. 

the number of water companies that have 

grown with our event, and the continued 

pipeline of commercial deals all combine as 

a strong testament to the event’s critical role 

as a key driver of the global water industry in 

Gathering high-level speakers from the last decade.” 

government, industry and international 

organisations, SIWW, which was organised 

in conjunction with the World Cities Summit 

(WCS) and CleanEnviro Summit Singapore 

(CESS), attracted more than 24,000 

participants from 110 countries and regions. 

The event has provided a strategic platform 

for key stakeholders within the water industry 

SIWW 2018 saw a number of key initiatives 

that will accelerate the future of the water 

industry — from an industry roadmap for 

smart water to a number of new facilities 

to challenge our innovation frontiers, to 

programmes that create a growth strategy for 

new water companies. These include: 

to come together to discuss and co-create • Call for upcoming tenders for the works 

solutions to global water challenges; focusing 

on emerging themes such as smart technology, 

resource-efficient water treatment and the 

accelerated commercialisation of innovative 

water technologies. 

in Tuas Nexus – The integration of PUB’s 

Tuas Water Reclamation Plant (TWRP) and 

NEA’s Integrated Waste Management Facility 

(IWMF) — estimated at a total value of more 

than S$5 billion over the next 

five years. 

“SIWW 2018 marks 10 years since the first • The launch of Singapore Water Exchange, 

event in 2008, and this year’s edition is the 

culmination of the last decade’s efforts in 

driving industry growth and helping to shape 

a much more sophisticated and forwardlooking 

water industry,” said Bernard Tan, 

a facility designed to build a collaborative 

ecosystem across the water value-chain that 

allows for potential synergies in pushing the 

frontier of water innovation and business 

growth. 

• Unveiling of the five-year SMART PUB 

Roadmap, a key pillar in Singapore’s water 

resource management to improve operational 

excellence and meet future water needs. 

• A three-year agreement between PUB, 

Singapore’s national water agency, and 

Grundfos to create intelligent products and 

solutions for Singapore that are intuitive, 

connected and efficient. This agreement builds 

on a previous collaboration inked in 2014. 

• Launch of Singapore Envirotech 

Accelerator (SEA) by Citic Envirotech Ltd 

(CEL), aimed at identifying promising small 

and medium-sized enterprises with innovative 

technologies to be brought to market. CEL will 

invest S$30 million over four years and employ 

at least 35 technology personnel for SEA. 

• Opening of Memstar’s first membrane 

manufacturing plant outside Asia in Conroe, 

Texas. The US$15 million facility will 

manufacture the company’s latest product, 

the Memstar Advance Reverse Osmosis and 

Nano Filtration (RO/NF) Membrane. 

• Establishment of a new R&D centre in 

Singapore by Gradiant Corporation, which will 

also serve as its Asia-Pacific headquarters, 

enabling it to expedite the development of 

solutions in industrial desalination, brine 

minimisation and water reuse. 

• World Bank’s announcement that it will be 

carrying out 18 water projects worth S$3.5 

billion in FY19/FY20 in East Asia & The Pacific 

and South Asia Regions while Andhra Pradesh 

will invest S$8.4 billion in water infrastructure 

from 2016 to 2029. 

With 2018 officially declared as the Year of 

Climate Action for Singapore, climate change 

and its impact on water systems was one of the 

topics of discussion at SIWW this year. This was 

underscored by the Special ASEAN Ministerial 

Meeting on Climate Action (SAMCA), a 

regional platform hosted by Singapore to 

discuss climate action efforts. At the meeting, 

Environment and Water Resources Minister 

Masagos Zulkifli launched the Climate Action 

Package, a slew of Singapore-led programmes 

from this year until 2020 as part of efforts 

to help ASEAN countries tackle climate 

change. WWA 


From the ground 

Arcadis is one of the founding sponsors and we have been part of SIWW for over 10 years. In terms of our history, we have always been 

supportive of water as a Dutch company. We have a strong heritage in water, and one of the reasons why we are proud to be one of the 

founding sponsors and also why we continue every year to support its development. This year has been fantastic…. everyone really put 

their best into the programme. We are really delighted to be part of SIWW who highlights water as a necessity for liveability and we look 

forward to 2020 again in two years’ time. 

Ms Penny Murphy, Arcadis, Regional Head of Marketing & Communications, Asia, 

This is our first time in the Singapore International Water Week, and I think it’s excellent! We’ve had an excellent response here at the 

show, and Singapore’s a great hub for Southeast Asia. We’ve had people from Australia, Japan, China, India, so it’s exactly what we were 

looking for. Very targeted, and good foot traffic through the stand. We’re planning on coming back bigger and better in two years’ time! 

Mr Barry Hopton, atg, Municipal Business Manager 

This is not Bentley’s first time at Singapore International Water Week, but this year, the show is very well organised and the exhibitions, 

exhibitors, and audiences were great. We would certainly like to return for the next Singapore International Water Week, and I will be 

recommending it to my team leader. 

Mr Peter Wong, Bentley Systems (Singapore), Regional Manager 

Though it is definitely not Diehl Metering’s first time here, it is my personal first time, and I liked that there were customers from all 

around Southeast Asia and even the United States and Australia. I really enjoyed it – it’s very well-organised. I would certainly like to come 

back, and hopefully we will see water metering grow in popularity. 

Mr Florian Alexander Hostert, Diehl Metering, Head of International Sales 

Singapore International Water Week has once again proven itself to be the place for customers to gather. It was good for us. Thursday 

was a bit slow, and it was slow to start, but then things picked up. We have new clients and some of existing clients came down too, and it’s 

a good gathering point for people to come down and interact. We do look forward to coming back in two years! 

Mr Ray Toh, Microdyn-Nadir, Country Manager 

I think this year, we are actually seeing a bigger crowd, and it’s definitely better organised compared to previous years – a big improvement, 

actually. The quality of customers are also a lot better, but most importantly, organisers are also doing a very good job in attracting the 

right visitors. I think Vega will be back for the next Singapore International Water Week, though it depends on what happens in the future. 

But I think we should be. 

Mr Goh Boon Teck, VEGA, Director 

For me, it’s my first time here, being based in Hong Kong, so usually I don’t get to participate in such massive, gigantic events. But the 

Singapore International Water Week is a really important water hub for businesses to come together, and for people to connect, and for 

the show and ensuing launch. We had all our important people fly in. It’s been very positive, and I’ve personally gained a lot of insights 

regarding different water leaders and the water industry. I would say that the Singapore International Water Week has been very positive. 

SUEZ is also one of the founding sponsors for the Singapore International Water Week, and we would be more than happy to continue 

sponsoring the event! 

Ms Ivy Wong, SUEZ, Senior Communications Officer 



Digital transformation for 

water utilities 

Water utilities operators today 

are faced with many challenges 

such as non-revenue water, aging 

infrastructure, pollutants and increasing 

population. And this is on top of providing 

reliable, and affordable water and wastewater 

services while complying with a number of 

government regulations and ensuring that 

the operations are sustainable. 

The need to evolve has never been more 

important than now as water utilities 

operators navigate the uncertain path to 

address these issues. 

A Digital Transformation Workshop was 

organised for water utilities operators from 

18 to 19 July 2018 at the Sunway Clio 

Hotel in Malaysia to identify the challenges 

and provide solutions to the operators. The 

event was a collaboration between AVEVA, 

AVK Valves, CTI Resources, NIRAS, OCNED, 

ONWater, Ranhill, and Schneider Electric, 

which all have a common goal in Malaysia 

— to solve the pain points faced by water 

utilities operators. The workshop saw key 

leaders sharing best-in-class solutions and 

proven case study on efficient methods 

of engineering, optimisation of water 

and utilities supply, and contextualised 

compliance monitoring while leveraging 

on technology to expand the availability 

of water to the general population at an 

affordable price. 

The Digital Transformation Workshop was kicked off by Dennis Tan, Managing Director of OCNED Water 

Technology Sdn Bhd 

A PACKED TWO DAYS 

The event was kicked off by Dennis Tan, 

managing director of OCNED Water 

Technology Sdn Bhd, followed by the opening 

and welcome address by Soo Pow Leong, 

country president of Schneider Electric 

Soo Pow Leong, Country President of Schneider Electric Malaysia, sharing Schneider Electrc’s 

EcoStruxure TM for water & wastewater 


SHOW REVIEW | 63 

water loss management metrics. 

The AVEVA Smart Water solution empowers water utilities operators with real-time decision support to 

improve water network performance 

This AVEVA Smart Water solution delivers 

real-time access to historical and current 

water network data; transitioning the water 

operator to a more proactive organisation. 

Network operators can now anticipate 

potential issues and unplanned events before 

they become critical. This helps the water 

operator to position itself as a top-tier water 

network operator empowered with real-time 

decision support for a long-term future 

of exceptional customer satisfaction and 

network performance to help improve water 

conservation for the residents. 

Malaysia, who also gave a presentation on 

the Schneider Electrc’s EcoStruxure TM for 

water & wastewater. 

Another highlight at the workshop was 

a delivery by Amit Thakare, business 

development director of AVEVA, who talked 

about achieving operational excellence 

while digitally transform operations. Chai 

Kim Chen, director of CTI Resources Sdn 

Bhd, also shared insights on water network 

digitalisation to optimise operations with 

information management and supervisory 

control. 

Attendees also gathered together to discuss 

what they’ve learnt and presented on topics 

such as “How the emerging technologies 

will drive changes in your organisation” 

and “The challenge faced by water utilities 

today” — all of which are of increasing 

relevance and importance to the current 

landscape of the water and wastewater 

industry. And this was in addition to sharing 

successful case studies and stories. 

IMPORTANCE OF DIGITAL 

TRANSFORMATION 

With innovative digital technologies, 

significant changes can be seen for water 

utilities. 

For instance, CTI Resources, together with 

AVEVA and Schneider Electric, implemented 

a Strategic Command Centre for a Malaysian 

water operator. The command centre 

proactively alerts operators of developing 

issues, accelerates response times and 

improves collaboration across departments. 

The aim is to reduce water loss, ensures 

greater energy efficiency and avoid 

potential customer service disruptions while 

improving the non-revenue water (NRW) and 

By digitally transforming the water networks, 

water utilities operators will be able to 

leverage on benefits such as prediction of 

asset failure, using data analytics to assess 

the condition of the wastewater pipeline, 

perform risk assessments, and execute tasks 

faster and more accurately. 

Digital transformation in the water and 

wastewater industry is taking hold fast. A 

lot of water utilities are shifting to digital 

technologies. While there can be challenges in 

adaption along with organisational changes, 

the advantages trump the challenges as 

water utilities are able to become more agile 

and responsive.WWA 

In addition, the second day’s highlight saw 

a talk by Omar Christian Thomsen, director 

International Water of NIRAS where he 

delved on how to efficiently address nonrevenue 

water challenges in a holistic and 

sustainable way. 

Attendees also gathered together to discuss what they’ve learnt and to present on topics such as “How the 

emerging technologies will drive changes in your organisation” and “The challenge faced by water utilities today” 



Surabaya hosts 

successful Indo 

Water Expo & 

Forum 2018 

The largest water exhibition and forum in 

Indonesia was held in Surabaya this year to 

success. 

Indo Water 2018 Expo & Forum was officially opened by Mr Director General of Human 

Settlements representing the Minister of Public Works and Housing the Republic of 

Indonesia 

For the 14 th time, Surabaya hosted the international industry and 

technology exhibition and forum of the water and wastewater 

technology industry, Indo Water Expo & Forum. 

Held in conjunction with the waste management technology industry, 

Indo Waste Expo & Forum, and the renewable energy technology industry, 

Indo Renergy Expo & Forum, the biggest water, waste and renergy 

exhibition in Indonesia was officially opened by Ir. Sri Hartoyo, DIPL. SE, 

ME, represented by the Director General of Human Settlements, Ministry 

of Public Works and Housing in the Republic of Indonesia, who was also 

accompanied by Ir. Bambang Sudiatmo, DIPL. SE. from the Board of Water 

Supply System Improvement (BPPSPAM), Ministry of Public Works and 

Housing the Republic of Indonesia. 

They were joined by Dr Drs. Didik Suprayitno, MM. from the Expert 

Staff of Minister of Law and National Unity, Ministry of Home Affairs the 

Republic of Indonesia; Dr Ir. Drajat Irawan, SE., MT. representing the 

Head of Industry and Trade of East Java Province; Major General (Ret.) 

Jan Pieter Ate (Pinhantanas); Arya Seta Wiriadipura, Managing Director 

of PT Napindo Media Ashatamal; and Agung Wicaksono, Project Director 

of PT Napindo Media Ashatama. The opening was symbolically marked 

by striking the gong and an exhibition tour. 

With the event attended by more than 250 participants from 

30 countries and five pavilions, including China, Europe, Indonesia, 

Taiwan and South Korea, the products and technologies displayed met 

the standards that developers must meet in the construction of office 

buildings, public facilities and regional development. 

In order to provide information and insights in the field of technology 

and handling of wastewater and renewable energy, the exhibition 

Mr Director General of Human Settlements during his exhibition tour 

facilitated the establishment of business contacts and technology 

and knowledge sharing that would contribute to the development 

of the water treatment industry, wastewater, and water reuse. 

Moreover, more than 30 different technical products were also 

presented alongside numerous seminars and discussions on water, 

wastewater, and other related fields. 

Indo Water 2018 was supported by Ministry of Public Works 

and Housing the Republic of Indonesia, Ministry of Home Affairs 

the Republic of Indonesia, Ministry of Industry the Republic of 

Indonesia, Ministry of Trade the Republic of Indonesia, East Java 

Provincial Government, Indonesia Exhibition Companies Association 

and the Associations of Water, Waste and Renewable Energy. WWA 


EVENTS 

CALENDAR 

2018 

JANUARY 

14 to 16 INTERAQUA TOKYO 2018 Tokyo, Japan http://www.interaqua.jp 

15 to 18 INTERNATIONAL WATER SUMMIT Abu Dhabi, UAE http://www.internationalwatersummit.com 

MARCH 

18 to 23 8 TH WORLD WATER FORUM Brasilia, Brazil http://www.worldwatercouncil.org/forum/brasilia-2018 

20 to 23 WATER KOREA 2018 Goyang City, Korea http://www.waterkorea.kr/about/item 

26 to 29 WQA CONVENTION & EXPOSITION Colorado, USA http://www.wqa.org/convention 

APRIL 

10 to 12 ASIAWATER 2018 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia http://www.asiawater.org 

15 to 17 GLOBAL WATER SUMMIT 2018 Paris, France http://www.watermeetsmoney.com 

MAY 

3 to 5 IE EXPO CHINA Shanghai, China http://www.ie-expo.com 

8 to 10 Ozwater’18 Brisbane, Australia http://www.ozwater.org 

14 to 18 IFAT 2018 Munich, Germany http://www.ifat.de/index-2.html 

21 to 25 EU GATEWAY TO JAPAN BUSINESS Japan https://www.eu-gateway.eu/business-missions/missions-calendar/ 

MISSION (ENVIRONMENT & WATER 

environment-water-technologies-japan-0 

TECHNOLOGIES) 

31 to June 2 AQUATECH CHINA 2018 Shanghai, China http://www.aquatechtrade.com/china 

JUNE 

6 to 9 PUMPS & VALVES ASIA 2018 Bangkok, Thailand http://re-ep.bighead.co.th/bx-pv/en-us/home.aspx 

7 to 9 LAOWATER’18 Vientiane, Laos http://www.laowater.org 

11 to 15 ACHEMA 2018 Frankfurt am Main, Germany http://www.achema.de/en/home.html 

11 to 15 EU GATEWAY TO CHINA BUSINESS Beijing, China https://www.eu-gateway.eu/business-missions/missions-calendar/ 

MISSION (ENVIRONMENT & WATER 

environment-water-technologies-china 

TECHNOLOGIES) 

27 to 28 ASIAN UTILITY WEEK Bangkok, Thailand http://www.asian-utility-week.com 

27 to 29 INDO WATER 2018 Surabaya, Indonesia http://www.indowater.com 

Scan to download 

WWA September/October 2018 eBook 


JULY 

8 to 12 SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL WATER WEEK Singapore http://www.siww.com.sg 

8 to 13 EU BUSINESS AVENUES IN Singapore & https://www.eu-gateway.eu/business-missions/missions-calendar/ 

SOUTH EAST ASIA (ENVIRONMENT & Malaysia environment-water-technologies-singapore-malaysia 

WATER TECHNOLOGIES – SINGAPORE & 

MALAYSIA) 

AUGUST 

23 to 25 LANKAWATER Colombo, Sri Lanka http://www.lankawater.org 

SEPTEMBER 

12 to 14 CAMWATER 2018 Phnom Penh, Cambodia http://camwaterexpo.com 

16 to 21 IWA WORLD WATER CONGRESS & EXHIBITION 2018 Tokyo, Japan http://www.iwa-network.org/event/world-water-congress-exhibition-2016 

OCTOBER 

11 to 13 MYANMAR WATER 2018 Yangon, Myanmar https://myanwater.com 

15 to 18 BENTLEY SYSTEMS London, UK https://yii.bentley.com 

YEAR IN INFRASTRUCTURE 2018 

NOVEMBER 

7 to 9 VIETWATER 2018 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam http://www.vietwater.com/en-us 

Nov 29 to Dec 1 MYANWATER’18 Yangon, Myanmar https://www.myanwater.org 


68 ADVERTISERS INDEX WATER & WASTEWATER ASIA September / October 2018 

7 

IBC 

9 

3 

67 

IFC 

1 

41 

5 

OBC 

Balmoral Tanks 

http://www.balmoral-group.com/balmoral-tanks 

China Lesso Group Holdings Ltd 

http://www.lesso.com/ 

Estruagua 

http://www.estruagua.com/en 

Grundfos 

https://sg.grundfos.com 

Harbin Firstline Environment Technology Co., Ltd. 

http://www.firstline.com.cn/en/ 

KSB 

https://www.ksb.com/ksb-en 

Microdyn Nadir 

http://www.microdyn-nadir.com/en 

MyanmarWater 2018 

https://www.myanwater.com 

Siemens 

https://www.siemens.com/global/en/home/markets/water.html 

TSURUMI MANUFACTURING Co., LTD 

http://tsurumi-global.com 

PABLO SINGAPORE 

Publisher 

William Pang 

williampang@pabloasia.com 

Associate Publisher 

Pamela Buckley 

pamela@pabloasia.com 

Editor 

Pang Yanrong 

yanrong@pabloasia.com 

Assistant Editor 

Sarah Si 

sarahsi@pabloasia.com 

Assistant Editor 

Szeto Hiu Yan 

hiuyan@pabloasia.com 

Graphic Designer 

Edwin De Souza 

edwin@pabloasia.com 

Admin & Circulation Manager 

Shu Ai Ling 

circulation@pabloasia.com 

PABLO BEIJING 

General Manager 

Ellen Gao 

pablobeijing@163.com 

PABLO SHANGHAI 

Deputy Executive Editor, 

Chinese Edition 

Wendy Wei 

pabloshanghai@163.net 

Bound 

Insert 

65 

FC 

54 

31 

VEGA 

https://www.vega.com 

VietWater 2018 

https://www.vietwater.com/en-us 

Vontron Technology Co., Ltd. 

http://www.vontron.com/en/ 

Water Loss Asia 2018 

https://www.waterlossasia.com 

Water & Wastewater Asia - social media 

http://waterwastewaterasia.com 

Published by 

Pablo Publishing Pte Ltd 

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#01-23 Link@AMK 

Singapore 569139 

Tel: (65) 6266 5512 

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Singapore MICA (P) No: 120/05/2018 

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Water & Wastewater Asia September/October 2018

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