Water & Wastewater Asia September/October 2021

WATER & WASTEWATER ASIA | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021
The KMEDP is Singapore’s first largescale,
dual-mode desalination plant, and
has been named Desalination Plant of the
Year 2021 by the Global Water Awards. It
has the capability to treat both seawater
and freshwater to supply Singapore with
up to 137,000m 3 of drinking water per day,
contributing to Republic’s water supply
resilience in the face of increased demand
and climate change.
Yong commented: “Water is a critical
resource that has a direct impact on
livelihoods and quality of living, not just
in Asia-Pacific but around the world.
Climate change will continue to drive
the water agenda of all governments
as our survival depends on how we
adapt to the weather changes causing
prolonged droughts in some regions and
severe flooding in others. As such, water
security and sustainability has been one
of the key focus areas for the industry.
And in regard to the Agenda 2030
Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs), Yong believes that the
water industry remains focused
and committed towards achieving
the global goals set up by the
United Nations. He explained:
“At Binnies, we are continuously
exploring and developing
approaches and solutions that
support our clients in accelerating
efforts to meet the SDGs, in
particular SDG 6 for Clean Water
and Sanitation, responsibly and
sustainably.”
For instance, Binnies applies a
multi-pronged effort covering
the full spectrum of total water
management, from collection to
treatment, storage and distribution;
evaluating various alternative water
sources such as seawater desalination
and used water recycling to places
where these technologies are
economically viable; and investing
in digital technologies to assist its
clients in the industry to be more
efficient in their provision of clean
water to customers as well as in the
management and treatment of used
water.
Additionally, Binnies Singapore has
also been working with government
agencies and the private sector in
developing countries in Asia, such
as Vietnam and the Philippines, to
assist them in meeting their water and
wastewater goals.
“As we move forward to a post-pandemic
era, the security of water infrastructure
against events such as the pandemic
and cybersecurity threats will remain
critical areas of concern for the water
industry and continue to be the key design
principles for future water infrastructures.”
Photo: PUB, Singapore’s national water agency
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