Water & Wastewater Asia September/October 2021

SHOW REVIEW WATER & WASTEWATER ASIA | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021
SIWW2021 Spotlight showcased approaches by different stakeholders, and
how embracing an innovative mindset and working collaboratively uncovers
opportunities to achieve water sustainability
A session with the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize Laureates
remain steadfast in their mission to provide
uninterrupted essential services to the
communities they serve.
Secondly, it is clear that business cannot
continue as usual, and innovation and
new approaches will be required. In this
regard, collaboration and partnership will
be key to shortening the learning curve
and avoiding past mistakes. Adapting to an
uncertain future and to better prepare for
future climate risks will require utilities to
innovate and build stronger collaboration
and partnerships with multi-stakeholders,
tapping on the know-hows of the industry,
learning from the lessons of other utilities,
and building trust with local communities.
Thirdly, sustainability is no longer just a
concept but a key principle that guides how
the water industry and utilities are operating
today. At SIWW2021, we witness a number
of case studies of utilities putting circularity
and sustainable practices in-place. These
include utilities striving to become net zero,
embarking on decarbonisation initiatives,
tapping on renewable energy sources like
solar, and leveraging synergies in the waterenergy-food
nexus.
Also, digital transformation of utilities
is gaining momentum with increased
recognition that digital tools are enablers for
utilities to improve operational efficiencies
and make better informed decisions. There
is a growing plethora of utility case studies
that demonstrate the tangible benefits
of digital transformation, and how they
overcome challenges and barriers to digital
adoption.
Lastly, climate change and rising sea
levels are major threats as they place
constraints on utilities to provide safe
drinking water and sanitation in variable
environmental conditions. We are seeing
an increasing number of utilities that
are climate-proofing their water supply
sources with the adoption of water reuse
technologies that are more efficient
and less energy intensive. We also see
governments and utilities developing
long-term adaptation strategies to
strengthen resilience against extreme
weather events and sea level rise,
similar to what PUB is doing, as the
national coastal protection agency.
For this virtual edition of SIWW, what
are some of the challenges PUB
faced and successfully overcame?
Particularly for the Virtual Expo, how
has this platform enabled exhibitors
to better demonstrate and showcase
their products and solutions?
Yuen: Prior to SIWW2021, we piloted a
two-day online event in November 2020.
That pilot provided many useful insights,
which helped us finetune our offerings
for SIWW2021.
For example, we had to organise the
programme to cater to different time
zones of our international speakers
and delegates, and manage viewer
fatigue. As with any virtual event, the
biggest challenge is replicating the
human-to-human interaction that exists
in physical events. For the SIWW2021
Water Expo, we tried to overcome this
by allowing our exhibitors to display
their solutions via multimedia, write-ups
and downloadable brochures in their
virtual booth. Using data analytics, we
provided information on the visitors
to these booths to allow exhibitors to
conduct post-event follow-ups.
Exhibitors also had the opportunity
to demonstrate their solutions via
some 30 Product and Technology
Showcases which formed part of the
SIWW2021 Online programme. These
sessions were well-received with good
attendance.
In your opinion, how will the MICE
industry evolve in a post-pandemic
era, and what strategies have PUB
developed to adapt to this new
normal?
Yuen: With the onset of the pandemic
in early 2020, it affirmed our approach
to leverage digital tools to organise and
better present SIWW in order to create
greater values to our stakeholders and
extend SIWW’s reach.
The pilot in November 2020 and the fully
virtual SIWW in June 2021 validated
our desired outcome and enabled us
to reach out to a new segment of the
international water community who
had never attended SIWW previously.
Post-pandemic, it is likely that we will
see many MICE events retaining a
digital online presence even with the
resumption of physical shows. The
same is likely to apply for the next
SIWW, which will take place next year
from 17-22 Apr 2022.
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