Water & Wastewater Asia November/December 2022

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2022 

www.waterwastewaterasia.com 

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CONTENTS 

06 18 

16 

CONTENTS 

04 Editor’s Note 

06 News 

53 SWA Newsletter 

63 What’s Next? 

64 Advertisers’ Index 

SINGAPORE FOCUS 

16 Cleanedge Water covers all bases 

IN CONVERSATION WITH 

18 SUEZ embarks on 2027 goals 

20 

22 

The collective call for sustainable action 

“Good for business, good for community”: 

What sustainability could look like in 

South East Asia 

IN THE FIELD 

24 Reducing leaks in Jakarta’s water 

networks 

26 Fits like a glove: Veolia supports 

Mölnlycke’s sustainable network 

FOCUS 

29 

The future for pumps, IIoT and Industry 

4.0 

32 Wastewater treatment: A deep dive into 

new technologies 

35 Basics of drinking water hygiene 

2 WATER & WASTEWATER ASIA | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022

CONTENTS 

60 

38 

38 

Digitalisation as a critical enabler for 

water sustainability 

40 Cutting energy consumption through 

remote leak detection 

42 

How Asian governments can reduce 

physical and commercial water losses 

44 How India can balance manufacturing 

and access to clean water 

46 GoDigital Water: The digital 

transformation of a local water 

authority 

HOTSEAT 

49 Water-energy-food-material nexus: 

The next frontier 

ON OUR RADAR 

57 Tsurumi’s AVANT MQC slices away 

inefficient wastewater treatment 

58 

59 

Energy Recovery launches PX Q400 

Pressure Exchanger 

Yokogawa releases new magnetic 

flow series 

60 The smart RTU dedicated to the 

water industry 

61 Bridging big to small dimensions: 

The new COOL-FIT 2.0 Push System 

SNEAK PEEK & SHOW REVIEW 

62 IndoWater Expo & Forum sets the 

stage for 2023 

52 

Water technologies company Solenis 

chooses Delaware state for US$40m 

expansion 

WATER & WASTEWATER ASIA | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 3

FROM THE EDITOR 

IS THE GLASS HALF 

EMPTY OR HALF FULL? 

The answer: the glass is always full. It is filled 

half with water, and half with air. Similarly, as 

individual players in the water industry might 

not be sufficient to solving the most immediate 

issues of this day and age, organisations 

from the private, public, and academia 

sector should come together to create a 

comprehensive plan for the rocky years ahead. 

Where one falls short in certain aspects, 

others must step forward to fill in possible 

shortcoming. 

It goes without saying that 2022 has seen 

significant highs and lows for the water 

industry. From recording-breaking heatwaves 

and extended droughts, to the emergence 

of a new normal in a post-pandemic realm, 

companies, utilities and governments around 

the world have dipped their toes into the 

uncharted waters of dealing with a rapidly 

changing world. While we continue to navigate 

this unpredictable realm, it has become 

evident that working together towards a 

common goal is the only way forward. 

Take Veolia Water Technologies, for example: 

in collaboration with Mölnlycke, a medical 

products provider, the company has 

formulated sustainable wastewater treatment 

solutions for their recently inaugurated plant 

in Kulim, Malaysia. By taking stock of the 

demands in medical glove manufacturing 

and keeping abreast of sustainable goals in 

the country, Veolia was able to integrate a 

treatment designed to further the company’s 

green targets. 

Similarly, Grundfos recently signed a 

memorandum of understanding with 

Singapore Polytechnic to develop water and 

energy efficient solutions across various 

industries. The former will utilise its experience 

in smart technology to bring sustainable 

savings, while the latter will draw relevant 

networks between academia and industry. 

Altogether, this partnership will enhance the 

grid of sustainable models, allowing more 

companies in Singapore to benefit from a 

green transformation. 

Elsewhere, India must juggle the needs of 

rising manufacturing industry and ensure 

its people have access to clean, unpolluted 

water. Enter Energy Recovery, whose, as 

their names suggests, have enabled the 

country to reap the benefits of industrial 

wastewater treatment at low cost. With this, 

India is one step closer to reducing water 

pollution and enhancing the quality of life of 

her people. 

Regardless of nation, regardless of 

industry, everyone plays an important 

role in securing the future of our water 

resources. As ice caps are melting at an 

unprecedented pace in the most extreme 

corners of the globe, while lakes are 

shrinking in others, the path towards a 

more sustainable road is paved by all 

parties involved. And here at Water & 

Wastewater Asia, we will continue to bring 

you provoking stories from all corners of 

the industry, in hopes that it can inspire our 

readers to take the charge forward towards 

a better, greener future. 

In the final issue of this year, let us reflect 

on the progress we made this past year, 

and look boldly into the future ahead. The 

glass is, after all, always full. 

Agatha Wong 

Assistant Editor 

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Water & Wastewater Asia 

incorporates the official newsletter 

of Singapore Water Association 


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NEWS 

XYLEM SINGAPORE AND GROSS-WEN TECHNOLOGIES TO 

COLLABORATE ON BOOSTING SUSTAINABILITY AND EFFICIENCY 

OF ALGAE-BASED WASTEWATER TREATMENT TECH 

process to help Singapore and water 

utilities achieve net zero emissions.” 

Gross said: “Our partnership with 

Xylem in Singapore is an exciting step 

forward in the global deployment of 

GWT’s RAB treatment technology. Our 

R&D project with PUB will serve as 

a showcase for how algae treatment 

can be leveraged to decarbonise the 

wastewater treatment industry.” 

The project was one of the Proposal 

Phase winners of PUB’s Carbon 

Zero Grand Challenge, which seeks 

to incentivise innovative solutions 

that can help PUB achieve net-zero 

emissions by 2050 and scale to 

water facilities around the globe. 

If successful in the proof-of- 

GWT’s algae-based 

treatment uses 

algae to capture 

atmospheric CO2 

and will be later 

used to make 

various sustainable 

products like 

fertilisers, bioplastics 

and biofuels 

(Image: Gross-Wen 

Technologies) 

Xylem Water Solutions Singapore 

and Gross-Wen Technologies (GWT) 

have announced a memorandum of 

understanding (MoU) for a new joint 

R&D project to deploy algae-based 

wastewater treatment solutions in 

Singapore. The project will focus 

on the development of GWT’s 

existing revolving algal biofilm 

(RAB) technology, an algae-based 

wastewater treatment solution that 

promotes nutrient recovery while 

reducing the carbon footprint of water 

utilities. 

The project will feature GWT’s algaebased 

treatment of anaerobic digestor 

(AD) effluent for carbon footprint 

reduction and nutrient recovery. This 

includes atmospheric CO2 capture 

by algae, low-energy nitrogen and 

phosphorus recovery, and reduced 

nitrous oxide emissions from the 

concentrated AD effluent. The algae 

produced during the process will 

be harvested and used to make 

fertilisers, bioplastics and biofuels. 

As part of the project, the R&D 

team led by Luo Rongmo, senior 

development engineer at Xylem 

Singapore Technology Hub, and 

Martin Gross, president and CEO of 

GWT, was awarded up to S$247,000 

to implement a small-scale RAB 

system at Xylem’s Singapore 

facility during the proof-of-concept 

phase of the Carbon Zero Grand 

Challenge. If successful, this will 

be piloted in a full-scale system for 

PUB, Singapore’s National Water 

Agency. 

Luo said: “We are pleased to 

be partnering with Gross-Wen 

Technologies and combining our 

strengths in the industry to develop 

a sustainable wastewater treatment 

concept phase, Xylem Singapore 

could be awarded a further $2.5m 

to demonstrate an approximate 

one kilotonne-scale version of 

their solution at a PUB facility in 

Singapore. 

If the small-scale RAB system at Xylem 

Singapore’s facility is successful, it will be 

launched for a full system pilot for PUB 

(Image: Gross-Wen Technologies) 


NEWS 

NX FILTRATION TO BE PART OF ACCIONA- 

LED INITIATIVE TO ELIMINATE EMERGING 

POLLUTANTS FROM WATER SOURCES 

NX Filtration, a provider of direct water 

nanofiltration technology, has announced 

its participation in the European innovation 

project LIFE PRISTINE. The project’s 

objective is to eliminate emerging 

contaminants in the integral water cycle, 

which is one measure to promote alternative 

water resources in the face of water scarcity. 

The LIFE PRISTINE project has a budget 

of €4m and is coordinated by Acciona, the 

Spanish sustainable infrastructure solutions 

group. Other project partners include Eurecat, 

Xylem Services, the Regional Entity for 

Wastewater Sanitation and Treatment of the 

Murcia Region (ESAMUR) and the water utility 

provider Bilbao Bizkaia Water Consortium 

(CABB). The project hopes to combine water 

treatment processes, such as NX Filtration’s 

hollow fibre nanofiltration membranes, with 

artificial intelligence (AI)-based digital tools to 

develop a solution that removes the emerging 

pollutants. 

The project was launched in light of various 

forums being alerted to the urgent need to 

take steps in protecting water resources. 

Such an outcome can be achieved through 

reducing water consumption, but also by 

promoting alternative resources and reuse. 

One key issue that has been raised in efforts 

to encourage water reuse is the presence 

of pollutants and microplastics in water 

supplies. These substances of anthropogenic 

origin are difficult to eliminate when using 

existing treatment systems and they may end 

up in seas and rivers, or even enter the food 

chain. Their presence may create hazards. 

There is thus an increasing emphasis on 

regulating the use of these substances and 

developing solutions to remove them from the 

environment. 

LIFE PRISTINE thus aims to eliminate up to 

80% of emerging pollutants in the endto-end 

water cycle, particularly per and 

polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances. These 

are typically found in flame retardants, 

pesticides, pharmaceutical and personal 

care products, toxins microplastics and 

genes of microorganisms that are resistant 

to antibiotics. The project aims to strengthen 

the existing legislation and promote the reuse 

of water with the highest possible quality and 

safety standards. 

The PRISTINE solution involves the 

processes of adsorption, nanofiltration and 

advanced oxidation using virtual sensors, 

process modelling and decision-making 

support tools. The machine is said to be 

capable of reducing emerging pollutants from 

water sources and wastewater effluent. The 

PRISTINE project is set to be demonstrated 

in a representative operating environment: 

namely, the secondary effluent of a treatment 

plant in Murcia, Spain, and supporting 

drinking water pre-treatment in the Bilbao 

Bizkaia Advanced Water Treatment Centre 

(CATABB). 

WAVIN ACQUIRES DUTCH START-UP METROPOLDER 

Wavin has acquired Dutch start-up 

MetroPolder, against the backdrop of 

increasingly extreme weather events and long 

periods of drought that have been affecting 

the liveability of cities around the world. 

With the acquisition, Wavin is expected to 

incorporate MetroPolder’s knowledge to 

close the water cycle in cities and make cities 

“future-proof”. 

MetroPolder has developed a technology 

to capture water on roofs and reuse it for 

cooling, irrigation and recycling. The bluegreen 

roofs are equipped with a buffer 

system, an internet-connected valve and 

an online dashboard. The valves sensors 

and rain radars control the water level and 

discharge real-time. This smart connection 

enables dynamic water storage. The 

technology has been implemented in projects 

over several locations worldwide, including 

the Netherlands, Guatemala, France the UK 

and US. 

Friso Klapwijk, CEO of MetroPolder said: 

“Wavin sees rainwater as a resource, not a 

problem. That’s where we found each other. 

We want to make cities future-proof, by 

applying smart water management. Think 

of reusing rainwater for for cooling cities to 

combat heat stress. We are pleased and 

proud to be part of the Wavin family from now 

on.” 

Maarten Roef, CEO of Wavin, said: “The 

green/blue roof solution of MetroPolder 

is a proven successful, international, 

application that puts Wavin as a company in 

an even better position to make cities more 

climate resilient. Supplemented with the 

knowledge and expertise of MetroPolder, 

we are convinced that we will succeed in 

getting more and more cities to look at the 

applications of water differently. Because the 

opportunities are plentiful.” 


NEWS 

PERISTALTIC PUMPS GAIN IMPROVED COVERAGE IN WIMES 

Watson Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions 

(WMFTS) has helped with a revision of the 

Water Industry Mechanical & Electrical 

Specifications (WIMES), opening up 

peristaltic pumps to more potential 

customers in the UK water industry. 

Peristaltic pumps, such as WMFTS’ range 

of Qdos chemical metering pumps for water 

and wastewater treatment applications, 

had not previously had the benefits of their 

technology explained in the specifications. 

The revised WIMES now contains 

comprehensive dosing pump specifications, 

with a number of the benefits of peristaltic 

pumps now more apparent and explicitly 

covered in the latest version. 

WIMES is a collaborative project managed 

by the Pump Centre, aimed at providing 

common mechanical and electrical 

specifications for the UK water industry. 

Seventeen of the UK’s largest water 

companies are involved in WIMES, which 

enables them to procure equipment which 

is fit for purpose and provides the lowest 

lifecycle costs at a competitive purchase 

price. 

The intention of WIMES is that the 

specifications should be unambiguous and 

allow individual suppliers to compete on 

an equal footing, so buyers can accurately 

compare and contrast suppliers. 

Dale Kavanagh, industrial sales & business 

development manager at WMFTS UK, said: 

“The specification has been rewritten so 

there is more detail about peristaltic pumps, 

and their benefits compared to other pump 

types. It is a huge result and has helped 

develop the business this year. 

“For the last two years Watson Marlow have 

been working hard to ensure that the latest 

version of the specifications would have a 

fairer balance, showing the advantages of 

WMFTS Qdos 60 and 

30 peristaltic pumps 

are now included in 

the Water Industry 

Mechanical & Electrical 

Specifications (WIMES) 

peristaltic pump technology. This ongoing 

work has resulted in large orders from several 

water companies in England. 

“Watson-Marlow were able to get a seat at the 

table and collaborated with water regulators, 

putting the case forward on why peristaltic 

pumps are beneficial. The success was a 

result of a lot of hard work, in particular from 

sales skills training manager Bruce Quilter 

and former UK industrial sales engineer Eddie 

Smeaton.” 

GREATER RELIABILITY 

WMFTS’ Qdos range of peristaltic pumps can 

handle flow rates from 0.1 to 2,000 megalitres 

a minute at pressures up to 7 bar as well 

as offering repeatable chemical metering 

accuracy of ±1%. 

With a Qdos pump, the flow remains the same 

at any pressure, providing greater dosing 

control and leading to measurable chemical 

and energy savings — a key difference to 

other equipment on the market. The low 

maintenance design also means process 

uptime is maximised with no-tools, and quick 

and easy pumphead replacement in situ. 

A reverse function enables the operator to 

drain the line before maintenance and, once 

in operation, there is an integral leak detector 

to eliminate the risk of exposure to chemicals. 

Integration of the Qdos pump range is easier 

than traditional dosing pump types as they 

eliminate the need for foot valves, strainers, 

degassing valves and loading valves, along 

with all the relevant joints, simplifying 

maintenance and enabling dosing skid 

manufacturers to reduce the size of their 

skids. 

Roger Marlow, principal consultant at the 

Pump Centre, commented on the more 

comprehensive dosing pump specification 

in the updated WIMES: “Water managers 

and engineers of large water infrastructure 

projects are looking to alternative pumping 

technologies for many reasons. The 

landscape of chemical metering pump 

manufacturing and innovation in the water 

industry is changing and it is important for 

WIMES documents to reflect that. 

“It has been a very positive experience 

working with Watson-Marlow and we will 

continue the collaboration between all parties 

in the future.” 

Reflecting on the current landscape of 

chemical dosing equipment, Kavanagh 

said: “The scale of the rollout of new 

equipment makes now an ideal time for 

utilities to consider the whole-life benefit of 

the chemical dosing equipment they select. 

As such, it is believed that Qdos pumps an 

ideal solution to meet companies’ water 

management challenges.” 


NEWS 

renews Grundfos’ profound commitment to 

the UN Sustainability Development Goals, a 

commitment that underpins its core business 

strategy. 

GRUNDFOS CHANGES BUT THEIR 

STORY CONTINUES 

Grundfos has announced its upcoming vision 

for the world’s water, energy and climate 

challenges, with a new brand promise that 

reaffirms and strengthens its commitment to 

pioneering solutions to the worlds water and 

climate challenges and improve quality of life 

for people. 

Underpinned by the endline “Possibility in 

every drop”, Grundfos’ new promise is to 

“respect, protect and advance the flow of 

water” in these following strategies: 

• To respect and take responsibility for water 

for the benefit of everybody on the planet 

• To protect water wherever it exists from 

waste, shortage and inaccessibility 

• To advance water through relentless 

innovation for the sake of efficiency, 

energy and the future 

Grundfos’ new endline, 

which is meant to 

symbolise the infinite 

possibilities of using 

water to change the world 

The new brand promise encapsulates 

Grundfos’ duty and responsibility to people 

and the planet, committing the organisation 

to apply its expertise in identifying new 

possibilities for innovations and solutions 

that are more efficient, save more energy, 

save more water and help make the world 

a better place for future generations. It also 

The new endline “Possibility in every drop” 

expresses Grundfos’ belief in the infinite 

power of water to change the world; that 

possibilities exist to heat or cool a home 

without warming the planet, to give access 

to clean and safe water wherever needed, 

and that people’s quality of life can still be 

improved with solutions that save energy and 

are more efficient. 

Poul Due Jensen, CEO of Grundfos, said: 

“Our services go beyond water, but our 

credibility is rooted in it. Through the flow 

of water, Grundfos products and services 

touch millions and millions of people every 

day without most of them even knowing it. 

Water is and has always been at the heart 

and soul of Grundfos, and we want to make 

a positive difference and help solve the 

world’s water and climate challenges and 

improve the quality of life for people. That is 

why we give this promise to the world: We 

respect, protect, and advance the flow of 

water.” 

FADY JUEZ ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE 

INTERNATIONAL DESALINATION ASSOCIATION 

FOR 2022 – 2024 TERM 

The International Desalination Association 

(IDA) announced that Fady Juez, managing 

director of Metito Overseas, has been 

elected president by the Term 20 IDA board. 

Shannon McCarthy has been re-appointed 

as the secretary general of the association. 

“I aim to ensure IDA continues the 

tremendous global recognition and financial 

turnaround accomplished in term 19, under 

the leadership of Shannon McCarthy and 

Carlos Cosin, with the board’s full support. 

The IDA will celebrate its 50th anniversary 

in 2023, and it is my honour to lead the 

board of directors in this important term. 

Considering the growing need for nonconventional 

water solutions to offset the 

effects of climate change, population growth, 

and industry needs, the board and I will 

continue the work to engage with the global 

stakeholder community to bring solutions 

to meet UN SDG6 water for all. The special 

imitative to ensure a water-positive world,” 

stated Juez. 

Juez has been an active member serving the 

International Desalination Association board 

of directors for the last 20 years. 

Fady Juez was 

elected president 

of the International 

Desalination 

Association after 20 

years of being on its 

board of directors 

In addition to Juez serving as president, 

Alejandro Sturniolo, global head of water reuse 

& strategic partnerships, H20 Innovations, has 

been named 1st vice president, and Jantje 

Johnson, CEO, Orangeboat, has been named 

2nd vice president. 

The full slate of officers and committee chairs 

will be finalised during the 2022 World Congress, 

“Charting Resilient Water Solutions.” 


NEWS 

ANAERGIA ANNOUNCES EXPANSION OF LEADERSHIP 

TEAM TO “SUPPORT AND ACCELERATE GLOBAL GROWTH” 

Anaergia Inc. Has announced the 

appointments of Paula Myson as chief 

financial officer (CFO), and Hani Kaissi 

as chief development officer (CDO), both 

effective Oct 17 2022. 

Myson has over 25 years of senior 

leadership experience in financing and 

operating businesses in the energy, 

natural resources, and financial services 

industries. Most recently, she was the 

CFO of a renewable energy company with 

an international portfolio of projects and 

operations. Prior to that, she was the CFO of 

a public-listed gold producer. In addition to 

providing financial leadership, she has been 

responsible for corporate development, 

investor relations, risk management, and 

information technology. She holds a Master 

of Business Administration degree from 

the University of Alberta, is a Chartered 

Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder, and 

holds a Certified Professional in Investor 

Relations (CPIR) designation. 

Kaissi joined Anaergia in 2010 and had been 

CFO of Anaergia since 2019. He has over 

25 years of experience in the water and 

waste industries. He started his career in 

the engineering and project management 

of large-scale infrastructure projects 

and has since held senior operations, 

strategy, product management, corporate 

development, M&A, and finance positions at 

ZENON Environmental and General Electric 

(GE Water & Process Technologies). Kaissi 

has a Bachelor of Engineering degree from 

the American University of Beirut and holds 

a Master of Business Administration degree 

from McGill University. 

“We are very excited to announce these 

appointments which enhance Anaergia’s 

team,” said Andrew Benedek, Chief 

Executive Officer of Anaergia. “Paula 

Myson’s CFO experience and wide-ranging 

business expertise with publicly traded 

companies and companies that engage 

in international development projects will 

be a huge asset to Anaergia. Furthermore, 

with Hani Kaissi in the newly created CDO 

position, Anaergia is now better positioned 

to capitalize on growth opportunities around 

the world,” added Dr Benedek. 

SUCCESSFUL HANDOVER OF THE ANAEROBIC 

BIODIGAT SB SYSTEM TO DEVELEY IN GERMANY 

Develey Senf & Feinkost, an international 

manufacturer of mustard, sauces and 

dressings, commissioned Wehrle in March 

2021 with the design and implementation 

of a wastewater treatment plant with biogas 

generation. Just one year later, in the summer 

of 2022, the biological commissioning of the 

industrial water treatment plant took place 

at 100% capacity at the company’s largest 

German production site in Dingolfing. 

The Wehrle plant reduces the wastewater 

pollution load in such a way that the discharge 

values fixed by local authorities for indirect 

discharge into the downstream municipal 

sewage treatment plant are safely fulfilled. 

The industrial wastewater treatment plant is 

also an example for the synergetic integration 

of modern environmental technology and 

supports the customer’s overall sustainability 

initiative by reducing production emissions. 

Wehrle worked together with their customer 

to develop an overall concept, including 

sophisticated wastewater treatment and 

reliable purification of the water during peak 

loads in accordance with official requirements. 

Furthermore, the integrated biogas generation 

of the wastewater treatment plant together 

with a modern combined heat and power 

plant allows the direct conversion of the 

generated biogas into electricity, which can 

be used on site. The used technology is the 

anaerobic high-performance BIODIGAT SB 

process. With its three-phase separation 

system incorporating highly efficient biogas 

utilisation as well as heat pump technology 

with maximised overall energy efficiencies, the 

process meets all customer requirements. 

The successful commissioning of the new 

wastewater treatment plant was completed 

almost on time, despite the difficult conditions 

caused by the pandemic. The capacity was 

reportedly at 100%, four weeks after inoculation 

of the plant with biomass. The cleaning 

result and the gas yield showed an increase 

of approximately 20-30% compared to the 

expected values. Intelligent control technology 

enables continuous operation of the biology 

and the combined heat and power plant 24/7. 

Mr Reiter, technical director of Develey in 

Dingolfing, was satisfied: “The robustness of 

the biological process has clearly exceeded our 

expectations. The high-performance system 

reliably purifies our wastewater, which varies 

greatly in quantity and quality, in continuous 

operation. In fact, the biogas production is 

so good that we are considering another 

combined heat and power plant for electricity 

generation.” 

With this project, Wehrle claims that it has 

expanded its references for anaerobic 

wastewater treatment and showed its reliability 

as partner in the field of environmental 

technology. “We are proud to be part of this 

innovative and future-oriented project as an 

important system supplier and to be able to 

support the customer in its long-standing 

claim to sustainable operation with innovative 

products, clever engineering, drive and on-time 

implementation,” said Frank Natau, business 

development, water processes at Wehrle. 


NEWS 

SOFTWARE ASSET FOR WATER 

INVESTMENT PLANNING LAUNCHES 

The latest version of Probit’s asset 

investment manager (AIM) software aims 

to help water companies in England and 

Wales save time and cost in planning 

works to optimise geographical synergies. 

AIM4 also makes web service interfacing 

and more localised analysis available to 

water companies and other organisations 

managing large asset bases. 

AIM4 is said to have set a precedent for 

analysing water and wastewater assets 

together. Historically, water companies 

that manage both water and wastewater 

infrastructure were unable to do so, as 

software with the capacity to process such 

vast numbers of assets was not available. 

This meant work stream management 

teams were not working collaboratively and 

modelling was siloed. 

Increasing demand for cost efficiencies 

in investment programmes means asset 

management challenges are being given 

greater strategic importance and becoming 

more complex. Ageing infrastructure, 

climate change, increasing regulation, and a 

growing population can all impact on asset 

life. 

IMPROVED FUNCTIONALITY 

Reflecting on the advances of AIM4, Philip 

Jonkergouw, managing director at Probit, 

said: “The biggest improvements have 

been to functionality, optimisation set-up 

capability, and adaptability. AIM4’s greatest 

strength lies in its ability to respond to the 

unknown and develop accordingly. 

“AIM4 has a high level of adaptability and 

flexibility when clients are facing new 

requirements, especially during water 

utility price reviews or asset management 

modelling transitions. As a result, it can 

now be used to answer more and more 

complicated questions for clients.” 

Using the AIM software, asset intensive 

organisations in water and other sectors 

can model the complete lifecycle of assets, 

anticipating changes and how they will 

impact on services. This results in better 

business decision-making that helps make 

assets more resilient and reduces service 

disruption and the risk of regulatory fines. 

AIM4 also delivers improvements in 

software functionality, such as the ability 

to analyse risk per region and per asset 

base. This allows users to examine factors 

such as planning constraints, along with 

the associated risks of not commencing 

work at specific points in the future, at a 

granular level. 

In addition, AIM4 introduces the option of 

web services, meaning AIM is no longer a 

standalone piece of software with limited 

client interaction. Third party systems 

can now connect directly to AIM to enter, 

extract, and link up data, creating an allround 

tool. 

AMP7 PLANNING 

The regulatory asset management 

period 2020-2025, AMP7, requires water 

companies in England and Wales to 

calculate investment needs and provide 

evidence on expenditure over a five-year 

period. By allowing asset managers to 

explicitly model what happens to assets 

under various conditions, certain questions 

can be asked such as how assets will 

deteriorate with how much risk and the 

associated costs due to failures in the 

network. 

Reflecting on the growth of the AIM 

software, Jonkergouw said: “Initially, AIM 

was used for underground linear assets 

such as sewer and water pipes, water 

mains and trunk mains. Then, clients 

wanted to do more types of modelling to 

Probit’s asset investment manager (AIM) software is 

helping water companies in England and Wales save 

time and cost in planning works 

include above-ground assets, such as 

wastewater treatment plants and pump 

stations. 

“Now it can be used to synchronise works 

across the whole water and wastewater 

asset base, and potentially with other 

sectors too. This is a perfect example of 

the adaptability and flexibility of the AIM 

software to meet new client requirements 

and we hope to continue these strong 

working relationships with AIM4 and 

beyond.” 

FUTURE OF AIM 

AIM software also delivers digital 

solutions and asset management across 

other infrastructure intensive sectors 

including power and transportation. The 

next step is to bring other utilities into 

the cross-sector optimisation work. For 

example, synchronising gas works to 

be done at the same location and at the 

same time as planned roadworks. 

“There has been ambition for this in the 

past,” said Jonkergouw, “but until now 

the tools, technology and processing 

power were not available nor did the 

sectors have the datasets needed. Now 

that asset management streams have 

the potential to come together in a single 

optimisation investment framework in 

AIM, this could start to drive cross-sector 

collaboration and trials.” 


NEWS 

BENTLEY’S DR DRU CRAWLEY 

RECEIVES IBPSA-USA AWARD 

Bentley Systems has announced that Dr 

Dru Crawley, Bentley fellow and director of 

building performance research, has received 

the IBPSA-USA Award for Distinguished 

Achievement in Building Simulation. It will 

be presented at the IBPSA-USA SimBuild 

conference. 

IBPSA-USA is the United States regional 

affiliate of the International Building 

Performance Simulation Association (IBPSA). 

It advances and promotes the science of 

building simulation to improve the design, 

construction, operation, and maintenance 

of new and existing buildings in the United 

States. IBPSA was founded to advance and 

promote the science of building performance 

simulation to improve the design, 

construction, operation, and maintenance of 

new and existing buildings worldwide. IBPSA 

has more than 5,000 members worldwide in 

34 affiliates representing 42 countries. 

Dr Crawley was elected president of IBPSA 

on 10 Sept 2022. He is the previous president 

of IBPSA-USA and has been part of the 

organisation since 1987. Dr Crawley has 

published more than 125 papers and articles, 

testified before the US Congress on zeroenergy 

and green buildings, lectured at more 

than 30 universities, and made more than 500 

presentations on building energy efficiency, 

sustainability, and renewable energy 

throughout the world. 

“Presented every two years, this award 

recognises an individual who has a 

distinguished record in the field of building 

performance simulation for 15 or more years,” 

said Carrie Brown, president of IBPSA-USA. 

“With an exemplary record of software 

development, high calibre research, and 

educational efforts, Dr Crawley has been an 

extremely influential champion of BPS. The 

breadth and depth of Dru’s expertise has 

made him an industry leader throughout his 

career, and our field is categorically better 

due to his contributions.” 

Dr Dru Crawley was 

awarded the IBPSA- 

USA Award for his 

achievements in the 

industry after 35 

years of experience 

SMART WATER NETWORK MANAGEMENT 

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Night flow analysis 

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Leak detection 

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Autonomous chlorine 

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Real-time monitoring 

Easy to install 

Immediate notification in 

case of threshhold breach 

learn mOre: 

www.lacroix-environment.com 


NEWS 

RESEARCH FROM ABB SHOWS HOW 

CITIES CAN TACKLE WATER STRESS 

BY REDUCING CARBON EMISSIONS 

AND COST OF WASTEWATER 

TREATMENT FOR REUSE 

ABB published the first in a series 

of new reports for the energy and 

wastewater sectors to highlight the 

impact that technology can have 

in enabling industrial customers to 

reduce carbon emissions and manage 

the energy transition for a more 

sustainable future. 

With the United Nations predicting a 

40% water deficit by 2040, ABB has 

conducted research to reveal how 

better use of wastewater could relieve 

pressure on water supplies. 

When treated effectively, wastewater 

can be returned to the water cycle for 

reuse, proving a valuable but often 

untapped resource in tackling water 

scarcity. Importantly, it also lowers the 

levels of untreated sewage pumped 

into rivers and oceans, which have 

hugely negative impacts on public 

health, the environment and marine life. 

“Global data shows that only half of 

our wastewater is properly treated,” 

said Brandon Spencer, president, 

ABB Energy Industries. “Allowing 

untreated wastewater back into 

our water courses not only has a 

disastrous effect on fisheries, animals, 

marine biodiversity, and public health, 

but it is also a terrible ‘waste’ of this 

commodity. We need to be doing 

more.” 

Treating wastewater, however, requires 

a lot of power, with the industry at large 

consuming up to 3% of the world’s 

total energy output and contributing 

over 1.5% to global greenhouse gas 

emissions. 

Seeking to redress this balance, ABB 

has conducted nine months of research 

and modelling with an independent 

economist, to demonstrate how greater 

adoption and integration of process 

automation technologies, can deliver 

both carbon and cost savings to enable 

more efficient treatment of wastewater. 

The findings reveal that in wastewater 

sites, utilities could reduce carbon 

emissions by up to 2,000 tonnes per 

annum, the equivalent volume of CO2 

responsible for 30,000 tonnes of glacier 

mass lost every year. With over 50,000 

existing wastewater plants worldwide, 

the opportunity, if scaled, is upwards of 

100 million tonnes of CO2 saved. 

Furthermore, in applying a robust 

package of process control and digital 

solutions, water companies could reap 

annual operational savings of up to 

US$1.2m (9.5%) per plant, opening 

revenue streams to ensure higher 

volumes of wastewater are treated and 

less is discarded in our rivers and seas. 

“ABB is committed to leading with 

technology to preserve precious 

resources such as water and energy, 

and ultimately enable a low-carbon 

society and a more sustainable world. 

In 2021, we have reduced our own CO2 

emissions by 39%, compared with the 

baseline year of 2019, and as part of 

our Sustainability Strategy 2030, we 

are working with our customers with 

the aim of reducing their annual CO2 

emissions by at least 100 megatons by 

2030,” said Spencer. 

The global wastewater market, driven 

by the need for more freshwater, 

population increase, and stringent 

environmental regulations, is projected 

to grow from $300bn in 2022 to $490bn 

by 2029. 

The reports’ economic modelling 

was undertaken by independent 

economist Steve Lucas of Development 

Economics in conjunction with ABB 

Energy Industries and supported with 

desktop research of academic and 

industry sources. ABB will publish 

further economic reports focused on 

the offshore, power and chemicals 

markets across 2022 and 2023. 

ABB’s infographic 

detailing their 

findings in their 

newest report 



CLEANEDGE WATER 

covers all bases 

With operations in the region, CleanEdge 

offers a comprehensive water treatment 

experience centered on sustainability and 

waste minimisation. 

optimises overall plant cost. This system is a 

suitable solution for areas facing acute shortage 

of water. 

Sewage treatment plants 

As pre-fabricated plug-and-play systems for 

sewage treatment, Lars offer these ready-to-use 

containerised plants for a range of capacities. 

Minimal to zero work onsite with a short lead 

time remains the main attraction of this product 

Zero liquid discharge and multi-effect 

evaporator 

Understanding the industries’ need for a 

complete ZLD solution to meet voluntary 

environmental or statutory standards, Lars 

completes the full ZLD cycle by incorporating 

different type of evaporators and drying 

system further to their high recovery 

membrane solutions. Here, the capex and 

opex are optimised by providing MVR and TVR 

technologies. 

The National Dairy Development Board in India worked together with Lars to provide better 

management of dairy wastewater 

CleanEdge Water offers technologies for 

treating industrial wastewater, focusing 

on resource recovery and sustainability. 

Headquartered in Singapore, and founded 

and managed by a group of professionals 

dedicated to the environment, development 

and sustainability, the company aims to solve 

complex problems and design integrated 

solutions to increase recovery, sustainability 

and profitability, with a focus on technical 

upgrades with disruptive technologies. 

CleanEdge Water’s group company, Lars 

Enviro, is an environmental engineering 

organisation in India with more than 25 

years in the field of water, raw water and 

wastewater, with emphasis on industrial 

wastewater, recycling systems, sewage 

treatment and waste to energy. 

LARS ENVIRO 

Biogas/Bio-methanation through effluent 

treatment plants 

Via generating energy from the feed-stock 

such as press mud and cow manure, the 

biogas generation of anaerobic digestion 

can manage energy supply and waste 

management issues. This solution avoids 

contaminating groundwater and the emission 

of greenhouse gases, while also recovering 

energy in the form of steam, biogas, power, 

CBG, and more. The generated digestate can 

sustainably substitute synthetic or chemical 

fertilisers and strengthen the farm ecosystem. 

Wastewater recycling plants 

Lars aims towards simplifying industrial 

wastewater recycling. The company’s 

WWRP solution use available resources and 

Condensate polishing units 

Distillery condensate is generated as a byproduct 

of multi-effect evaporation of spent 

wash, while grain wash generated as wastewater 

stream from alcohol production process. The 

effluent contains organic load and can have 

a detrimental effect on the environment. Lars 

has developed technologies considering PCB 

stringent norms and implementation of ZLD. 

Together with the recycling plant, the CPU treats 

condensate and makes it reusable by offering a 

combination of anaerobic, aerobic technologies 

along with tertiary (sand filters, UF, RO) and 

disinfection (UV) treatment. This recycled water 

reduces fresh water demand. 

WTE plants 

Solid waste management through anaerobic 

digestion can provide customers with renewable 

energy and address waste management 

issues. Energy can be recovered in the form of 

steam, biogas, power, bio CNG, and more. The 

digestate can substitute synthetic fertilisers and 

strengthen the farm ecosystem. 

The decentralised WTE Plants can minimise 

solid waste at the source. Lars’ technology- 



based solutions can strengthen solid waste 

management. manage health risks and 

environmental pollution through plug-and-play 

digesters. 

Biogas to renewable energy 

Lars Enviro’s anaerobic digestion can handle 

different organic substrates from food waste 

to sewage sludge, to produce renewable 

energy. This can be used as an alternative, 

renewable automotive fuel through gas 

grid/cascades and also to replace LPG for 

industrial needs. 

From pre-treatment techniques required 

ahead of anaerobic fermentation, right up 

to the required post-treatment of digestate, 

composting and biogas upgrading, Lars 

possesses one of the highest design and 

operating experience of biogas plants, 

producing about 1000MT CBG per day, 

or 226MWH equivalent of potential power 

generation. 

CLEANEDGE WATER 

CleanEdge also offers a range of water 

treatment systems, ranging from raw water 

treatment plants, UF and RO plants, DM 

plants, and desalination solutions. 

LESMAT 

LESMAT is an anaerobic solution for 

seasonal industries generating high strength 

wastewater. It is an optimal solution 

when footprint is a constraint. Here, a bio 

film of desired bacteria is attached to a 

structural media to facilitate reduction and 

better treatment. CleanEdge has so far 

commissioned 56 LEMSAT units. 

LESBAR 

LESBAR is a biodigester for the treatment of 

low- and medium- strength wastewater across 

breweries, and sugar and food processing, 

etc. Equipped with an in-house design offering 

a three-tier GLSS (gas liquid solid separator) 

system, LESBAR comes in different materials 

like stainless steel, mild steel with epoxy/FRP, 

complete FRP, and more. Thus far, 164 units 

of LESBAR have been commissioned. 

CleanEdge offers 

raw water treatment 

plants, UF and RO 

plants, DM plants, and 

desalination solutions 

LESAR 

A better engineered version of the 

conventional continuously stirred tank 

reactor, LESAR is an optimal solution for 

biogas recovery or treatment of highstrength 

industrial wastewater. With over 

100 installations across industries and 

continents, LESAR can be applied a wide 

range of industries, from distilleries to 

manure and sludge digestion. Till date, 106 

units of LESAR have been commissioned. 

KOOLL COMPANY, THE PHILIPPINES 

Lars Enviro was contacted to design, 

supply, and commission a fermented wash 

(raw spent wash) biogas plant for the Kooll 

Company, in Talisay City, The Philippines. 

The company is one of the largest 

producers of alcohol- and beverage-grade 

liquid carbon dioxide, supplying to major oil 

and beverage companies in the country with 

a flow of 980m 3 /day at a COD of 120,000mg 

per litre. The plant Lars constructed thus 

generated about 34,500m 3 of biogas per 

day, which was utilised as fuel in boiler. 

With the plant, Lars enabled the reduction 

of highly pollutant wastewater and the 

ability to handle shock loads. With one 

seeding and commissioning required, 

there was no need for specialised culture 

and nutrients for further operations, and 

no need for chemicals once the plant had 

stabilised 

The plant was also capable of handling 

a higher volume of wastewater and can 

restart rapidly after a shutdown. The 

biogas produced can be utilised in boilers, 

canteens, furnaces, CBG, for electricity 

generation. The treated wastewater, which 

contains high nutrient, can be used as 

organic compost to improve soil fertility, 

reducing water demand and the economic 

burden (inorganic fertilisers) of farmers. 

THE NATIONAL DAIRY DEVELOPMENT 

BOARD 

The National Dairy Development Board was 

set up by the Parliament of India. With its 

main office located in Anand, Gujarat, with 

regional offices throughout the country, the 

board was created to finance, support and 

support producer-owned and controlled 

organisations. Its programmes and activities 

seek to strengthen farmer cooperatives and 

support national policies that are favourable to 

the growth of such institutions. 

The dairy industry is the most polluting food 

industry in terms of water use during the 

production of milk and milk products. The 

wastewater contains dissolved sugars, proteins 

and fats, which is organic and biodegradable. 

Dairy wastewater is thus considered as 

possessing high concentrations of organic 

matter and BOD. It is estimated that dairy 

industries generate 2.5-3 litres of wastewater 

per litre of milk processed. 

If left untreated, dairy wastewater will pollute 

land and river systems. Hence, proper 

treatment of dairy wastewater is necessary 

before disposal in the environment, as per the 

Maharashtra pollution control board (MPCB) 

standards. 

With experience in managing dairy waste from 

companies such as Etika Dairy from Malaysia, 

and Hatsun Agro Products from India, LARS 

had supplied preliminary, anaerobic, aerobic 

treatment, alongside tertiary treatment like 

MGF and ACF. Lars provided a single point 

solution to treat liquid waste water generated 

from the plant, and treated water was used for 

irrigation purposes. 



SUEZ EMBARKS 

on 2027 goals 

As the water industry is poised for significant 

changes in climate, smart solutions, and more, 

Agatha Wong speaks with Sabrina Soussan, chairman 

and CEO of SUEZ, to find out more about the 

company’s strategy in the years to come. 

To begin with, can you share with us your 

experience as CEO of SUEZ since your 

appointment earlier this year? 

Soussan: The first months have been filled 

with much listening, interacting and getting 

to know as many colleagues, from across 40 

countries we operate in, as possible. I have 

been particularly impressed by our Chinese 

Team which has been working under very 

difficult conditions due to lockdowns 

imposed as countermeasures to COVID-19. 

Over that period, we have also achieved a 

number of significant milestones. We have 

completed three acquisitions: hazardous 

waste in France; EnviroServ, the leader in 

waste treatment in Southern Africa; and 

our former recycling and recovery (R&R) 

assets in the UK. These moves highlight 

the optimism and confidence of our 

shareholders in SUEZ’s future. Once the 

acquisitions are finalised, the SUEZ global 

team would have grown from 35,000 to 

44,000 employees and our annual revenue 

risen from €7.5 to €9bn. 

Can you comment on SUEZ’s new 

strategy? What are some of the changes 

that customers can expect from it moving 

forward? 

Soussan: Our plan is an ambitious one, 

in line with the increasingly important 

environmental challenges facing our world. 

My ambition for SUEZ is that we become the 

trusted partner of industrial companies and 

local authorities for circular solutions in water 

and waste. This strategy will progress SUEZ 

towards its goals through three pillars: focus, 

differentiation and enhanced value creation. 

• We will focus on our core business: the 

complete waste and water value chains, 

including related services, and concentrate 

our efforts on certain particularly buoyant 

markets, such as Asia, the United 

Kingdom, Italy, India, Australia, the Middle 

East and Africa. 

• We will differentiate by offering a unique 

value proposition to our customers, built on 

our proven infrastructure, on our expertise 

with a recognised leadership in smart and 

digital solutions, on end user experience, 

and on innovation. 

• We will offer enhanced value creation by 

being more selective with our projects, 

making digitalisation and service 

excellence our drivers for competitiveness. 

By 2027, this strategy will enable us to be 

a benchmark in our industry, recognised 

for our agility, capacity to create value, and 

innovation. 

SUEZ will invest an additional €860m 

compared to the previous period to 

address new environmental and energy 

challenges. What do you think are the most 

pressing issues in the industry, and how 

will SUEZ continue to create differentiated 

solutions to meet these needs? 

Soussan: Our industry currently faces 

historic challenges, characterised by 

strong momentum for green transition from 

governments, industries and customers. 

SUEZ has been part of this evolution by taking 

the lead in action and expanding its expertise. 

We will continue to devote our efforts in 

addressing environmental challenges 

regionally in this fast-changing world. True 

to our partnership culture, we will double 

our investments, alongside our customers, 

mobilising an additional €860m compared to 

the previous period for the digitalisation of 

water networks, decarbonisation and energy 

efficiency, for example. We will also increase 

our innovation capacity, with a 50% increase 

in our R&D budget by 2027 to develop 

differentiated solutions for preserving water 

resources, combating pollutants, recycling, 

producing green energy from waste; and 

reducing our own carbon footprint, as well 

as that of our customers. Digital technology 

is also an important lever for improving 

performance and agility and for developing 

new solutions. We will continue to invest 

in this area, with the goal of doubling our 

revenues from these activities in five years. 



How will SUEZ work towards its strategic 

objectives and maintain its position for the 

future? 

Soussan: As we grow strategically and 

reposition ourselves to be a leading, fullservice 

provider across the entire water 

and waste value chains, we will have to be 

selective with where we invest our resources 

and which projects we undertake. Pursuing 

strategic opportunities requires efficient 

decisions and strong capital support. We 

are fortunate to have a strong backing from 

our consortium of shareholders, with ample 

capital and strategic alignment. 

Second, we will also need to maintain our 

leadership in sustainable development. 

By the end of 2022, SUEZ will unveil its 

sustainable development roadmap, outlining 

our contribution, ambitions, and quantified 

targets for climate, nature conservation, and 

social matters. 

Third, we need to engage all stakeholders. 

We have made a commitment for employees 

to hold 10% of the capital within the next 

five to seven years through an employee 

shareholding plan. We are promoting diversity 

and equal opportunity, and we are renewing 

our social commitments through inclusion 

initiatives, notably through our social inclusion 

subsidiaries, such as Rebond in France. 

SUEZ will also be focusing on both mature 

and emerging markets. On that vein, 

what are your goals for South East Asia in 

particular? What unique opportunities for 

growth and investment do you see in this 

region? 

Soussan: South East Asia is an important 

region for SUEZ because of our historic 

presence in this region and the rising demand 

for environmental improvements and the 

need to supply top class water and waste 

services to the growing populations. As part 

of our desire to focus our activities, we will 

keep concentrating our efforts, notably in the 

Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand, 

as well as others. We have numerous projects 

in these nations, managed by strong local 

SUEZ’s plan for 2027 

will see the company 

leveraging its knowledge 

of the water industry to 

serve more customers 

(Image: SUEZ/Antoine 

Meyssonnier) 

teams. Additionally, we provide them with 

technical and financial support from our 

worldwide SUEZ organisation. Our goal 

is to expand further by working with our 

partners and clients. By 2027, SUEZ aims at 

generating approximately 40% of its revenue 

in international markets. 

Can you share with us more on the 

new, simplified, and customer-focused 

organisation that will be structured 

around water and waste? How will this 

organisation further benefit SUEZ’s 

customers and deliver a more robust 

commercial and operational experience? 

Soussan: We plan to become a more 

agile and customer-focused organisation 

structured around our two core businesses, 

water and waste. Globally, we will organise 

our businesses as one “Water” and one 

“Waste” division. Our new structure and 

operating model will enable us to better 

put the customer at the forefront of our 

activities. 

What are your hopes and visions for 

SUEZ as it works towards its strategic 

plans? What are you most excited about 

for SUEZ’s journey in the next five years? 

Soussan: I’m looking forward to seeing 

this ambitious, yet realistic, strategic plan, 

which is rooted in a purpose of making key 

contributions to society, progressing step 

by step. I’m convinced that SUEZ, through 

its water and waste activities, has been 

playing and will play a vital role everywhere 

it operates in improving people’s quality of 

life on a day-to-day basis. 



THE COLLECTIVE CALL 

for sustainable action 

Cooperation with government bodies, private 

companies, and academic institutions will be vital 

in ensuring the longevity of green strategies. 

By Agatha Wong 

The announcement of the Environmental 

Sustainability & Energy Efficient Centre (ESEE) 

by Singapore Polytechnic (SP) at the “Values- 

Based Green Transition – For Singapore 

Businesses” event brought together key 

players ranging from government agencies, 

private companies, trade associations and 

chambers, demonstrating a united resolve in 

supporting the green transition of companies 

across various sectors. 

Serving as a one-stop provider of services and 

counsel for sustainable practices, companies 

can expect the knowledge and expertise 

of participating members as they tackle 

common teething issues such as operational 

costs and administrative process. Similarly, 

companies like Grundfos will be tapping 

into their portfolios to support firms across 

various industries. The end result: a symbiotic 

arrangement where all parties benefit mutually 

from the expansion of greener strategies. 

“The MOU with SP will allow us tap into higher 

learning institutions, where Grundfos comes in 

with vast knowledge and applications; as well 

as experience in bringing about sustainability 

solutions. SP will also provide us a platform 

to also enter more ecosystems and connect 

with more industries, policy makers and 

higher-learning institutions, and get things off 

the ground,” said Eric Lai, regional managing 

director of Industry – APAC, and country 

director for Singapore, at Grundfos. 

On that front, Grundfos will be able to offer its 

portfolio of services and products, designed 

for water and energy efficiency, to a wider 

audience. Humphrey Lau, former 

group senior vice-president of global 

industry business at Grundfos, shared 

at the conference the six projects 

which the company has planned, 

drawing from the reduction of Grundfos’ 

carbon footprint by energy consumption 

and the electricity bill as per prior 

feasibility studies on solar panels and PV 

installations. Bearing its past experience 

and expertise, the ESEE will thus provide 

Grundfos the context needed to support local 

companies: 

“In order to bring collaborations like this to 

life, it is important to have a relevant context, 

and that is why it is so important for us to 

have collaboration with local institutions 

like SP, else we’d be coming up with global 

concepts that are too far away,” added Lau. 

RACE TO 2030 

The need for sustainable action has never 

been clearer. As the 2030 deadline set out by 

the United Nations Agenda for Sustainable 

Development swiftly approaches, with the 

organisation stating that the world is nowhere 

near said goals, there is a strong call for more 

to be done, and quickly. In that regard, it will 

be vital for key players to help as many firms, 

both large and small, as possible. On a local 

level, this also means reaching out to small 

and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs), which 

form a critical part of Singapore business 

landscape. 

“Local companies have a big role to play, 

because they are part of the larger industry 

From left to right: Eric Lai, regional managing director 

of Industry – APAC, and country director for Singapore 

at Grundfos, and Humphrey Lau, former group senior 

vice-president of global industry business at Grundfos 

that consumes most of the electricity in 

Singapore. For us, coming in as a global 

company, it is important to engage at the 

right-levels regarding using less to produce 

more — both from the water and energy 

aspect. Another aspect would be bringing 

along digitalising technologies, having sensors 



in place; getting more shove in terms of the 

consumption and demand requirements. To 

regulate the energy and water consumption 

on a needs-based system rather than the 

previous time-based and experience-based 

systems can allow us to get heart of the 

issue, which is increasing sustainability and 

using less for more,” said Lai. 

While Singapore delivers a conducive 

environment for the implementation of 

sustainable initiatives, it is also necessary 

for global companies such as Grundfos 

to reach out to other countries around the 

world. Crucially, there is also a protracted 

call for enabling sustainable change in the 

region. South East Asia, in particular, can 

benefit from a fortification of their water 

infrastructures alongside greener strategies, 

killing two birds with one stone. In that 

regard, the region presents a reservoir 

of untapped potential and business 

opportunities for water companies to lead 

the change. 

“For the region, we see a lot of potential to 

cover the market, especially in South East 

Asia. There are many cities and industry here 

that can escalate their water reductions, 

water efficiency and quality levels. Through 

this network, we can also drive the trend in 

terms of sustainability for the goodwill of 

climate change. It can also bring about a 

sustainable business model. This can really 

fund and produce good not just for the 

company, but for the environment in the long 

run,” shared Lai. 

Lau shared a similar sentiment: “Asia 

represents an industrial hub, not just in 

Singapore but across South East Asia, and 

even Japan and Australia, China and India. 

This will only in the coming years continue 

to intensify in terms of water, energy, and 

resource consumption. You can think of it 

as a huge pilot plan where there is a need 

for solutions. We see a huge opportunity 

for Grundfos to co-develop solutions with 

industry players in this part of the world.” 

HAND-IN-HAND 

As a global company, Grundfos has had a 

front-row seat in witnessing the changes 

necessary for the sustainable transformation 

of the world’s industrial ecosystems. More 

than that, as providers of solutions in water 

and energy management, the company 

has a keen awareness in the importance 

of collaboration for fruitful changes to take 

place. 

The ESEE serves as an instance where multifaceted 

cooperation across different sectors, 

be it private or public, can work together 

towards a common goal. This is testament to 

the enormity of the climate challenge at hand, 

where it is not sufficient for a single player 

to contribute to the fight. For pronounced 

change to take effect, it will be vital for 

agencies and companies to come together in 

a common goal. 

With input across public 

and private sectors, and 

academic institutions, 

the conference and 

ESEE served as proof 

of the need for greater 

collaboration in enacting 

sustainable change 

Lau remarked: “There are issues and 

challenges in this world which are so big that 

not one company nor sector can handle by 

themselves. The COVID pandemic had been 

a great example showcasing how private 

pharmaceutical companies can work hand-inhand 

with governments to develop vaccines in 

an unprecedented short amount of time. 

“Climate change, I think, is another major 

issue that not just one sector can work alone 

on. I believe that Grundfos holds a small 

number of keys and tools that can add onto 

this larger equation, and we’d very much like 

to invite everyone on the value chain to work 

together with us.” 

Quoting Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of 

State for Sustainability and the Environment, 

and Transport, who graced the event as the 

guest-of-honour, and stressed the need to be 

bold in the sustainability journey, Lai added 

that the issue of sustainable transformation 

no longer lies in the “why”, but rather the 

“how”. Concrete measures demonstrating the 

commitment and collaboration between all 

parties will be vital to setting the path for the 

sustainability agenda moving forward. 

“The event demonstrates that there is a lot 

of commitment from commercial and higher 

learning institutions, as well as government 

bodies who want to support this. Therefore, it 

really is time for us to take action into our own 

hands and take a step forward.” 

Dr Amy Khor, Senior 

Minister of State for 

Sustainability and 

the Environment, and 

Transport, graced 

the event as the 

guest-of-honour 



“GOOD FOR BUSINESS, 

GOOD FOR COMMUNITY”: 

What corporate sustainability 

could look like in South East Asia 

As the need to fight climate change increases, companies have to re-consider 

their corporate priorities to ensure sustainability across all areas of production 

and their industries as a whole. By Kimberly Liew 

(COP26) held in Glasgow last year revealed 

that organisations should reduce emissions 

to keep temperature rises within 1.5°C, to 

prevent climate catastrophe. Companies thus 

need to be strategic in their plans for water 

sustainability. They need to innovate solutions 

to these pre-existing issues, while also 

ensuring their own practices are sustainable 

themselves. 

This includes where they source their water 

supplies. Agnihotri stated that LANXESS 

regularly assesses current and future water 

stress to ensure the human and ecological 

demand for water is sustainable. Over 90% 

of their water withdrawal are in areas with 

low water stress. They have also identified 

four water risk sites and have initiated 

measures to reduce water withdrawal. 

For companies working in South East Asia, 

water sustainability is an issue that needs 

to be seriously considered. Despite being 

home to 60% of the world’s population, the 

region only has access to 36% of the world’s 

water resources, making the per capita water 

availability the lowest in the world. 

These challenges are only furthered by 

climate change causing extreme weather 

fluctuations and rapid urbanisation. The 

United Nations Climate Change Conference 

LANXESS: SOLUTIONS AND STRATEGY 

LANXESS, a specialty chemicals developer 

with solutions in water purification, is one of 

the many companies which has re-oriented 

itself towards sustainability. In their efforts 

to be more environmentally minded, the 

company has to consider their every action 

and its impact on the larger ecosystem. 

“Our motto is ‘Good for business, good for 

community’. This is based on the conviction 

that with our products and our expertise in 

the field of sustainable development, we can 

make important contributions: supporting our 

customers, protecting the environment and 

improving the quality of life for all people. In 

this way, we create sustainable value for all 

stakeholders. And we remain a sustainable 

company,” said Vinod Agnihotri, vicepresident 

and head of materials protection 

products business unit, Asia-Pacific, 

LANXESS. 

The company has also launched a global 

water programme in 2020, designed to 

promote sustainable water management 

and continuously improve the ways 

they use water. The programme has 

three primary goals: ensure global 

water management, foster local water 

stewardship and to ensure the company 

is connected to communities “beyond 

the gates”. The company hopes to 

achieve each goal through enacting 

these methods, respectively: transparent 

reporting on water management and use, 

addressing issues in local water systems, 

and safeguarding the drinking water 

supply of the communities they operate 

in. Ultimately, LANXESS’ global target is 

to reduce annual water consumption by 

2% despite organic growth, while reducing 

water withdrawal from locally identified 

water risk sites at an absolute of 15% until 

2023. 



Water is not the only form of sustainability 

LANXESS is committed to. Since 2021, the 

company’s sustainability committee has 

been deemed the “top decision-making 

body”. Since the company’s re-structuring, 

it has learnt that clear and specific goals 

are the best way to enact sustainability. To 

that end, it has implemented three pillars 

to ensure climate neutrality: purchasing 

sustainable raw materials, ensuring green 

logistics, and expanding its range of climate 

neutral products with the “Scopeblue” brand 

label. 

The company has also reportedly halved 

their direct emissions, from 6.5 million 

tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) 

to 3.2 million tonnes. This was achieved 

through minimising emissions from their 

production and external energy resources. 

LANXESS is now hoping to eliminate their 

indirect emissions in the upstream and 

downstream value chain by 2050. The 

company has also contributed to causes like 

the OneMillionTrees movement in Singapore, 

planting 50 trees across the Kranji- 

Woodlands Nature Way to revive the streets 

with lush greenery and reduce greenhouse 

gases through carbon sequestration. 

WATER COMPANIES, WATER 

STEWARDSHIP AND COLLECTIVE 

RESPONSIBILITY 

Water companies play an important role 

in resolving the water crisis in South East 

Asia. “With population, pollution, and water 

shortages growing unabatedly, collaboration 

between the public sector and water 

companies must be established to turn 

water-scarce cities into high-tech hydro 

hubs,” Agnihotri stated. 

This schema has already been implemented 

in Singapore for decades, through the Public 

Utilities Board (PUB)’s role in implementing 

and expanding the NEWater water filtration 

system, which was used to reclaim 

wastewater into clean and usable water 

for Singaporeans. The project’s success is 

evident from 40% of Singapore’s water supply 

stemming from recycled sewage, which is 

expected to rise to 55% by 2060. Agnihotri 

thus encouraged water companies to work 

closely with the public sector and provide 

insight into technologies that can expedite the 

process. 

But this is only one part of the solution. 

Agnihotri believes that water companies 

should also work with other industries like 

the chemical industry to create innovative 

solutions for water treatments. He cited the 

example of LANXESS’ Lewatit ion exchange 

resins, which were used to treat and process 

wastewater across various industries. 

As he explained: “We have produced ion 

exchange resins that can remove undesirable 

substances from groundwater to turn it into 

drinking water. The principle of ion exchange 

has also found a wide variety of applications 

in the household. When used in water filter 

pitchers, Lewatit products remove water 

hardness because many people much prefer 

the taste of tea and coffee made with soft 

drinking water.” 

Development and quality 

control of monodisperse 

ion exchange resins at 

Jhagadia site, India, used 

for water treatment 

Water sustainability cannot be achieved 

through the efforts of water companies alone, 

however. Water stewardship on the part of 

companies outside the water industry is also 

just as important. Agnihotri emphasised that 

companies should understand their collective 

responsibility “in water usage, catchment 

context and shared risk in terms of water 

governance”. It is only by understanding 

and collaborating with others that share the 

same knowledge that meaningful change 

can take place. 

THE FUTURE OF WATER 

SUSTAINABILITY IN SOUTH EAST ASIA 

Currently, the two most critical issues facing 

the region are securing an adequate water 

supply and ensuring water contamination 

is addressed at its source. Most water 

technologies are currently focused on 

recycling wastewater and water recovery. 

While these measures are effective, it 

is likely not enough to guarantee water 

security and sustainability. 

One key issue in water security is preventing 

and responding to future health crises, 

in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and 

its effects on water management. Water 

services should thus begin considering 

sustainability and long-term resilience as 

part of their infrastructure. 

For instance, Agnihotri suggested the 

industry can empower water service 

providers with digital innovations that 

are increasingly available to manage 

uncertainty and enhance the experiences 

of service providers and their customers. 

Green recovery strategies should also be 

implemented, which includes investments 

in water and sanitation that will deliver 

accelerated economic growth, while also 

being sustainable for people and the 

planet. 

“Water plays a significant role ecologically 

and socially beyond its role as an economic 

resource. Access to water and sanitary 

facilities is a fundamental human right. Its 

availability and quality are global challenges 

that must be addressed at a local and 

regional level. Similarly, we believe that the 

sparing use of water is crucial. Scarce water 

resources need to be handled consciously 

and carefully and viewed as an investment 

in the future,” concluded Agnihotri. 


IN THE FIELD 

REDUCING 

LEAKS IN 

Jakarta’s water 

networks 

Jakarta’s water network 

before the installation of 

Cla-Val pipes 

In 2005, Jakarta, the capital city of 

Indonesia, was losing nearly 50% of 

its produced water from leakages 

in their water network. At the time, 

management of the network had 

been privatised into two separate 

concessions, with one section 

being managed by Palyja. Palyja, 

a SUEZ company, is the water 

distribution company responsible for 

disseminating water in the western and 

southern areas of central Jakarta. 

The section of the network managed 

by Palyja extended for over 3,000km 

and consisted of mainly non-metallic 

piping in sizes 25mm through 


IN THE FIELD 

1,200mm, with unit pressure of at most 15m. 

At the end of many zones, the pressure 

could typically be recorded as zero for most 

of the day, as the traffic appeared to be 

permanently grid-locked like most cities. The 

systems ranged from newly built to old and 

abandoned. Non-revenue water (NRW) was 

recorded to be typically 75%. 

An example of the Cla-Val pressure system 

used in Jakarta 

The 90-series control valve by Cla-Val 

One key to permanent leakage control is 

to not only reduce the leakage, but to also 

maintain a low leakage level. The approach 

developed for the water networks in Jakarta 

was successful in identifying leaks, but not 

controlling them. It became apparent that as 

soon as a leak had been located and repaired, 

another broke elsewhere. 

According to Cla-Val, the benefits of lowering 

pressure has been utilised across the world, 

but these applications were typically with 

higher pressures. What was less known 

was the effectiveness of pressure control at 

mitigating leakage rates with low pressures, 

which was the main issue in Jakarta. 

High leakage creates high flow, which in turn 

increases head loss and reduces pressure. 

When the leaks were repaired, the reverse 

occurred. The resulting higher pressures 

increased water loss through small leaks, as 

well as the increase in new leaks. It became 

clear that the solution to the problem was 

pressure control. However, it was unknown if 

a pressure control system could be effective 

with pressures as low as 10m. 

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A trial was undertaken in a pilot area of 

around 20km 2 where Cla-Val valves were 

installed. During the trial, the valves not only 

maintained a constant downstream pressure, 

but it also reduced the rates of leakage. 

Over 500 90-series control valves were 

installed, with many having a time- or flowbased 

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have generally experienced a “fault-free 

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IN THE FIELD 

FITS LIKE A GLOVE: 

Veolia supports Mölnlycke’s 

sustainable network 

Tucked in the industrial heart of Kedah, Mölnlycke’s newest glove factory 

will not only support regional demand for medical supplies, 

but also the company’s sustainable goals. 

At a glance, the plant is equipped with the following technologies: 

• Process Water Treatment Plant 

° Multimedia filtration 

° UV sterilisation 

° Hydrex chemical dosing 

• Wastewater Treatment Plant 

° Primary treatment/clarification – Multiflo Pack 

° Biological treatment – AnoxKaldnes Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) 

° Secondary treatment/solid separation –Idraflot Dissolved Air Flotation 

° Sludge treatment – Sludge thickening and dewatering 

• Hubgrade Digital Monitoring System 

shared Olivier Estienne, country director for 

Malaysia at Veolia Water Technologies. 

Inaugurated in Sep 2022, the new Mölnlycke 

plant in Kulim, Malaysia, will enable the 

medical product manufacturer to expand 

their glove manufacturing capacity by 60%, 

allowing the company to meet current and 

future demand for surgical gloves. Mölnlycke 

also hopes to meet its goal for reducing water 

consumption by up to 50%, using Veolia’s 

digitalised systems 1 . 

In partnership with Veolia Water Technologies 

and Engie, Mölnlycke has also implemented 

sustainable energy and water/wastewater 

treatment facilities at the new plant, despite 

the manufacturing process for surgical 

gloves being a resource-intensive one. Jean- 

Christophe Guillou, vice-president of global 

Mölnlycke’s latest plant 

in Kulim, Malaysia, spans 

across 29,164m 2 

operations for gloves at Mölnlycke, had 

approached Veolia for the project. 

Veolia’s solutions for the plant will enable 

the company to achieve a circular economy 

and reduce waste in their manufacturing 

processes, as well as recycle and reuse 

process water both on-site and/or via third 

parties. 

“What is difficult when it comes to wastewater 

treatment for industrial use is understanding 

what is being manufactured and what kind 

of wastewater is generated. Our process 

included visiting the existing team and the 

facility, to see what was the best sustainable 

design that Veolia could bring for the plant,” 

“Sustainability at Veolia entails enabling our 

customers to conserve resources. This can 

be water, power, or chemical resources. 

Glove manufacturing requires a lot of 

chemicals, similar to wastewater treatment. 

At each step of glove production, water is 

needed, and wastewater is generated. The 

idea was to find the best possible way to 

segregate wastewater such that we didn’t 

have to apply the full process to each 

part of the stream. In this way, energy and 

chemical consumption is reduced to what 

is needed for treatment. If we start diluting 

polluted water, for example, we’d need to 

treat a higher volume of water. However, 

if we treat only a small, concentrated 

amount of water, we will only need to bring 

in the chemicals needed for that volume,” 

explained Estienne. 

Another aspect of Veolia’s sustainable 

model was embedded in Mölnlycke’s 


IN THE FIELD 

schema for the Kulim plant itself. As the site 

will be built in stages, Veolia will match their 

services to its corresponding phases. The 

first stage saw Veolia helping Mölnlycke 

comply with discharge standards, while 

the second will aim at improving water 

reuse and striving towards the goal of 

zero water discharge. Altogether, these 

implementations will support Mölnlycke 

in their efforts towards reducing carbon 

footprint. 

A DIVE INTO THE KULIM PLANT 

Water and wastewater treatment begins 

in the Process Water Treatment Plant, 

which includes multimedia filtration and 

UV sterilisation. Within this process, raw 

water from Syarikat Air Darul Aman (SADA) 

is treated chemically before it flows into 

the multimedia filter (MMF), at a flow rate 

of 100m 3 /h with more than 2mg per litre of 

chlorine. To comply with stringent bacterial 

count requirements, UV disinfection is 

deployed as the last treatment step prior to 

consumption at the glove production line. 

The objective of this stage is the reduction 

of total suspended solids and bacteria 

count. 

Meanwhile, the wastewater treatment 

plant has been distinguished into three 

different stages and objectives. In the 

primary treatment and clarification stage, 

wastewater from the surgical glove 

production line flows into the Multiflo 

unit. Sedimentation begins here where 

suspended solids and specific minerals 

are blended with coagulants to form large, 

easily settled flocs. These flocs accumulate 

at the bottom of the equipment while 

clarified water flows to the next phase for 

further treatment. Here, total suspended 

solids and zinc are reduced, and the 

accumulated sludge in the bottom of 

the tank is regularly removed either via a 

suction draw-off or scraper mechanism. 

After sedimentation, the clarified 

wastewater flows into the biological 

MBBR tank for biodegradation. In this 

1 

2 

biological treatment stage, Veolia’s biofilm 

carriers move freely by aeration, while 

microorganisms feed on contaminants 

and further purifies the water as part of its 

biological activity. Ammonia, nitrogen, and 

BOD/COD are removed as a result. 

The wastewater stream is then preconditioned 

with coagulant and flocculant. 

This is where suspended solids are brought 

to the surface of water via microbubbles as 

part of the enhanced separation, through the 

Idraflot dissolved air flotation. Floated sludge 

is then scraped off from the water surface. 

Thereafter, sludge from the Idraflot and 

Multiflo is then chemically conditioned for 

further thickening before being pumped into 

the filter press for dewatering. The aim is to 

achieve 20% dryness of dewatered sludge. 

THE WIDER AGENDA 

Mölnlycke’s wastewater treatment 

processes forms part of a greater plan for 

resource conservation in Malaysia. The 

recent 12th Malaysia Plan highlighted the 

government’s plans for comprehensive 

water transformation, with integrated 

wastewater treatment plants to be 

constructed for the management and control 

of effluent discharge in industrial areas, and 

encouraging a circular economy in the water 

sector. 

“What the government wants is closely 

aligned to what multinationals have set 

as their KPIs; it is also similar to what the 

people want. Reducing consumption and 

addressing water scarcity constraints 

are the most pressing factors — though 

Malaysia receives a lot of rain, water is 

distributed unequally across the country. 

Klang and Kuantan, for example, face water 

scarcity issues annually. Similarly, with more 

1 Clarified wastewater is further purified as it enters 

the MBBR tank, where biofilm carriers remove 

BOD, ammonia, and nitrogen 

2 The Idraflot removes suspended solids, oils and 

greases, and insoluble COD 

industrial facilities being built in Kluang and 

Penang, water resources are expected grow 

tighter. 

“The target, then, is to ensure that we do not 

overuse water reserves. Veolia provides its 

clients with access to the water they need by 

preserving and replenishing them. With that, 

we’re pushing wastewater reuse, which can 

be applied across a variety of applications, 

be it landscaping, flushing, or drinking.” 

With the government leading the way forth, 

and multinationals such as Mölnlycke 

setting the tone for a greener future, the 

Kulim plant was a success for all involved 

across the board. Estienne also attributed 

this to the planning team’s adherence to its 

sustainability targets and its criterion-based 

decision making hastened the construction 

process. As the plant begins the first phase 

of its operations, Veolia is keen on working 

with the company further to get a stronger 

grasp on what will be needed in the years 

moving forward. 

“Our on-site team will continue to work 

with Mölnlycke to monitor and study their 

wastewater streams over the coming years 

— especially if there are changes to the 

composition of the wastewater produced. 

This way, we can provide solutions to 

address Mölnlycke’s needs and achieve their 

long-term sustainability targets.” 

Reference 

1 https://www.molnlycke.com/news/molnlycke-news/molnlycke- 

inaugurates-new-plant-and-accelerates-to-meet-future-demand- 

for-supply-and-sustainability/ 


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FOCUS 

THE FUTURE FOR PUMPS, 

IIoT and Industry 4.0 

Elektra is an IoT-enabled 

digital controller produced 

by Seko which allows 

operators to programme their 

equipment, as well as access 

live and historic dosing pump 

data on demand from any 

location via smartphone 

Outside of the consumer sector, a branch 

of IoT has emerged within industries, 

including manufacturing, healthcare and 

water treatment. Known as Industry 4.0 or 

the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), the 

integration of technology in physical devices 

can help managers make improvements to 

operational efficiency, energy consumption 

and environmental impact. 

This technology is changing what is possible 

in traditional motor-driven, solenoid and 

peristaltic pump applications, including liquid 

transfer and chemical dosing in processes 

as varied as swimming pool, wastewater and 

cooling water treatment. 

From flocculation and coagulation to pH 

correction and other water-treatment 

applications, operators seeking to improve 

efficiency and sustainability are increasingly 

specifying for web-enabled pump systems. 

For example, the capacity for “live” document 

sharing creates the potential for equipment 

manufacturers to update digital installation 

guides and operating manuals to reflect 

changes in design or software, before 

immediately uploading the latest revisions to 

the cloud. 

As the fourth industrial revolution approaches 

its second decade, we are witnessing a swift 

development that began within the consumer 

market and is now progressing into the 

manufacturing and industrial automation 

sectors. 

This technological growth, commonly 

referred to as the Internet of Things (IoT), is 

a meeting between smart device technology 

and data generation, processing and 

accessibility. Within the consumer sector, 

this has resulted in the creation of the smart 

home, where users benefit from the ability 

to remotely control a multitude of household 

appliances — from lighting and heating to 

kitchen appliances, security devices and 

entertainment systems — via computers, 

smartphones and tablets. 

And there is no sign of this boom slowing 

any time soon, as Statistica estimates that 

the worldwide installed base of internetconnected 

devices will increase from 10 

billion today to more than 25 billion by the end 

of the decade 1 . 

This allows potentially unlimited changes to 

be made, saving on printing costs. Engineers 

and operators can thus have access to upto-date 

literature. In addition to accelerating 

installation, set-up and commissioning, 

managers can reduce associated time and 

costs, while helping to ensure a smoother 

user experience. 

During equipment operation, IoT systems 

receive information from pump sensors which 

are constantly harvesting data on multiple 

values — including cycle status, chemical 


FOCUS 

consumption and vibration monitoring. With 

both historical and real-time data at their 

fingertips 24/7, users can make informed 

decisions relating to system performance and 

perform adjustments to formulas, flow rate, 

unit of measure and other parameters, as well 

as altering pump operating modes such as 

manual, batch and timed. 

In addition to making efficiency 

improvements, operators are able to budget 

with greater accuracy and confidence while 

streamlining stored chemical volume, which 

is useful on small sites where space is at a 

premium. 

Moreover, web-connected pump systems 

have the capacity to convert chemical 

consumption volume into the equivalent 

financial value, which allows projected 

savings to be precisely calculated when 

considering dosing adjustments. These 

figures may also be presented to senior 

management to justify programme changes 

or to demonstrate performance improvement 

in monetary terms. 

Many pre-Industry 4.0 dosing pump systems 

incorporate some form of a fault-logging 

system, with the drawback being that these 

are not always checked regularly, let alone 

actioned. This is often a consequence of 

the reactive “if it is not broken, do not fix 

it” philosophy, where apart from minimal 

maintenance, equipment may be left to run if 

there are no visible issues and processes are 

operational. 

Now, IIoT-based systems enable users to 

receive smartphone notifications as soon 

as faults occur, meaning defects can be 

quickly identified and remedial action can 

be scheduled to take place outside normal 

operating hours, when disruption can be 

minimised. This yields an improvement in the 

efficiency of equipment maintenance, repair 

and upgrade planning, while avoiding costly, 

inconvenient and unplanned downtime. 

As well as overall system health, IIoT 

technology allows for the performance and 

status of specific pump components such 

as bearings, couplings and belts to be 

assessed. This means that the operator can 

be alerted quickly should a part be due for 

replacement, facilitating maintenance while 

also driving aftermarket sales for suppliers. 

Meanwhile, this component and system 

data allows manufacturers themselves to 

benefit from IIoT by monitoring trends, user 

preferences and common problems, all to 

refine equipment and continuously improve 

their product offering. 

It is not only the efficiency of equipment 

and utilities that can be improved. For 

businesses running across multiple sites in 

different countries or even continents, IIoT 

and the leveraging of real-time data means 

operations management can be carried 

out anywhere in the world and still be as 

effective as they would be while standing in 

front of the machine’s controller. 

An example of how this technology could 

be implemented can be seen in Elektra. 

Elektra is an IoT-enabled digital controller 

produced by Seko, a manufacturer of 

chemical dosing systems for multiple 

industry sectors, including the design, 

production and supply of equipment 

for processes such as potable water, 

swimming pool water and cooling 

tower water treatment. Elektra allows 

operators of water treatment processes 

to programme their equipment, as 

well as access live and historic dosing 

pump data on demand from any 

location via smartphone. This allows 

managers working remotely to analyse 

pump performance and make instant 

programming adjustments to save energy, 

water and chemicals, while reducing the 

environmental impact of their application. 

The ability for one operator to remotely 

manage pump systems across multiple 

sites may also be useful for addressing the 

water treatment sector’s well-reported lack 

of skilled technical personnel caused by 

retirements in an ageing workforce 2 . 

This is especially true for water treatment 

systems in smaller communities, where 

lone, long-serving operators may possess 

extensive knowledge of idiosyncratic 

systems that may not be recorded or 

documented. In those situations, a sudden 

retirement, illness, or period of extended 

leave has the potential to impair system 

operations. 

Additionally, wasted journeys by technicians 

— who may travel a considerable distance to 

assess a pump’s condition as part of routine 

maintenance, only to find it in perfect working 

order — can be minimised, as engineers need 

only be deployed when required. 

This is particularly timely post-COVID, where 

the trend of remote working established 

during the pandemic has seen many 

operators continue to work at least partially 

from home. The integration of IIoT is thus 

starting to be seen as an expectation, rather 

than a bonus. 

The influence of IIoT on the pump industry 

is positive and as technology advances, will 

seemingly make life easier for operators. 

However, as with most devices, connecting 

pump systems to the internet immediately 

makes them vulnerable to cyber-attacks, 

where just one security breach can have a 

potentially devastating impact on safety, cost 

and reputation. 

It is therefore vital that equipment 

manufacturers employ robust processes 

when designing secure products and back 

them up with training and ongoing support for 

operatives. 

At a time when 5G is opening yet more 

possibilities for high-speed, reliable IoT, the 

global pump industry is primed to see where 

technology will take Industry 4.0 in 2022 and 

beyond. 

References: 

1 Statista: Number of Internet of Things (IoT) connected devices 

worldwide from 2019 to 2030, by vertical 

2 AP News: Aging workforce hits water plants especially hard 


FOCUS 

WASTEWATER TREATMENT: 

A deep dive into new technologies 

A vulnerable climate and growing population 

will call for stronger water infrastructure. 

Precise 

measurements 

using data collection 

and high sample 

volumes displayed 

on the Valmet Bridge 

control unit. 

Global warming and a changing 

climate will continue to have disruptive 

and unpredictable effects on both 

our drinking water sources and 

communities. Some places will 

experience increased frequency and 

intensity of rain, floods, and sewer 

overflows while other areas will face 

severe droughts, water scarcity and 

increased fire risks. 

Climate change brings severe consequences 

or countries across the 

globe, ranging from damage to water 

supply and sewerage infrastructure, 

to the degradation of catchments 

and contamination of water supplies. 

In Asia, climate models indicate that 

rising temperatures will increase heavy 

rainfall during the rainy seasons and 

extend the dry durations during dry 

seasons. 

Equally concerning are storm surges 

and high tides that could combine with 

rising sea levels and land subsidence 

to further increase flooding in many 

regions and overwhelm the design 

capacity of municipal stormwater 

management systems. Stormwater 

runoff, which often includes pollutants 

like heavy metals, pesticides, and 

nitrogen, can end up in rivers, streams 

and bays. 

“This contamination can be detrimental 

to human health and the aquatic 

ecosystem, and it will become more 

expensive to clean water and bring it to 

safe, acceptable drinking standards,” 

cautioned Nalin Amunugama, general 

manager of BOGE Kompressoren Asia 

Pacific. 

The global water consumption rate 

has been increasing by 100% every 

20 years, reported Business Wire. 

The rising scarcity of potable water, 


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coupled with the growing population 

and increasing water demand is a major 

factor driving the demand. Asia-Pacific 

currently accounts for the largest 

share of the water and wastewater 

treatment technologies market. The 

high market growth is attributed 

to rapid growth in population and 

urbanisation, increased environmental 

deterioration, increased demand 

for water treatment technologies to 

provide clean and potable water, and 

the rise in the number of investments 

in water infrastructure by public sector 

organisations in the region. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has also reinvigorated 

the critical value of resilient, 

sustainable and reliable water and 

wastewater infrastructure. Municipalities 

and industries around the world 

are investing more in research and 

chemicals that manufacturers use in 

wastewater treatment. Using the data, 

the operator can adjust mechanisms 

and treatment processes to stay 

in compliance and achieve great 

of 0-50%. Regardless of flow rate or 

sludge quality variations, it delivers 

exceptionally precise measurements 

using rapid data collection and high 

sample volumes. 

Klabin Puma pulp 

mill relies on the 

Valmet TS for precise 

measurements at 

their wastewater 

treatment plant in 

Brazil 

development, and ramping up efforts to 

efficiencies. The platform also can 

adopt sustainable water treatment and 

build what-if scenarios and make 

The data collected is displayed on 

wastewater reuse initiatives. Industrial 

automated operational control and 

the Valmet Bridge control unit, a 

manufacturers are turning to AI, ma- 

management choices using historical 

touchscreen terminal that provides 

chine learning, and industrial internet 

and real-time data. 

real-time trend visualisations and 

of things (IoT) technologies to meet the 

challenge. 

AI-POWERED INTELLIGENCE 

PRECISE, REAL-TIME 

MEASUREMENTS 

Measurement of solids in wastewater 

running intelligent diagnostics. As it 

continuously measures all solids in the 

process flow, the TS enables better 

control for more efficient industrial and 

In Australia, start-up Streamwise 

treatment has always been a 

municipal wastewater processes: from 

D.I. has developed an AI-powered 

difficult proposition. Limitations 

reducing water content in dry cake, to 

intelligence platform to provide 

in measurement accuracy along 

optimising polymer dosage in biogas 

industrial-grade digitisation for 

with long term reliability has been 

production, running at better pumping 

wastewater treatment. The platform 

a concern to plant operators and 

capacity, and saving on transportation 

collects real-time information from 

engineers. In addition, the solids 

costs. 

cameras, IoT-based sensors, and other 

instruments installed on machinery 

treatment and disposal that makes 

for over 30% of the wastewater 

ELIMINATING HARMFUL ALGAE 

at the customer’s facilities. The data 

treatment costs remains one of the 

Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) 

becomes a “digital twin” that feeds 

biggest challenges. 

that are naturally present in surface 

into a cloud-based dashboard, where 

water can become abundant in warm, 

it is analysed and shared as action 

With a long history of delivering 

shallow, undisturbed, nutrient-rich 

items with designated team members. 

measurement and optimisation 

surface waters that receive a lot of 

Information is available right away with 

applications for sludge dewatering 

sunlight. When this occurs, the algae 

the use of a mobile device or a web 

processes, Finnish company 

can form blooms that discolour the 

browser. 

Valmet developed the Valmet TS 

water, or produce floating mats or 

that utilises microwave technology 

scums on the water’s surface, which 

Among the biggest regulatory 

to determine total organic and 

are harmful to human health and the 

mandates is the volume and type of 

inorganic solids content in the range 

surrounding environment. 


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Compressed air has an important role 

in clean water supply and wastewater 

treatment where different pressures 

and degrees of purity are required. In 

a collaboration with Belgium’s Waterlink, 

BOGE equipped the Spaarbekken 

Eckhoven reservoir with an aeration 

system. 

The plug-and-play container, 

constructed at the BOGE facility in 

the Netherlands, was fitted with two 

frequency-regulated 22kW BOGE screw 

compressors with a control range 

of 1.47–4.58m³/min and a maximum 

system pressure of five bar, placed at 

an outdoor location. The compressed 

air passes through the refrigerant dryer 

to dry the air to a pressure dew of +3 

degrees, and then through BOGE’s 

Bluekat converter to provide oil-free 

compressed air which is pumped into 

the water through five-point aerators. 

The aeration ensures good mixing, 

leading to increased oxygen content, 

reduced release of nutrients by the soil 

and elimination of dead zones. This, 

in turn, limits the possibility of floating 

layer-forming cyanobacteria and 

assures safe drinking water. 

SUSTAINABLE WATER TREATMENT 

Producing everyday goods generates 

wastewater, which needs to be 

treated before being discharged into 

rivers and lakes. Not only does this 

use a lot of energy and chemicals, 

the process is costly. In Norway, 

EffiSludge for LIFE (EFL) has found 

a way to clean industrial wastewater 

with environmental and climate 

benefits. EFL developed an integrated 

wastewater treatment method that 

takes an “industrial symbiosis” 

approach where the waste from one 

sector becomes a resource for another. 

They set up a demonstration plant 

in the Norske Skog Skogn paper mill 

north of Trondheim where the existing 

industrial wastewater treatment facility 

was integrated into a biogas plant. It 

now cleans wastewater from the paper 

mill while biogas is generated from 

both the wastewater and waste from 

the fishing industry. The approach 

requires less energy than traditional 

cleaning methods. The waste sludge 

generated can also be reused to 

produce biomethane instead of being 

burned or sent to a landfill. Chemicals 

and energy use are reduced, providing 

a cost-effective and greener 

wastewater treatment solution. The 

emissions reduction of up to 9,000 

tonnes is equivalent to the amount of 

carbon dioxide that one million pine 

trees absorb each year. 

KEEPING CLEAN WATER SAFE 

The availability of safe and sufficient 

water supplies is linked to how 

wastewater is managed. Increasing 

amounts of untreated sewage, combined 

with agricultural runoff and 

industrial discharge, have degraded 

water quality and contaminated water 

resources around the world. According 

to the World Bank, globally, 80% 

of wastewater flows back into the 

ecosystem without being treated or 

reused, and by 2025, two-thirds of the 

world’s population are likely to be water 

strained. 

In recent years, societal and 

environmental pressures have led to 

a growing movement for the industry 

to reduce its wastewater and to treat 

it before discharge. Wastewater is 

now regarded as a potential resource, 

and its use or recycling after suitable 

treatment, can provide economic and 

financial benefits. The growth of urban 

demand for water will require new 

approaches to wastewater collection 

and management. 

“A transformative approach is 

key to reversing the flow of water 

contamination, with more awareness, 

enhanced prevention, and wise 

investments in new technologies,” 

Amunugama said. 

New technologies for climate-risk 

analysis are coming into the market that 

can deliver insights at scale, assess 

climate impacts on businesses and 

support effective board-level decisionmaking. 

These are useful both for water 

management and the facilitation of 

accurate and timely water-risk reporting 

for businesses. 

BOGE’s screw 

compressors 

provided the 

Spaarbekken 

Eckhoven reservoir 

with an aeration 

system to ensure 

clean water supply. 


FOCUS 

BASICS OF 

drinking water 

hygiene 

above 25°C and below 55°C, but in particular 

30-42°C, must be avoided. The cold water 

systems can often be overlooked and heat 

transfer from the ambient air to the cold 

water pipes can result in regular and longlasting 

temperatures above 20°C. In the 

German DVGW water information 90*, only 

a temperature of below 20°C is considered 

to be a safe temperature, which also 

corresponds with many other international 

standards, such as BS 8558* and HTM 04- 

01*. In addition to avoiding stagnation and 

limiting the food supply, it is necessary to 

avoid the optimal temperature ranges which 

positively condition the microbiome for the 

growth of OPPPs. 

By Chris Rhodes, associate director, Kemper UK & Ireland; 

Frank Schmidt, market development engineer, Kemper 

Group; Timo Kirchhoff, head of product management, 

Kemper Group 

Stagnation is probably the most critical 

factor in the propagation of opportunistic 

pathogens. National and international 

regulation bodies such as the World Health 

Organization (WHO), the European Centre for 

Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the 

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the 

ISSO, widely agree that the primary factor in 

the deterioration of water quality in buildings 

is directly attributable to stagnation. Recent 

studies from microbiome research show that 

just 12 hours of stagnation is sufficient to 

cause an increase in bacterial numbers*. 

During periods of stagnation, prolonged 

contact of drinking water with the piping 

system materials such as the pipe, valves, 

and fittings can lead to a concentration of 

nutrients via migration from the material 

components into the water itself. A 

combination of poor material quality — such 

as material that does not conform to BS EN 

16421* or WRAS regulations* — stagnation, 

and unfavourable water quality can promote 

a strong biofilm development*, in which 

opportunistic pathogens — characteristically 

called opportunistic premise plumbing 

pathogens (OPPPs) in international 

literature — can multiply. Stagnation creates 

propagation advantages for these OPPPs, as 

there is no dilution or removal of the nutrients 

or planktonic micro-organisms entering the 

water body. Nutrient discharge from materials 

in contact with drinking water must thus be 

reduced as much as technically possible. It 

is thus the responsibility of the designer and 

installer that all materials have been checked 

and approved for their “microbial suitability” 

for the water installation. 

In addition, the effects of environmental 

temperature should be considered. During 

stagnation phases, the temperature of the 

water will adapt to the temperature of the 

ambient air surrounding it, even with standard 

insulation of the pipes. This becomes a 

problem when the surrounding ambient 

temperatures are in the optimal propagation 

range of the pathogens. Low temperatures 

provide the pathogens with poor or no 

growing conditions. Temperatures close to 

the growth optimum allow for rapid growth. 

In legionella, atypical mycobacteria, but 

also in P. aeruginosa, temperature ranges 

INFLUENCE OF INTERNAL 

HEAT LOADS 

In installation areas, heat from hot water 

pipes, heating circuits and other heat sources 

such as electrical and ventilation technology 

and the improvements in building thermal 

performance, provide for air temperatures 

which are significantly higher than 20°C. The 

water content of a cold water pipe installed 

here, even with insulation in accordance with 

BS 5422, is heated to ambient temperature in 

a short stagnation phase. With the installation 

standards common today, it is expected that 

after a period of stagnation, overheated cold 

water with temperatures much higher than 

20°C will flow from the tap for a significant 

period of time. In accordance with BS 8558, 

the cold water must be less than 20°C within 

two minutes of running an outlet. If the 

temperature of cold water is not below 20°C 

within two minutes, the usability of the cold 

water installation, according this regulation, 

is no longer given. In addition to the abovementioned 

internal heat loads and the impact 

of improved building thermal performance, 

incoming mains temperatures above 25°C 

are expected to be more of a problem during 

summer, due to higher temperatures from 

climate change*. 

To provide the consumer with compliant 

cold water temperatures in the future, 

conventional installation habits should first 


FOCUS 

be fundamentally reviewed. So-called 

passive measures should be taken 

in the first step. There should be 

measures for a consistent thermal 

decoupling of the cold water pipes 

from heat sources whenever possible. 

Planning measures should be taken 

to reduce or interrupt heat transfer 

through radiation, conduction, or 

convection, from heat sources to 

cold water pipes. However, thermal 

decoupling of the cold drinking 

water pipes from potential heat 

sources is not always easy to realise, 

particularly with horizontal distribution 

pipework in temperature critical 

ceiling voids. Already in this case, 

if water consumption is too low, 

heat absorbed from the cold water 

from the ambient air can no longer 

be dissipated. This may lead to an 

increase in the temperature of the cold 

water to ambient air temperature and 

can only be avoided by implementing 

active measures, such as periodic 

cold water flushing or a cold water 

non-air-conditioned buildings, the 

air temperatures in the installation 

rooms also approach the prevailing 

outdoor air temperatures. Model 

temperature, such as 25°C, can 

therefore only be prevented with 

an active process, by temperaturecontrolled 

rinsing or by cooling. 

Fig. 1: A 

demonstration 

of how Kemper’s 

CoolFlow technology 

can be switched 

circulation with cooling. 

INFLUENCE OF EXTERNAL HEAT 

LOADS 

calculations show that in winter, when 

an installation shaft with heating and 

hot water pipes is fully encased, the 

average ambient air temperature 

ACTIVE MEASURES FOR 

COMPLIANT COLD WATER 

TEMPERATURE 

It is often neglected that in addition to 

of 26.2°C. On a warm summer day, 

Comparative simulation calculations 

the internal heat loads listed above, 

with heating switched off and room 

show that after intensive manual 

external heat loads can also have an 

air temperatures of 27°C, an average 

or automatic water exchange 

influence on the heating of the cold 

ambient air temperature in the air 

measures, cold water temperatures 

drinking water. 

composite shaft or pretext of 28.2°C is 

can rise again to ambient air 

calculated. 

temperature after a relatively short 

In winter, the room air temperatures, 

period of time. These measures are 

which affect the air temperatures in 

From these initial calculations, it 

only ecologically and economically 

pre-wall installations, shafts or ceiling 

can be inferred, in principle, that 

sensible if the cold water can be 

voids, are largely constant and range 

the temperature of cold drinking 

supplied into the building at low 

from 22-24°C. External heat loads 

water reaches critical limits during 

temperatures, such as below 15°C. 

do not occur in the winter months, 

summer rather than winter. All the 

During summer, however, this is 

as the room air temperatures are 

above-described passive thermal 

often not possible, particularly if 

usually higher than the outdoor air 

decoupling measures, which are 

the water supply is coming from 

temperatures. 

effective during winter, largely lose 

surface water sources. In such 

importance in the summer months 

circumstances, only active cooling 

During summer, conditions are 

with high room-air temperatures. 

of the cold water in the distribution 

reversed. The outdoor air temperatures 

Unacceptable temperature increases 

pipework can ensure compliance 

are usually higher than the room air 

in cold drinking water during winter 

with the required temperatures — at 

temperatures during this period. In 

and summer above a pre-determined 

any time during the year. 


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From left to right: 

Fig. 2: KHS CoolFlow Cold water cooler 

Fig. 3: KHS Coolflow Chiller 

Fig. 4: KHS CoolFlow Cold water 

regulating valve 

Cold water circulation was first 

realised in the main distribution 

lines of cruise ships. In Germany, 

numerous pilot projects have 

delivered positive results in terms of 

functionality and cost-effectiveness, 

while achieving a mostly permanent 

circulated temperature for cold 

drinking water below 20°C. 

For a cold water circulation 

system to be implemented in 

conventional plumbing installations, 

an additional piping system must 

be set up. This is not necessary in 

installations that contain flowsplitters, 

as the loop piping system 

already available for the forced 

flow water exchange can be used 

for the water circulation. Existing 

Kemper KHS systems can often be 

switched from flushing technology 

to cold water circulation with little 

effort, as shown in Figure 1. 

In contrast to conventional single 

pipe cold water installations, flowsplitter 

installations enable good 

temperature control in all parts of 

the pipe, right up to the connections 

of the outlets. 

Calculations with German insulation 

standards taken into account show 

that due to the small temperature 

differences between the ambient air 

and the cold water, the heat input 

— and thus also the performance of 

the required refrigeration unit — is 

relatively low, only up to 3W/m pipe. 

The KHS Coolflow cold water cooler 

from Kemper, as shown in Figure 2, 

removes the heat from the heated 

cold water and dissipates it. 

The pre-assembled compact unit with 

integrated pump contains the required 

components for cold water circulation 

and cooling, in addition to being 

diffusion-tightly insulated and preconfigured. 

It can be connected to 

existing cooling systems in buildings, 

or connected to a KHS CoolFlow 

Chiller, as depicted in Figure 3. 

In hot water circulation, the 

temperature differences between 

the water temperature and the 

ambient temperature are high. A 

higher circulating flow rate is thus 

required to maintain the required 

temperatures. By contrast, the 

temperature difference between cold 

water temperature and the ambient 

temperature is much lower. Volume 

flows required for temperature control 

in cold water circulation systems are 

therefore rather low. For this reason, 

the regulating valves required for 

hydraulic balancing have a very low 

kV value. In addition, the increasing 

concentration of water constituents 

must be counteracted by a targeted 

water exchange during prolonged 

circulation operation without water 

withdrawal. Kemper has developed a 

special valve in which the functions of 

flushing, regulating and shut-off are 

combined, as shown in Figure 4. 

CONCLUSION 

To reduce the ambient heat transfer to 

cold water systems, passive thermal 

decoupling measures should first 

be used. Even with good thermal 

decoupling measures, during 

summer months with incoming water 

temperatures above 20°C and room 

air temperatures above 25°C, the 

temperature of cold water is expected to 

rise above 25°C. DVGW water information 

90, BS 8558, HTM04-01 and other 

international regulations agree that a safe 

temperature for cold water is considered 

to only be below 20°C. Passive measures 

alone are not sufficient to achieve this. 

An active process is therefore required 

to ensure that a temperature limit for 

cold water is met by the operator at 

any time. Cold water circulation and 

cooling combined with a flow-splitter 

installation is recommended as an 

optimal and cost-effective solution. 

With products like the Kemper CoolFlow 

system, a pre-determined temperature 

of cold water of below 20 °C can be 

mostly ensured at any time, right up 

to each tapping point, even during 

summer and without water losses, due 

to temperature-based flushing. Together 

with solutions for the circulation of the 

hot water, water hygiene can be ensured 

in both cold and hot water services. 

Such solutions can be considered a 

part of a proactive, preventive regime 

that avoids hygienic deficiencies within 

these water services. It is recommended 

that planners and manufacturers 

agree clearly with the client on which 

temperature requirements for cold 

drinking water should be met. On the 

basis of this agreement, appropriate 

passive and active measures have 

to be planned and implemented in a 

structural manner. If water installations 

are built without active processes for 

temperature monitoring and control, it 

can be assumed that valid temperature 

requirements from relevant regulations 

can no longer be met in the future. 

* References are available on request 


FOCUS 

DIGITALISATION AS 

a critical enabler for 


By Shanmugavel Subramaniam, water segment leader, East Asia, Schneider Electric 

be done to stop leaks and faults in 

tracks, and to support industries 

in curbing water loss, so that more 

water can be treated, desalinated and 

conserved. Digital technology can thus 

be leveraged to ensure sustainability 

efforts in this sector. 

MEETING WATER CHALLENGES 

THROUGH DIGITALISATION 

With digital technology, we have an 

opportunity to ensure that all needs 

can be covered by managing water 

sources efficiently, be it groundwater, 

freshwater or recycled water. For 

example, data derived from digital 

technologies such as the Internet of 

Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) 

and cloud systems can help predict 

water demand, ensure the quality of 

supply, help manage adverse events 

and respond proactively to challenges. 

Today’s digital solutions could help 

ensure the quality, quantity and 

impact of water are made visible by 

ensuring the infrastructure works 

for us, not against us. When we can 

extract performance data from water’s 

physical infrastructure, we can plug 

As the need for 


grows, digital 

solutions are playing 

an increasingly 

important role in 

meeting those needs 

As national governments and 

businesses set climate change goals 

to curb carbon emissions and strive for 

a greener future, water sustainability 

must not be overlooked and tackled 

alongside net-zero objectives. With 

water supply infrastructure. These 

problems, however, are particularly 

acute in Asia. Even though Asia is 

home to more than half the world’s 

population, it has less freshwater — 

3,920m 3 per person per year — than 

gaps, whether that means using IoT 

sensor technologies to detect water 

leaks in real time or using AI to make 

sustainable power management 

decisions based on large data sets. 

water covering 70% of the Earth’s 

any continent other than Antarctica. 

It is encouraging to see how 

surface, one may assume that there is 

About 2.5 billion people are slated 

digitalisation is already enabling 

plenty of water to go around. However, 

to live in Asia’s urban areas by 2030, 

water utilities to produce meaningful 

the reality is that only 3% of it is 

projecting water demand to increase 

insights for more informed and 

fresh — suitable for consumption and 

by about 55%. 

better decision-making. Since 2018, 

industrial use. Furthermore, only 0.5- 

Singapore’s national water agency, the 

1% of this seemingly minute figure is 

Hence, as the demand for water 

Public Utilities Board (PUB), has been 

readily available for use, not locked in 

continues to grow, it is clear that this 

using low-cost vibration sensors in its 

ice caps, the atmosphere or soil. 

resource can no longer be used in 

pump sets to test the effectiveness 

an unsustainable manner. Take the 

at monitoring and predicting the 

On a global level, we continue to face 

issue of non-revenue water (NRW) 

condition of the pump sets. The 

a crisis of water scarcity, poor water 

— water that is produced but “lost” 

sensors take readings on a regular 

quality and climate change related 

before reaching the customer, due 

basis and generate alerts via SMS to 

constraints and failures within the 

to leaks and main bursts. More must 

engineers when vibration threshold 


FOCUS 

to conserving resources, while 

generating revenues and profitability 

— a challenge that a company cannot 

overcome on its own. 

Hence, it is important to grow an 

ecosystem of strong partners through 

greater industry collaboration. This 

could mean identifying partners 

who share the same passion for 

sustainable operations and support 

for cloud-based digitisation solutions. 

By harnessing cross-sector data 

and sharing knowledge and 

insights, more can come together to 

innovate and set new standards for 

sustainable water supplies. 

Ultimately, embracing innovative 

Digital technology 

can be used to 

monitor physical 

infrastructures for 

water and ensure 

gaps can be plugged 

values are exceeded. These are then 

further analysed and used to predict 

any impending infrastructure failure, 

thereby reducing NRW levels. 

Electric’s partnership with AVEVA, a 

provider of industrial software, EW 

aims to implement an Integrated 

Command and Control Centre (ICCC) 

to manage network operations, 

digital solutions for the management 

of the water cycle can accelerate 

data-driven sustainability 

strategies. By working together 

with water and wastewater industry 

Similarly, Air Selangor, one of 

maintenance activities and energy on 

energy management specialists, 

Malaysia’s water operators that 

the same platform. The move aims 

stakeholders can uncover new 

serves over 8 million consumers, has 

to reduce water loss level to 1%, 

digital tools that can lead to more 

embraced digital transformation to 

decrease energy cost for pumping to 

sustainable operations, lower 

maximise operational assets and data 

4-12% and increase overall operational 

energy consumption and less waste. 

to optimise overall operations, while 

efficiency by up to 7%. Such digitally 

Just like water, time is a precious 

enhancing customer experience. For 

enabled asset management solutions 

resource, and stakeholders must act 

instance, it has commissioned an 

could not only reduce wastewater 

now to not let it slip away. 

intelligent command centre (ICC) in 

in the context of increasing water 

early 2021 to integrate key strategic 

scarcity, but also provide opportunities 

asset parameters, such as flow 

to improve the efficiency of water 

and reservoir level with supervisory 

infrastructure and reduce carbon 

control and data acquisition (SCADA) 

emissions. 

capabilities. The ICC also features an 

online hydraulic model, an end-to-end 

integration system for monitoring, 

COLLABORATION FOR A MORE 

SUSTAINABLE VISION OF WATER 

analysing, and modelling distribution 

In realising a more sustainable vision 

systems in real time. This ensures 

of water in our future, partnerships 

optimal and continuous operations of 

and strategic alliances are also 

assets. 

success factors. Managing water 

resources can be an overwhelming 

Over in Thailand, East Water (EW), 

task for any company or organisation, 

a supplier of untreated water in the 

given that it deals with developing, 

country, has embarked on building a 

planning, distributing, and managing 

smart water network for sustainability 

and resilience. By utilising Schneider 

optimal water resources. It is also 

often a balancing act when it comes 

Shanmugavel Subramaniam, water segment 

leader, East Asia, Schneider Electric 


FOCUS 

CUTTING ENERGY 

CONSUMPTION THROUGH 

remote leak detection 

With leakage reduction likely to be imperative to water companies’ 

net zero carbon strategies, Tom Cork, channel sales director at Ovarro, 

explains why smarter detection can support the drive to protect 

resources and use less energy 

strategies, along with other methods 

of water loss management and water 

efficiency programmes. If a municipality 

is able to reduce the amount of water 

being treated and put into supply, 

it will reduce the amount of energy 

being consumed, leading to a drop in 

operational carbon emissions. 

In addition, leaking pipework can also 

mean lower pressure and customer 

impact of loss of supplies, whilst the 

distribution network has issues with 

pumps working harder, consuming 

more power. 

WHAT NEW SOLUTIONS 

SHOULD MUNICIPALITIES BE 

CONSIDERING? 

The 2021 Drinking Water infrastructure 

report from The American Society 

of Civil Engineers states that a water 

main break occurs in the US every 

two minutes, resulting in the loss of an 

Ovarro’s Enigma 

portfolio utilises 

a mathematical 

correlation technique 

alongside its 

acoustic detection 

system for swift and 

accurate pinpointing 

of leaks 

WHY CAN LEAKING PIPES LEAD 

TO AN INCREASE IN CARBON 

EMISSIONS? 

The water sector has a major role 

to play in the US meeting, with its 

goals to halve the greenhouse gas 

emissions by 2030 and reach net 

use and the global sector is currently 

estimated to contribute up to 5% of 

greenhouse gas emissions. The link 

between leakage and carbon should 

not be underestimated. 

The pumping of treated water is 

estimated six billion gallons of water 

each day. 

As customer expectations mount, 

both for leak management and wider 

carbon reduction and environmental 

protection, it is clear municipalities in 

every state must find smarter ways 

zero by 2050. Water and wastewater 

particularly energy-intensive, so 

to address leakage on the nation’s 

operations typically contribute 30- 

leakage reduction should be a key 

ageing and historically under- 

40% to a municipality’s total energy 

feature of water companies’ carbon 

funded water supply networks. A 


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commitment to unprecedented 

levels of investment into water 

infrastructure made by US 

President Joe Biden should set 

the stage for the adoption of new 

technological solutions. 

To address leaking pipes, tools 

that enable local and remote 

detection will perhaps present the 

most interest to water companies 

– and the good news is the 

increased availability and falling 

cost of real-time leak detection 

technology. 

Acoustic loggers that can 

pinpoint leaks remotely by 

measuring the sound generated 

by water escaping the network 

are front-of-field in the digital 

revolution. These include Ovarro’s 

Enigma range, developed 

under the brand Primayer in 

collaboration with UK water 

companies, which are seeing 

significant results for utilities in 

the UK, Europe, Middle East and 

Asia regions. Primayer rebranded 

to become Ovarro in Mar 2020. 

HOW CAN CLOUD-BASED, 

DATA-LED SOLUTIONS 

ADVANCE TRADITIONAL 

LEAK DETECTION EFFORTS? 

Ovarro has cloud-based analytics 

platform, PrimeWeb, where 

clients are given GPS imagery 

which accurately pin-points 

points of interest, in most cases 

within 5m of the leak. This 

UK-patented mathematical 

correlation technique is key to the 

operation of the Enigma portfolio. 

In the event of a leak between 

two loggers, the noise emitted 

takes a measurable amount of 

time to reach each logger. A 

set of digital signal processing 

algorithms correlates the two 

recordings to determine the time 

difference between the sounds. 

The speed that the sound travels 

through the pipe, which differs 

depending on pipe material, 

and the distance between the 

loggers, is processed through an 

algorithm that computes the leak 

location, and, crucially, speeding 

up the repairs and reducing the 

amount of water lost. This level 

of accuracy was not possible via 

traditional acoustic detection, 

bringing this technology to 

forefront of fixed network 

solutions. 

The sensors are also effective 

in finding leaks over long 

distances and inside plastic 

pipes. Historically, one of the 

industry’s biggest challenges 

was detecting leaks on plastic 

pipes as they do not transmit 

high levels of noise when they 

leak. 

WHAT OTHER BENEFITS CAN 

BE GAINED? 

Having the ability to precisely 

pinpoint leaks enables utilities to 

monitor networks continuously 

and in real-time. Operational field 

detection costs will be saved as 

leakage teams can be utilised 

better, with greater success and 

less above-ground disruption. 

This will see the technology 

play a key role in the creation 

of smart water networks, 

helping companies become 

more proactive in their 

operations and less reactive. 

Faster, more streamlined 

adoption by utilities would 

accelerate tangible benefits in 

consumption, cost efficiency and 

energy reduction. 

REFLECT 

Next Level Radar 

Providing the highest confidence in level 

measurement in the most challenging conditions. 

For more information or to arrange a demonstration, 

contact asiapacific@pulsarmeasurement.com. 

PULSARMEASUREMENT.COM 

Tom Cork serves as 

the channel sales 

director of Ovarro 


FOCUS 

HOW ASIAN GOVERNMENTS 

can reduce physical and 

commercial water losses 

The loss of water in public infrastructure can create financial and social 

challenges for any government in the world. Infrastructure Asia 

proposes an approach to this critical issue. 

By Lavan Thiru, executive director, Infrastructure Asia 

If left unmitigated, NRW can result in financial losses and distruption of clean and safe water supply 

Before it reaches citizens, some potable development. Utility authorities find 

water is lost in public infrastructure through difficulty in maintaining water tariff 

pipe leakages, theft, and unbilled water. This affordability and enacting effective water 

water that is lost and unaccounted for is production cost recovery. This limits the 

known as non-revenue water (NRW). 

surplus needed to rehabilitate ageing water 

infrastructure, which in itself causes high 

If left unmitigated, NRW can accumulate NRW and also slows down improvements 

significant financial losses. On a global to tariff collection systems and operational 

scale, 346 million m 3 of drinking water — efficiencies. 

the equivalent of 140,000 Olympic-sized 

swimming pools — is lost daily through NRW. High NRW can also impact a population’s 

This adds up to a cost of US$39bn per year. social well-being by undermining the 

In Indonesia (which has a 2019 NRW rate of provision of undisrupted potable water 

32%), this can contribute to economic losses access. Prolonged substandard water 

of around $579m per year. 

infrastructure can cause intermittent to 

no water supply or cause contaminated 

At the national level, high NRW also 

groundwater to enter distribution pipes 

disrupts the financing of local infrastructure during supply interruptions and highpressure 

periods. With increased water 

scarcity due to climate change, this social 

impact cannot be overlooked. 

Inaction on reducing NRW will only 

compound to higher costs, and it is 

imperative that governments prioritise 

sustainable long-term NRW reduction plans. 

Through Infrastructure Asia and the World 

Bank Group’s regular capacity-building 

programmes and identification of suitable 

financing and technology solutions to 

address regional NRW, we have identified a 

three-enabler approach that governments 

can adopt to guide their NRW programmes. 

A FORWARD-LOOKING STRATEGY 

Firstly, top-level management support is 

crucial to set clear strategic targets and 

advocate NRW reduction programmes 

to all stakeholders. NRW reduction is a 

long-term commitment, and a combined 

effort from stakeholders at different levels 

is needed. 

Utility authorities should then establish 

a dedicated and permanent team to 

develop future-ready NRW reduction 

roadmaps. This team will sustain progress 

by prioritising implementation efforts 

and deploying suitable investments. To 

ensure the programme reaps maximum 

benefits, this team should be entrusted to 

monitor success and appropriately adjust 

investments where necessary. 


FOCUS 

Given these responsibilities, the programme 

needs a team that has the capabilities to 

oversee the entire water infrastructure 

lifecycle. Utility authorities should aim to 

build capacity in the areas of law, regulatory 

frameworks, project planning, technology and 

technical capabilities. Regular collaboration 

and investment co-sharing across public 

utilities will also be beneficial in building these 

capabilities. 

SECURING THE RIGHT RESOURCES 

Selecting the right mechanisms to resource 

this strategy can also strengthen NRW 

reduction outcomes and programme 

management. Utility authorities should make 

informed decisions on financing tools based 

on project requirements, public-private 

partnerships and risks. Facilitators like 

Infrastructure Asia can intervene by bringing 

together experts from relevant domains to 

help bridge financing gaps. 

Developmental financing is a useful 

foundational tool to consider. Development 

finance institutions (DFIs) such as the World 

Bank Group and the Asian Development 

Bank provide helpful mechanisms such 

as equity participation, guarantees and 

technical assistance to fund NRW reduction 

programmes with high risk. 

To further plug the financing gaps, utility 

authorities with strong public-private 

partnerships can explore private sector 

financing to form a blended finance model. 

By tapping on high liquid international private 

capital such as the Climate Invest Two (CI2) 

fund, utility authorities can appropriately fund 

activities along the water infrastructure value 

chain. 

Another mechanism is performance-based 

contracting (PBC), which incentivises private 

companies to deliver NRW outcomes more 

efficiently and innovatively by granting 

contractors more flexibility in implementing 

solutions. Through this option, contractors 

are reimbursed based on their NRW 

programme performance. This option was 

utilised successfully in Ho Chi Minh City’s 

NRW reduction efforts, with the city saving an 

impressive 122 million litres of water daily. 

EMBRACING BEST FIT TECHNOLOGIES 

Utility authorities can also explore applying 

technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) 

or machine learning to water production and 

distribution. Utility authorities should evaluate 

current processes and identify digitalisation 

opportunities, as doing so can improve NRW 

programme outcomes such as operational 

efficiency, monitoring accuracy and cost 

management. 

There are many exciting potential 

applications. For example, digital control 

systems and AI can improve the productivity 

of monitoring teams by identifying big leakage 

points and prioritising pipe rehabilitation 

efforts. Commercial losses can also be 

reduced by using digital water meters and 

online data monitoring services to monitor 

meter performance and functionality more 

closely. Finally, sensors could be used to 

improve pressure management by modulating 

water supply and ensuring maximum asset 

lifetimes. 

THE NRW SUCCESS OF MALANG CITY 

To demonstrate the strength of this approach, 

utility authorities can learn from Indonesia’s 

Malang City. In exemplifying the three-enabler 

approach, the East Javan city was able to 

reduce NRW by 30%. This amounted to 

savings of more than 70 million m 3 of water 

and about $24m in revenue in 10 years, 

improving citizens’ access to potable water. 

Malang City’s utility authorities, known as 

Perusahaan Darah Air Minum (PDAM) Tugu 

Tirta, first received strong management 

support to formulate a 10-year plan and 

roadmap. The PDAM secured more than 

5bn rupiah (US$4m) to begin the 

transformation of the city’s water 

infrastructure and facilities. 

A team with relevant capabilities was also 

created. With experience in deploying 

infrastructure digital solutions, they worked 

with private sector partners to set up virtual 

distributed meter areas (DMA) in critical 

zones. This allowed them to digitalise their 

assets, enabling real-time monitoring of water 

leakages to prioritise leak repair efforts with 

minimal manpower. 

Following its initial success, the PDAM 

Tugu Tirta further optimised its operational 

efficiency by setting up a 24/7 command 

centre and deploying sensor technologies 

to better manage water pressure 

management and detect active leaks. On 

top of contributing to a lower NRW rate, 

these digital capabilities enabled the PDAM 

to decrease overall commercial losses by 

speeding up water leakage fixes to just one 

day. 

COMING TOGETHER 

For many developing societies, water is 

a crucial resource that needs to reach all 

segments of society safely and sustainably. 

Ideally, it should also deliver optimum results 

for a country’s economy and infrastructure. 

Reducing NRW is key to these outcomes. 

Moving forward, it is important that utility 

authorities around the world share knowledge 

to address NRW and similar challenges. 

Malang City’s has shown that there are many 

valuable lessons to be shared with other 

Asian cities, who can adapt them to solve 

similar local issues. With that, Infrastructure 

Asia and the World Bank Group will be 

working closely together with more cities to 

scale similar non-revenue water successes in 

the region. 

Lavan Thiru is the 

executive director at 

Infrastructure Asia 


FOCUS 

HOW INDIA CAN BALANCE 

manufacturing and access 

to clean water 

As one of the fastest developing nations, India needs to navigate the 

challenges between industry and wastewater management 

Byline: Satish Shaligram, sales manager, Asia Pacific for Energy Recovery, Inc. 

wastewater being the major contributor 

to this problem. The industrial sector is 

India’s largest non-agricultural consumer 

of water and a 2019 study found that 

industrial demand is growing faster than 

any other sector. Thus, if left unchecked, 

India’s manufacturing sector will continue to 

compound India’s water problems. 

The seriousness of these issues can clearly 

be seen in one of India’s largest cities: 

Chennai. 

Energy recovery devices, including the PX Pressure Exchanger and Ultra PX, can reduce the 

energy costs of UHPRO processes 

UNESCO’s 2017 World Water Development 

Report has declared that “[i]n a world where 

demands for freshwater are ever growing, and 

where limited water resources are increasingly 

stressed by over-abstraction, pollution and 

climate change, neglecting the opportunities 

arising from improved wastewater 

management is nothing less than unthinkable.” 

Since that report five years ago, wastewater 

management and treatment have only become 

more critical. In fact, it could prove to be the 

solution for countries like India seeking to 

balance industrial growth with rising water 

needs. 

In 2014, India launched the “Make in India” 

programme, with the goal of transforming the 

country into a global manufacturing leader. 

Before the pandemic, India’s manufacturing 

sector accounted for about 17% of GDP. 

Through efforts such as this and other 

investments, India aims to increase industry’s 

share of GDP to 25% by 2025. 

Driving growth at this scale presents many 

challenges, the chief among them being the 

need for water. 

India already grapples with challenges in 

meeting water demand. The World Resources 

Institute lists India as the 13th most water 

stressed country in the world. The numbers 

are stark: 600 million Indians face high to 

extreme water stress, and about 200,000 die 

every year from inadequate access to safe 

water. 

Current estimates find about 70% of surface 

water in India is unfit for consumption, with 

Despite sitting between three major rivers, 

Chennai increasingly relies on desalination 

and water piped in from distant areas to meet 

local demand. This is because the majority 

of local water is contaminated, often due 

to inadequate or non-existent wastewater 

treatment. 

Currently, the vast majority of wastewater 

goes untreated, with the goal is to implement 

new solutions to improve the freshwater 

supply and reduce pollution. 

The chronic water shortage became a crisis 

in 2019 when Chennai’s reservoirs ran dry 

and city officials had to truck in 10 million 

litres of water each day. This is hardly an ideal 

situation for meeting the needs of everyday 

citizens, nor is it supportive of ambitious 

industrial growth targets. 

However, there are new solutions available, 

namely next-generation water treatment 


FOCUS 

technologies that can increase fresh water 

supply while addressing pollution. Chennai 

illustrated this through the adoption of 

new regulations aimed at cleaning up 

waterways and protecting groundwater 

through greater use of minimal liquid 

discharge or zero liquid discharge (MLZ/ 

ZLD) wastewater treatment. 

MLD/ZLD technologies have advanced 

significantly in recent years. However, 

there has long been a major hurdle to 

widespread adoption: the energy intensive 

and costly nature of ultra-high pressure 

reverse osmosis (UHPRO), which is at the 

heart of many processes that meet MLD/ 

ZLD requirements. 

New technologies like the Ultra PX are 

changing this. The application of pressure 

exchanger technologies can reduce the 

energy needs of UHPRO processes, delivering 

cost savings. For example, a lithium-ion 

battery facility in China was able to reduce 

energy consumption in the high-pressure and 

ultra-high pressure treatment processes by 

51% by utilising the Ultra PX and PX Pressure 

Exchanger. 

The same technology drove major decreases 

in the cost of high-pressure reverse osmosis in 

desalination, lowering the cost of freshwater in 

water scarce regions around the world over the 

last several decades. It can do the same for 

wastewater. Higher water treatment standards, 

starting with MLD or ZLD requirements for 

industrial wastewater, can be not only an 

affordable option, but also a game-changing 

one. Indian cities like Nagpur have begun to reap 

the benefits of industrial wastewater treatment: 

a public-private partnership that embraced 

industrial wastewater treatment for a power plant 

reduced net freshwater extractions by the power 

sector, freeing up freshwater resources for other 

uses by around 47Mm 3 per annum. 

Through greater adoption of these standards 

and the technologies available to achieve them, 

India can meet its economic ambitions, all 

while reducing pollution, increasing access to 

freshwater, and improving the quality of life of its 

citizens. 


FOCUS 

GODIGITAL WATER: 

The digital transformation of a 

local water authority 

By Lee Cher Hau, business consultant at YNY Technology 

The water industry continues to face 

challenges in serving its customers. 

Some of these challenges relate to 

droughts and floods which affect 

many regions around the world and 

represent the industry’s biggest 

challenges. 

But there are other pressing issues as 

well, ranging from water scarcity, high 

energy costs, water quality, water 

cuts and more. Take a look at nonrevenue 

water — water produced and 

lost before it reaches the customer. 

There can be significant losses 

through leaks or apparent losses 

through metering inaccuracies. 

CAN WE ANTICIPATE, PREDICT 

AND MITIGATE? 

Now, imagine that these challenges 

could be anticipated and mitigated 

against with a range of viable 

solutions. What would this present 

to us? This is where Industry 4.0 

comes in, with a promise of increased 

visibility and performance, all driven 

by data. 

The revolution is here, and it is present 

in the ways that some companies are 

running their businesses, in how they 

create and deliver products and services 

and make improvements throughout 

their enterprise and their supply chain. 

Progressive companies are integrating 

and embedding new technologies such 

as asset performance management, 

edge computing, cybersecurity, artificial 

intelligence, machine learning and data 

analytics, all of which are helping them 

change how companies deliver, interact 

and respond. 

YNY GoDigital Water 

Interactive Solutions 


FOCUS 

A typical water 

supply network 

(Image: Queensland 

Environmental 

Protection Agency 

and Wide Bay 

Water Corporation 

(2004): Managing 

and Reducing 

Losses from Water 

Distribution Systems. 

A series of 10 

manuals) 

Industry 4.0 delivers this promise 

through the creation and maintenance 

of a robust and secure digital 

command centre. 

WHAT DOES A DIGITAL 

COMMAND CENTRE DO? 

Simply put, a command centre 

provides a centralised command, 

coordination and decision making hub 

that supports day to day operations. 

Centralisation helps the company to 

perform numerous tasks quickly and 

effectively. 

Should circumstances shift, the 

command centre is able to gather 

insights and data to enable it to better 

respond (predict and mitigate against) 

small issues and major crises, using 

a set of predefined objectives and 

measures. 

WHAT HAPPENS IN A DIGITAL 

COMMAND CENTRE? 

The command and control function 

would involve management by 

objectives and reliance on an incident 

action plan. There would be a chain 

of command, a common operating 

picture developed, decisions 

made and tasks assigned and the 

prioritisation, deployment and tracking 

of critical resources 

Coordination and intelligence would 

involve internal coordination between 

executives, teams or departments 

while external coordination may involve 

local authorities or other bodies 

Documentation management would 

assist traceability and analysis and is 

the basis for task assignment, incident 

logging, response actions and creating 

a timeline of activities. 

A digital command centre can be 

utilised in a number of settings and 

across different sectors. It integrates 

multiple systems to correlate and 

contextualise data. A real-time 

optimisation system could be used 

to provide real-time monitoring of 

KPIs in order to respond accurately 

to various scenarios. It could even be 

used for mobile applications, especially 

in a maintenance environment. In a 

manufacturing environment, it can be 

used to ensure production compliance, 

product traceability and job execution. 

A LOCAL WATER AUTHORITY 

EMBRACES GODIGITAL 

Let us examine how one of our clients (a 

local water authority in Malaysia) achieved 

sustainable development through a digital 

command centre solution. 

As a local water authority, our client 

focused on ensuring that water 

extraction, treatment and distribution 

were always running in optimal 

conditions. Our client had a few 

challenges to address along the way 

— geographical limitations, increased 

population growth and escalating 

industrial water demand. 

They were keen to minimise service 

interruption and strove to consistently 

plan and implement strategies and 

upgrades to ensure the sustainability 

of the water supply. However, they did 


FOCUS 

not have a command centre in place. 

This meant little help in visualising and 

PHASE ONE OF THE 

IMPLEMENTATION 

What did our client gain? 

• Effective control and monitoring 

monitoring the high-level water supply. 

We implemented a predictive 

of their water treatment plant 

solution to help our client monitor 

production across geographically 

Some of our client’s challenges 

and analyse water production inputs 

diverse operations 

included: 

and outputs with more accuracy. A 

• Increased awareness of their water 

• No water demand data to indicate 

forecasting system allowed assets 

network before any issue/problem 

either an oversupply/lack thereof in 

to be monitored and issues such as 

is raised 

the region 

pipe repairs and active leakages to 

• Water losses minimised 

• No clear information about their 

be addressed quickly. 

• Water quality and compliance 

water network behaviour including 

issues accurately monitored and 

things like water pressure and water 

The solution involved increasing 

maintained 

flow to consumers 

visibility and control, providing a 

• Improved coordination and 

• The water network was 

complete overview of their entire 

communication overall 

unpredictable should any issue arise 

operations which thereafter led to 

• Improved decision making backed 

as a result of an asset or instrument 

increased accuracy, better readings 

by the right data at the right time 

• There was no real-time simulation 

and improved calibration. 

meant optimised operations 

available to assist with planning 

for energy, chemicals and cost 

maintenance or address any 

A digital workflow solution was 

reduction 

unplanned maintenance that should 

added which led to coordination 

• Standardised KPIs across the 

arise 

efforts and inter-departmental 

company 

• There was a lack of information 

communication as well as 

• Improvements in maintenance 

and internal awareness of the 

communication with operators being 

and scenario planning which also 

appropriate triggers to alert 

transformed. 

extended to preventing critical 

operators when issues arose. 

FORECASTING WITH A 

PROACTIVE AND PREDICTIVE 

SOLUTION 

PHASE TWO OF THE 

IMPLEMENTATION 

Once the fundamentals were 

bedded down, we looked at 

asset failures 

• Digitisation of records and data for 

improvements in speed, accuracy 

and more 

The digital command centre 

Lee Cher Hau, 

business consultant 

at YNY Technology 

As a result of YNY Technology’s 

implementing a water network 

represents the foundation 

experience in the water industry, we 

diagram. This would give consumers 

of this performance 

were approached to review our client’s 

a better understanding of the 

management system. 

situation and offer suitable solutions. 

trunk main network. A forecasting 

Connecting production 

We brought in the GoDigital water 

dashboard was installed to clearly 

automation and business 

solution. Our goal was to provide 

indicate water demand and to 

processes with YNY’s 

significantly more visibility and enable 

track ageing of the entire water 

GoDigital platform 

our client to engage in more predictive 

network. This was supplemented 

improved coordination and 

activities through a forecasting system. 

by validation and field tests for the 

operational efficiency while 

We understood that driving digital 

trunk main network. 

reducing costs and siloed 

transformation was key to achieving 

decision making. 

resilience and sustainability for the 

These changes have been 

water authority. 

instrumental in the transformation 

of the business. Our customer’s 

This solution has enabled our client to 

business goals included a strong 

become more agile and responsive in 

focus on sustainability by 2050. 

managing their real-time operations, 

This solution not only went beyond 

achieving this through a centralised 

an upgrade of their operational 

view which brings together a wide 

structure, the improvements to their 

range of data in one strategic, robust 

water management system were 

application. 

aligned to their sustainability goal. 


HOTSEAT 

WATER-ENERGY-FOOD- 

MATERIAL NEXUS: 

The next frontier 

By Marcus Lim, co-founder and CEO, Ecosoftt, 

and Ramakrishna Mallampati, senior manager, 

design and innovation, Ecosoftt 

which also have to be factored into 

costs. In return, the climate affects 

the generation of these elements. 

Decision makers equipped with 

a thorough understanding of 

this nexus will be able to employ 

the most suitable methods in 

formulating optimal policies that 

create competitive advantages. 

Fig 1: Nexus 

relationship between 

water, energy, food 

and materials 

Water, energy, food and materials 

are the basic building blocks for 

human survival and progress. Since 

the industrial revolution, these 

raw materials have enabled mass 

manufacturing, rapid urbanisation 

and economic development. These 

elements are closely linked to one 

another and form a complex nexus 

of relationships. For example, water 

is used in the urban environment 

for domestic, commercial, industrial 

and urban farming activities. At the 

same time, it is also used in energy 

production, including a significant 

amount in refineries. Often, how well 

cities manage these resources has a 

direct result on the city’s social and 

economic well-being. 

Fig 1 illustrates how each element is 

involved with one another and how 

the output generated from one can 

be diverted into another. In many 

cases, these four elements compete 

for the same limited resources in 

a city, including political attention, 

policy priorities, land space and 

budget allocations. Adding to the 

complexity is the knowledge that 

any decision made will affect the 

climate and carbon emissions, 

CLOSING THE WATER LOOP 

Starting as a sustainability 

solutions provider, Ecosoftt has 

enabled buildings and industries 

to become more water-secure by 

conserving water and recycling 

used water in a decentralised 

manner. This is made possible 

through its concept of managing 

water “from source to source, at 

source” and “fit-for-purpose reuse”. 

In its basic form, water sources 

are diversified and used water is 

treated at its source and delivered 

back for reuse to its most viable 

extent. 

For example, sewage and industrial 

effluent can be recycled for 

cleaning, irrigation, landscapes, 

urban farming, toilet flushing, 

cooling tower make-up and 

industrial production uses. The 

cost of treatment and safety factors 

will be taken into consideration 

when matching recycled water 

for reuse applications. Heavy 

capital investments within the long 

pipeline of distribution can thus be 

reduced or deferred, while the load 

on municipal treatment plants is 

reduced. 


HOTSEAT 

semiconductor plants, pharmaceutical plants 

and food production plants. 

SMART, CLOSED LOOP SUSTAINABLE 

ESTATES FOR ENERGY, FOOD AND 

MATERIAL 

Ecosoftt is now extending this Water WISE 

Buildings and Industries model to close multiple 

resources loops, namely energy, food and 

material within the built environment, as seen in 

Fig 4. 

Fig 2: Ecosoftt’s 

Water WISE Buildings 

and Industries. 

CLOSING THE ENERGY LOOP 

The inclusion of solar energy, along with other 

renewable sources in the energy mix is now 

commonplace. Initiatives are currently being 

embarked on to develop hydrogen and other 

cleaner sources of energy. 

Besides finding more sustainable sources of 

energy, there is potential to recycle energy by 

tapping waste heat, which is plentiful in many 

buildings and industries. For example, in many 

factories, a lot of waste heat is generated 

from cooling systems used. This waste heat 

could be used to pre-heat water. There is also 

potential in recovering energy from wastewater. 

Improvements have been made to technologies 

such as anaerobic processes, and they can 

become commercially viable at smaller scales 

in the future. 

CLOSING THE FOOD LOOP 

Buildings and industries are now capable of 

becoming sites for smart urban farms and 

locations for production of nutrients that can be 

made from the waste they generate. 


model for smart, 

circular estates for 

energy, food and 

material 

Fig 2 depicts Ecosoftt’s Water WISE Buildings 

and Industries platform that aims to capture 

every drop of water and used water to treat 

and reuse. This is supported by a Smart 

Water Management system that collects 

critical data for monitoring, reporting and 

decision making. 

The solution can be scaled from a single 

building to an estate, such as a residential, 

industrial or mixed development estate. To 

date, Ecosoftt’s solutions has been applied 

in a range of residential, commercial and 

industrial properties, including hotels, 

office buildings, commercial laundries, 

A smart urban farm like an urban hydroponics 

farm can control for key crop growth factors, 

including hydration, lighting, and nutrient 

requirements. Using sensors to collect data, 

operators can remotely control the facility’s 

pumps, actuators, lights and other equipment 

to make the appropriate changes to optimise 

growth conditions. 

Food waste management and reduction 

represent another opportunity. The integration 

of smart solutions enables audits and data 


HOTSEAT 

review to be conducted seamlessly. 

Current technologies allow for the 

accurate logging of food waste, based 

on type and quantity. This allows 

commercial kitchen operators to 

access data for fine-tuning production 

and tracking wasteful practices. 

Any excess food waste can then be 

converted to organic fertiliser for urban 

farming, forming a symbiotic relation 

between the two. 


model for smart, 

circular estates for 

energy, food and 

material. 

CLOSING THE MATERIALS LOOP 

Solid waste from buildings and 

industries have conventionally been 

left to municipal waste sorting stations, 

incinerators or waste at energy 

plants and landfills. None of these 

are sustainable in supporting our 

demand on natural resources. 

Here, new technologies are offering 

new ways to address this difficult 

issue. Catalytic pyrolysis offers 

a potential means to sustainably 

reduce the accumulation of plastics 

within landfills. Through this process, 

recovery of valuable energy products 

such as oil and gas can be achieved 

as well. Recovered hydrocarbon gas 

products can be recycled and put back 

into the process, essentially creating 

a net-zero energy system. A potential 

drawback of using pyrolysis is the 

need to pre-treat the plastic feed by 

washing and shredding it, all of which 

involves the additional consumption 

of resources. However, with good 

wastewater management solutions and 

generation of energy on-site, these 

drawbacks can be minimised. 

Another option is having an on-site 

incineration installation, allowing the 

conversion of material inputs and 

wastes into ash and heat. This reduces 

the volume handled, allowing for more 

efficient handling and management 

of material waste as opposed to 

conventional collection schemes. 

CONCLUSION 

These resource management 

strategies demonstrate that there 

is much room for us to move away 

from the “once-through model” to a 

more circular approach in buildings 

and industries. 

In many cases, the technologies are 

already proven and viable, or will 

become viable in the foreseeable 

future. For other technologies, 

there is scope for innovators and 

facility owners to collaborate in 

developing and test-bedding 

initiatives. With the rising price of 

resources and increasing attention 

to environmental, social and 

governance goals, there is now 

considerable economic incentives 

for players across the value chain 

to embark on circular management 

initiatives. We have been presented 

with mankind’s greatest challenge, 

as a result of our own doing. But 

we are hopeful that we have the 

ingenuity to solve this problem. 

Charles Dickens’ famous 

words may aptly describe the 

circumstances that we are in: “It 

was the worst of times, it was 

the best of times, it was the age 

of foolishness, it was the age of 

wisdom.” May wisdom prevail and 

the best of times continue. 


HOTSEAT 

WATER TECHNOLOGIES 

COMPANY SOLENIS 

The new CRISP facility will provide Solenis 

chooses Delaware state 

for US$40m expansion 

Growth in Wilmington, Delaware, US is driven by 

increasing market demand for the company’s 

sustainability-focused products and specialty. 

Delaware-based water technologies 

company Solenis has chosen its hometown 

of Wilmington as the site for a US$40m R&D 

expansion. 

In response to increasing market demand 

for its sustainability-focused products and 

specialty, and with an eye towards longterm 

growth, Solenis will expand its R&D 

operations, with a move to the 100,000sqft 

Building 713 at Chestnut Run Innovation 

and Science Park (CRISP). CRISP is a 

former DuPont campus that Medical Realty 

Advisors (MRA) Group is developing into a 

hub for a range of life sciences and advanced 

chemical companies. The MRA Group is 

an advisory and developer company which 

specialises in providing development facilities 

for healthcare, higher education, and life 

sciences industries. 

Solenis plans to relocate 

its R&D operation to a 

new facility in Wilmington 

“What the MRA Group has done for the 

CRISP campus is transformative for our 

county,” said Matt Meyer, New Castle 

County Executive. “The redeveloped 

campus gives our existing Delaware 

companies that are expanding a home 

to grow and thrive. New Castle County 

is proud to continue to be the home of 

Solenis, which provides great jobs in our 

community producing innovative and 

sustainable solutions for everyday life.” 

Solenis specialises in supplying specialty 

chemicals and services for process, 

functional and water treatment applications 

to consumer and industrial markets. The 

company has 48 manufacturing facilities 

and more than 6,400 employees around 

the world, serving in a variety of industries 

in 120 countries. Solenis is a part of 

Delaware’s science and technology sector. 

with 20,000sqft more lab space than the 

company currently has at its existing R&D 

centre on Ashland’s Wilmington campus. In 

addition to more space, the larger, upgraded 

site will allow Solenis to create 46 new jobs for 

skilled workers — including lab technicians, 

scientists, and R&D supervisors — within the 

next three years. 

Solenis officials presented an application to 

Delaware’s Council on Development Finance 

(CDF) for a Jobs Performance Grant of 

$552,000 and a Delaware Lab Space Grant 

of $3.5m from the Delaware Strategic Fund to 

support the company’s investment of $40m. 

Distribution of grants from the Delaware 

Strategic Fund are dependent on the 

company meeting commitments as outlined 

to the CDF, which reviewed and approved the 

Solenis team’s request for up to $4.052m in 

total grant funding. 

“Solenis chose to build their global water 

technologies in Wilmington. This week’s 

announcement shows their continued 

commitment to our state and workforce,” 

said John Carney, Governor of Delaware. 

“Solenis will expand its R&D operations to a 

100,000sqft building. Thank you to Solenis 

for continuing to strengthen Delaware’s 

workforce and science and technology 

sector.” 

“Solenis has deep roots in Delaware, so 

we are pleased to announce our continued 

commitment to growing in the state at CRISP,” 

added John Panichella, CEO of Solenis. 

“This investment of moving our Wilmington 

research centre to a contemporary new 

location, in combination with our recently 

opened headquarters at Avenue North, allows 

us to continue to attract, retain and recruit the 

highest calibre of employees.”. 


[Singapore Pavilion] Thaiwater 2022 

14-16 Sep 2022, Bangkok, Thailand. 

NEWSLETTER 

OF THE 

SINGAPORE 

WATER 

ASSOCIATION 

BRINGING 

A NEW VIBRANCY 

TO SINGAPORE’S 

GROWING 

WATER INDUSTRY 

Singapore Water Association participated in Thaiwater 2022 with 

seven Singaporean companies, occupying a total expo area of 

87m 2 at the Singapore Pavilion. 

This was the first show held at the newly renovated Queen 

Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC). Seven Singaporean 

companies enjoyed an iMAP subsidy of up to 70% on booth 

participating fees. Registration was closed with a 100% booth sign 

up two months prior to the event. 

[Singapore Pavilion] Smart 

Nation Expo & Forum 2022 

27-29 Sep 2022, MITEC, Kuala Lumpur 

A landmark event that leapt into the next digital age with the 

introduction of 5G, Big Data, Internet of Things (IoT), virtual 

reality, artificial intelligence and mobile solutions and applications, 

transforming the energy and water sector in the region. This is 

SWA’s inaugural participation with four companies occupying 

a total floor space of 45m 2 , and an IFM subsidy of up to 70% 

on booth participating fees. Ministers and trade officers from 

Cambodia, Philippines and Thailand visited the Singapore Pavilion 

and SWA at the fair.

[Physical event] SWA 19th Annual 

General Meeting 

29 Sep 2022, PUB Water Hub 

The 19th Annual General Meeting took place in-person after a 

hiatus of three years. It was well-attended with SWA members 

voting for the new 2022-2024 elected SWA council and ended with 

a networking dinner for a close connection with members and 

invited guests. 

[Webinar]: 

State of Water in Australia 

Co-organised with Platinum Circle 

27 Oct 2022, Webex 

For the second time, Singapore Water Association (SWA) and 

Platinum Circle have jointly co-organised a webinar, titled: 

“State of Water in Australia”. Founder and CEO, Lionel Lee, 

invited Australian water firms and utility leaders to speak on 

the current status of the water business in Australia, from 

design, planning, finance, ESG practices to execution works and 

how it would affect the water ecosystem in Australia.

UPCOMING SWA ACTIVITIES 

Sg-IL Connects: Sustainable Water 

Resources for the Future 

Co-organised with Foreign Trade Administration, 

Embassy of Israel, Singapore 

9 Nov 2022, Webex 

Sustainable development of water resources involves reducing 

the usage of water and recycling of wastewater for different 

purposes such as cleaning, manufacturing, and agricultural 

irrigation in such a way that water demands of future generations 

are not hampered. It also means water supply will remain 

consistent, despite climate change impacts, such as a lack of 

rainfall and drought, or too much rain and being flood resilient. 

The Singapore Water Association and the Israel Trade & 

Economic Mission in Singapore invites interested parties to join 

the "Sustainable Water" tech exchange webinar, where one will 

learn about the two ecosystems, and be exposed to the latest 

water reduction, recycling and reuse technologies from both 

Singapore and Israel. 

AsiaWater 2022 

7 – 9 Dec 2022, MITEC, Kuala Lumpur 

KL Mission 2022 

5–7 Dec 2022, Kuala Lumpur 

As part of SWA’s continuous efforts to enhance their members’ 

competitiveness through exploring new markets and business 

opportunities in South East Asia, SWA, in conjunction with 

The 12th edition of ASIAWATER 2022 Expo & Forum returns 

from 7-9 Dec 2022 at KLCC. This will be one of the region’s 

most comprehensive international water & wastewater event 

for emerging Asia, showcasing the latest in high-tech, low-cost 

products and solutions from around the globe in the fields of 

water resources management, sewerage, industrial wastewater, 

purification, irrigation, and many more. With a sturdy growth in 

this industry, ASIAWATER 2022 has positioned itself as one of the 

leading biennial water and wastewater exhibition and conference 

in the region. 

ASIAWATER 2022 Expo, will be organising a business mission to 

Kuala Lumpur from 5-7 Dec 2022. This mission will focus on a 

better understanding of post-COVID business opportunities and 

challenges; as well as exploring and developing cross-border 

business collaborations with key government authorities and 

industry groups such as IWK, SPAN and MWA in Malaysia and 

the region. 

Participants can meet key government officials, agencies, industry 

group and trade associations to understand the regulations in 

Malaysia; learn about the latest market conditions, challenges 

and gain insights to explore the opportunities in venturing into 

Malaysia with site meetings and tours; and participate in B2B 

meetings and Singapore Business Forum to establish business 

opportunities, explore partnerships and collaborations with local 

companies.

SWA WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS 

(joined from Aug to Sep 2022) 

ORDINARY 

1. Hitachi Metals Singapore Pte Ltd 

2. Climate Fund Advisers Pte Ltd 

3. Intelligent Valve Applications Pte Ltd 

ASSOCIATE 

1. GPA Engineering Corporation Pte Ltd 

2. SideStroem Water Technologies Pte Ltd 

3. WRS Pte Ltd 

INDIVIDUAL & YWP 

1. Cedric Yon Xing Ye 

2. Kunal Ghanisham 

2023 EVENTS CALENDAR INTERESTED TO JOIN SWA? 

2022 has been filled with ups and downs from the pandemic. 

Nevertheless, we thank all our members for their support and 

participation in our events — webinars, conferences, trade 

fairs, missions and sharing sessions. We look forward to your 

continuous support and to meeting you again in the upcoming 

events in 2023! 

For further queries, please contact SWA at 65150812 or 

enquiry@swa.org.sg. To stay connected on the latest updates 

on SWA, visit https://www.swa.org.sg, follow us on LinkedIn, 

FaceBook, Telegram and Instagram 

Download the SWA 2023 Events Calendar at 

http://www.swa.org.sg/programmes/events-calendar/ 

To stay connected on the latest updates on SWA, 

visit https://www.swa.org.sg, follow SWA on LinkedIn 

or Telegram. 

SWA welcomes all organisations who are actively involved 

and interested in the water and wastewater industry to join 

Singapore Water Association as either an Ordinary, Associate or 

Institutional member. 

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

ON OUR RADAR 

TSURUMI’S AVANT MQC 

slices away inefficient 

wastewater treatment 

The AVANT MQC achieves smoother wastewater processes without primary treatment 

Choppers pumps deliver smooth and 

reliable wastewater treatment. 

In wastewater treatment facilities, solid 

waste frequently accumulates inside the 

collection tanks, where they may clog 

impellers and the pipelines. The clogging 

of the pump becomes a major problem that 

can cause overflowing and jeopardise the 

effectiveness of the entire system. 

Bar screens and filtering grids might not 

be an effective option for all applications 

as they require continuous monitoring and 

periodic removal of accumulated solid 

wastes. During cleaning, the system might 

require a shutdown with a specialised 

technician, increasing operating expenses. 

Moreover, the varied properties of waste, 

which range from fibrous long solids 

and plastic, renders pumps with grinder 

mechanism and low free passage size 

unsuitable. Furthermore, the grinder 

hydraulics have limited flow rates and can 

often take a long time to empty the tank to 

the safety threshold. 

Tsurumi’s AVANT MQC series consists of 

chopper hydraulics designed to handle 

wastewater without primary treatment. The 

system’s main component is a steel knife 

with a sharp edge that skims the channel 

impeller’s blades to cut solid objects of 

any size and composition. This prevents 

both the impeller from clogging and the 

accumulation of residue in the pipe, ensuring 

the system runs smoothly and reliably. 

The blades provided on the open channel 

impeller are constructed out of hard cast iron, 

which, at between 450 and 500HB, is more 

durable than grey cast iron. The material is 

comprised of several different components: 

chromium, molybdenum, nickel, manganese, 

copper, etc. AISI 431 stainless steel, which 

has a carbon content of less than 0.22% 

and a hardness of around 300HB, is used 

for the knife, making it strong against shear 

forces. Furthermore, the design of the cutting 

mechanism allows easy replacement of the 

blade for severely fouled wastewater handling. 

As the chopper pumps are equipped with 

MQ motors, IE3 standard motor efficiency 

is achieved to reduce power consumption. 

Furthermore, as with all of the MQ-series, dry 

installation of chopper pump is possible with 

the option of DRY version MQ motors. DRY 

MQ motors are cooled with a mixture of water 

and glycol that circulates in a special closedcircuit 

inside a special design of the doublelayer 

stainless steel jacket. An axial impeller 

is also provided in the coolant chamber 

for effective re-circulation of the coolant, 

ensuring continuous heat exchange between 

the motor and the external environment. Even 

in a partially submerged or dry installation in 

a high-temperature environment, continuous 

operation in the S1 service class is guaranteed. 

MQC Chopper pumps can be used for a 

wide range of applications, from municipal 

wastewater treatment plants and sewerage 

pumping systems, to livestock farms and meat 

processing industries. It can also be installed 

in pulp and paper mill lifting systems, and in 

wastewater pumping systems for textiles and 

tanning industries. 

MQC-series 

Discharge bore: 80-250 mm 

Motor output 3-75 kW 


ON OUR RADAR 

ENERGY RECOVERY 

LAUNCHES 

PX Q400 

Pressure 

Exchanger 

The latest evolution of Energy Recovery’s 

PX Pressure Exchanger technology 

delivers greater efficiency and low 

projected life cycle cost. 

Energy Recovery has announced 

the launch of the PX Q400 Pressure 

Exchanger. The PX Q400 is the next 

evolution of Energy Recovery’s PX 

Pressure Exchanger technology, and 

will be the new flagship solution in 

the PX family of products. 

According to Energy Recovery, the 

PX Q400 will be the company’s 

“highest-performing and 

highest-capability” PX available 

for seawater reverse osmosis 

(SWRO) desalination and industrial 

wastewater facilities. The PX Q400 

marks a continuation in the pursuit 

of making SWRO desalination more 

efficient and sustainable. 

compared to the PX Q300 

(depending on plant size) 

• Less than 3% volumetric mixing 

• The lowest projected life cycle 

cost of any ERD for SWRO 

desalination 

“With the PX Q400, we’ve further 

innovated and improved upon the 

reliable, field-tested, and trusted 

PX models that preceded it,” 

said Rodney Clemente, senior 

vice-president of water at Energy 

Recovery. “The PX Q400 enhances 

efficiency, capacity, and value to 

ensure Energy Recovery remains 

the most trusted manufacturer of 

ERDs in desalination.” 

The PX Q400 is said to offer: 

• The highest average efficiency 

compared to other PX 

technology products 

• The highest capacity PX yet, at 

400 gallons per minute (gpm), 

resulting in 25% fewer devices 

Made with corrosion-proof 

ceramic and designed with only 

one moving part, the PX Q400 

supports a 25-year design life 

with no scheduled maintenance, 

leading to low life cycle costs and 

maximum uptime. 

The PX Q400 is the new flagship solution in 

Energy Recovery’s PX family of products. 


ON OUR RADAR 

YOKOGAWA 

RELEASES NEW 

The OpreX Magnetic Flowmeter CA Series, 

as released by Yokogawa Electric Corporation. 

magnetic flowmeter series 

The Yokogawa Electric Corporation has 

announced the release of the OpreX Magnetic 

Flowmeter CA Series. This new product series 

succeeds the ADMAG CA Series and is being 

released as part of the OpreX Field 

Instruments family. The products in this new 

series are all capacitance-type magnetic 

flowmeters that are capable of measuring 

the flow of conductive fluids through a 

measurement tube without the fluids coming 

into contact with the device’s electrodes. 

In addition to this non-wet electrode 

construction, this series features new 

functions that improve user-friendliness, 

maintainability, and operational efficiency. 

The new series is now available in most 

major markets, such as Japan, South East 

Asia, North and South America, Oceania, 

the Middle East and Africa. It will also be 

launched in Europe and China after qualifying 

for CE marking and obtaining the relevant 

certification for explosion-proof standards. 

DEVELOPMENT BACKGROUND 

In plants, inspection is required for 

each instrument to maintain stable 

operation and product quality, so the 

efficiency of such inspections is an 

ongoing issue for production sites. As 

magnetic flowmeters have no structural 

components that hinder the flow of 

fluids and cause a loss in fluid pressure, 

they are used in plants to measure 

fluids with conductive properties. Large 

chemical plants and other such facilities 

can have hundreds of these instruments, 

so it is important that the inspection 

and replacement, as well as the 

collection of the data from each of these 

devices can be carried out efficiently. 

In response to these needs, Yokogawa 

has revamped the ADMAG CA line-up 

of flowmeters and developed the OpreX 

Magnetic Flowmeter CA Series. The 

new series is equipped with features 

to improve operational efficiency and 

maintainability for release in a range 

of regions. This will help reduce the 

person-hours required for customer 

instrument inspections and contribute to 

improved plant operational efficiency. 

FEATURES OF THE OPREX MAGNETIC 

FLOWMETER CA SERIES 

Capacitance-type magnetic flowmeters 

utilise electrodes that are mounted 

outside a ceramic measurement tube to 

measure the electromotive force generated 

by fluids passing through the tube, 

reportedly minimising all direct contact 

between the electrodes and the fluid. This 

ensures a stable flow measurement of 

fluids containing minerals that generate 

electrical noise when they collide with an 

electrode. Fluids used include latex for its 

insulation properties, as well as fluids that 

have low conductivity, such as deionised 

water and mizuame, also known as millet 

jelly. In addition to non-wet electrode 

construction, the newly released OpreX 

Magnetic Flowmeter CA Series has new 

features such as support for Highway 

Addressable Remote Transducer (HART) 

communications protocol, a nine-language 

user interface, device soundness analysis 

functions to improve maintainability, and 

easily replaceable measurement tubes to 

suit a variety of purposes. 


ON OUR RADAR 

THE SMART RTU 

dedicated to the 

water industry 

The Sofrel YDRIX 

RTU, made by 

Lacroix Environment 

The Sofrel YDRIX is a remote terminal 

unit (RTU) designed for water network 

monitoring and automation in water 

applications. The product is the 

creation of Lacroix Environment, a 

French-based technological company 

specialising in creating smart products 

for managing water and energy 

networks. 

The use of integrated input or output 

(6DI/2AI and 4DO) and communication 

interfaces (RS232/RS485, ethernet 

and modem) make the product easier 

to integrate into water applications. 

The RTU’s compactness makes it 

compatible for the following water 

applications: pumping stations, 

drilling stations, lifting stations and 

water tanks. When needed, the 

product’s modular architecture allows 

users to add expansion modules 

to fill requirements for wastewater 

and drinking water treatment plant 

applications. 

The YDRIX RTU is also embedded 

with water libraries, such as pumping 

and lifting stations, to quicken 

deployment and accelerate time to 

market. The product natively integrates 

a telecommunication modem to 

allow usage on 2G, 3G or 4G telco 

networks. This integrated modem 

facilitates the deployment of the 

system by having a single product to 

deploy, instead of having an RTU with 

an external modem. Maintenance 

is also simplified through having a 

single product to maintain and update. 

YDRIX RTU is also compatible 

with Sofrel dataloggers and allows 

direct communication between both 

products. This provides complete 

dataloggers and RTU systems to 

users. 

COMMUNICATION WITH ALL 

STANDARD SCADA SYSTEMS 

YDRIX integrates a native 

implementation of standards protocols. 

This allows for inter-operability with the 

transmission control protocol (TCP)/ 

internet protocol (IP) networks, as 

well as to operator supervisors, by 

using the standard DNP3 and IEC 

60870-5-104 communication protocols 

over TCP/IP networks. Integration 

into existing networks is thus more 

straightforward. 

The product can also reportedly 

interface directly to any supervisory 

control and data acquisition 

(SCADA) system, such as WinCC or 

Wonderware, meaning that the RTU 

can fit into a pre-existing telemetry and 

SCADA network. 

SECURE COMMUNICATION AND 

INTEGRATED CYBERSECURITY 

YDRIX RTUs are “full IP”, meaning 

they can communicate via their 2G, 

3G or 4G modems or their ethernet 

links to the SCADA central station. 

These multiple systems allow for 

redundancy among the communication 

media. In the event of failure on the 

main telecommunications network, the 

Sofrel YDRIX automatically switches 

to secondary support and returns 

to normal when the initial network 

becomes operational again. Operators 

can thus rely on this system to prevent 

the loss of information and recover 

network data in real time. 

The Sofrel YDRIX can secure the 

overall system with user management 

implementation. This allows operators 

to grant authorised access to the 

product solely to approved users. The 

user management system also allows 

operators to provide different access 

permissions, such as read-only, 

configuration and administration. 

The product is also embedded with 

a VPN client. With this VPN client, it 

can connect to a VPN server using, 

for instance, Open-VPN protocols. 

This connection allows for the data 

exchanged between the two structures 

to be fully encrypted, ensuring 

infrastructure security. 


ON OUR RADAR 

BRIDGING BIG TO 

SMALL DIMENSIONS 

The new COOL-FIT 2.0 

Push System 

cover the last metre between COOL- 

FIT 2.0 and the cooling unit. 

The COOL-FIT 2.0 Push System 

now bridges the gap by extending 

the product range with smaller 

dimensions. Designed for 

temperatures between 5-60°C, 

it includes sizes from d16 to d32. 

Based on the iFIT range from GF 

Piping Systems, the COOL-FIT 2.0 

Push System offers a plug-and-play 

installation through mechanical 

connections, bendable pipes, and 

modular adapter technology. 

The COOL-FIT 2.0 

Push System offers 

a plug-and-play 

installation thanks 

to mechanical 

connections, 

bendable pipes, and 

modular adapter 

technology 

The COOL-FIT 2.0 from GF Piping 

Systems was said to have changed 

how people planned, installed and 

operated cooling applications. The 

pre-insulated plastic piping system 

is corrosion- and condensationfree 

and can be installed in cooling 

applications in commercial and 

residential construction, data centres, 

or process cooling. With the addition 

of the COOL-FIT 2.0 Push System, 

it has become a complete solution: 

additional dimensions cover the last 

metre between the main pipeline and 

fancoil or air handling unit, leading to 

higher energy efficiency and a more 

reliable operation. 

Air conditioning (AC) technology is 

becoming increasingly important. 

The new COOL-FIT 2.0 Push System bridges 

the gap between the main pipeline and the 

cooling unit by extending the COOL-FIT range 

with smaller piping dimensions 

The number of air conditioning units 

in buildings is estimated to reach 5-6 

billion by 2050, due to climate change 

and rising population numbers. At the 

same time, high-tech industries rely on 

AC for process cooling applications, 

such as data centres or manufacturing. 

As a result, the need to reduce CO2 

and greenhouse gas emissions is 

greater than ever. 

GF Piping Systems aimed to address 

this challenge by developing a 

pre-insulated three-in-one piping 

system for chilled water, including 

pipes, fittings, valves, and tools. 

This complete system has seen use 

in comfort cooling and a range of 

commercial and industrial applications. 

Customers have previously relied on 

pressed and welded metal systems or 

post-insulated polyethylene pipes to 

Made of lightweight materials, 

COOL-FIT 2.0 is a corrosion- and 

maintenance-free alternative to 

metal piping systems. Furthermore, 

these material properties mean that 

the system can operate for 25 years 

without interruption. Its three-in-one 

design, consisting of pipe, insulation, 

and robust jacket, combined with 

efficient and easy jointing technology, 

can result in a 50% faster installation 

time than post-insulated metal pipes. 

Due to pre-insulation and the use of 

plastic, COOL-FIT 2.0 also minimises 

pressure losses and has low thermal 

conductivity, making the system 30% 

more energy-efficient. 

“We have already shown that plastic 

piping systems are a long-lasting, 

easy-to-install, and high-performing 

solution for a wide range of cooling 

applications,” said Kevin Blumberg, 

senior business development 

manager cooling at GF Piping 

Systems. “Introducing the COOL- 

FIT 2.0 Push System is an important 

step forward; we can now bridge 

the gap to the cooling unit for our 

customers. COOL-FIT is a complete 

solution for confident and safe 

insulation that makes commercial 

and industrial cooling more energyefficient.” 


SNEAK PEEK 

INDO WATER 

EXPO & FORUM 

sets the stage 

for 2023 

Shortly after the end of their annual event in October 

2022, Indo Water Expo & Forum has announced 

they will be returning the following year. 

Following the return of Indo Water 

Expo & Forum to a physical format in 

early Oct 2022, the organisers for the 

annual water, wastewater and recycling 

technology exhibition in Indonesia has 

announced the event will be returning 

next year from 5-7 July 2023. 

Indo Water 2023 Expo & Forum 

provides the stage for the gathering 

of specialists in the water and 

wastewater industry. Government 

officials, regulators, water and 

sewerage companies, manufacturers, 

industrial users, consultants and 

industry specialists can coordinate 

their business plan by attending this 

important event. 

distributors, increase existing 

market share in Indonesia, or simply 

maintaining relationships with 

key clients while looking for new 

opportunities with foreign partners, 

visitors have the potential to meet 

their varied objectives at Indo Water 

2023 Expo & Forum. 

Together with Indo Waste, Indo 

Renergy, Indo Security, Indo Firex, 

this annual show will be gathered 

as Integrated Technology Event (ITE) 

2023. Indo Water Expo & Forum 

2023 will also be held alongside the 

Indonesia International Smart City 

2023 Expo & Forum (IISMEX). The two 

exhibitions will present technology, 

information and communications 

technology (ICT) and Internet of 

Things (IoT) exhibitions and forums 

to meet information and business 

needs, related to smart city solutions 

and providers. 

Indo Water Expo & Forum has been 

supported and attended by prominent 

figures across many industries, 

including governments, NGOs, 

research institutes, water companies, 

public utilities and more. The recently 

concluded Indo Water 2022 Expo & 

Forum was attended by more than 

200 participants from 19 countries 

such as the United States, Australia, 

Austria, Netherlands, United 

Kingdom, Denmark, India, Indonesia, 

Italy, Japan, Germany, Canada, 

South Korea, Malaysia, France, New 

Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan and 

China. Including several country 

pavilions such as Netherlands, 

Germany, South Korea, Singapore, 

Taiwan and China. 

Organised by Napindo Media 

Ashatama, ITE 2023 will be held 

at the Jakarta Convention Center 

in Jakarta, Indonesia. Interested 

parties can plan their participation 

and visit Indo Water, Indo Waste, 

Indo Renergy and IISMEX’s website 

for more information. 

Whether to conduct market feasibility 

studies, seek local partners and 


WHAT’S NEXT 

EVENTS CALENDAR 

2022 

NOVEMBER 

3 – 5 Nov 

MyanWater 2022 

Yangon, Myanmar 

3 – 5 Nov 

Pump+Valve Myanmar 

Yangon, Myanmar 

8 – 10 Nov 

WaterLoss Asia 

Virtual 

9 – 11 Nov 

VietWater 

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam 

16 - 18 Nov 

CamWater 2022 

Phnom Penh, Cambodia 

29 Nov – 2 Dec 

Digital Water Summit 

Bilbao, Spain 

DECEMBER 

7 – 9 Dec 

Asia Water 2022 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 

2023 

JANUARY 

15 – 19 Jan 

13th IWA International Conference 

On Water Reclamation and Reuse 

Chennai, India 

16 – 18 Jan 

World Future Energy Summit 

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates 

FEBRUARY 

1 – 3 Feb 

Interaqua 2023 

Tokyo, Japan 

21 – 23 Feb 

World Water-Tech Innovation 

Summit 

London, United Kingdom 

MARCH 

22 – 24 Mar 

Water Philippines 

Philippines 

APRIL 

18 – 20 Apr 

WQA Convention & Exposition 

Las Vegas, USA 

MAY 

10 – 12 May 

Ozwater 

Sydney, Australia 

17 – 18 May 

Trenchless Asia 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 

JUNE 

5 – 7 Jun 

Aquatech China 

Shanghai, China 

JULY 

5 – 7 Jul 

IndoWater 2023 

Jakarta, Indonesia 

AUGUST 

30 Aug – 1 Sep 

ThaiWater 

Bangkok, Thailand 

30 Aug – 1 Sep 

Pumps & Valves Asia 

Bangkok, Thailand 

SEPTEMBER 

14 – 16 Sep 

Water & Wastewater Expo 

Binh Duong, Vietnam 

NOVEMBER 

6 – 9 Nov 

Aquatech Amsterdam 

Amsterdamn, The Netherlands 

*Due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has resulted in 

closed borders and travel restrictions, please check the 

events’ websites for the latest updates and changes. 


ADVERTISERS’ INDEX 

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS 

ADVERTISER 

PAGE 

ADVERTISER 

PAGE 

ASIAWATER 9 

PULSAR MEASUREMENT 41 

ENERGY RECOVERY 

GUANGDONG LIANSU TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD 

IFC 

OBC 

SEKO UK LTD 5 

TSURUMI MANUFACTURING CO., LTD 1 

HARBIN FIRSTLINE ENVIRONMENT TECHNOLOGY CO.,LTD 45 

VAUGHAN CO., INC 

IBC 

INDOWATER 2023 31 

KURITA (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD 25 

WATER & WASTEWATER ASIA’S HOUSE AD 28, 64 

WATER & WASTEWATER EXPO FC, 15 

LACROIX SOFREL 13 

FOLLOW US 

@waterwastewaterasia 


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Water & Wastewater Asia November/December 2022

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