Water & Wastewater Asia March/April 2024

FROM 

THE RIVER 

TO YOUR GLASS 

WITH 

MARCH / APRIL 2024 

www.waterwastewaterasia.com

SINGAPORE 

INTERNATIONAL 

WATER WEEK 2024 

THE GLOBAL PLATFORM TO SHARE AND CO-CREATE 

INNOVATIVE WATER, COASTAL AND FLOOD SOLUTIONS 

18 - 22 June 2024 

Sands Expo & Convention Centre 

Marina Bay Sands, Singapore 

OFFICIAL REGISTRATION OPENS ON 18 MARCH 2024 

SCAN THE QR CODE FOR MORE INFORMATION 

As one of the premier global platforms, the biennial Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) gathers water leaders, 

experts and practitioners to share knowledge and best practices and foster new partnerships to tackle urban water and 

associated climate challenges. Into its 10 th edition, key themes that will be presented at SIWW2024 include climate 

mitigation, water sustainability, net zero and decarbonisation, resource circularity and digitalisation. A new pillar on climate 

adaptation, specifically coastal protection and flood resilience, will also be introduced for the first time in SIWW2024. 

KEY FIGURES FROM PAST EDITION 

Over Over 500 500 

Water Water Leaders Leaders 

Top Regions: (excluding Singapore)* 

S$23 S$23 Billon Billon 

From From 110 110 

Regions Regions and and 

Countries Countries 

13% 

AMERICAS 

Over Over 

24,000 24,000 

Participants Participants 

In Total In Total Value Value for Business for Business 

Announcements Announcements 

Over Over 500 

Water Water Leaders 

From From 110 110 

Regions and and 

Countries 

*Statistics based on Sinagpore International Water Week 2018 

13% 13% 

AMERICAS AMERICAS 

14% 

EUROPE 61% 

ASIA 

4% 

MENA & 

AFRICA 8% 

OCEANIA 

Over Over 

24,000 

Participants 

S$23 Billon 

14% 14% 

In Total In Total Value Value for for Business 

Announcements 

WHAT SETS SIWW APART? 

EUROPE 61% 

EUROPE 61% 

4% 4% 

MENA & MENA & 

AFRICA AFRICA 8% 8% 

OCEANIA OCEANIA 

14% 14% 

EUROPE EUROPE 61% 61% 

ASIA ASIA 

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP 

Insights 13% 13% on latest trends, solutions, and case studies in 

4% 4% 

AMERICAS AMERICAS 

various thematic areas MENA MENA & & 

AFRICA AFRICA 8% 8% 

OCEANIA OCEANIA 

SOLUTIONS ASIA ASIA 

& TECHNOLOGY 

Innovation and solutions in urban water management, for 

municipal and industrial users 

BUSINESS & NETWORKING 

Gathering of industry, utilities and governments for business 

collaboration and partnerships 

GLOBAL EVENT, REGIONAL FOOTPRINT 

A global water event with strong relevance and application 

to Asia 

URBAN SUSTAINABILITY 

Co-located with CleanEnviro Summit Singapore to advance 

sustainability agenda for built environment 

Organised by: 

Singapore International Water Week Pte Ltd, a company set up by 

Singapore’s Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment and PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency. 

Held in conjunction with: 

Stay connected with us: 

www.siww.com.sg @siww.com.sg @waterweeksg @siww

Elektra 

IoT-enabled pump controller 

Connecting you to your chemical 

dosing pumps 24/7 

SekoWeb 

Data on demand 

• Access live and historical statistics 

via smartphone or PC 

• Adjust programming instantly 

• Discover the true cost of your application 

• Identify anomalies immediately and 

prevent unplanned downtime 

www.seko.com

CONTENTS 

CONTENTS 

18 

37 

58 

04 Editor’s note 

05 News 

53 SWA newsletter 

63 What’s next? 

64 Advertisers’ index 

SINGAPORE FOCUS 

12 Newater House by 

BlueNexus Technologies 

IN CONVERSATION WITH 

14 “Digital Twins is poised to 

revolutionise water and 

wastewater systems” 

17 Saving water with Audi and 

everwave 

20 “Water is blue gold and we 

need to take care of it” 

22 Brenntag’s activated carbon 

in treatment applications 

and water purification 

24 Lowering water fouling 

fourfold with printed spacer 

technology 

IN THE FIELD 

26 Pork producer cuts 

emissions with on-site 

sludge treatment 

28 Quattrone develops 

cost-efficient stormwater 

network solution for new 

housing complex in Florida, 

US 

30 Repairing a suspended pipe 

within 30mins 

32 Innovation underground: 

Digging deep for flood 

mitigation in land-scarce 

areas 

FOCUS 

34 Wateroam’s vision to end 

prolonged thirst 

36 Navigating wastewater 

treatment for environmental 

harmony 

38 Chemical dosing solutions 

for a newly built sewage 

plant 

40 Navigating the dual 

challenges of flooding 

and water scarcity in the 

climate change era 

42 Fluidised Bed Incineration 

(FBI) technology for sewage 

sludge waste-to-energy 

44 Why decarbonising 

wastewater industry is an 

industry imperative 

HOTSEAT 

47 Improving the efficiency 

of wastewater treatment 

containing phenol and other 

organic contaminants 

50 Energy-independent 

industrial effluent treatment 

technologies 

ON OUR RADAR 

57 Thordon Bearings supplies 

its first TG100 seal in Chile 

58 Outsmarting corrosion in 

cooling water systems for 

tooling 

SHOW PREVIEW 

60 The forefront of water 

treatment innovation: 

WaterTech China 2024 

62 Water and climate change: 

Innovation for resilience 

2 Water & Wastewater Asia | March-April 2024

EDITOR’S NOTE 

Blue gold 

In the next two months, the water 

sector has many upcoming events 

like the World Future Energy Summit 

in UAE, Ozwater in Australia and IE 

expo in China. Here at home, we 

are gearing up for the pulsating 

Singapore International Water Week 

(SIWW) in June. These events bring 

stakeholders together to tackle the 

sector’s biggest issues, ranging from 

climate change to sustainability. This 

issue, we tap on the theme of climate 

resilience in water utilities. 

Veolia Water Technologies CEO 

Arnaud Valleteau sums it up when 

he said that “water is blue gold 

and we need to take care of it”. 

Water resiliency requires a shift 

of perspective for this CEO, when 

asked about Veolia’s ecological 

transformation. Read all about 

it on page 22. Founder and CEO 

of Hydroleap Mohammad (Moh) 

Sherafatmand also echoes the same 

sentiments when he writes about 

the urgency to decarbonise the 

wastewater industry, as a shared 

environmental objective requires all 

stakeholders to come together to 

change pre-existing infrastructural 

frameworks (p. 45). Outside the water 

industry, automotive manufacture 

Audi and a green startup everwave 

have combined forces to save water 

with climate-resilient strategies 

(p. 17). They exhibited at the 

Greentech Festival in Singapore last 

November, and we feature them 

in this issue to shed light on their 

innovative collaboration that involves 

a long-term mission and artificial 

intelligence (AI). 

In the climate change era, addressing 

both flooding and water scarcity is 

a challenge. Singapore-based GPS 

supplier Tack has a palm-sized flood 

monitoring system equipped with 

AI-powered smart data analytics in 

water crisis management (p. 40). This 

unique innovation helps safeguard 

communities and bolster disaster 

readiness especially in flood-prone 

South East Asia. Binnies is digging 

deep for flood mitigation as well, 

and Singapore’s own novel approach 

in urban stormwater management 

may pave a new way forward in its 

solutions (p. 32). This challenge is 

operationally demanding, but water 

is indeed “much more valuable today, 

than it was two or three or five years”, 

according to Valleteau. “What we see 

now is action,” the CEO said, and he 

cannot be more apt. 

While these challenges are daunting, 

they open doors for innovation 

and collaboration. The industry is 

brimming with ideas that will take 

off as products, strategies and 

even revolutionary shifts in current 

frameworks. These profound ripple 

effects of today will make waves for 

tomorrow. See you at Kuala Lumpur, 

Malaysia for the upcoming AsiaWater 

in April! 

Amira Yunos 

Amira Yunos 

Assistant Editor 

PABLO SINGAPORE 

William Pang • Publisher 

williampang@pabloasia.com 

Amira Yunos • Assistant Editor 

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Pang YanJun • Business Development Manager 

yanjun@pabloasia.com 

Goh Meng Yong • Graphic Designer 

mengyong@pabloasia.com 

Shu Ai Ling • Circulation Manager 

ailing@pabloasia.com 

PABLO BEIJING 

Ellen Gao • General Manager 

pablobeijing@163.com 

PABLO SHANGHAI 

Daisy Wang • Editor 

pabloshanghai@163.net 

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4 Water & Wastewater Asia | January-February March-April 2024 2023

NEWS 

New Hong Kong desalination plant begins 

delivering fresh water to 137,000 homes 

The new Tseung Kwan O desalination plant is 

said to be the first to use reverse osmosis (RO) 

technology in Hong Kong. Construction of the 

first stage plant began in December 2019, and 

four years later, it began supplying fresh water 

to homes throughout the territories. 

1 

The Water Supplies Department (WSD) of 

the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region 

(HKSAR) government engaged Binnies 

— an RSK group company — to deliver a 

feasibility study for the project in December 

2012. Subsequently, the Binnies Hong Kong 

team provided investigation, design and 

construction supervision for the first stage of 

the project up to its commissioning on 

22 Dec 2023. 

2 

“It is now delivering drinking water to 137,000 

homes across Hong Kong and represents a 

step towards a climate-proof and sustainable 

water supply,” Binnies Hong Kong managing 

director Andy Kwok said. “As the region faces 

increasing demand as the population grows, 

we are seeing more erratic rain patterns 

and severe drought exacerbated by climate 

change. With the plant in action, we have a 

more stable and safe fresh water resource.” 

This first of the two-staged plant will provide 

fresh water to a population of around 

370,000 and has a production capacity of 

135 million litres per day, representing about 

5% of Hong Kong’s daily demand, according 

to Kwok. He added that the commissioning of 

the plant meant that the team has achieved 

its goal of supporting the WSD in diversifying 

its drinking water supplies with a new ‘tap’ 

that is climate-resilient. 

The Tseung Kwan O project is a key initiative in 

the government’s water management strategy 

and route map to achieve water sustainability 

and security while supporting development in 

Hong Kong. Adopting seawater desalination 

supports these objectives and provides a 

supply of potable water that is not susceptible 

to the effects of climate change. 

“When running at 100% capacity, the plant 

will take around 2hrs to desalinate water 

from the point of intake to product. The 

plant can draw around 340 million litres of 

seawater per day to produce 135 million 

litres of fresh water,” Kwok said. “The Binnies 

team was able to draw on expertise from 

colleagues across the business in the UK 

and Singapore to support the delivery of the 

works.” 

Desalination is reportedly an energy-intensive 

process, and attention has been given 

to introducing measures to reduce raw 

resource use and to prevent waste. During 

the plant’s operation, solar panels will be 

used to provide renewable energy, resulting 

in a 16.2% reduction in grid-supplied energy 

for building services. Water recycling and 

reuse processes will also reduce freshwater 

consumption by 36.6%, and installed water 

saving devices will reduce freshwater use by 

53%. Rainwater harvesting systems have also 

been installed to reduce water consumed for 

irrigation purposes by 67%. 

The WSD has started the preliminary design 

for the second stage of the plant, and the 

adjacent site is also earmarked for future 

expansion, with a water production capacity 

that will meet around 10% of the overall fresh 

water demand in Hong Kong. 

1 Commissioning 

ceremony for Tseung 

Kwan O desalination 

plant (Image: Binnies) 

2 RO technology at 

Tseung Kwan O 

desalination plant 

(Image: Binnies) 

Water & Wastewater Asia | March-April 2024 5

NEWS 

Eco-revolution: The next 

chapter of Singapore’s 

water security 

The Jurong Island Desalination Plant (JIDP)’s 

infrastructure and complex systems were 

custom designed to become a fully automated 

reverse osmosis (RO) desalination facility, 

engineered to uphold sustainability and 

digitalisation in desalination and water 

treatment. 

In a typical RO plant, the predominant 

expenses for producing desalinated drinking 

water comes from energy and chemical 

consumption, in addition to operations and 

maintenance (O&M) cost. However, being 

housed next door to Tuas Power Tembusu 

power plant, JIDP is able to capitalise on a host 

of strategic advantages. It is able to draw on 

Tembusu’s effluent cooling water as feed water 

for desalination, eliminating the need to extract 

water from the sea using massive pumps. The 

feed water would have undergone screening 

and continuous chlorination to prevent debris 

and marine organisms from accessing and 

clogging downstream equipment and piping 

at the power plant. This eliminates the need 

for the same treatment at JIDP. The feed water 

would also have passed through the cooling 

condensers of Tembusu’s steam turbine, 

thereby raising its temperature and enhancing 

its permeability through JIDP’s RO system. 

At the same time, the JIDP has been fitted 

with approximately 1.6-Megawatt peak (MWp) 

of solar panels. With a minimum lifespan 

of 23 years, these panels can generate an 

average of 1,900-Megawatt hr (MWH) of 

energy per year or 1% of the energy needs for 

JIDP at full capacity, equivalent to powering 

approximately 460 four-room Housing and 

Development Board (HDB) flats per year. 

“A synergistic yet sustainable design is what 

we are looking for,” said Terry Heng, assistant 

vice-president of water services at JIDP. “By 

tapping into a renewable power source, and 

by salvaging the treated effluent water that 

would otherwise have gone back into the sea, 

JIDP is able to lower its energy utilisation by 

about 5%.” 

ELEVATING RO PROCESS OPTIMISATION 

In terms of productivity and energy efficiency, 

JIDP has a distributed control system (DCS) 

specially designed to optimise the multiple 

processes involved in RO desalination. 

Referred to as a plant-wide control system 

(PWCS) at JIDP, it captures real-time data 

from sensors and analysers, integrating this 

input with historic trends and methodologies 

to micro-control various operational indicators 

—including water pH and chemical dosage 

levels. 

According to Heng, the design for the PWCS 

was developed from ground up. The intention 

was to build a system that incorporated the 

latest technologies to optimise crew strength, 

chemical and energy consumption. 

“[Due] to the PWCS, we have been able to 

reduce chemical usage through accurate, 

just-in-time dosing. This allows for better 

control over bio growth and reduces the 

requirement for clean-in-place processes. In 

short, it reduces the amount of man-effort 

while lowering our energy consumption,” he 

added. 

An aerial view of the 

JIDP (Image: PUB) 

Today, the PWCS has been extended 

to every facet of JIDP’s RO processes, 

addressing concerns related to water quality, 

chemical dosing and machinery operations. 

By leveraging its adeptness in situational 

awareness and decision-making amid high 

complexity or uncertainty, the PWCS continues 

to play a role in JIDP’s aspiration towards fully 

automated operations. 

At present, a three-man crew shoulders the 

responsibility of producing up to 137,000m 3 

of potable water daily for Singapore’s 

daily consumption needs. Empowered by 

data trends derived from the PWCS, the 

crew is able to perform conditional-based 

maintenance, eschewing the need for periodic 

or scheduled maintenance. Furthermore, 

the crew benefits from the planned 

implementation of a process optimisation 

software that recommends the most effective 

utilisation of the RO systems for production 

needs. “Working with seven high-pressure Sea 

Water RO (SWRO) and four Low-Pressure RO 

(LPRO) trains, our goal is to identify the most 

energy efficient combination of RO systems 

for the task at hand,” Heng said. 

The incorporation of sound sensors onto the 

high-pressure pumps facilitates data collection 

for a prediction model. With repeated data 

pulling and verification against the baseline, 

the model’s ability to discern anomalies and 

predict failures would be enhanced, thereby 

elevating performance and outcomes while 

saving energy. 

IMPROVING RO WATER QUALITY 

To safeguard the integrity of the RO 

membranes and prevent potential damage, 

the continuous monitoring of RO water 

conductivity is an essential process in 

desalination. JIDP has implemented a 

conductivity profiling process for this purpose. 

This reportedly reduces the time taken for 

conductivity checks, given the number of RO 

vessels per train at JIDP. 

Plans to install an automatic digitalised 

conductivity profiler had been put in place as 

part of continuous improvement and resource 

optimisation. By harnessing the analytical 

power of data, operational resources can be 

further freed up to focus on plant operations 

and optimisation, while ensuring the longevity 

and health of the RO membranes. 


NEWS 

Introducing Imagine H2O Asia’s 

5th cohort of water tech startups 

The UN recently reported that 

progress towards achieving 

universal access to water and 

sanitation is off track. Climate 

disruption makes this harder and 

communities across Asia will be 

disproportionately impacted. 

Imagine H2O Asia partners with 

entrepreneurs, their municipal and 

industrial customers to accelerate 

the adoption of solutions to this 

crisis. Eleven startups from seven 

countries were selected this year 

to join Cohort 5. The companies 

will benefit from a programme 

to jumpstart access to new 

markets and funding. Highlights 

include engaging new in-country 

advisors in markets like Vietnam 

and the Philippines, showcasing 

at Singapore International 

Water Week (SIWW) 2024, and 

accessing co-financing and 

implementation support for pilots. 

EXPANDING DRINKING WATER 

ACCESS 

Solar Water Solutions from Finland 

provides safe drinking water to 

off-grid communities with its 

solar-powered water purification and 

desalination units. The solutions help 

improve piped and off-grid drinking 

water services and bring drinking 

water access to remote communities. 

Its technology has demonstrated more 

than 80% operating expense savings 

in ongoing installations in Pacific 

Island communities, as compared 

to conventional diesel-powered 

desalination systems. 

SmartValve from the UK provides 

real-time guidance for utility 

field operators through a mobile 

application that manages manual 

assets in clean water networks and 

documents operational workflows. 

In the last 7 years, SmartValve has 

helped its utility customers regulate 

transient pressure in the network, 

saving US$1.9m in water quality fines 

and $9.5m in repairs from reduced 

pipe bursts. 

Atera Water from Singapore has 

developed the TeraStream filtration 

system, incorporating nanocomposite 

ultrafiltration membranes, targeting 

the treatment of high turbidity 

water without the need for chemical 

pretreatment and minimal sludge 

generation. In ongoing field trials, their 

membranes are shown to perform 

in fluctuating conditions and high 

1 

1 Solar Water 

Solutions 

2 SmartValve 

3 Atera Water 

4 Movements Inc 

2 3 4 


NEWS 

5 

turbidities of up to 300 Nephelometric 

Turbidity Units (NTU) with an 

operational cost savings of 40% 

compared to traditional coagulation 

treatment systems. 

Movements Inc from South 

Korea offers an end-to-end smart 

construction solution with its 

augmented reality (AR) and digital twin 

for underground utilities management. 

By synthesising real-time data from 

various stakeholders across a project’s 

lifecycle, Movements has helped 

municipal users in South Korea save 

more than 60% of 3D modelling design 

costs compared to conventional 

building information modelling (BIM) 

products and decrease construction 

time by 30%. 

IMPROVING WATER QUALITY 

UrbanBlue Technologies from India 

automates microbial sampling and 

analysis in wastewater management 

using robotics and artificial intelligence 

(AI) to prevent operational delays and 

plant downtime. Pilots with industrial 

wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) 

have reportedly demonstrated up 

to 50% improvements in incident 

response time and up to 60% 

reduction in labour hours. 

Aquamonitrix from Ireland provides 

in-situ sensing of nitrite and nitrate 

using rapid ion chromatography and 

UV detection to optimise aeration 

processes in municipal wastewater 

treatment. An improved understanding 

of nitrous oxide and nitrite has allowed 

utilities to not only reduce their energy 

consumption and costs through more 

streamlined aeration processes, but 

also lower the production of nitrous 

oxide — a highly potent greenhouse 

gas (GHG). 

N&E Innovations from Singapore 

valorises food waste into a natural 

antimicrobial agent that can potentially 

treat wastewater with lower sludge 

production. While N&E’s traction has 

primarily been in surface disinfection 

and sanitisation, early trials have been 

conducted to explore the material’s 

efficacy in wastewater treatment. 

NatureDots from India provides 

real-time water quality monitoring of 

freshwater bodies and maps present 

and future risks to water health using 

5 Aquamonitrix 

6 N&E Innovations 

7 NatureDots 

8 Aumsat Technologies 

9 Ontoto 

10 MIPS Innovations 

6 

7 


NEWS 

digital twins. To date, NatureDots has 

deployed with aquaculture farms in 

India to optimise fish production as 

well as with municipalities to support 

watershed reporting and planning. 

MIPS Innovations from Singapore 

develops specialised water quality 

sensors based on their Molecularly 

Imprinted Polymer (MIP) coating 

technology that quantifies target 

analytes rapidly. Mining, solid 

waste companies, universities as 

well as government agencies have 

partnered with MIPS to detect 

heavy metals and biotoxins for both 

in-process and waste discharge 

monitoring. 

LOWERING WATER SCARCITY 

Aumsat Technologies from India uses 

earth imaging and satellite-based 

hydrological analysis to map 

groundwater zones, track shifts 

in groundwater levels and predict 

its water balance. Both farmer 

organisations and government 

agencies have worked with Aumsat 

to identify appropriate borewells for 

farmers as well as potential locations 

for water recharge infrastructure. Their 

solution pinpoints underground water 

more efficiently, cutting costs by 75%. 

Ontoto from Australia monitors 

groundwater usage for businesses and 

governments using a cost-effective, 

cloud-based telemetry logger that 

transmits groundwater data via 

satellites. Significant traction has 

been gained working with industries 

and regulatory authorities to ensure 

reporting obligations on groundwater 

usage are met across Australia. 

Ontoto’s devices also help customers 

save 60% in costs when compared to 

manual sampling. 

8 

9 10 


NEWS 

PUB to build world’s largest ocean-based CO2 removal 

demonstration plant in Tuas, Singapore 

Singapore’s National Water Agency 

PUB is collaborating with University of 

California (UCLA) and a startup spun 

out of research at UCLA — Equatic 

— to build a US$20m full-scale 

demonstration plant, following the 

launch and operation of two pilots in 

Los Angeles, US, and Singapore in 

2023. 

Over the next 18 months, the team of 

researchers from the UCLA Institute 

for Carbon Management (ICM) and 

Equatic will set out to build the world’s 

largest ocean-based carbon dioxide 

removal (CDR) plant at PUB R&D 

facility in Tuas, located in western 

Singapore. 

When fully completed in 2025, 

the new plant — named Equatic-1 

— will be equipped to remove 10 

metric tonnes of CO2 per day from 

seawater and the atmosphere — 

100 times more than the existing 

pilot. If successful, the technology 

would allow for the greenhouse gas 

(GHG) to be removed and stored, 

while producing nearly 300kg of 

carbon-negative hydrogen daily. At 

full scale, Equatic-1 can remove as 

much CO2 as what nearly 850 people 

emit annually. When this facility has 

fulfilled its technical demonstration 

objectives, Equatic will scale and 

commercialise the technology 

globally and launch commercial plants 

designed to remove nearly 110,000 

metric tonnes of carbon dioxide 

per year — equivalent to the annual 

carbon emissions of more than 25,000 

individuals. 

The demonstration plant will be 

co-funded by PUB, the National 

Research Foundation (NRF), 

Singapore, and UCLA ICM. Equatic’s 

existing plant in Singapore, piloted 

at 100kg of carbon dioxide removal 

per day, has proven successful. 

PUB has set a target to achieve 

net zero emissions by 2045. This 

collaboration with UCLA and Equatic 

is part of Singapore’s broader efforts 

to source for novel technologies, 

such as carbon capture, utilisation 

and storage (CCUS), which could 

contribute to mitigating the impacts 

of climate change. 

“The pilot plant commissioned in 

Singapore provided performance 

data to substantiate our carbon 

dioxide-removal efficiencies, 

hydrogen-production rates and 

energy requirements for the 

process,” said Equatic co-founder 

Dante Simonetti, an associate 

professor of chemical and 

biomolecular engineering at UCLA 

Samueli and ICM’s associate director 

for technology translation. “The 

findings helped define the pathway 

for the design and engineering 

of Equatic-1 based on scaling 

performance confirmed by the pilot 

system.” 

The Equatic process activates 

and expands the ocean’s natural 

ability to store CO2 by removing 

dissolved CO2 while enhancing the 

ocean’s capacity to absorb more 

of the GHG. Utilising electrolysis, 

an electrical current is passed 

through seawater brought in from 

the adjacent desalination plants 

operated by PUB. The process 

induces a series of chemical 

reactions that breaks water into 

its carbon-negative hydrogen and 

oxygen constituents while securely 

storing both dissolved, in sea water, 

and atmospheric CO2 in the form of 

solid calcium and magnesium-based 

materials for at least 10,000 years. 

Rendering of an 

ocean-based CO2 

removal plant 

(Image: Charles Grace, 

courtesy of Equatic) 


NEWS 

The carbon credits from Equatic-1 

are allocated to the project’s 

partners, and Equatic has entered 

into agreements with companies 

including Boeing for the purchase 

of carbon credits from future 

commercial plants. 

Equatic-1 is also being built as 

a modular system, allowing the 

performance of individual units 

to be staged and stacked in 

preparation for systematic and 

rapid expansion. This approach 

reduces risks associated with 

scaling technology innovation. 

The system will also employ 

selective anodes, newly developed 

with the support of the US 

Department of Energy’s Advanced 

Research Projects Agency-Energy 

(ARPA-E), to produce oxygen 

while eliminating the unwanted 

byproduct of chlorine during 

seawater electrolysis. This opens a 

new pathway to CDR at the gigaton 

scale with the co-production of 

hydrogen — a clean fuel vital to 

decarbonising transportation 

and industrial applications – using 

seawater as a limitless input. 

The technology has been named 

one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 

2023 and listed among Popular 

Science’s 50 greatest innovations of 

2023. It also won the 2021 Liveability 

Challenge, a global competition 

backed by Singapore-based 

nonprofit Temasek Foundation with 

450 applicants from more than 60 

countries. 

1 2 

1 Electrochemical reactors for the Equatic process: These systems induce a series of chemical reactions 

that break down water into its hydrogen and oxygen constituents, while trapping dissolved CO2 from the 

atmosphere in seawater in the form of solid calcium and magnesium-based materials 

(Image: Satheesh Kumar Raman) 

2 ICM pilot plant facility in Singapore (Image: Satheesh Kumar Raman) 

“We are pleased to further our 

collaboration with UCLA and 

Equatic, to develop a solution that 

has potential synergies with PUB’s 

desalination plants,” said Dr Pang 

Chee Meng, PUB chief engineering 

and technology officer. “At PUB, 

we firmly believe that technological 

advancements, delivered in 

partnership with academia and 

the private sector, hold the key to 

addressing the complex challenges 

posed by climate change.” 

SIWW 2024 registration opens in March 

As one of the premier global 

platforms, the biennial Singapore 

International Water Week (SIWW) 

gathers thought leaders, experts 

and practitioners from governments, 

cities, utilities and industry to share 

knowledge and best practices, 

and foster partnerships to tackle 

urban water and associated climate 

challenges. 

Organised by PUB, Singapore’s 

National Water Agency and the 

ministry of sustainability and the 

environment (MSE), the 10th edition 

of SIWW will be held from 

18-22 Jun 2024 at the Sands Expo 

and Convention Centre in Singapore, 

alongside CleanEnviro Summit 

Singapore organised by the National 

Environment Agency (NEA). 

Key themes that will be presented 

include climate mitigation, water 

sustainability, net zero and 

decarbonisation, resource circularity 

and digitalisation. A new pillar on 

climate adaptation, specifically coastal 

protection and flood resilience, will also 

be introduced for the first time. 

SIWW2024 is expected to be 

attended by 500 global water leaders, 

2,000 delegates and more than 

30,000 trade visitors. Registration 

opens on 18 Mar 2024. Visit the event 

website www.siww.com.sg/home for 

more information. 



Newater House 

by BlueNexus Technologies 

time, it begins to degrade. The end users 

are unhappy because their expertise 

is not in water treatment or managing 

this asset. The developer is annoyed 

because they are being blamed for the 

plant’s underperformance, while the 

end user has not cooperated with their 

suggested servicing and maintenance 

protocols. Additionally, the plant is 

taking up a lot of valuable real estate, in 

permanent fashion, creating a location 

dependence for end users and a massive 

liability for asset holders if those end 

1 

users decide to migrate elsewhere. 

Much of this is dramatised, but 

1 Newater House 

is a prefabricated 

vision of the 

future of WTPs 

2 Newater House 

operates nearly 

autonomously 

3 Newater House is 

prefabricated in 

our manufacturing 

facility, ensuring 

consistent 

high-quality 

results 

THE CHALLENGE 

The difficulties of large-scale water and 

wastewater treatment infrastructure 

are well-understood by industry 

participants, government, and industrial 

end users alike. 

One would start by discussing 

the capital-intensive nature of 

these projects. Civil engineering, 

construction, and equipment are all 

meaningful expenses, with projects 

jumping from tens to hundreds of 

millions of dollars. Most engineering 

firms prefer to enter into engineering, 

procurement, and construction (EPC) 

agreements, but many end users are 

unable to afford the upfront cost. 

Those end users often prefer to pay for 

water-as-a-service, but that creates 

a burden for water companies whose 

specialisation is in engineering, not 

asset management. Public-private 

partnership (PPP); build, operate, 

transfer (BOT); EPC — regardless of 

the structure, the upfront cost of these 

projects is significant to any party. 

When one manages to get through the 

cost element, the design of the plant 

becomes the next barrier. No two water 

treatment plants (WTPs) are the same: 

influent quality, chemical pretreatment, 

technology of filtration — the 

permutations are endless. How much 

water are we trying to treat? Is that 

going to be true for the entire lifetime 

of this plant? All of these elements 

drive brilliant, bespoke designs, but we 

humans are fallible. The more variability 

in inputs, the more complexity 

introduced in treatment, the more room 

for catastrophe. 

Now that finances are in order 

and a design is ready, we are onto 

execution. The engineering firm has 

identified strong local partners to do 

the construction, but are the nuances 

of this design well-understood by 

the construction team? Are they 

going to execute at the same level as 

the crew from the shift before, or at 

another project two continents away? 

More variability and, inevitably, time 

consumed by operating around that 

variability. Delivery timelines stretch 

from 12-18 months, costs mount, and 

frustration builds. 

When the WTP is finally constructed, 

initial operations are great. But over 

these pain points are real. Even the 

strongest partners and agreements 

are constrained by or suffer from 

these elements in some fashion or the 

other. No matter the innovation — new 

treatment technology, new business 

model — we have seen these same 

challenges emerge on projects for 

decades without a scalable solution. 

THE SOLUTION 

The simple answer to this complex 

problem is productisation. This 

approach, conceptually, answers many 

of these nagging problems in an elegant 

way. With a well-crafted, repeatable 

design in hand, you can attack a lot 

of these problems. Costs become 

lowered as you identify efficiencies 

in your design, require less bespoke 

engineering work per project, and 

achieve economies of scale in repeated 

manufacturing. By relying less on 

custom solutions, quality of design 

and execution improve via repetition; 

prefabrication and an assembly 

line-esque approach help deliver 

consistent results. A consistent design 

structure allows for both a tighter 

physical package and a structure that 

more easily enables smart operation. 



At BlueNexus Technologies and our parent 

company GreenTech Environmental, we 

have been pursuing this dream for nearly 

a decade and have reached a solution 

that we are proud to share with the water 

treatment community. Our third generation 

— Newater House — with naming inspired 

by Singapore’s National Water Agency 

PUB’s own innovations, is the culmination of 

taking the simple answer of ‘productisation’ 

and executing against that vision to deliver 

a standardised, prefabricated, digitally 

empowered product for water supply and 

wastewater treatment. With this product, 

we have addressed these prevailing pain 

points. 

2 

Almost everything is prefabricated in our 

manufacturing facilities, distilling our 20 

years of engineering know-how into a 

single product. Parts are shipped to their 

destination and assembled in plug-and-play 

fashion with minimal civil engineering 

required. This reduces overhead, rapidly 

speeds up overall project delivery time, 

and enhances reliability. Newater House is 

modular in nature, with unit designs ranging 

from 2,500-100,000m 3 /day. These can be 

combined in Lego-like fashion, allowing end 

users to scale up as needs change over time. 

Similarly, the technology application within 

different versions of the product will enable 

deployment across a range of use cases. 

We initially started with an ultrafiltration and 

reverse osmosis (RO) combination — given 

the prevalence of its applicability for our 

focus use cases of industrial wastewater 

reuse, industrial pretreatment, and 

desalination — and will continue to expand 

those offerings in coming years. 

Our focus on leveraging intelligent operations 

to enable an unattended plant allows us to 

radically rethink our design. This enables a 

footprint that is ultimately about one-sixth 

the size of a traditional WTP, expanding this 

offering to space-constrained end users and 

providing more room for social and economic 

development for others. Further, intelligent 

operations drive reduced operating expense, 

both by the nature of being unattended as 

well as being more precise than most human 

operators. 

And lastly, it can move. This prefabricated, 

enclosed approach with minimal civil 

engineering needs creates both a reality 

where one can feasibly relocate a WTP 

to a new location, in situations where the 

designed capacity needs to be lowered or no 

longer needed. This physical aspect enables 

economic innovation; this movability and 

universal approach to large-scale treatment 

creates a valuable asset unencumbered by 

the burdens of traditional water planets, 

making it much more attractive to all parties. 

IN PRODUCTION 

Our initial deployments of Newater House, 

concentrated in the Jiangsu province of 

China, have exceeded our expectations. 

We have three plants running — one each at 

sizes of 5,000, 10,000, and 20,000m 3 /day. 

This speaks to both the range of volume 

demand of end users and validity of having a 

modular approach. Additionally, this design 

philosophy not only lowered the land required 

by 80% but also shrunk the construction time 

to a month for the most recently constructed 

plant. 

These plants are functioning at a high level 

in different environments. We see 70% water 

reuse rates, for both water and wastewater 

reuse, across industrial customers ranging 

from electronics companies to solar panel 

manufacturers, with varying influent water 

quality. Some customisation and adaptation 

have been required initially at the plant, 

but those adjustments were almost trivial 

3 

compared to those of fully custom design 

with little performance loss. 

Most importantly, the plants operate 

nearly autonomously. This is successful 

in terms of lowering operating expense, 

and also reducing the engagement level 

necessary by end users who do not view 

this as an area of desired involvement. 

Supported by these early results, the 

future of water treatment is in the form of 

productised plants. While there may never 

be a one-size-fits-all solution in our complex 

world of water, a few great solutions can 

answer most of our problems. We hope that 

this is the start of that journey. 

Images: BlueNexus 



“Digital twins is poised 

to revolutionise water and 

wastewater systems” 

With the global digital water solutions market slated to expand by 

23.5% annually until 2025, Schneider Electric is at the forefront of this 

digital evolution. Its water and wastewater segment leader for East Asia 

Shanmugavel Subramaniam shares the company’s strategic digitalisation 

initiatives and why integrating digital twins with the current water system 

is transformative. 

By Amira Yunos 

Leveraging digital 

technologies like IoT, 

AI, and cloud-deployed 

systems with the digital 

twin concept optimises 

water management 

SUSTAINABILITY IN SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC 

How does Schneider Electric drive 

resilience and sustainability for water 

utilities in East Asia? 

Shanmugavel Subramaniam: Schneider 

Electric drives resilience and sustainability 

for water utilities in East Asia through 

strategic digitalisation initiatives. Leveraging 

digital technologies like Internet of 

Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), 

and cloud-deployed systems with the 

capability to bundle and encompass 

physical assets and digital data in a 

unified operation environment with the 

digital twin concept optimises water 

management. 

For instance, in Malaysia, the 

implementation of an intelligent command 

centre (ICC) with Air Selangor — the 

nation’s largest water operator — allows 

the sole supplier of safe and drinkable 

water to about 8.4 million consumers in 

Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya to 

improve data visibility, automate pump 



The integration of 

digital twins into water 

utilities will allow for 

an understanding 

of the entire water 

infrastructure 

operations and enable proactive 

situational awareness as well 

as analytics. This has reduced 

Air Selangor’s response times, 

streamlined operations, and 

reduced costs, allowing them to 

react more efficiently to challenges 

and changes in the water 

distribution network. 

Similarly in Thailand, Schneider 

Electric’s partnership with AVEVA 

enables East Water — the largest 

supplier of untreated water in 

eastern Thailand — to establish an 

integrated command and control 

centre (iCCC) for smarter network 

operations by leveraging digital 

tools. For instance, through the 

use of supervisory control and 

data acquisition (SCADA) systems, 

the supplier can expect to 

reduce water loss level to 1%, cut 

pumping energy costs by 4-12% 

and improve overall operational 

efficiency by up to 7% under 

challenging conditions. 

Also, Schneider Electric 

advocates for a collective 

approach toward sustainability 

by fostering collaborations and 

alliances within the industry. 

Encouraging partnerships among 

companies that share a passion 

for sustainable operations and 

cloud-based digitisation solutions 

is one of Schneider Electric’s 

prime objectives. A collaborative 

ecosystem facilitates the sharing 

of knowledge, cross-sector data, 

and insights which helps to foster 

innovation to set new standards for 

sustainable water operations. 

How do sustainability measures 

and projects make a business 

case for water companies? 

What should water companies 

keep in mind as they focus on 

sustainability objectives? 

Subramaniam: Sustainability 

measures and projects in the 

water sector, through digitisation, 

create a compelling business case 

by addressing the pressing issue 

of water scarcity globally. Only 

1% of Earth’s water is accessible 

and available to us. Companies 

undertaking digital transformation 

gain a competitive edge as they 

can improve efficiency in their 

water and wastewater plants and 

optimise the use of this scarce but 

critical resource. 

For example, East Water is able 

to tap into digital technology to 

tackle severe droughts in the 

eastern region of the country 

which has been a historical 

challenge due to low water levels 

in reservoirs. Digital technologies 

including the SCADA system 

allow East Water to streamline 

operations to minimise water loss, 

optimise operations and reduce 

energy consumption. They do this 

by improving asset visibility and 

management while also fostering 

coordination between their 

normally siloed departments. 



Companies 

undertaking digital 

transformation 

gain a competitive 

edge as they can 

improve efficiency 

in their water and 

wastewater plants 

and optimise the 

use of this scarce 

but critical resource. 

Shanmugavel Subramaniam 

Water and wastewater segment leader, East Asia, 

Schneider Electric 

Therefore, digitisation provides an avenue 

for water companies to not only optimise 

the use of water, but also grants the 

ability to reduce carbon emissions. Water 

companies should note that sustainability 

and profitability are not necessarily at 

odds. Through innovative solutions such 

as digital technologies, synergies between 

both imperatives can be explored and 

prioritised. 

MARKET OUTLOOK IN 2024 

What is the best approach to accelerate 

climate change adaptation in East Asia 

and globally? Overall, how should the 

water industry in East Asia move forward 

in 2024 to accelerate sustainability? 

Subramaniam: Undertaking 

comprehensive industrial digital 

transformation is the most effective 

approach to accelerate climate change 

adaptation in water utilities in East Asia 

and globally. Embracing tools like IoT, 

AI, smart meters, and cloud solutions 

should extend beyond mere technology 

adoption. Companies need to focus on 

enterprise-wide projects that integrate IT 

and operational technology (OT) systems, 

enhance customer-centricity while unifying 

their operations, as well as optimise the 

manpower resources, internal processes 

and operations. 

Partnering with trusted digital transformation 

advisors such as Schneider Electric is key. 

For instance, Schneider Electric’s Industrial 

Digital Transformation (IDT) consulting 

and deployment team helps companies 

drive end-to-end transformation in areas 

including operational performance, asset 

management, energy management 

and sustainability, cybersecurity, and 

governance and change management. 

Crucially, digital transformation experts 

can also help companies secure workers’ 

buy-in to create a ‘shop floor to top floor’ 

collaboration environment. A successful 

digitisation strategy acknowledges its 

impact on workers, recognising that digital 

transformation involves both technology 

and cultural shifts. Industrial automation 

experts such as Schneider Electric can help 

balance corporate vision and orchestration, 

with local stakes and deployment. 

East Asia’s population growth, coupled 

with water scarcity challenges, mandates 

the adoption of disruptive technologies 

and systems to address water scarcity and 

growing water demand. By undertaking 

digital solutioning that balances corporate 

vision with localised needs, we can enhance 

our ability to combat climate change, 

ensure sustainable water management, and 

fortify against the escalating challenges 

posed by natural disasters and water 

scarcity. The global market for digital water 

solutions is slated to expand by 23.5% 

annually until 2025. Schneider Electric is 

proud to be at the forefront of this digital 

evolution. 

What advancements in the water and 

wastewater market are you most excited 

for? 

Subramaniam: The water and wastewater 

management industry continues to witness 

advancements in intelligent solutions. We 

foresee more integration of technologies, 

such as data analytics and automation to 

optimise the entire water cycle. 

With advanced analytics, for example, 

real-time data from sensors and devices 

can be processed, facilitating predictive 

maintenance and proactive issue 

resolution. The streamlining of water 

treatment processes through automated 

control systems can also ensure precise 

management of water quality, quantity, 

and distribution, ultimately improving 

operational efficiency. 

Digital twin technologies stand out 

as something to look out for this year. 

These digital replicas of physical 

water infrastructure provide a dynamic 

representation of real-world systems 

and infrastructure. They incorporate 

both static and dynamic data, enabling 

actionable insights. The integration 

of digital twins into water utilities will 

allow for an understanding of the 

entire water infrastructure, facilitating 

agile management of operations and 

organisational success at a global or 

regional level. As the technology evolves, 

the integration of digital twins with 

advanced analytics and automation is 

poised to revolutionise how water and 

wastewater systems are monitored, 

managed, and optimised for sustainable 

and efficient operations. 

Shanmugavel Subramaniam 

Water and wastewater segment leader, 

East Asia, Schneider Electric 



Saving water with 

Audi and everwave 

Automotive manufacturer of luxury vehicles Audi is on a mission to half 

its water consumption by 2035. Green startup everwave utilises artificial 

intelligence (AI) to accelerate data collection to clean up waste in rivers. 

Individually, both have their own climate-resilient strategies to save water. 

By combining forces, they do more. 


Mission:Zero at 

Neckarsulm, Germany 

site (Image: Audi) 

AUDI’S MISSION:ZERO AND ITS 

ENVIRONMENTAL FOUNDATION 

Audi Environmental Protection consultant 

Mathias Ziegler and Audi Environmental 

Foundation sustainability expert Nadine 

Dietrich were both present at the Greentech 

Festival (GTF) Singapore last November. 

Ziegler spoke at a panel about his company’s 

environmental programme Mission:Zero, which 

encompasses sustainable water management. 

“We are working on a holistic approach to 

optimise our water consumption and half it by 

2035,” he said. By 2035, it is anticipated that 

ecologically weighted water consumption per 

vehicle produced will decline by about half 

at Audi’s five production sites from 3.75m 3 to 

roughly 1.75m 3 .* Audi is also the first premium 

car manufacturer to join the Alliance for Water 

Stewardship (AWS) since 2023, which is a 

global coalition of companies, NGOs, and the 

public sector dedicated to water stewardship 

throughout the value chain. 

Furthermore, as part of its Mission:Zero 

environmental programme, Audi wants to 

stop using drinking water in production. Audi 

Brussels, with its Belgian partner company 

Hydria, is investing in the ‘Re-Use’ project 

to integrate the Brussels South wastewater 

treatment plant (WWTP) into the water supply 

for its production site. This will produce a 

closed water cycle that will save roughly 

100,000m 3 of drinking water per year.* By 

2025, the Audi plant in Neckarsulm, Germany, 



aims to get all of its non-potable 

water through the Unteres Sulmtal 

wastewater treatment facility, which 

is also where the plant directs its own 

wastewater. The resulting circuit will 

reduce the demand for freshwater by 

more than 70%.* 

According to Ziegler, its site in Mexico 

has “produced cars completely 

water-discharge-free”. Audi’s San 

José Chiapa site in Mexico has access 

to biological water treatment and a 

reverse osmosis (RO) facility with 

a capacity of 320,000m 3 annually.* 

This treatment system saves roughly 

150,000m 3 of water per year by 

reintroducing it into the production 

processes.* There is also an on-site 

water reservoir with a capacity of 

234,000m 3 .* He added that in Mexico, 

water is especially valuable due to the 

risk of drought, and groundwater is 

needed for its production processes. 

“Production is directly in our hands 

so we want to ensure the footprint of 

our products is as small as possible,” 

he said. 

On the other hand, the non-profit 

subsidiary of Audi — Audi 

Environmental Foundation — is 

committed to closing the water 

cycle through collaborations and 

networking. “We want to give hope 

and we want to change the system,” 

Dietrich said. The foundation also 

supports different project partners 

to develop technologies to tackle the 

demand for water. For instance, the 

foundation has developed a smart 

filter system against microplastics 

for urban runoff in collaboration with 

the Technical University of Berlin, 

according to the sustainability expert. 

This project prevents tire wear 

particles and other environmentally 

harmful substances from being 

washed into sewers and bodies of 

water along with rainwater. 

She added that working closely with 

such collaborators exchanges technical 

Collaboration 

is the key to 

success. We 

are combining 

our strengths to 

have a greater 

impact. 

Jacqueline Plaster 

Regional manager, South East Asia, 

everwave 

knowledge that will benefit all. Another 

close collaborator of theirs is a German 

green startup, everwave, which teamed 

up with the foundation to clean up the 

Chao Phraya river in Bangkok, Thailand. 

EVERWAVE: USING AI TO CLEAN 

UP WASTE IN WATERS 

Jacqueline Plaster, everwave regional 

manager for South East Asia, was also 

at GTF to share about the startup’s 

current projects in Cambodia and 

Thailand. In the panel with Ziegler, 

she spoke what success means 

to her, and it is one when “there 

is no waste to collect out of rivers 

anymore”. 

Using garbage collection boats, 

everwave prevents waste from 

reaching the oceans by deploying 

its AI technologies to detect and 

analyse trash through rivers, in 

collaboration with the German 

Institute for AI. “[The German 

Institute for AI] has developed an 

algorithm that can automatically 

recognise the amount and 

the type of materials in the 

environment at the shore or 

riversides,” she said. “With simple 

drone flies, we know where the 

waste it, where it is located, the 

amount and the composition of it 

from the ground.” 

everwave CollectiX 

waste collection 

boats carry out our 

cleanup missions 

(Image: everwave) 



of professional waste disposal facilities in 

the area. 

In the long term, future partners could establish sustainable structures for waste 

avoidance and recycling (Image: everwave) 

To date, everwave has collected more than 

1,400,000kg of waste from rivers.* But this 

data is still lacking. “This is crucial data 

that we are collecting [for governments 

and companies],” Plaster added. With 

AI, everwave’s aim is to understand the 

environment easily by sorting out this huge 

amount of data quickly. 

After its cleanup work, some of the 

collected material is processed in its 

sorting facilities and further processed 

through recycling or thermal recovery. 

Currently, its cleanup projects are in 

Thailand, Cambodia and Serbia. The 

startup also embarks on public education 

campaigns to raise awareness about 

environmental issues. To Plaster, success 

in this sustainability endeavour is also 

about showing the impact and to inspire. 

“We want to do it in a transparent and 

measurable way that stakeholders can see 

what is going on,” she said. However long 

it takes to get rid of waste out of rivers, 

Plaster said, “We all need to understand 

that we are dependent on the environment, 

not the other way around.” 

project in Bangkok, Thailand. “Collaboration 

is the key to success and one of the best 

examples is our project in Thailand. We are 

combining our strengths to have a greater 

impact.” 

Apart from working closely with the locals, 

everwave has also collaborated with 

Audi Environmental Foundation to rid the 

Chao Phraya river in Bangkok of plastic 

garbage. Together with the Ferry Porsche 

Foundation, Audi Environmental Foundation 

and everwave have joined forces to 

establish a stable infrastructure for waste 

processing in the region around the Thai 

capital of Bangkok. The Audi Environmental 

Foundation and the Ferry Porsche 

Foundation are covering the project’s 

startup costs, and support the construction 

The river, which flows into the gulf of 

Thailand 35km west of the capital, flushes 

around 385 tonnes of plastic garbage 

into the ocean every year.* With this 

initiative, everwave uses AI and high-tech 

boat, instead of pulling garbage from 

the river by hand or with fishing nets 

which was done previously by the local 

NGOs. The AI technology has accelerated 

the establishment for a sustainable 

infrastructure. Up to the end of November 

2023, over 67,000kg of garbage had 

already been retrieved from the Thai 

canals.* Prior to this, Audi Environmental 

Foundation has worked with everwave to 

remove more than 69 tonnes of plastic 

from the Danube river in Europe in 2021.* 

These collaborations also plan to raise 

awareness of ecological responsibility 

among the local population. “We share 

the same vision with Audi Environmental 

Foundation,” Plaster said. everwave’s 

focus on creating long-term solutions is 

aligned with ‘cultivating passion for the 

environment’ — a motto of the foundation. 

“It is not that we can implement the 

infrastructure by ourselves,” she said, “But 

the more we incentivise the people, the 

better it can look.”. 

*References are available upon request 

COMBINING STRENGTHS IN LONG-TERM 

COLLABORATION 

For everwave’s cleanup projects in South 

East Asia, Plaster added that collaboration 

with all stakeholders is the key to success. 

“We hope that by working together with the 

authorities and our local partner, TerraCycle 

Thai Foundation, we can create long-term 

impact and inspiration,” she said about the 

Mathias Ziegler 

Consultant, Audi Environmental Protection 

Nadine Dietrich 

Sustainability expert, Audi Environmental 

Foundation 



“Water is blue gold 

and we need to take care of it” 

With two decades at Veolia Water Technologies, CEO Arnaud Valleteau 

speaks about spearheading Veolia as a leader of the ecological 

transformation and its three-year plan kickstarting in 2024. 


In the face of 

climate change, 

creating resiliency 

around water helps 

to deal with extreme 

weather conditions 

(Image: Unsplash) 

ECOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATION 

“I joined Veolia 20 years ago because I 

wanted to be useful,” the current CEO said, 

when asked about his personal journey that 

spanned two decades in the company. “I 

wanted to have a global impact and at that 

time, Veolia was already dealing with water, 

waste and energy,” Valleteau said. “With its 

international footprint, Veolia was saying 

[‘global impact’] loudly, and that was why I 

joined.” This has always been the DNA of the 

company: bringing customer solutions that 

deal with water, waste or energy, according 

to the CEO. For him today, this is not new. 

“But we are entering into a world which is 

changing dramatically, so it is exciting to be 

with Veolia to [solve] the water challenges 

we are facing,” he said. Veolia’s ecological 

transformation is a mission statement that 

pushes Valleteau and his team to do it one 

step further. 

“Water is much more valuable today, than it 

was two or three or five years ago,” he said. 

“Twenty years ago, everyone was saying 

water is blue gold and we need to take care 

of it. What we see now is [action].” Today, this 

drives Valleteau to review Veolia’s business in 

the light of this ecological transformation. 

SHIFT IN PERSPECTIVES 

Through the lens of sustainability, the CEO 

added that Veolia promotes the value of 

water by incorporating ESG considerations, 

beyond financial results. For a long time, 

the industry saw water as one silo, waste 

was another silo, and energy was a separate 

silo. Valleteau pointed out that seeing 

these entities together will bring value to 

businesses today. He added that a lot of 

wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in 

different parts of the world provide green 

energy — either by electricity or biogas — 

into the grid. Using wastewater sludge to 

produce energy, or treating wastewater to 

reuse it has value in a healthy water footprint 

approach. At Veolia, this perspective 

drives the ecological transformation. 

Its aim is to help its customers find the 

best solutions with a 360° multifaceted 

review of projects, giving the same level 



Veolia is targeting the 

Asian market to grow 

from 2024-2027 as part 

of its three-year plan 


of consideration and expectation to 

economic, commercial, social, human and 

environmental performance. “This is an 

exciting momentum, in the next 2-3 years 

to evaluate, create new solutions and 

demonstrate our impact,” Valleteau said. 

“It is not just meeting but anticipating our 

customers’ and stakeholders’ needs. It is in 

continuity with what we have done before, 

but with a different perspective on it.” 

As part of its three-year plan — from 

2024-2027 — Veolia is targeting the Asian 

market to grow. Valleteau said that the 

team is trying to push global solutions 

developed in Europe to serve Asian 

customers, and vice versa. In APAC, Veolia’s 

microelectronic expertise has paved the 

way for its development in Europe. “We 

are providing global solutions, but we 

tailor our commercial approach and our 

technical approach to the local needs of 

our customers.” 

The ecological transformation 

is about perceiving and seeing 

it in a different way, which is our 

impact for our customers, for our 

stakeholders and for our planet. 

Arnaud Valleteau 

CEO, Veolia Water Technologies 

As different regional contexts affect the 

solutions, Veolia customises its approach 

for its diverse range of customers. “We 

have a local perspective as the needs 

are not completely the same for Asia and 

Europe,” he said. The three-year plan will 

also see Veolia expand its digital services in 

Asia to provide a fuller scope of solutions, 

and the team will have to readapt to the 

geopolitical issues in Asia-Pacific. “Our 

added value is to be able to anticipate for 

our customers,” the CEO said, “We are 

looking to bring solutions to treat excess 

water, build more resilient cities to [tackle] 

climate change issues and extreme weather 

challenges.” 

CREATING WATER RESILIENCY 

In the face of climate change, creating 

resiliency around water helps to deal with 

extreme weather conditions: one where 

there might be excess water in the form of 

flooding and rising sea levels, or the severe 

lack of it as seen in droughts. Valleteau 

said that these extreme weather events 

will impact the quality of resources: “How 

can we adapt treatment in order to make 

sure that we are able to deliver potable 

water or process water for the industry? We 

want to better control the way we are using 

resources and how we value water.” With 

each country having its own regulation, 

Veolia is said to be working closely with 

its stakeholders in each region to ensure 

solutions are met, and what to anticipate. 

Veolia’s forecasting will help ensure “the 

system remains resilient while making 

sure it is sustainable, reducing energy 

and chemical consumption to mitigate 

the impact on the environment”, the CEO 

added. 

Around for 170 years, Veolia’s long-term 

approach has been consistent with 

its mission statement of ecological 

transformation. Sustainability is seen as 

a long-term approach, and the CEO said 

that greenwashing is going to kill some 

businesses as it would not work in the 

long-term. “This is something that 

differentiates us from our competitors,” 

Valleteau said. “It is our long-term vision. 

We are a stable group with long-term 

investors on board. This has value in a 

world that is changing fast.” 

Arnaud Valleteau 

CEO, Veolia Water Technologies 



Brenntag’s activated carbon 

in treatment applications and 

water purification 

Brenntag APAC regional director Goh Yeow Hwee shares the company’s 

business model that serves the water treatment market, his directorial role in 

tackling the region’s challenges and Brenntag’s upcoming projects in 2024. 


What are some successful case studies 

utilising activated carbon in treatment 

applications and water purification? 

Goh: In a large city in the Asia-Pacific 

region, our activated carbon is used to 

improve the quality of drinking water. 

The city’s water utility faced challenges 

with contaminants like chloramines and 

trace organic compounds. Our granular 

activated carbon was implemented in 

one of the utility water treatment plants, 

resulting in significant reductions in these 

contaminants, improved taste and odour 

of the water, and a significant reduction of 

complaints received from residents. 

Brenntag’s business model is characterised by a diverse product and service portfolio and a broad customer base 

(Image: Getty Images) 

As a chemical distributions company, what 

makes Brenntag the global market leader 

in chemical and ingredients distribution? 

Goh Yeow Hwee: Brenntag’s position as 

a global market leader in chemical and 

ingredients distribution stems from several 

core strengths. Firstly, our extensive global 

network ensures complete geographic 

coverage, enabling us to connect chemical 

manufacturers with a diverse range of 

downstream users across many industries. 

This reach facilitates the distribution of a 

full-line portfolio of essential and specialty 

chemicals. Moreover, our business model, 

characterised by a diverse product and 

service portfolio and a broad customer 

base, ensures we can adapt and respond 

to market changes and customer needs. 

Our approach to supply chain excellence, 

including global sourcing and value-added 

services, underscores our dedication 

to enhancing customer experience and 


What is unique about Brenntag’s carbon 

adsorbents for water and wastewater 

treatment? 

Goh: Unlike most competitors who primarily 

supply activated carbon, we offer a range 

of water treatment chemicals alongside 

our purification programme, positioning 

ourselves as a single-source partner for 

our customers. This eliminates the need 

for them to look elsewhere for products to 

complement their treatment programme. In 

addition, our supply chains, global sourcing 

and site network ensure timely and reliable 

delivery to customers, regardless of location. 

In an aquaculture facility in South East 

Asia, maintaining water quality was 

essential for the health of aquatic species. 

We provided a specialised activated 

carbon designed for aquaculture systems. 

The result was markedly improved water 

clarity and quality, enhanced removal of 

organic waste, and a healthier environment 

for the aquatic life, leading to better 

growth rates and reduced disease 

incidence. 

A pharmaceutical company faced 

challenges with purifying water used in 

the manufacturing process. Contaminant 

removal was critical for product quality 

assurance and compliance with health 

regulations. Implementing our activated 

carbon in their ultrapure water purification 

system effectively removed impurities, 

ensuring high-quality water for their 

manufacturing processes. 



both municipal and industrial water 

treatment applications. Our commitment to 

the Asia-Pacific market is reflected by our 

ongoing investments in local infrastructure, 

technical capabilities, and personnel 

training. This regional focus ensures 

that we not only supply products but 

also impart the knowledge and technical 

expertise, supporting our customers 

achieve optimal results from our products 

and programmes. 

The company positions as a single-source partner for its customers (Image: Getty Images) 

What are some pressing challenges in the offering a range of treatment chemicals and 

water treatment market, and how does solutions that remove contaminants from 

Brenntag tackle these issues? 

wastewater. We work with clients to ensure 

Goh: The Asia-Pacific water treatment compliance with environmental regulations 

market faces challenges which are amplified and to minimise the ecological footprint of 

by the region’s rapid industrialisation, 

wastewater discharge. The diverse nature 

population growth, and environmental of the Asia-Pacific region means that water 

concerns. Key challenges include water treatment solutions need to be tailored to 

scarcity, pollution, and the need for 

local conditions and regulations. Therefore, 

sustainable treatment solutions. Many areas Brenntag invests in local teams who 

in Asia-Pacific are experiencing water stress understand regional challenges and can 

due to limited freshwater resources and provide customised support and technical 

increasing demand from urbanisation and guidance. 

industrial activities. Brenntag addresses this 

by providing the water treatment chemicals Tell us more about your role as a water 

and technologies that allow for water 

treatment market leader in Asia-Pacific. 

reuse and recycling. Our solutions help Goh: The diverse and evolving industrial 

water utilities and industries maximise the landscape across Asia-Pacific presents 

efficiency of their water usage, reducing the unique challenges and opportunities in water 

overall demand for fresh water. 

treatment. Brenntag has tailored its product 

offerings and services to meet these 

Industrial and urban wastewater pollution is specific needs, providing innovative and 

a significant issue, with stricter regulations sustainable water treatment solutions. Our 

being implemented across the region. expertise extends across various industries, 

Brenntag contributes to pollution control by from pharmaceuticals to F&B, and includes 

Any upcoming Brenntag projects and 

initiatives in 2024? 

Goh: In 2024, we will embark on several key 

projects and initiatives in Asia-Pacific that 

align with our commitment to innovation, 

sustainability, and excellence in water 

treatment solutions. We will introduce a 

new service providing product carbon 

footprint data to boost transparency about 

greenhouse gas (GHG) in the value chain of 

our chemicals and ingredients distribution 

industry. We offer our customers the 

opportunity to assess the products and 

services they buy from us, supporting 

them to achieve their sustainability goals. 

Furthermore, Brenntag plans to invest in 

local mixing and blending facilities as well 

as innovation and application centres to 

better serve the Asia-Pacific market. This 

move is aimed at enhancing our product 

development capabilities and shortening 

supply chains, resulting in faster and more 

efficient service for our suppliers and 

customers in the region. 

This regional focus ensures that we not only 

supply products but also impart the knowledge 

and technical expertise, supporting our 

customers achieve optimal results from our 

products and programmes. 

Goh Yeow Hwee 

Regional director, APAC, Brenntag 

Goh Yeow Hwee 

Regional director, APAC, Brenntag 



Lowering water 

fouling fourfold 

with printed spacer 

technology 

This energy-saving collaboration between Aqua 

Membranes and US memory chip manufacturer Micron 

Technology will help the semiconductor industry 

advance ESG initiatives, according to vice-president of 

business development, Kendall Weingardt. 


the need for chips is growing and 

fabs are being built and expanded 

at a rate greater than any time in 

history,” he added. “While this is [an] 

achievement, these fabs require 

incredible amounts of energy and 

water.” The average chip reportedly 

requires roughly 8 gallons of water to 

produce, and at high production — 

this can total up to more than 

9 million gallons of water per day. 

To combat this high-water usage, 

many fabs are implementing water 

recovery systems to reuse much of 

the water within the fab, reducing 

their water requirements. However, 

treating this waste water back to 

ultrapure water (UPW) standards 

consumes a lot of energy. This 

partnership aims to tackle this. “Not 

only does Aqua Membranes printed 

spacer technology allow fabs to 

recovery more water, but it also allows 

them to do it with up to 20% less 

energy,” said Weingardt. Comparing 

between Aqua Membranes printed 

spacer technology and a standard 

reverse osmosis (RO) with traditional 

mesh element architecture at Micron’s 

Boise, Idaho fabrication plant, the 

teams observed a 20% drop in overall 

system energy consumption after 

4 months of continuous operation 

of the pilot with the printed spacer 

technology. The feed to reject 

pressure drop (dP) — a measurement 

used to gauge water fouling in RO 

applications — also improved, as the 

differential pressure was reduced 

by more than 40% and the rate of 

increase was four times lower than 

mesh elements. 

Its ability to lower energy 

consumption and lower fouling rates 

lies in the design of the printed 

spacers, according to the product 

Printed spacers 

utilise the membrane 

itself as the 

substrate which 

holds the spacers in 

place (Image: Aqua 

Membranes) 

It all began with a desire to reduce 

greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) 

within water treatment systems for 

chip manufacturing, according to 

Weingardt. Since 2021, Micron’s 

investment in Aqua Membranes 

was driven by the venture’s interest 

in its printed spacer technology in 

microelectronics applications. 

“As microelectronics become 

more imbedded in our daily lives, 

manager. While conventional mesh 

spacers rely on an interconnected 

web to form a separate sheet which 

is inserted to create a flow channel, 

printed spacers utilise the membrane 

itself as the substrate which holds 



the spacers in place. The spacers are 

printed directly onto the membrane surface, 

eliminating the need for the spacers to be 

connected to one another. “These discrete 

spacers occupy less volume in the feed 

channel and do not disturb the flow, resulting 

in lower feed to reject pressure loss and 

lower overall operating pressure,” Weingardt 

said. “In the same manner, the discrete 

spacers do not create the same areas of 

low flow velocity, which are typically where 

fouling and scaling begins. Additionally, the 

spacing of the discrete features is such that 

migration of fouling and scaling from spacer 

to spacer is minimised, slowing the rate of 

bulk fouling.” 

Although initially, it was not “ready for such 

ultra-high bar that was placed on UPW 

systems”, Weingardt said that a development 

programme was drafted between Aqua 

Membranes and Micron. Shortly after, a 

special programme was formed to accelerate 

development for microelectronic applications. 

Today, this printed spacer technology 

elements are ready to ship, available in ECO 

and FLO variants, along with 4040 and 8040 

sizes that utilise brackish water membrane. 

Low energy and seawater products are in 

development. “We welcome early adopters 

willing to pilot the new variants. Prices vary 

based on application and volume but expect 

a 20-30% premium over conventional mesh 

elements,” the business development 

vice-president added. 

Through this partnership, Micron is exploring 

how this technology can be used in both 

wastewater recovery applications and 

UPW applications in its high volume fabs, 

including at its planned facility in Clay, 

New York, US. “The New York fab presents 

an opportunity for printed spacers as its 

green field design allows the systems to 

be customised from the ground-up to take 

advantage of printed spacer technology,” 

Weingardt said. “While printed spacers offer 

benefits in retrofit applications, the potential 

Not only does 

Aqua Membranes 

printed spacer 

technology allow fabs 

to recovery more water, 

but it also allows them 

to do it with up to 20% 

less energy. 

Kendall Weingardt 

Vice-president of business development, 

Aqua Membranes 

for a new build is greater as the system can 

take advantage of lower pressure drop, 

increased active area to operate with lower 

energy consumption, and recover more 

water with longer service intervals.” 

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IN THE FIELD 

Pork producer 

cuts emissions 

with on-site 

sludge treatment 

By Joanne Allen, head of business development, 

WCS Environmental Engineering (WCSEE) 

management company. This was 

costing the site time and money, 

carrying a high carbon footprint. 

The Pilgrim’s UK engineering 

team wanted to investigate the 

possibility of adding an extra 

stage to the wastewater treatment 

process to dewater the sludge 

onsite. This would reduce the cost 

of transportation and associated 

carbon emissions. The team 

also wanted to find a use for the 

dewatered sludge, to help realise 

Pilgrim’s UK circular economy 

ambitions in designing waste out of 

the pork production process. Site 

services manager at Pilgrim’s UK 

Andrew Hill said, “Pilgrim’s UK has 

ambitions to reduce on-site waste 

through design and implementation 

of circular economy processes. 

The engineering team wanted 

to investigate the possibility of 

dewatering onsite, to reduce the 

cost of transportation and carbon 

emissions, and to see whether the 

dewatered sludge had value.” 

TEST AND ANALYSIS 

Pilgrim’s UK approached the 

engineering team at WCSEE to 

carry out a free laboratory test and 

analysis to find out more about 

the composition of the sludge and 

1 

1 Pilgrim’s UK 

Spalding plant 

2 A volute screw 

press installation 

3 Another volute 

screw press 

installation 

When Britain’s biggest provider 

of higher welfare pork wanted to 

reduce processing plant sludge 

transport costs, WCSEE was 

not only able to reduce carbon 

emissions, but also drive green 

energy generation. Pilgrim’s UK is 

ambitious about energy and carbon 

emissions reduction targets and 

has pledged to become net zero 

by 2030. It has already reduced its 

company-wide direct and indirect 

carbon emissions by 62.5% since 

2019 and its indirect emissions in 

the supply chain by 9%. 

Pilgrim’s UK pork processing plant 

in Spalding, Lincolnshire, UK, saw 

an opportunity to reduce sludge 

tankering journeys to and from 

the facility. The company already 

treats its own wastewater which is 

processed through a dissolved air 

floatation (DAF) treatment system 

to meet high environmental trade 

effluent consents. A byproduct of 

the DAF process is liquid sludge, 

which was historically collected from 

the plant and transported offsite 

up to six times a week for further 

processing by the sites waste 

understand treatment options. 

The technical team at WCSEE then 

designed and developed optimal 

chemical and mechanical treatment 

options to economically process the 

sludge at the Pilgrim’s UK Spalding 

plant. This involved a trial installation 

of the screw press for five days to 

demonstrate its dewatering and 

sludge thickening capability. 

The screw press model supplied 

was specified to meet the volumes 

of sludge the site was producing 

along with the correct blend of 

chemicals and precise dosing 

measurements. The plant was 

also assessed to identify the best 


IN THE FIELD 

location and configuration for the volute 

screw press, including access to power 

and water. A 6m containerised unit — 

constructed offsite — was placed inside 

the existing processing plant containing 

everything Pilgrim’s UK needed to start 

processing the sludge. Hill added, 

“With the screw press’ plug-and-play 

capabilities, the team quickly adapted to 

the technology, and after a five-day trial 

period, it was decided to extend the trial 

by directly renting the unit from WCSEE, to 

further understand the ROI.” 

POSITIVE ROI 

The trial showed that the dewatered 

sludge produced at the Spalding site had 

a potential gas yield that could be used to 

generate biogas electricity. Pilgrim’s UK 

was able to send the dewatered sludge 

to the nearest anaerobic digestion (AD) 

plant which proved to have such a high gas 

yield it was valuable feedstock for biogas 

electricity generation. 

2 

Since the installation of the screw press, 

Pilgrim’s UK has seen more than an 80% 

reduction in sludge volumes overall and is 

now only sending dewatered sludge cake 

from the AD plant once a week on average. 

This process is now operating at zero cost 

due to its high biogas electricity generation 

value. The trial has provided an immediate 

ROI for Pilgrim’s UK and resulted in the 

three-month rental of the screw press 

becoming a full purchase. Pete Cranney, 

technical sales manager at WCSEE, said, 

“The initial analytics service is offered at 

no cost to the client, which allows site to 

prove to themselves the suitability of the 

technology, the potential cost savings of 

the project, and the value of the volute 

screw press as the most attractive ROI 

option on the market.” 

WATER AND ENERGY REDUCTIONS 

The volute screw press offers thickening 

and dewatering of DAF sludge with the 

addition of a self-cleaning filter that 

prevents clogging and enables constant 

dewatering without using large volumes 

of water. This delivers stable and constant 

dewatering, achieving up to 99% efficiency 

3 

savings against belt presses, and 92% 

against conventional screw presses. 

Operated automatically by a 24hr sensor 

control if required, the volute screw press 

also requires 70% of standard screw 

presses footprint, and 5% of the power 

usage of a comparable centrifuge. 

Along with the direct sale of the screw 

press, WCSEE has entered into an 

ongoing relationship with Pilgrim’s UK, 

which includes repair and maintenance 

along with chemical support with 

an optimised polymer used for the 

dewatering process. Cranney said, “With 

approximately 5,000 volute screw presses 

already in operation across Europe, 

WCSEE is seeing accelerated demand 

in the UK due to tighter environmental 

consents and sludge management 

regulations, along with growing interest 

for more sustainable processes in the 

F&B sector. WCSEE [welcomes] Pilgrim’s 

UK to our list of customers seeking a 

simple-to-operate, simple-to-maintain, 

and simple-to-service screw press that 

cuts costs whilst delivering sustainability 

goals.” 

Images: WCSEE 


IN THE FIELD 

Quattrone develops 

cost-efficient stormwater 

network solution 

for new housing complex 

in Florida, US 

By Sandra DiMatteo, industry marketing director, water infrastructure, Bentley Systems 

DEVELOPING A SUPERIOR RENTAL 

COMPLEX 

Coastland Residential is developing 

Mallory Townhomes as an affordable 

rental housing complex in the city of 

Fort Myers. These homes are designed 

to provide modern communal living for 

local families. The development is a 

gated, villa-style community with 

21 two-story buildings, featuring 126 

two-bedroom and 38 three-bedroom 

units, as well as amenities, including 

gym facilities, a pool, children’s 

play area, and a dog park. “Mallory 

Townhomes will provide local residents 

[with] a superior rental product to the 

typical garden-style apartments in the 

area,” said Anthony Seijas, founder and 

principal of Coastland Residential. 

Quattrone could evaluate and visualise their design solution using Bentley’s 

OpenFlows StormCAD (Image: Quattrone) 

About a year into construction, the 

underground contractor identified a 

conflict with the final stormwater outfall 

structure while connecting a reinforced 

concrete pipe (RCP) from one of 

the originally designed stormwater 

structures with the existing master 

stormwater network. Providing civil 

engineering, water management, and 

site planning services, Quattrone were 

brought on site to evaluate and discuss 

potential remedies to keep construction 

on schedule. 


IN THE FIELD 

ADDRESSING NETWORK ISSUES 

MID-CONSTRUCTION 

The original design plan called for 

connecting a 42in stormwater RCP into 

one of the existing stormwater structures. 

However, the riser was not wide enough 

to connect with the RCP. The existing 

structure was also much lower than 

anticipated — located approximately 

10ft below the water table. Fort Myers 

city requested that the proposed RCP 

be lowered to connect to the base of the 

existing structure instead, where it was 

wide enough to make the connection. This 

proposal required a scuba team and would 

have been cost prohibitive and it would 

have delayed construction. 

However, Joshua Eisenoff — the project’s 

new civil engineer at Quattrone — was 

not advised of these issues and the city’s 

proposed solution until midway through 

construction when he was brought on site 

to meet with the construction team. “After 

initial conversations, [we discussed] the 

option of rerouting the entire stormwater 

system to have two, instead of three, outfall 

locations,” said Eisenoff. Yet the contractor 

had already purchased all the RCP for 

the original design. Therefore, Quattrone 

wanted to reuse all the RCP that the 

contractor originally purchased so they did 

not have to purchase an entire new supply. 

Eisenoff sought to re-network the entire 

system with the same size and length of the 

already-purchased pipe to avoid modifying 

the existing master stormwater system, 

which would take months to verify using a 

scuba team. “The constraints of wanting 

to use the same RCP pipe as originally 

designed with a new layout was a unique 

challenge. When starting a project from 

scratch, you have less constraints than 

modifying a project that is halfway through 

construction,” said Eisenoff. 

OPENFLOWS STORMCAD FACILITATES 

OPTIMAL DESIGN SOLUTION 

Upon learning about OpenFlows StormCAD 

from a coworker, Eisenoff incorporated 

this application to quickly input the current 

With OpenFlows StormCAD, Quattrone cost redesigned the stormwater network within a day (Image: Quattrone) 

stormwater scenario and modify the design 

to reroute the network. “After hearing about 

the OpenFlows StormCAD software, I [gave] 

it a try and modelled the site’s stormwater 

layout,” said Eisenoff. 

As a first-time user, Eisenoff found Bentley’s 

hydraulic modelling and analysis application 

easy to use. The ease of dropping catch 

basins, maintenance holes, and outflow 

structures proved quick and accurate. The 

software’s flexibility allowed the team to 

consider and incorporate local storm events 

to run the model specifically for this project 

site while generating detailed reports. “The 

software let me choose and identify the 

size and lengths of RCP to match the size 

and length of material that was already 

purchased on site,” added Eisenoff. Working 

in Bentley’s digital environment provided a 

visual and analytical model to help redesign 

the stormwater layout, determining an 

optimal design solution to reroute all the 

existing piping while also re-networking the 

entire system amid construction. 

ADVANCED HYDRAULIC MODELLING 

DRIVES SAVINGS 

By performing advanced hydraulic modelling 

and analysis with OpenFlows StormCAD, 

Quattrone could evaluate and visualise 

their design solution, reusing all the 

existing RCP materials to keep construction 

moving forward. “The design incorporated 

reusing RCP so it would not go to waste. 

This process lowered lead times of new 

construction material and costs greatly,” 

said Eisenoff. 

The original proposed remedy of modifying 

the existing master stormwater structure 

would have cost US$10,000 for the 

contractor and owner and resulted in a 

six-month construction postponement, 

according to Eisenoff. Using OpenFlows 

StormCAD, Quattrone could redesign the 

stormwater network within a day to keep the 

project on schedule. 

Sandra DiMatteo 

Industry marketing director, 

water infrastructure, Bentley Systems 


IN THE FIELD 

Repairing a 

suspended pipe 

within 30mins 

By Bertrand Gonthiez, Mueller regional sales manager for Europe 

1 2 

Sébastien Picollo is the operations 

manager for SATEG — a subsidiary 

of SAUR — which distributes 

drinking water to more than 

35,000 subscribers in nearly 200 

municipalities in the Pau region, 

located in southwestern France. 

SAUR manages six drinking water 

production plants supplying 

several large reservoirs with 

8.5 million m 3 of water produced 

per year in the area. The water 

distribution network includes 

1,200km of cast iron and asbestos 

cement pipes of DN100, DN150 and 

DN200, then in polyvinyl chloride 

(PVC) for the smallest sections of 

DN60, DN90 and DN110. 

REPAIR IN THE 

ARZACQ-ARRAZIGUET VILLAGE 

Arzacq-Arraziguet is a French village 

with 1,093 inhabitants, located in the 

Pyrénées-Atlantiques department 

in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. 

SATEG was notified of a leak that 

had occurred on a pipe running 

alongside a bridge and crossing a 

river. The pipeline was suspended 

with accessibility constraints. 

The aerial part of the pipeline was 

made of DN200 steel and is part 

of an asbestos-cement network 

for the most part. 

The leak, that was visible from the 

road, had a flow rate of 15m 3 /hr 

under 11bars of pressure. It 

was not possible to shut off the 

water from the network as it 

supplied several nearby farms 

and emptying the pipe was not 


IN THE FIELD 

an option. The challenge was 

to reduce the time of service 

interruption for the users 

concerned by repairing the 

leak quickly and safely, while 

taking into account the access 

constraints of the pipeline 

suspended from the bridge. To 

do this, an aerial work platform 

was used to work at height and in 

complete safety. 

The works department had two 

other leaks to attend to on that 

day and so they needed to make 

this repair as quickly as possible 

and move on to the next. SATEG 

chose to use the Repamax 

permanent repair sleeve by Krausz 

for its ease of use and reliability 

in high pressure situations. This 

repair sleeve comes in sizing 

ranging from DN40-DN1800. In 

this case, the 210mm width was 

the best fit. While this repair was 

used for a steel pipe, it can also be 

used on asbestos-cement pipes. 

Also, the radial closing design and 

sealing systems helped eliminate 

installation errors. “As the pipe was 

still under pressure, speed and 

ease really mattered,” added the 

operations manager. 

The repair sleeve has a hydraulic 

pressure-assisted gasket that 

inflates as water pressure 

increases. This allows for 3° of 

dynamic deflection on each end to 

reduce the risk of future damage to 

the pipe due to heavy traffic on the 

bridge and temperature changes. 

As it is weld-free and 100% 

stainless steel parts, the repair 

sleeve is resistant to corrosion. 

Safety is an important aspect of 

pipe repair. Good equipment can 

make all the difference and reduce 

the time that field crews spend 

in potentially harmful situations. 

Picollo said, “This repair sleeve 

gave us the ability to make the 

repair safely and easily, within half 

an hour.” 

The repair sleeve can be applied 

in several different ways. It can 

be stabbed fit to connect pipes 

or it can be wrapped around 

damaged sections to repair 

the pipe. This flexibility gives 

installers the option to either 

connect or repair a range of water 

and wastewater piping types. 

This multifunctionality — together 

with wide tolerance — reduces 

inventory costs and saves shelf 

space as the product suits a 

wide range of pipe diameters, 

eliminating the need for dedicated 

wrap-around and coupling 

products. 

Images: SAUR 

1 Leak on a 

pipe under 

a bridge in 

Arzacq-Arraziguet 

2 Aerial work 

platform was 

used to work at 

the right height 

and in safety 

3 The HYMAX 

Repamax in place 

after a half hour 

of work 

Without the Repamax, the pipe 

would require welding, which 

was not possible since the leak 

was located at a low point in the 

network without the possibility of 

draining the pipe. It was therefore 

not an option to weld with water 

in the pipe. This repair sleeve 

was best suited to both access 

constraints and minimise the 

disruption of water service for 

customers. 

REPAIR SLEEVE MAKES FOR A 

QUICK AND EASY INSTALLATION 

Picollo said, “The application of 

Repamax is simple, unlike the old 

sleeves that we used before that 

were designed with a rigid rubber 

gasket that did not guarantee 

a perfect seal. We are happy 

with it.” The light weight and 

clamping system on the repair 

sleeve meant repair crews could 

handle it without any real support. 

3 


IN THE FIELD 

Innovation underground: 

Digging deep for 

flood mitigation in 

land-scarce areas 

By Cheng Kin Joe, director — engineering, Binnies 

With everyday rain events and design 

events, typical stormwater management 

includes collection via storm drains, 

waterways and detention systems. 

Increasingly, cities are complementing 

these with nature-based solutions such 

as green roofs and vegetated swales that 

can slow runoff, increase infiltration, and 

enhance the aesthetic value of concrete 

jungles. For cloudburst events, where 

short, intense rainfall could cause flooding, 

stormwater management often requires 

a multi-solution strategy to efficiently 

and effectively channel rainwater from its 

catchment point and alleviate pooling above 

ground. Solutions typically comprise a 

combination of storage; evapotranspiration; 

infiltration; transportation, conveyance; and 

purification; deploying infrastructure such as 

underground tunnels and detention basins. 


With a rapidly changing climate, where 

rising temperatures have disrupted 

traditional precipitation patterns, cities 

across the globe face a mounting challenge 

of effectively managing the increasing 

frequency and intensity of rainfall-induced 

flooding. This issue is already acute in 

densely urbanised and land-scarce areas 

— such as Singapore — where rapid 

infrastructure expansion leaves little room 

for natural water infiltration and retention. 

As population density soars, existing 

drainage systems can quickly reach their 

limits, leaving urban centres vulnerable to 

the destructive forces of flooding. As these 

ongoing, formidable challenges become 

more severe, what are the options for cities 

as they plan and prepare for the future? 

CONSIDERATIONS FOR URBAN 

STORMWATER MANAGEMENT 

Typically, there are three key considerations 

when it comes to planning and designing 

stormwater management systems in 

urban, land-scarce locations: (1) rainwater 

resource utilisation considering ‘everyday 

rain events’, (2) urban storm drainage 

considering ‘design events’, and (3) pluvial 

flood mitigation considering ‘cloudburst 

events’. 1 

The impact of climate change, alongside 

urbanisation and ageing infrastructure, 

requires effective stormwater management 

that is ecologically and economically 

sustainable. Innovative strategies and 

solutions that are fit for purpose require 

a deep understanding and analysis of the 

catchment processes at the macro and 

micro levels, using modelling tools and 

technology such as 1D-2D hydrodynamic 

modelling tools for a more holistic view of 

current and future scenarios. 

SOLUTIONS FOR CITIES AND 

LAND-SCARCE COUNTRIES 

Currently, cities employ a combination 

of above- and below-ground stormwater 


IN THE FIELD 

management approaches in 

either open or closed systems. 

With the increased frequency of 

cloudburst events, above-ground 

stormwater detention systems such 

as reservoirs are useful, although 

often not equipped to handle the 

quantity of stormwater — the 

systems also compete with human 

and development needs. 

Meanwhile, below-ground systems, 

such as detention tanks, enable the 

collection and storage of stormwater 

runoff before release at controlled 

rates to a drainage system. Although 

this helps attenuate peak discharge 

rates at the catchment site, 

there are challenges — multiple, 

large-capacity underground tanks 

must be available to handle severe 

storms, and this requires significant 

construction costs, especially in 

cities. Other strategies include 

upstream stormwater interception 

tunnels and upgrading or widening 

drainage pipework. However, these 

methods do not fully mitigate the 

flooding problem, require a long 

time to build, and are operation and 

maintenance (O&M)-intensive. 

SINGAPORE’S NOVEL APPROACH 

In Asia, underground water spaces 

for flood defences have already 

been utilised in cities such as 

Tokyo, Japan, which currently has 

the world’s largest underground 

floodwater management facility 

with an impressive network of 

tunnels and water storage tanks 

that can withstand 356mm of 

rainfall within 48hrs. 2 

Singapore — a small, highly 

urbanised island country where 

one-third of its geography is less 

than 5m above sea level — is 

exploring a novel, below-ground 

solution to mitigate the effects 

of climate change. The concept 

— an Underground Drainage and 

Reservoir System (UDRS) — whose 

feasibility is still being assessed, 

will feature an integrated system 

comprising a Stormwater Tunnel 

System (STS) and Underground 

Reservoir Cavern (URC) for 

stormwater detention storage and 

Pumped Storage Hydropower (PSH) 

— an energy storage system cycling 

water between a surface reservoir 

and the URC. 

The UDRS feasibility study currently 

being conducted by Binnies envisions 

that in the event of an extreme 

storm event, the STS will receive 

stormwater from the surface drainage 

network and act as (1) a storage 

system to contain the stormwater and 

(2) a conveyance system to direct the 

stormwater to the URC. In tandem, 

the STS and URC will provide storage 

for stormwater that the STS may 

receive. This, in turn, could potentially 

help to offset the capacity of pumps 

required when a storm coincides 

with high tide. To match the capacity 

of a UDRS — which has a deeper 

and larger system that is managed 

centrally — the volumetric equivalent 

of hundreds, or even thousands, of 

underground detention tanks would 

have to be built island-wide. 

The feasibility study is also 

exploring a PSH to work alongside 

these elements for several 

potential benefits: as an alternative 

to batteries that are needed to 

mitigate intermittent solar power, 

as a load shifter which can 

generate operational savings, as a 

contingency for power disruption, 

and as green electricity storage to 

reduce carbon emissions. 

Although in its early stages of a 

feasibility study undertaken by 

Binnies and jointly commissioned 

by Energy Market Authority (EMA); 

and PUB, Singapore’s National 

Water Agency; a UDRS could offer 

advantages in managing floods from 

extreme storms. A larger and deeper 

underground storage system, with 

a central and efficient operation 

and management capability, could 

allow for more optimised use of land 

and energy storage needs. While 

the UDRS could potentially be the 

first of its kind concept in the world, 

it is likely to be a significant cost 

and infrastructure undertaking for 

Singapore if deemed feasible for 

implementation. 

WHAT IS NEXT? 

Though an underground system is not 

new for flood mitigation in Singapore, 

it could potentially pave a new way 

forward as rainfall intensifies and 

above-ground areas are utilised for 

urban development. There may also 

be an opportunity to treat water 

stored in the UDRS into potable 

water, further advancing Singapore’s 

sustainability goals. 

References: 

1 IWA. State of Green white papers for a green 

transition: Water for smart liveable cities. 

 

2 The Straits Times. Climate change will test 

Tokyo’s world-class flood defences. 

Cheng Kin Joe 

Director – engineering, Binnies 


FOCUS 

Wateroam’s vision 

to end prolonged thirst 

By Lim Chong Tee, CMO and co-founder, Wateroam 

water, especially with the current 

drawbacks. This led to the development 

of systems that draw water from surface 

sources such as rivers, employing 

advanced membrane technology to purify 

and eradicate harmful parasites like 

bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. New water 

filtration systems are also lightweight and 

able to serve communities of up to 200 

people, making them portable and capable 

of producing clean water at a rapid rate. 

Refugees who fled to Turkey borders in the Syrian war (Image: iStock) 

Attempting to address water-related 

In order to alleviate the need for clean water 

challenges in vulnerable communities comes supply, portable water filters fill the gap by 

with cost due to the lack of both appropriate providing clean drinking water to internally 

infrastructure and a user-friendly design. displaced persons (IDP) in off grid areas. 

In conflict zones, traditional water supply Access to safe water not only reduces 

infrastructure becomes impractical and waterborne diseases but also enhances 

costly due to pipeline disruptions, road overall health and poverty alleviation. 

damages, and logistical chain breakdowns. 

By marrying innovation with a commitment ADDRESSING DRAWBACKS OF 

to address the global water crisis, portable EXISTING SOLUTIONS 

water filters offer a solution that improves While the provision of clean drinking water 

lives. Water solution companies that is vital, existing solutions for providing clean 

ensure the long-term provision of clean water to rural regions have drawbacks in 

water emerge as a beacon of hope for their blueprints. This includes prohibitive 

conflict-stricken communities. 

costs, lack of necessary infrastructure, 

and complexity of use. Unlike tap water 

The World Health Organization (WHO) supply or expensive bottled water resupply, 

estimated that globally, 663 million people portable filter solutions offer a swift and 

still consume contaminated surface water sustainable solution especially during 

directly, resulting in an annual economic loss disaster situations. That is, provided that 

of US$260bn for developing countries due these tools are easy-to-use, portable, and 

to waterborne diseases. While poor access able to quickly produce clean water. 

to clean drinking water is complex, it is 

crucial to find solutions to protect the lives of Wateroam’s journey began with an idea 

an estimated 1.25 million people in low- and of creating a water filtration system that 

middle-income countries yearly. 

addresses the need for clean drinking 

Furthermore, these new communal water 

systems are designed to be easily operated 

with an inbuilt hand pump. Disaster-hit 

regions would thus be able to access water 

without electricity. The filtration systems 

are able to adapt to harsh environments as 

they can be connected to alternative power 

sources such as gravitational or electrical 

power. 

INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGICAL, 

SOCIAL, AND BUSINESS ELEMENTS 

By intertwining social needs, scientific 

knowledge as well as the design of 

the water filtration products, a more 

sustainable solution to water-related issues 

can be achieved. The ROAMfilter, which 

emerged from over 20 iterative cycles, 

ensures adaptability to rugged terrains 

and turbid water conditions. The design 

fosters user-friendly operation, resembling 

a familiar tool in many communities. 

The social aspect of Wateroam’s solution 

extends to community engagement 

initiatives, collaborating with grassroots 

leaders and refugees. We implement 

training initiatives, health awareness 

campaigns, and workshops to nurture local 

capacity. Wateroam also appoints hygiene 

ambassadors to encourage ownership within 

communities and cultivate knowledge for 

long-term usage of the filtration systems. 


FOCUS 

Our business focuses on long-term viability, 

with a rate-to-product volume ratio that 

ensures cost-effectiveness and affordability. 

Wateroam has also implemented ROAMfilter 

in Ukraine, Turkey, Syria, and Myanmar. 

By mitigating the spread of waterborne 

diseases, the provision of clean water has 

had positive social impacts such as enabling 

women and children to pursue education, 

reducing the risk of attacks and assault, 

and addressing health issues in vulnerable 

populations. Recently, Wateroam’s 

ROAMfilters — which was supported 

by Singapore Red Cross (SRC) — were 

deployed in the Gaza strip, Palestine, in 

response to the humanitarian crisis. 

COP28 GOALS AND CONCLUSION 

At COP28, water solution entities contributed 

to the global dialogue on water-related 

challenges by fostering public-private 

partnerships. Through collaboration with 

governments or with private sections, 

the scale of solutions that are pivotal to 

rural and disaster-struck regions can be 

amplified. Businesses should strive to 

demonstrate that they can be a force for 

good, creating positive change beyond 

profitmaking. 

Integrated innovation can build a holistic 

ecosystem with societal benefits 

through seeking a balance between 

technological design and economic 

costs. This approach will propel 

conflict-affected communities towards 

health, stability, and self-reliance with 

the provision of clean drinking water. 

By intertwining scientific efficacy 

with social context and economic 

viability, water solutions can bridge the 

gap between innovation and impact, 

executing change for communities 

without access to clean drinking water. 

Lim Chong Tee 

CMO and co-founder, Wateroam 

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is capable of selectively removing organics 

from polluted water, including micropollutants, color, 

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up to 70% on energy consumption and 90% on chemical 

dosing compared with traditional membrane technologies. 

nxfiltration.com 

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FOCUS 

Navigating 

wastewater treatment 

for environmental harmony 

By Ken Kershner, global commercial director, Nuvonic 

UV treatment eliminates 

harmful pathogens without 

introducing additional 

chemicals into the waterways 

UV VS CHEMICALS: A SHIFT IN 

WASTEWATER TREATMENT 

The dichotomy between UV and 

chemical treatments underscores the 

importance of choosing sustainable 

and environmentally-friendly options. In 

contrast to chlorine, UV treatment offers a 

unique advantage by eliminating harmful 

pathogens without introducing additional 

chemicals into the waterways. Cities and 

wastewater treatment facilities employing 

chemical methods face potential 

repercussions, altering the ecosystem and 

creating a stark contrast in environments 

surrounding outfalls. This difference 

is noticeable in areas where wildlife 

struggles to survive due to the absence of 

essential components in the ecosystem. 

In the complex landscape of 

wastewater treatment, the choices 

made in safeguarding waterways play 

a vital role in determining the health 

of our environment. A study shed light 

on the alarming volume of raw sewage 

discharged by treatment works in England 

and Wales, UK, revealing an estimated 

11 billion litres in 2020. The urgency of 

adopting safe and effective wastewater 

treatment methods becomes increasingly 

evident in the face of such statistics. 

The use of chlorine in traditional 

wastewater treatment poses 

environmental threats, when released 

into rivers and streams. This chemical, 

intended for disinfection, proves harmful 

to aquatic life by causing fish kills 

and disrupting microbial communities 

essential for ecological balance. 

Chlorine’s reaction with organic matter 

produces carcinogenic 

byproducts, impacting both water 

quality and the health of ecosystems. 

Additionally, its introduction alters water 

chemistry, contributing to issues like 

eutrophication — a process that involves 

an excessive growth of algae — often 

spurred by the release of nutrients like 

phosphorous and nitrogen, which can 

lead to oxygen depletion and negatively 

impact aquatic fauna. 

However, a proven alternative exists in the 

form of UV disinfection, a chemical-free 

approach that not only reduces harmful 

pathogens but also contributes to the 

preservation of water quality. We explore 

the implications of UV compared to 

chemical treatments, the challenges 

posed by stormwater runoff, and the 

need for a comprehensive approach to 

wastewater treatment. 

THE DANGERS OF CHLORINE 

TRANSPORT AND CHALLENGES OF 

STORMWATER RUNOFF 

The choice between UV and chemical 

treatments gains further gravity when 

considering the dangers associated 

with transporting chlorine. The 2005 

collision of two Norfolk Southern trains in 

Graniteville, US, serves as a reminder of 

the perils of chlorine transportation. This 

incident, which resulted in the deadliest 

chlorine release in US history, left 9 

people dead and hundreds injured. The 

community still bears the physical and 

emotional scars, with heart and breathing 

problems, body pain, and lasting 

emotional trauma plaguing the survivors. 

One of the pressing issues in wastewater 

treatment is stormwater runoff, a 

phenomenon that overwhelms treatment 

plants during heavy rain. The runoff, 

laden with various pollutants, poses a 

challenge for cities striving to maintain 


FOCUS 

effective wastewater treatment. UV 

systems, strategically positioned as the 

final line of defense, have the capability 

to adapt to peak flow periods. This 

adaptability ensures efficient treatment 

even during intermittent high flows, 

making UV an invaluable component 

in addressing the challenges posed by 

stormwater runoff. 

MAINTAINING A COMPLETE PLAN, 

ADDRESSING PHARMACEUTICALS 

AND EMERGING CONTAMINANTS 

The issue of pharmaceuticals in 

wastewater — often labelled as 

endocrine disruptors — necessitates 

a multifaceted solution. UV treatment, 

when combined with advanced 

oxidation processes (AOPs), proves 

effective in mitigating the impact 

of pharmaceuticals and emerging 

contaminants. By pairing UV with 

chemical agents such as peroxide, 

municipalities can address the 

complexities of contaminants beyond 

the conventional focus on Escherichia 

coli (E. coli). This approach ensures 

a more comprehensive and proactive 

stance in maintaining water quality. 

1 

ALIGNING WASTEWATER TREATMENT 

WITH ECOLOGICAL PRESERVATION 

As we navigate the complex landscape of 

wastewater treatment, choosing between 

UV and chemical methods emerges 

as a pivotal decision with far-reaching 

implications. UV disinfection — 

with its chemical-free approach — offers 

an avenue to safeguard waterways, 

mitigate the impact of stormwater runoff, 

and address emerging contaminants. A 

comprehensive wastewater treatment 

plan, coupled with advancements in 

UV technology, can usher in an era of 

sustainable practices that prioritise 

environmental harmony. It is imperative 

for cities and treatment facilities to 

embrace innovative solutions and 

transition toward a future where 

wastewater treatment aligns seamlessly 

with ecological preservation. 

1 UV disinfection is a chemical-free approach that 

contributes to the preservation of water quality 

2 UV disinfection offers an avenue to safeguard 

waterways 

2 

Images: Nuvonic 


FOCUS 

Chemical dosing solutions 

for a newly built 

sewage plant 

1 2 

During construction of a sewage plant in 

Sichuan, China, the operator required a 

dosing pump control system in order to 

precisely manage chemical injection as 

part of the site’s design. The plant — a 

US$11m development expected to process 

20,000m³ of sewage per day — was to 

incorporate advanced technology for the 

handling of complex applications such as 

Anaerobic–Anoxic–Oxic (AAO), including a 

deep bed denitrification filter. 

Meanwhile, a key requirement during 

planning was the protection of water 

quality and the maintenance of a healthy 

ecological balance within local water 

bodies. For this, chemical metering 

pumps specialist SEKO was approached 

to supply a solution for sodium 

hypochlorite, phosphate remover and 

carbon-source dosing at various stages 

of the process. Following an initial site 

assessment and collaboration with 

the operator, SEKO recommended its 

motor-driven Spring series pumps and 

Elektra control units as the solution to 

meet the operator’s needs. 

24/7 DATA ON DEMAND 

With a requirement for high-accuracy 

dosing to ensure reliable water treatment 

and reduced chemical consumption, Spring 

and Elektra’s precision to within 2% of 

target made the combination the natural 

choice. Meanwhile, Elektra’s integrated 

wifi server and connection to the SekoWeb 

smartphone app and online platform meant 

that technicians could view live and historical 

dosing data on demand 24/7 from any 

location. 

With this information at their fingertips, they 

would gain an understanding of their process 

while the ability to manage programmes and 

view alarms remotely. This allowed them to 

implement changes, identify faults and plan 

maintenance without the need to attend 

site. Not only would this enable the operator 

to save on travel time and cost, it meant 

they could also reduce their environmental 

impact as part of a long-term sustainability 

policy. Elektra also boasts a Modbus RS485 

protocol integrated on the mainboard, giving 

the operator another data communication 

option should wifi connection be unavailable. 

1 SEKO recommended its motor-driven Spring series 

pumps and Elektra control units as the solution to 

meet the operator’s needs (Image: SEKO) 

2 The operator saved on travel time and cost, and 

they could also reduce their environmental impact 

(Image: SEKO) 

ELEKTRA AND SPRING SERIES 

The combination of Spring — with a flow rate 

of 5.5-1,200L/hr and a maximum pressure 

of 16bar — and Elektra — with a flow rate of 

1.5-1,000L/hr and a maximum pressure of 

20bar — provides the client with real-time 

flow monitoring and control, ensuring that 

chemical dosing remains stable throughout 

operation; a valuable feature in a process 

where consistency is essential. 

Finally, with 4-20mA analogue output, 

Elektra is both noise-resistant and well-suited 

for long-distance transmission in this 

large-scale site. Since the installation of 

SEKO’s Spring and Elektra systems, the 

operator has reported excellent control of their 

process and a water quality improvement in 

surrounding watercourses. 


FOCUS 

Navigating the dual 

challenges of flooding 

and water scarcity 

in the climate change era 

In Asia’s diverse landscapes, water’s 

abundance and scarcity have shaped 

centuries of progress, tradition, 

and innovation. Today, as the world 

grapples with climate change, 

urbanisation, and population booms, 

Asia faces a critical juncture in water 

management. 

In South East Asia, the disparity is 

stark. Nations like Singapore, with 

its advanced water reclamation 

systems, stand in contrast to the 

water-insecure villages of Indonesia 

or the drought-stricken fields of 

Thailand. Here, water scarcity bites hard, 

not because of its absence but due to its 

mismanagement and the challenges of 

ensuring clean, accessible water for all. 

The irony is sharpened by the 

prevalence of floods. Cities like 

Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur — despite 

their burgeoning economies — are 

annually besieged by floods that 

displace thousands and erode urban 

life. In these regions, floods are 

not just an inconvenience; they are 

a chronic affliction that hampers 

development, destroys infrastructure, 

and saps economic vitality. 

Historical data shows that sea levels 

have reached higher marks in the past, 

yet it is the unprecedented rate of 

rise in the last 30 years that sets this 

era apart. Should carbon emissions 

continue unabated, the swift rise in 

sea levels may surpass our abilities for 

effective adaptation and mitigation. 

By the turn of the century, the 

financial ramifications of sea-level 

related flooding are projected to 

soar, potentially costing the global 

economy up to US$27tn each year. 

For Singapore, the anticipated loss in 

land value due to such flooding could 

total around $2bn by 2100. 

The equatorial Pacific region, home 

to over 20 nations — more than half 

of which have lower middle-income 

economies and collectively house 

700 million people — finds itself 

vulnerable to the detrimental impacts 

of rising sea levels. In response to 

these challenges, the global market 

and policy landscape are increasingly 

centring on climate change 

countermeasures. By 2030, urban 

resilience-building initiatives present 

an economic opportunity estimated 

between $90bn and $155bn annually. 

1 

JAPAN: A SUDDEN SHIFT IN THE 

LANDSCAPE 

The recent 7.5 Richter scale 

earthquake in Japan reminds how 

natural disasters can instantaneously 

alter the landscape and exacerbate 

existing water management 

challenges. Japan’s sophisticated 

earthquake preparedness systems 

— lauded globally — were put to the 

test as the quake disrupted supply 

lines, including those for water. The 

tremors underscore the need for 

robust, adaptable systems capable 

of withstanding such sudden shifts 

— a call to action for innovations that 

ensure not just the presence but the 

resilience of essential resources. 

IN PURSUIT OF BETTER DATA FOR 

FLOOD MANAGEMENT 

In the quest for improved flood 

management, smarter data through 

technological innovation is crucial. 

1 Areas affected 

by flooding 

2 Sensor networks 

in action within 

urban drainage 

systems 


FOCUS 

2 

Tack’s EVO series introduces the 

Floodfinder, a flood monitoring 

system equipped with artificial 

intelligence (AI)-powered smart data 

analytics in water crisis management. 

Equipped with AI-powered analytics, 

the Floodfinder provides city 

planners — in densely populated 

regions like Singapore — with data to 

develop and improve flood mitigation 

strategies. In Indonesia’s topography, 

this technology becomes more 

critical, potentially transforming 

response and recovery actions in the 

wake of disasters. For city planners, 

Floodfinder offers a level of insight 

that informs resilient infrastructure 

development and efficient 

emergency response planning. 

For countries like Japan — already 

well-versed in disaster response — 

the integration of Tack’s technology 

could enhance earthquake recovery 

efforts by facilitating the rapid 

restoration of water management 

systems. The Floodfinder could 

serve as a tool for earthquake-prone 

regions, where the balance between 

water surplus and shortage can be 

disrupted in moments, ensuring that 

when the earth shakes, the flow of 

water continues unabated. 

For architects and developers, 

Tack’s Floodfinder system lays 

the groundwork for smart building 

planning. By harnessing accurate 

elevation and hydrological data, 

structures can be designed with 

water disaster resilience in mind, 

ensuring safety and sustainability in 

construction practices. 

METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES 

At a national scale, meteorological 

services benefit from the granularity 

of data provided by Tack’s 

Floodfinder. With AI at the helm, 

forecasting becomes more precise, 

enabling countries to pre-emptively 

strategise against the adverse 

effects of flooding, safeguarding 

communities and bolstering disaster 

readiness. 

THE LANDSCAPE OF WATER 

INNOVATION IN ASIA 

Asia’s water technology sector reflects 

the continent’s complexities. From the 

rice paddies of Indonesia, Vietnam 

to the bustling metropolises like 

Tokyo, solutions must be as dynamic 

as the environments they serve. 

Startups across Asia are rising to 

the challenge, blending wisdom with 

technology. Innovations like AI-driven 

water quality monitoring systems, 

Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled 

irrigation, and wastewater treatment 

processes are the beginning. These 

solutions not only target efficiency 

and conservation but also empower 

communities, ensuring equitable 

access to this precious resource. 

The future of water technology 

in Asia is not a linear path but a 

burgeoning ecosystem of solutions, 

each tailored to meet the region’s 

myriad needs. As organisations 

improve their operations, we will 

see a ripple effect of sustainability 

and resilience. The integration of 

green infrastructure, smart cities, 

and community engagement will 

transform water management 

into a proactive — rather than 

reactive — endeavour. Local 

startups are driving progress 

with each sensor deployed, each 

byte of data analysed, and each 

community engaged. In the face 

of our water world’s challenges, 

these next generation of pioneers 

in new technology is a testament 

to the power of human ingenuity in 

harmony with nature. 

Images: Tack One 


FOCUS 

Fluidised Bed 

Incineration (FBI) 

technology for sewage 

sludge waste-to-energy 

By Lee Tze Kang, executive director, Novexx 

FBI technology 

SOLUTION FOR SEWAGE SLUDGE AND 

HAZARDOUS WASTES 

Integrated engineering solutions company 

in Singapore, Novexx, is the authorised 

representative of Raschka Engineering. 

Raschka incineration technology is said 

to be reliable, efficient and safe for 

waste-to-energy, process chemicals and 

pharmaceutical facilities. The technology is 

designed for low calorific value scattered 

solid wastes — such as sludge from 

wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) — to 

achieve complete homogeneous burning 

without the need for supplementary fuel 

except for initial commissioning. It includes 

an effective and efficient flue gas treatment 

system to meet the stringent environmental 

emission standards in Europe and Singapore. 

We have also incorporated future-proofing 

feature in our design to reduce nitrous 

oxide (N2O) emission. N20 can remain in 

the atmosphere for more than 100 years 

and thus contributes largely to global 

warming. According to the US Environmental 

Protection Agency (EPA), the impact of 1 

pound of N2O on warming the atmosphere is 

almost 300 times that of 1 pound of carbon 

dioxide. 1 

Over the last 60 years, we have 

completed more than 100 sludge FBI 

and other hazardous waste incineration 

waste-to-energy projects across 

Europe and Asia. The projects include 

the oldest operating FBI incineration 

plant since 1976 in Switzerland, and the 

largest sludge incineration in the world 

in Germany. Raschka FBI technology has 

also been adopted by Singapore’s National 

Environment Agency (NEA) for the Tuas 

Nexus Integrated Waste Management 

Facility (IWMF) project, with a design 

capacity of 800 tonnes per day of sludge. 

WHY INCINERATION? 

Firstly, it provides safe disposal. 

Unincinerated or partially treated, 

post-anaerobic digested WWTP sludge 

has the potential to contaminate 

underground water if not properly 

managed. Some examples are leaching 

to underground water sources, surface 

runoff to nearby rivers, infiltration, 

and contamination of soil and wells. 

Incineration is considered a safe method 

for sludge disposal as it destroys any 

potential hazardous substances that may 

be present in the sludge. This ensures 

that the sludge does not pose a risk to 

the environment or human health when 

properly disposed of. Furthermore, WWTP 

sludge can contain harmful pathogens, 

including bacteria, viruses, and parasites. 

Incineration at high temperatures helps to 

kill these pathogens, reducing the risk of 

disease transmission. 


FOCUS 

Sludge generated during wastewater 

treatment is also typically high in moisture 

content, which makes it bulky and 

expensive to transport and dispose of. 

Incineration helps to reduce the volume 

of sludge — typically to 1% or less — by 

evaporating the water content, making it 

more cost-effective for disposal which in 

turn helps to prolong the lifespan of our 

limited landfill. Additionally, sludge can 

produce unpleasant odours — including 

methane gas emission, about 25 times 

the global warming index of CO2 — due 

to the decomposition of organic matter. 

Incineration helps to eliminate these odours, 

improving the environmental conditions 

around the disposal site. 

1 

1 Innovatherm’s sludge 

incineration in Lünen, 

Germany, is said to 

be the largest in the 

world 

2 The oldest 

operating FBI sludge 

incineration plant 

since 1976 is in Visp, 

Switzerland 

3 IWMF at Tuas Nexus 

Incineration of sludge can also help recover 

energy from the organic materials present. 

The heat generated during incineration can 

be used for steam generation or electricity 

production, offsetting some of the energy 

requirements of the WWTP. In Lünen, 

Germany — the largest single line FBI in 

the world which was built by our team — 

low calorific coal is mixed with the sewage 

sludge to generate excess electricity to 

power up the nearby township. Incineration 

helps with landfill mining too, as the ashes 

collected can be further processed to 

useful construction materials. 

2 

Finally, governments in Europe are 

pushing to ban co-incineration in 

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) incineration 

plants and co-incineration in cement kiln 

because of their low energy efficiency, 

stringent phosphorous recycling and 

ash collecting requirements. There is a 

growing interest worldwide to recover 

phosphorus from municipal WWTPs 

for use in plant fertilisers. For instance, 

Germany stipulates phosphorus recovery 

from WWTPs with at least 100,000 

population equivalents (PE) to be made 

mandatory by 2029. 

NOVEXX’S LATEST PROJECT IN 

SINGAPORE 

Tuas Nexus is the first of its kind facility that 

is planned from ground up and is designed 

to harness process on the concept of 

achieving synergies between NEA IWMF 

and PUB, Singapore’s National Water 

Agency — Tuas Water Reclamation Plant 

(WRP). Tuas Nexus is said to optimise 

both energy and resource recovery in 

solid waste and used water treatment 

processes while further reducing the 

environmental and land use footprint. 

3 

As part of the IWMF project, the facility 

consists of two FBIs using the Raschka 

technology. 

Reference: 

1 US EPA. Overview of greenhouse gases. 

Images: Novexx 


FOCUS 

Why decarbonising 

wastewater industry 

is an industry imperative 

By Mohammad (Moh) Sherafatmand, founder and CEO of Hydroleap 

Water touches our lives and the 

businesses we are involved in every 

day. Thus, decarbonisation should be a 

priority for this precious resource. As the 

world grapples with water challenges and 

seeks newer solutions, a pivotal yet often 

overlooked aspect is the decarbonisation 

of the wastewater industry. A closer 

inspection of the current treatment calls 

for a shift from traditional, energy-, 

and chemical-intensive practices to 

sustainable technology solutions, 

reflecting the rising ESG standards. 

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WATER 

AND ENERGY 

Water and energy are interconnected. 

Therefore, the journey towards sustainable 

water management should begin with 

the water-energy nexus. By recognising 

that water-related processes, including 

distribution, treatment, and desalination, 

are major energy consumers, it is clear 

that reducing energy use in these sectors 

is essential for decreasing the industry’s 

carbon footprint. 

The International Energy Agency has 

pointed out that the water sector is a 

notable consumer of energy, accounting 

for approximately 4% of total global 

energy usage.* Within this, wastewater 

treatment plants (WWTPs) alone 

consume 25% of this energy. Alarmingly, 

this demand is expected to more than 

double by 2040, due to the increasing 

need for desalination and advanced 

wastewater treatment. In the World 

Energy Outlook 2018 report, the agency 

pointed out that 80% of wastewater 

remains untreated due to financial and 

resource constraints, leading to a critical 

Imagine H20 event in 2023 

sanitation crisis that affects 4.5 billion 

people and has severe environmental 

repercussions.* 

Given that WWTPs are responsible for a 

considerable portion of energy consumption, 

prioritising more energy-efficient and 

sustainable treatment processes is crucial. 

Not only does this help in decarbonising 

wastewater treatment, but it also 

addresses the anticipated surge in energy 

demand within the water sector by 2040. 

The need to rethink industrial wastewater 

treatment is becoming increasingly 

urgent. This change entails moving away 

from traditional methods — which have 

negative environmental impacts — such 

as releasing hazardous chemicals into 

water bodies and reducing total energy 

consumption. This shift is now a key 

focus in global discussions, with many 

countries aiming to lower their carbon 

footprint through innovative wastewater 

management strategies. 

Moreover, the increasing emphasis on 

ESG metrics is reshaping the approach 

to sustainability in the water industry. As 

ESG standards become more pronounced, 

industries worldwide are under greater 

pressure to adopt sustainable practices. 

This is more prominent in Asia where fast 

economic growth neccessitates higher 

resource demand. The Asian region has 

heightened its focus on ESG goals in the 

field of industrial wastewater treatment. 

However, current progress indicates that 

the Asia-Pacific region is lagging in meeting 

its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 

related to water. Nearly 500 million people 

lack access to basic water supply services, 

and over 1.1 billion are without adequate 

sanitation and most of the existing WWTPs 

rely on conventional methods which happen 

to be energy and chemical-intensive.* This 

pressing situation demands concerted 

efforts across various Asian countries, 

where each nation faces its own unique set 

of challenges. This necessity is propelling 


FOCUS 

Hydroleap containerised HL-ECM for treating construction wastewater 

the development of carbon-neutral 

wastewater treatment methods are 

wastewater treatment processes, aligning becoming increasingly insufficient.* 

industrial operations with both ESG goals There is a growing need for innovative 

and evolving regulatory standards. 

treatment technologies in the coming 

decade, capable of removing toxins that 

FROM THEN TO NOW, TRANSFORMING conventional methods cannot. These 

WASTEWATER TREATMENT PRACTICES advancements should focus on sustainable 

The prevailing chemical treatment 

and low energy consuming water 

processes in wastewater management treatments to minimise environmental 

— such as chemical precipitation, 

impact and resource consumption. 

neutralisation, adsorption, disinfection, Promising developments in bioremediation 

and ion exchange — are fundamentally technologies — including microbial fuel 

about altering wastewater’s composition cells, bio electrochemical systems, nanobio-technological 

processes, and natural 

through external chemicals or temperature 

adjustments. These processes are 

systems like constructed wetlands, have 

extensively employed in numerous sectors, demonstrated potential in lab and pilot 

including F&B, cooling towers, mining, and studies.* 

manufacturing. However, these traditional 

methods rely heavily on chemical use. For Additionally, emerging integrated 

instance, standard practices in industrial technologies that blend physical and 

wastewater treatment — involving chemical biological methods show promise but 

treatments and aeration — are not just still require enhancements in efficiency, 

expensive but also environmentally harmful. cost-effectiveness, and energy utilisation 

They produce toxic sludge detrimental to be broadly applicable. Electrochemical 

to aquatic ecosystems, necessitating 

technologies emerge as a significant 

additional treatment. Likewise, cooling innovation in achieving carbon-neutral 

towers in data centres and commercial wastewater treatment. This technology 

buildings exert a significant environmental requires less energy for operation while 

toll, consuming and discharging high-quality yielding superior-quality treated water. It 

water, thereby exacerbating water and eliminates various contaminants, including 

chemical footprint issues in addition to their total suspended solids (TSS), biochemical 

energy footprint. 

oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen 

demand (COD), oil, grease, and heavy 

Given the emerging challenges of 

metals, while being energy-efficient. Its 

population growth, rapid industrialisation, scalable and modular design fits well 

and decreasing freshwater resources across diverse industrial scenarios, aligning 

in the Asia-Pacific region, traditional 

with sustainability and ESG objectives. 

REDUCING CARBON FOOTPRINT IN 

WASTEWATER TREATMENTS 

Our commitment to research and 

innovation at Hydroleap is driven by the 

goal to uncover the most efficient and 

least energy-intensive processes for 

wastewater treatments. This mission has 

led to the successful implementation of our 

technologies, Electrocoagulation (HL-EC) 

and Electrooxidation (HL-EO) in various 

sectors. We found that electrochemical 

processes are adept at removing complex 

contaminants including colours, heavy 

metals, and stubborn molecular compounds, 

while simultaneously improving the 

biodegradability of the wastewater. This 

enhancement not only increases the 

effectiveness of the treatment but also 

reduces complications in subsequent 

processing stages by diminishing fouling 

and cutting down organic loads. 

Another favourable feature of the 

electrochemical approach is the integration 

of automation. In our experience, this 

system manages to minimise manual labour 

by up to 95% and achieve substantial cost 

savings of 30%. It ensures consistent, 

optimal operation, reducing the risk of 

human errors. In addition, our solutions 

are modularised with the possibility to 

adapt and scale across various industrial 

contexts. With remarkable results in the 

laboratory, we have collaborated with public 

and private entities throughout Asia in the 

quest to reduce the carbon footprint of the 

wastewater industry. Our partners come 

from industries that have been relying on 

traditional methods to treat wastewater 

such as F&B, mining, and manufacturing and 

data centres. 

The key question we often face has been 

how to reduce fresh water usage, enhance 

the quality of discharged water, and lower 

energy consumption. Despite common 

objectives, the complexity of wastewater 

compositions in different sectors requires 

tailored approaches. This diversity in 

wastewater characteristics has been crucial 

in learning and continuously advancing our 

practices. For example, in water-intensive 

food production, we would adopt a 


FOCUS 

two-pronged strategy. By 

implementing both HL-EC and HL-EO, 

we not only enhance the quality of 

the output but also prioritise water 

conservation and reduction of 

environmental impact. This process 

is typically integrated into a larger 

wastewater treatment system and 

results in effluent that is reusable. 

On the other hand, the data centre 

industry faces a different set of 

challenges. Their operation requires 

a large amount of water for cooling 

towers and often generates water 

that is required to be discharged. Our 

advanced HL-EO system oxidises 

minerals and contaminants, thus, 

neutralising bacteria and breaking 

down mineral buildup. The result is 

up to 70% less blowdown, an 8-10% 

reduction in water use, and a 40-50% 

increase in concentration cycles, 

offering cost savings and enhanced 

sustainability in operations. 

NAVIGATING THE CHALLENGES 

AND SEIZING OPPORTUNITIES 

IN SUSTAINABLE WASTEWATER 

TREATMENT 

The journey towards sustainable 

industrial wastewater treatment 

in Asia is paved with challenges. 

The high initial costs of deploying 

new technologies stand as a 

barrier, necessitating the creation 

of innovative financing models and 

strategies to enhance accessibility. 

Equally crucial is the development 

of a skilled workforce, trained and 

educated to operate and maintain 

these advanced systems, which 

demands substantial investment in 

training initiatives. Furthermore, the 

integration of these technologies 

into pre-existing infrastructural 

frameworks requires careful planning 

and execution to ensure efficient 

transitions. 

However, these challenges also 

open doors for inventive solutions, 

collaboration, and the establishment 

of public-private partnerships. 

Governments play a pivotal role as 

facilitators and accelerators, bridging 

the gap between private entities — 

green tech startups like Hydroleap 

— and broader sustainability 

goals. They create a platform for 

these organisations to converge 

and collaborate toward shared 

environmental objectives. 

The Asian region is not without its 

success stories, which stand as a 

testament to what can be achieved 

in the realm of decarbonising 

Mohammad (Moh) Sherafatmand 

Founder and CEO of Hydroleap 

wastewater treatment. Singapore, 

for instance, has set a high standard 

with the integration of advanced 

membrane technologies and the reuse 

of treated wastewater in industrial 

processes.* Thailand’s utilisation of 

biogas from wastewater treatment as 

a source of energy further exemplifies 

the potential for energy recovery 

and carbon emission reduction.* 

The pursuit of a decarbonised and 

sustainable wastewater treatment 

framework in South East Asia is 

complex but achievable. It requires a 

harmonious blend of ESG goals with 

a commitment to efficiency and the 

adoption of eco-friendly technologies. 

The region is on a path toward 

responsible water management, 

a journey that necessitates the 

collective effort of industries, 

governments, and communities. 

Every small step taken is a vital part 

of the broader narrative toward 

achieving ecological balance and 

transforming the industry. This 

collective endeavour is essential 

in turning the vision of sustainable 

wastewater management into a 

tangible reality. 

Moh speaking to former deputy prime minister of Singapore, Teo Chee Hean, and 

ministry of finance in 2017 


Images: Hydroleap 


HOTSEAT 

Improving the efficiency 

of wastewater treatment 

containing phenol and 

other organic contaminants 

By Stanislav Mykytenko and Oleg Kryvokhyzha, both founders and directors of GlobeCore, Ukraine 

Fig. 1: Process 

flow diagram 

of wastewater 

dephenolisation: 

1 – wastewater 

balancing tank; 

2 – oxidising agent 

tank; 3 – oxidation 

reactor; 4 – sodium 

sulfate storage tank; 

5 – press filter; 

6–8 – pumps 

The main sources of phenolic 

wastewater occurrence are 

enterprises for thermal processing 

of fuel. These include byproduct 

coke plants, coke gas works, gas 

generator stations, enterprises for 

thermal processing of wood and 

synthetic liquid fuel. Wastewater also 

occurs at smelteries, oil refineries, 

rubber, phenolphthalein, and salicylic 

acid regeneration enterprises.* 

Depending on the sources of 

occurrence, phenolic liquid waste has 

a distinct colouring. The liquid waste 

of byproduct coke plants is yellow or 

grey, with a variety of shades. Liquid 

waste of petrochemical production 

facilities contains a considerable 

amount of organic impurities such 

as crude oil and petroleum products, 

phenols, surfactants; and other 

compounds. These are characterised 

by increased chemical consumption 

of oxygen, toxicity due to the 

presence of surfactants and phenolic 

compounds. Therefore, this kind of 

wastewater should be pretreated 

before discharging to common 

treatment facilities. 

ANALYSIS OF THE METHODS FOR 

TREATMENT OF PHENOL-CONTAINING 

WASTEWATER 

In many cases, the methods used 

at industrial enterprises do not 

ensure high-quality treatment as 

the dephenolisation degree ranges 

from 75-90% and have a number of 

disadvantages. Firstly, the duration 

of the process ranges from 3-5hrs, 

and the process requires high labour 

intensity. It consumes chemical agents, 

such as pyrolusite, potassium or sodium 

bichromate using 5 parts by weight per 

1g of phenol with a process temperature 


HOTSEAT 

of 95-100°С. It requires bulky 

equipment and a large production 

floor space. A generalised typical 

diagram of an industrial plant for 

phenol-containing wastewater 

treatment is shown in Fig. 1. 

FERROMAGNETIC PARTICLES AVS 

IN WASTEWATER TREATMENT 

PROCESSES 

A vortex layer device (AVS) is a system 

consisting of an operating chamber 

placed in an inductor of a rotating 

electromagnetic field (Fig. 2).* 

The operating chamber of the 

device is a pipeline wherein driven 

by a rotating electromagnetic 

field, the steel, cylindrical-shaped 

ferromagnetic particles move along 

complex trajectories that contact 

the substances running through the 

pipeline, collide with one another 

and the operating chamber walls. 

At the same time, various physical 

phenomena arise in the operating 

zone of the device. This is due to 

water and chemical agent mixing, 

as well as a more complete and 

intensive course of chemical 

reaction achieved. It takes a few 

kilowatts of active power to create 

a rotating electromagnetic field. 

Thus, the presence of an AVS makes 

wastewater treatment complexes 

more compact as mixing occurs in 

stream and no longer requires large 

mixing tanks. It is energy-efficient 

due to the lack of mechanical mixers 

needed, and also saves on expensive 

chemical agents due to the rapid 

course of chemical reactions.* 

METHOD FOR TREATING 

PHENOL-CONTAINING 

WASTEWATER WITH AVS 

The study paper proposed a new 

continuous method for treatment of 

wastewater containing phenol and 

other organic impurities through 

the use of a ferromagnetic particles 

AVS.* The study for maturing this 

method in an AVS was carried out 

Parameters 

Phenol of 

formaldehyde 

resins 

Wastewater of production facilities 

Phenol of epoxy 

resins 

Fig. 2: General view 

of AVS: 1 – protective 

bushing; 2 – inductor of 

rotating electromagnetic 

field; 3 – inductor 

housing; 4 – operating 

chamber made of 

non-magnetic material; 

5 – ferromagnetic 

particles 

Phenol of 

diphenylolpropane 

Phenol (g/dm 3 ) 0.5-5 0.1-0.3 10 

Sulfuric acid (%) 2-5 – 10 

Formaldehyde (g/dm 3 ) 2-12 – – 

Diphenylolpropane (g/dm 3 ) 3-5 1.5 9.3 

Methanol (g/dm 3 ) 0.8-10 5 – 

NaCl (g/dm 3 ) – 12.7 – 

NaOH (g/dm 3 ) – 0.5-10 – 

Dry residue (g/dm 3 ) 0.5-8.5 28.0 45 

with artificially prepared wastewater 

that had the concentration of phenol, 

acids, and impurities similar to 

the content of these constituents 

in wastewater of real production 

facilities. The characteristics of 

wastewater understudy are shown in 

Fig. 3. 

The process flow diagram of the plant 

for treatment of phenol-containing 

wastewater through the use of AVS 

is simpler in terms of hardware and 

process-related design, compared to 

the industrial process flow diagram 

(Fig. 4). 

The phenol-containing wastewater 

coming from the points of its 

occurrence enters the balancing tank 

for mixing and phenol concentration 

equalising (Fig. 4). The wastewater 

— previously analysed for phenol 

content — is pumped from the 

balancing tank to the AVS wherein 

an oxidising agent — a sodium or 

Fig. 3: Wastewater 

characterisation 


HOTSEAT 

ensure high-quality treatment of 

phenol-containing wastewater with 

the operating costs lower than those 

using known methods. 

It has also been determined 

that when the treatment of 

wastewater containing phenol with 

a concentration of 0.5-10g/dm 3 , the 

acidity of the medium up to 

5g/dm 3 can be carried out by means 

of oxidising agents such as pyrolusite, 

potassium or sodium bichromate, 

potassium permanganate. This is 

with a duration of oxidation in the 

AVS as t=0.1-2sec, at a wastewater 

temperature of 20-45°С to the 

residual phenol content after 

treating: 1.2-10mg/dm 3 in the event 

of pyrolusite oxidation, 0.2-5mg/dm 3 

in the event of potassium bichromate 

oxidation, and 0.1-1.0mg/dm 3 in the 

Fig. 4: Process 

flow diagram 

of wastewater 

dephenolisation: 

1 – wastewater 

balancing tank; 

2 – oxidising agent 

tank; 3 – oxidation 

reactor; 4 – sodium 

sulfate storage tank; 

5 – press filter; 

6-8 – pumps; 

9 – AVS 

potassium bichromate solution with 

a concentration of 150-300g/dm 3 

— is simultaneously fed. Phenol is 

oxidised in the device from where 

the wastewater is fed into another 

device of the same type for reduction 

of residual hexavalent chromium 

by means of ferrous sulphate in an 

alkaline medium with simultaneous 

neutralisation and precipitation of 

Cr 3+ . Lime, soda, or other chemicals 

can be used as an alkaline agent. 

Concurrently with high-quality 

removal of phenol, other organic 

impurities contained in wastewater 

are oxidised as well: the content 

of formaldehyde decreases to 

50-100mg/dm 3 , that of methanol — 

to 2.3mg/dm 3 , and diphenylolpropane 

— to 150mg/dm 3 at the output 

concentrations of up to 10g/dm 3 , 

6.4g/dm 3 , and 4.6g/dm 3 respectively. 

oxidation should be 20-45°С as 

the presence of resins requires 

increasing the temperature up 

to 45-60°С. The oxidising agent 

consumption should be 2.5–3.0 parts 

by weight per 1 g of phenol and the 

capacity of AVS 100 should be up 

to 10m 3 /hr, that of AVS 150 — up to 

25m 3 /hr. 

CONCLUSION 

Following the conducted studies, 

it has been found that the AVS can 

event of potassium permanganate 

oxidation. 

The use of an AVS makes it possible 

to reduce the power consumption by 

10-15 times and the consumption of 

chemical agents for oxidation by 

1.5-2 times, as well as to narrow down 

the production floor space required 

for wastewater treatment facilities by 

1.5-2 times. 


When dephenolising the 

wastewater by means of an 

electromagnetic AVS, the following 

conditions are recommended. 

Firstly, the source water acidity 

should be at least 3-5g/dm 3 . The 

wastewater temperature during 

Oleg Kryvokhyzha 

Founder and director of GlobeCore, 

Ukraine 

Stanislav Mykytenko 

Founder and director of GlobeCore, 

Ukraine 


HOTSEAT 

Energy-independent 

industrial effluent 

treatment technologies 

By Dr Kiran Kumar Manga, founder and director of HAIDRO 

As a Singapore-based company offering 

electrochemical treatment technology for 

industrial effluent treatment applications, 

HAIDRO was founded in 2021. The company 

was part of local startup incubator focused on 

the water sector — Ripple2wave Incubator’s 

2023 cohort. Ripple2wave is supported by 

Enterprise Singapore and PUB, Singapore’s 

National Water Agency. 

Globally, 359 billion tonnes of wastewater 

are produced per year, of which 48% is 

discharged without treatment due to lack of 

low cost and sustainable solutions. About 30% 

of the total wastewater treatment cost is spent 

on energy, as they are traditionally dependent 

on grid power. As the demand grows, this 

burden will increase exponentially, impacting 

the environment. In 2022, the wastewater 

treatment industry was responsible for 

emitting 3 Gigatonnes (Gt) of carbon due to 

the use of energy-intensive technologies. 

HAIDRO provides chemical-free, thermal-free, 

net energy positive wastewater treatment 

solutions which reduces 40% of energy bills 

and 90% of waste disposal costs in F&B, 

chemical and construction industries. 

ECR TECHNOLOGY 

Conventional effluent treatment technologies 

such as aerobic or anaerobic digestion (AD), 

electrocoagulation and electrooxidation, 

require external energy to drive the microbial 

or electrochemical reactions and treat 

high chemical oxygen demand (COD) and 

biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) effluents. 

Electrochemical techniques, especially, 

utilise external electricity to initiate the 

anodic or cathodic reactions to generate the 

reactive species to coagulate or oxidise the 

contaminants. Although these techniques 

are effective to mitigate the contaminations, 

they are highly energy-intensive and 

require continuous external power supply 

which makes them unsustainable for future 

industrial effluent treatment demands. 

HAIDRO off-grid Electrocatalytic Reactor 

(ECR) is a chemical-free and low-energy 

technology that can be used for both 

industrial effluent treatment and desalination 

pre-treatment. The catalytic properties of 

ECR’s cathode electrode generates reactive 

species in wastewater medium without any 

external energy, and breaks down organic 

contamination or precipitates suspended 

solids and separates dischargeable water 

for reuse purpose. The potential difference 

created between anode and cathode 

electrode leads to output electricity as a 

byproduct during the treatment process. 

ECR reduces 40% energy consumption for 

wastewater treatment and could be used 

for off-grid applications, unlike many other 

conventional technologies which require 

large amounts of electricity (Fig. 1). 

HAIDRO reduces liquid waste disposal 

costs by over 90%. This contributes to 

economic savings and aligns with global 

initiatives aimed at minimising 

the environmental impact 

of industrial processes. Its 

commitment to the circular 

economy is evident 

through the creation of 

TREATED WATER 

OUTLET 

monetisable byproducts such as electricity 

and organic compost, transforming waste 

into resources. HAIDRO treatment process is 

said to be 10 times faster than conventional 

approaches, which could help users improve 


Fig. 1: Schematic diagram of HAIRDO’s ECR 

WASTEWATER 

INLET 

ELECTRODES 

Fig. 2: HAIDRO’s testing reactor 


HOTSEAT 

Fig. 3: Expired wine effluent treatment using ECR testing reactor 

BEVERAGE EFFLUENT WASTE 

TREATMENT 

HAIDRO has validated the ECR 

technology with beverages effluent in 

collaboration with Singapore-based 

waste management company at a 

treatment capacity about 100L/day. 

ECR technology helped the client to 

achieve zero liquid discharge (ZLD) 

and zero liquid waste disposal cost 

by converting the liquid like wine 

and beer to organic nutrient. Wine 

effluent was reportedly transformed 

to 30% of organic nutrient pulp 

volume after 3hrs of ECR treatment, 

while generating 72W output power 

without consuming any external 

electricity. Organic pulp was then 

mixed with wood chip matrix tested 

for composting properties. The same 

tests were performed with wood 

chips matrix as a control sample for 

this trial. 

The wood chip sample with organic 

pulp demonstrated at least two 

times higher in fungal growth, 

compared to the control sample. 

Microscopic analysis also showed 

that fungal strands in compost 

sample with organic pulp were larger 

in size compared to control sample. 

Higher fungal growth properties 

make produced organic pulp as 

potential organic fertiliser for farming 

applications. The client — who 

previously disposed liquid beverage 

waste through incineration at a cost 

of S$400/tonne — benefitted from 

the ECR technology, resulting in 

zero disposal costs. There is also a 

reported potential for an additional 

revenue increase of 300%, with an 

ROI expected within 6 months. 

LOW-ENERGY DESALINATION 

Typical desalination process requires 

large amount of chemicals for 

pre-treatment, high pressure 

membranes for reverse osmosis 

(RO), and high energy to operate the 

plant. These plant operators spend 

about 40-50% of total operational 

and maintenance (O&M) expenditure 

on energy and chemicals combined. 

Hence, there is potential to lower 

both the capital and operational 

costs to achieve sustainable 

desalination process. 

ECR tested seawater collected from 

Changi beach to demonstrate the 

pre-treatment of seawater of about 

22000 parts per million (ppm) 

within 30mins, without any external 

electricity and output power of 

about 3W. ECR achieved about 1 

Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU) 

of output turbidity and less than 

100ppm of COD, which meets RO 

input requirements. ECR was thus able 

Fig. 4: Microscope 

images of composted 

samples 


HOTSEAT 

Fig. 5: Schematic 

representation of 

potential low-energy 

desalination by integrating 

ECR technology 

Fig. 6: Advantages 

of ECR technology 

compared to other 

commercial technologies 

to generate about 30W of power from 10% of 

sodium chloride solution, which is identical to 

100,000ppm of brine concentrate. This data 

showed that by integrating ECR technology 

in desalination plant, 1KWh/tonnes of 

desalination could be achieved as it can offset 

the energy required for the pre-treatment, 

RO and post-treatment. This is done by 

generating electricity from pre-treatment step 

and brine treatment (Fig. 5). 

ADVANTAGES AND POTENTIAL MARKET 

HAIDRO’s ECR technology does not require 

external grid power, generates electricity 

and recyclable sludge depending on waste 

stream as byproducts. These features are the 

key differentiators from existing wastewater 

treatment technologies (Fig. 6). F&B effluent 

treatment and waste management industry 

are the beachhead markets for HAIDRO. 

Construction, aquaculture wastewater 

treatment and palm oil effluent treatment 

industries are its secondary markets. 

Currently, the ECR testing is in progress 

for an aquaculture wastewater treatment 

at Singapore Food Agency (SFA) Marine 

Aquaculture Centre at St John’s Island. 

HAIDRO has validated its ECR technology 

at 100L/day of pre-pilot capacity. The 

company is looking for industrial partners for 

pilot scale trials and pre-seed investors to 

commercialise this technology 

Images: HAIRDRO 

Dr Kiran Kumar Manga 

Founder and director of HAIDRO 


NEWSLETTER 

OF THE 

SINGAPORE 

WATER 

ASSOCIATION 

BRINGING 

A NEW VIBRANCY 

TO SINGAPORE’S 

GROWING 

WATER INDUSTRY 

[Event] SWA Young Water 

Professionals (YWP) mentorship 

programme, Workshop 1 

20 Jan 2024, AECOM, Singapore 

SWA launched its first professional mentorship programme for 

the water industry. The SWA YWP forum featured industry experts 

discussing the hurdles faced by startups, offering global insights, 

and sharing strategies for navigating Asian markets. The networking 

session served as a forum for participants to eangage in meaningful 

discussions about the water industry. 

This mentorship programme also fosters networking, facilitates 

knowledge transfer, and builds professional relationships between 

mentors and mentees. It plays a role in addressing the challenges 

posed by climate change, a growing population, and geopolitical 

factors within the water industry. About 130 mentors and mentees 

attended this event, culminating in a networking session with lunch.

[Event] Fourth meeting of SG Water Internationalisation Networking Club 

22 Jan 2024, DHI Water and Environment, Vision Exchange, Singapore 

The fourth meeting of SG Water Internationalisation 

Networking Club (INC) convened with 31 attendees and guest 

speakers. World Bank water practice manager for East Asia 

and Pacific Maria Angelica Sotomayor gave an overview and 

the company’s vision, as well as the Global Water Agenda 

challenges, issues and projects in 2023 for East Asia and the 

Pacific. 

She also briefed on the procurement framework and projects 

availability. Additionally, SAC Capital CEO Ong Hwee Li gave 

an introduction of its product and services such as financial 

funding, initial public offerings (IPOs) listing and market 

research. This was followed with a presentation by DHI Water 

and Environment vice-president of marine and coastal APAC 

Dr Mamta Jain, who gave an overview on DHI services, coastal 

protection and flood mitigation projects in this region with 

World Bank. 

The meeting also included discussions on the 2024 work 

plan for the group, culminating in a networking session with 

canapes, dinner, beer and wine. 

[Event] SWA Chinese New Year 

luncheon 

2 Feb 2024, Singapore Island Country Club (SICC) 

SWA management council ushered in the new spring 

with a Chinese New Year luncheon at SICC. President 

Chew Men Leong gave a welcome address and wished 

the council and SWA staff a prosperous dragon year.

[Event] Private sector participation in water in Asia and beyond 

7 Feb 2024, World Bank, Singapore 

SWA members convened for a closed-door round table session 

facilitated by the World Bank, Singapore. The session featured 

presentations by Saroj Kumar Jha, global director for water at 

the World Bank, and Julia Fraser, country director for Singapore, 

alongside distinguished colleagues from the World Bank, 

International Finance Corporation (IFC), and SWA. 

Discussions centred on prominent water trends in Asia and 

globally, identifying technological, solution-oriented, and financial 

needs. Deliberations also highlighted the role of Singapore's 

water ecosystem in the region and explored avenues for private 

and multinational development banks to address the water 

sector challenges both locally and internationally. About 40 SWA 

members participated in the event, which concluded with a 

networking reception hosted by the World Bank. 

[Event] 50th Singapore Water 

Industry Nite (SWIN) 

19 Feb 2024, Gardens by the Bay, Singapore 

The 50th edition of the SWIN was held on 19 Feb 2024 at 

Flower Field Hall, Flower Dome, Gardens by the Bay. The event 

was sponsored by PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency, in 

collaboration with Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) 

2024 industry reception. Highlights of the programme included a 

welcome address and an outline of SWA plans for 2024 by SWA 

president Chew. Chief executive of PUB, Ong Tze Chin, delivered 

the opening remarks while Ryan Yuen, managing director of 

SIWW, provided an overview of SIWW 2024 activities and 

programmes. PUB sponsored the NEWBrew, which was served 

during the networking dinner, accommodating over 400 guests 

and members with a mega ‘Lo-Hei’ session, in celebration of 

Chinese New Year.

UPCOMING SWA ACTIVITIES 

[Trade Fair] Thai Water 2024 

3-5 Jul 2024, Bangkok, Thailand 

SWA will be overseeing the Singapore pavilion of 72m 2 at Thai 

Water 2024, which will take place at Queen Sirikit National 

Convention Centre (QSNCC) from 3-5 Jul 2024. Thai Water 2024 

is a premier international exhibition and conference focusing 

on water resource management and wastewater technology 

in Indochina. It features major brands worldwide showcasing 

technologies, smart devices, and monitoring equipment for water 

and wastewater management, covering areas such as sewage, 

rainwater harvesting, particle separation, and removal technology. 

The event's theme is ‘Strengthening climate resilience in ASEAN 

through sustainable water management’. Exhibitors may be 

eligible for grant support of up to 70% from Enterprise Singapore. 

For further details, please reach out to jasvinder@swa.org.sg. 

[Mission] ‘Go to Bangkok’ 2024 

1-3 Jul 2024, Bangkok, Thailand 

Technology mission highlights and why you should join: 

As part of our continuous effort to enhance our members’ 

competitiveness through exploring new markets and business 

opportunities, SWA, in conjunction with Thai Water 2024, will be 

organising a business and technology mission to Bangkok, Thailand 

from 1-3 Jul 2024. 

Key takeaways for participants: 

• Prearranged networking sessions and B2B meetings to seek new 

areas of cooperation and synergies 

• Meet with key government agencies, institutes, municipalities 

and utilities for business insights 

• Exclusive technical site visits around Bangkok 

• Attend Thai Water 2024 

There may be grant support of up to 70% for exhibitors from 

Enterprise Singapore. For more information, please contact 

jasvinder@swa.org.sg. 

SWA WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS 

(joined from December 2023-January 2024) 

ORDINARY 

1. Esshin Electrotech Pte Ltd 

2. Hock Lim Engineering Pte Ltd 

INDIVIDUAL 

1. Han Din Hou 

2. Dr Guo Huiling 

3. Mariam Mathew 

ASSOCIATE 

1. Wavin Singapore Holding Pte Ltd 

2. Coex Pte Ltd 

3. Pan-United Concrete Pte Ltd 

4. Mack Valves Pte Ltd 

5. Upconverge Pte Ltd 

INSTITUTIONAL 

1. Singapore Membrane Consortium (SG 

MEM) c/o A*Star Research Entities 

2. Temasek Polytechnic 

3. Singapore University of Technology 

and Design (SUTD) Centre for Climate 

Adaptation (CCA) 

2024 EVENTS CALENDAR JOIN SWA? 

We look forward to your support in 2024. Download the event 

calendar: https://www.swa.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ 

Calendar-of-SWA-Workplan-2024.pdf. 

For queries, please contact SWA at T: 65150812 or 

enquiry@swa.org.sg. To stay connected, visit https://www.swa.org.sg, 

and follow us on Telegram, LinkedIn, Instagram and WhatsApp. 

SWA welcomes organisations from the water and wastewater 

industry to join as either ordinary, associate or institutional 

member. 

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

ON OUR RADAR 

Thordon Bearings 

supplies its first 

TG100 seal in Chile 

A pair of TG100 

seals installed on 

Rio Yelcho (Image: 

Thordon Bearings) 

Water-lubricated bearings and 

seals innovator Thordon Bearings 

has completed the installation of its 

TG100 tail shaft seals on a twin-screw 

passenger vessel. The retrofit took 

place during a scheduled drydocking 

at a Chilean yard in October 2023. 

It is the Canadian company’s first 

TG100 reference aboard a Chilean 

operated vessel. 

The 17.5m, 40-person capacity 

aluminum hulled Rio Yelcho — 

operated by Puerto Chacabuco-based 

Nautilus — was fitted with a pair of 

88.9mm in diameter TG100 seals, 

supplied by Thordon’s authorised 

distributor for Chile, Productos 

Servicios e Ingeniería (PSeI). The 

TG100 is a mechanical face seal 

specifically designed for workboats, 

ferries and fishing vessels operating 

in clean or abrasive waters. The 

TG100, which replaced a competing 

shaft seal, marks a first reference 

for the TG100 seal aboard Chilean 

vessel, although Thordon and 

PSeI have been working with the 

vessel operator for several years. 

PSeI commercial manager Andrés 

Vásquez Gálvez said, “In 2021, 

we introduced the TG100 as a 

substitute for a competitor’s seal. 

This presented an opportunity 

to replace the stuffing box in 

order to modernise the fleet 

and prolong the time between 

service periods. [Due] to the 

trust we have built with our 

customers through our bearing 

solutions, coupled with our 

responsive service, the decision 

to install Thordon’s TG100 seal 

was an easy one to make. The 

decision was also reinforced by 

recommendations from TG100 

users throughout [Latin America].” 

Aside from unforeseen expenses 

associated with unplanned seal 

maintenance and the challenges 

in procuring replacement parts 

due to the absence of a local 

distributor, the operational profile 

of the vessel also favoured the 

adoption of Thordon sealing 

solution. 

Egnard Bernal, Thordon Bearings 

business development manager 

in Latin America, added, “The 

order represents our first 

installation of a TG100 seal in this 

important market, so we hope 

other operators will follow their 

lead. The intention is to convert 

the entire Nautilus fleet to the 

advanced shaft sealing system to 

reduce downtime for their boats. 

We have also secured TG100 seal 

orders for the Rio Puelo and Rio 

Pascua.” 


ON OUR RADAR 

Outsmarting 

corrosion in 

cooling water 

systems for tooling 

Operation of injection moulds and metal 

presses occurs at high temperatures. 

As a result, special chillers and 

cooling systems are often needed 

to keep machines and workpieces 

from overheating. When the tooling is 

temporarily taken offline, corrosion can 

occur. Cortec Corporation bids to change 

that by recommending the addition of 

VpCI-649 BD to cooling water. 

THE TOOLING CORROSION PROBLEM 

Corrosion inside the cooling water system 

of an injection mould or metal press 

is less likely when the equipment is in 

action and cooling water is flowing. This 

changes when tooling goes offline either 

intermittently or for long-term storage. 

Residual moisture in the system can incite 

corrosion that remains unnoticed until 

the equipment is put back into service. 

Serious complications may arise, requiring 

maintenance to pull the equipment back 

offline and spend extra time fixing the 

problem so that work can proceed as 

normal. The time lost on the job not 

only represents profit lost but also puts 

projects at risk for not meeting deadlines. 

ADDING CORROSION INHIBITORS TO 

COOLING WATER AND MAINTAINING 

PROTECTION 

A solution is to add VpCI-649 BD to 

cooling water tanks while the system 

is operating. This unique concentrated 

liquid corrosion inhibitor formulation is 

designed to provide long-term protection 

for ferrous and non-ferrous metals in 

water and glycol closed-loop systems. 

It combines contact corrosion inhibitors 

with vapour-phase corrosion inhibitors. 

As the water circulates, VpCI-649 BD 

forms a corrosion inhibiting film on the 

metal and continues to protect these 

surfaces even after the water is drained 

for offline tooling storage. VpCI-649 BD 

also fights scale with the presence of an 

acrylic polymer. It reportedly does not 

contain nitrite, phosphate, or chromate 

and is available in a molybdate-free 

version. 

A concentration of 0.5% VpCI-649 BD may 

be all that is needed to inhibit corrosion 

inside the tooling cooling water system. 

As time passes, this concentration 

may change as water is lost. Workers 

VpCI-649 BD (Image: 

Cortec Corporation) 

should therefore periodically monitor the 

water using the molybdate tracer or a 

refractometer to ensure the right level of 

VpCI-649 BD remains. Additional water 

or VpCI-649 BD can be added as needed 

to maintain the proper concentration of 

corrosion inhibitor for protection. 

AN END TO TOOLING CORROSION 

Corrosion is an unwanted intruder inside 

tooling equipment — even in the unseen 

areas of the cooling system. By adding a 

corrosion inhibitor such as VpCI-649 BD 

to the cooling water system during periods 

of operation, machine shops and injection 

moulders can prepare their equipment to 

sit for extended periods of storage without 

unwanted corrosion surprises when the 

equipment is brought back online. 


SHOW PREVIEW 

The forefront of water 

treatment innovation: 

WaterTech China 2024 

2 

1 

With the water industry shifting 

from traditional product offerings 

to integrated water solutions that 

incorporate digital technologies, 

professionals in the sector must stay 

updated and adapt to the evolving 

market landscape to stay ahead 

of the curve. From 3-5 Jun 2024, 

WaterTech China 2024 will serve as 

a platform showcasing the debut of 

over 300 new products and solutions 

from global brands at Shanghai 

National Exhibition and Convention 

Centre (NECC). It will host a lineup of 

2,500 exhibitors and approximately 

100,000 visitors as the exhibition 

space spans over 220,000m 2 . 

This 16th Shanghai international 

water show consolidates the 

industrial chain, making it a one-stop 

destination for professionals seeking 

everything from point-of-use 

solutions to wastewater treatment, 

membranes, water management, 

pumps and valves. This showcase 

ensures attendees can access 

a wide range of products and 

services, facilitating networking, 

knowledge sharing, and business 

collaborations. 

Register before 30 Apr 2024 to 

become VIPs, which will include 

fast-track entry to the event, access 

to the VIP Lounge, complimentary 

luggage storage service and 

preferential rates at partner hotels. 

Moreover, returning or previous 

attendees of Informa Markets water 

shows are eligible for an instant 

‘Elite VIP’ upgrade, registering 

with promotion code — WWA34 

— to unlock additional privileges 

such as year-round access to all 

physical and digital events, and 

complimentary business matching 

programmes. Countries like 

Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand 

are also eligible for visa-free 

entry to China. Experience the 

vibrant energy of an international 

1 Experience the vibrant energy of an international 

community focused on shaping the future of water 

and wastewater management 

2 Visitors will gain insights about the strategies and 

techniques for efficient waste utilisation and disposal 

3 This knowledge exchange at WaterTech China 2024 

will drive advancements in the industry and promote 

environmental sustainability 

community focused on shaping 

the future of water and wastewater 

management at WaterTech China 

2024 this summer. 

Images: WaterTech China 

3 


WATERTECH CHINA 2024 

16th Shanghai lnternational Water Show 

Your 

One-Stop Sourcing 

for Water and Wastewater 

Product and Technology 

JUNE 3-5, 2024 

NECC, Shanghai 

Find a Diverse Range of 

75,000 + Products from over 2,500 Suppliers in 

190,000 m 2 Exhibiting Space 

WATERTECH CHINA 2024 is a three-day trade exhibition showcasing water treatment, environmental protection, and energy-saving 

solutions. 

This is where you can find: 

New and Innovative Product Showcases 

International and Regional Pavilions from Japan, Korea, United Kingdom, Germany, 

Denmark, Poland, Portugal, Canada, Israel, Singapore, Taiwan and more. 

Competitive Prices, Premium Quality from OEM Suppliers 

Tailored Business Matchmaking 

100+ Knowledge-packed Industry Conference and Seminars 

Effortless Navigation with Trend Zones for: 

Evaporation and crystallization technology / Sludge disposal and utilization / Rural 

wastewater treatment / Water ecosystem and resources management / New 

membrane and membrane material / Whole House water conditioning systems / 

Ultraviolet disinfection 

Wastewater 

Treatment 

Point of Use / 

Entry 

Water Treatment 

Process Controls 

Digitalization 

Transport&Storage 

Engineering 

Flood Control 

Storm Water 

Don’t miss this extraordinary opportunity! 

Register before April 30 to become our VIP by Scanning QR Code 

Visit https://watertech-buyerlp.informamarketsasia.com/ to learn more. 

Or, contact us via visit.watertech@informa.com

SHOW PREVIEW 

Water and 

climate change: 

Innovation for resilience 

1 2 

The upcoming 13th edition of the 

AsiaWater 2024 expo and forum will 

take place from 23-25 Apr 2024 at 

the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre 

(KLCC), Malaysia. AsiaWater 2024 

is positioned as an international 

platform dedicated to addressing 

water and wastewater solutions for 

developing Asia. 

The central theme for this edition: 

‘Water and climate change: Innovation 

for resilience’ addresses the 

impact of climate change on water 

resources and the environment. 

It emphasises the importance of 

adopting technologies, policies, and 

practices that can help communities 

and ecosystems adapt to and mitigate 

the effects of climate change while 

ensuring sustainable access to clean 

water. 

Explore the future of water 

management and environmental 

sustainability at AsiaWater 2024. 

This event will showcase technology, 

products, and sustainable solutions 

from across the globe from 

the sectors of water resources 

management, sewerage, industrial 

wastewater treatment, purification, 

and irrigation. The expo unites an 

array of industry stakeholders, from 

water and wastewater professionals 

to manufacturers, suppliers, 

environmentalists, and policymakers, 

fostering collaboration and driving 

innovation to advance water solutions. 

AsiaWater 2024 stands as a hub for 

shaping a water-secure tomorrow 

through dynamic engagement and 

insights. 

THE EPICENTRE OF BUSINESS 

OPPORTUNITIES 

Distinguished as a nexus within the 

water and wastewater sector, the 

expo unlocks trade opportunities for 

participants from different facets of 

the industry. This edition will forge 

connections among a discerning 

assembly of over 20,000 trade 

attendees and industry professionals 

representing 61 countries. They 

will engage with more than 800 

exhibitors which are companies and 

brands in the water and wastewater 

industry. 

ENCOURAGING THOUGHT 

LEADERSHIP 

In addition to the expansive exhibition, 

AsiaWater 2024 will see the return 

of Water Talks featuring a lineup 

of over 50 top-level conferences, 

seminars, and workshops. These 

sessions will be led by thought 

leaders and experts in the field, 

who will address issues and present 

solutions. Attendees will gain 

insights in the water and wastewater 

service industry, and discover 

new opportunities for growth and 

innovation. 

1 AsiaWater 2024, 

the epicentre 

of business 

opportunities 

(Image: 

AsiaWater) 

2 AsiaWater 2024 

is positioned as 

an international 

platform 

dedicated to 

addressing water 

and wastewater 

solutions for 

developing 

Asia (Image: 

AsiaWater) 


WHAT’S NEXT 

Events calendar 

2024 

MARCH 

27 – 28 March 

TechnoBiz Expo: Water & Wastewater Expo, 

Bangkok, Thailand 

APRIL 

16 – 18 April 

World Future Energy Summit, 

Abu Dhabi, UAE 


IE expo China, Shanghai, China 


AsiaWater, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 

30 April – 2 May 

Ozwater, Sydney, Australia 

MAY 

13 – 17 May 

IFAT, Munich, Germany 

18 – 24 May 

10th World Water Forum, Bali, Indonesia 

JUNE 

3 – 5 June 

WaterTech China, Shanghai, China 

10 – 14 June 

ACHEMA, Frankfurt, Germany 

18 – 22 June 

SIWW, Singapore 

JULY 

3 – 5 July 

Thai Water Expo, Bangkok, Thailand 

2025 

AUGUST 

11 – 15 August 

IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition, 

Toronto, Canada 

28 – 31 August 

Water Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia 

SEPTEMBER 

18 – 20 September 

Indo Water Expo & Forum, 

Jakarta, Indonesia 

NOVEMBER 

6 – 8 November 

Vietwater, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam 

12 – 14 November 

Sustainable Environment Asia, 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 

DECEMBER 

8 – 12 December 

IDRA 2024 World Congress, Abu Dhabi, UAE 

11 – 13 December 

Aquatech China, Shanghai, China 

MARCH 


Aquatech Amsterdam, 

Amsterdam, Netherlands 


Water Philippines, Manila, Philippines 

30 July – 1 August 

Pump & Valves Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia 


ADVERTISER’S INDEX 

ADVERTISER 

PAGE 

ASIAWATER 2024 3 

GUANGDONG LIANSU TECHNOLOGH INDUSTRIAL CO LTD 

OBC 

HARBIN FIRSTLINE ENVIRONMENT TECHNOLOGY CO.,LTD 64 

IDRA 2024 WORLD CONGRESS 59 

INDOWATER 2024 

IBC 

NX FILTRATION 35 

PULSAR MEASUREMENT 25 

PUMP & VALVES INDONESIA 2024 39 

SEKO UK LTD 1 

SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL WATER WEEK 2024 

SUEZ ASIA 

IFC 

FC 

WATERTECH CHINA 2024 61

Water & Wastewater Asia March/April 2024

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