Water Technology Needs In Singapore And South East Asia

Darrel Ching, Deputy Senior Commercial Officer for the US Commercial Service, explains the water technology needs in Singapore and other South East Asian nations

The following is an excerpt from a Q&A with Water Online Radio. Click on the Radio Player above to hear the full interview.

Water Online Radio: What can you tell us about Singapore's water industry?

Darrel: Singapore has emerged as a leader in the global water industry, and it aims to achieve water self-sufficiency by the year 2061. Since the early 60s, Singapore has established a diversified water supply from local catchment areas, imported water, reclaimed water, as well as desalinated water.

Currently about 60 percent of Singapore's water comes from local catchment and imported water, some 30 percent from reclaimed water, and ten percent from desalinated water. Water demand in Singapore is currently at about 400 millions of gallons per day, with homes consuming about 45 percent, and the non-domestic sector taking up the rest.

Two-thirds of Singapore's land area is water catchment, and rainwater is collected and stored in twelve reservoirs. Singapore's water policies have evolved, and the focus is now on sustainability. Three guiding principles for them: capture every drop of rain, collect every drop of used water, and recycle every drop of water more than once.

Singapore has built a vibrant water industry cluster, and companies have set up operations spanning the value chain, including operational centers, equipment suppliers, systems integrators and engineering procurement and construction funds.

Some of the key challenges are…

Click on the Radio Player above to hear the full interview.