Coming: New way to treat water

Use of longer-lasting, more efficient filter material could lower costs
David Ee Straits Times 24 Jan 13;

A NEW method to treat water will be rolled out by national water agency PUB within the next 12 months, with the aim of keeping water prices here affordable.

The method, which uses stronger ceramic membranes to filter impurities, will first be installed in Choa Chu Kang waterworks, where the PUB is conducting a trial to improve it further.

The new membranes can last at least 20 years, more than four times the lifespan of existing polymer types.

This, and the ability to process up to three times more water, could help to lower the cost of producing water, said PUB's chief technology officer Harry Seah.

Today, Singaporeans pay $1.52 for every 1,000 litres of water they use, a tariff fixed since 2000. On average, each person uses 153 litres of water a day.

The method has been tested for 11/2 years at the waterworks, using a trial plant set up in collaboration with Dutch water firm PWN Technologies.

It will replace the old sand filters there which have been in place since 1981.

Ceramic membranes are also being tested at the Jurong Water Reclamation Plant and could be used in desalination plants in the future, said Mr Seah.

He was speaking on the sidelines of the signing of a memorandum of understanding yesterday between the PUB and the Dutch firm to work together to identify innovative water solutions.

Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade Lilianne Ploumen witnessed the signing.

Said Mrs Ploumen: "Our communities are (both) looking for viable solutions in terms of safe drinking water.

It would be wonderful if we could team up, and bring (solutions) to the rest of the world."

Desalinated water and Newater currently make up about 40 per cent of Singapore's water supply, with local reservoirs and imported water making up the rest.