NAVENE ELANGOVAN Today Online 3 Jun 19;
SINGAPORE — Over the next three years, large industrial water users that are keen to implement water recycling or water conservation solutions within their premises can tap on funds of up to S$26 million administered by PUB.
The national water agency said water-intensive companies could reduce their consumption by up to 70 per cent through water recycling.
Water demand in the non-domestic sector is projected to jump from the current 55 per cent to 70 per cent of overall consumption by 2060, it said.
PUB hopes to achieve industrial water savings of three million gallons per day (mgd) every year, or savings equivalent to the water demand of more than 25,000 households.
To help water-intensive companies reduce their water consumption, the PUB announced on Monday (June 3) that companies which used over 60,000 cubic metres of water per year could tap on three funding schemes to implement water recycling or water conservation:
Water Efficiency Fund
Industrial Water Solutions Demonstration Fund
Living Lab (Water) Fund
These schemes have been rolled out progressively since 2007, but this is the first time that PUB has disclosed the total amount of funds available for these schemes. Funds from the schemes can be used to defray the costs of implementing water-recycling and conservation.
To date, PUB has facilitated 22 projects which save over five mgd of water. Another 13 projects will be completed by 2021, bringing water savings to about eight mgd, which is equivalent to the water demand of more than 68,000 households. It is also considering a further 34 projects, which could save an additional 10 mgd of water, equivalent to the water demand of 85,000 households.
In line with efforts to get companies to reduce their water usage, the PUB and Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources will host over 180 leaders from local and international water companies, as well as large industrial water users for a two-day conference this week.
Dubbed the Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) Spotlight, the conference aims to encourage industrial water users to adopt technologies that can reduce water consumption and recycle water.
This is the first time that Spotlight has focused on industrial water solutions.
The event is held a year ahead of SIWW, a biennial forum for members within the water industry to share innovative solutions on water management.
“The recycling rate in large industries is current around 20 per cent and there is certainly room to increase this number through greater adoption of technologies...Through the SIWW Spotlight event, we want to encourage more companies to recognise the technical viability of these industrial water solutions and the value of water recycling for their operational sustainability, and proactively seek ways to do so,” said Mr Ng Joo Hee, the chief executive of PUB.
One such company that has been able to tap on the funding provided by PUB has been infant milk product manufacturer Wyeth Nutritionals, a subsidiary of Swiss consumer products giant Nestle.
The company has been able to reduce 25 per cent of its water consumption by constructing a 300 cubic metre water recycling plant in its premises in Tuas. The company’s Singapore operation is the first among its international facilities to recycle water using a patented reverse osmosis system.
While Wyeth Nutritionals would typically treat waste water from its manufacturing process and discharge it into the sewers, it now transfers some of this water to its S$1.5 million reverse osmosis plant. The water is then sent to the cooling towers on its premises.
Wyeth Nutritionals’ engineering and maintenance director, Mr Ang Choo San, said that the company was able to overcome spatial constraints and funding challenges through the support provided by PUB.
He added that PUB had also provided training to its staff to manage the plant: “PUB supported us in terms of technical expertise because we are not good in regulating water. Our expertise is in the manufacturing process...Through the training given by PUB and a third party services provider, we are now able to become independent and operate this plant on our own.”
$26 million fund for water-intensive companies to adopt on-site water solutions
Shabana Begum Straits Times 3 Jun 19;
SINGAPORE - Firms in water-guzzling industries such as petrochemical and semiconductor that hope to cut down their water usage can now tap a $26 million fund to implement water management solutions.
The fund by PUB and the National Research Foundation (NRF) will defray the cost of implementing water saving technologies, such as on-site recycling systems and water reclamation plants, over three years.
The national water agency, which announced the fund on Monday (June 3), hopes to increase industrial water savings by three million gallons per day (mgd) every year, equivalent to the water demand of over 25,000 households.
Industrial used water can be recycled for non-potable uses such as heating and cooling, general cleaning and flushing toilets.
Currently, more than half of the country's water supply is channelled to the non-domestic sector. By 2060, water demand in the sector is projected to grow to 70 per cent.
The $26 million will come from three existing funding schemes: PUB’s Industrial Water Solutions Demonstration Fund ( IWSDF) and Water Efficiency Fund, as well as NRF’s Living Lab Fund.
The Water Efficiency Fund helps customers with water efficiency projects, from water audits to recycling. The IWSDF supports new water solutions in industrial projects, while the Living Lab Fund aims to accelerate the commercialisation of new technologies.
To date, PUB has helped to implement 22 water-efficiency projects, with over 5 mgd saved.
One of them is with international infant milk company Wyeth Nutritionals, a subsidiary of food giant Nestlé. The company's manufacturing plant in Tuas became the first of its facilities worldwide to recycle water using a patented reverse osmosis system.
Called High Efficiency Reverse Osmosis (Hero), the system treats water with high amounts of chemicals. It produces more freshwater and is more permeable compared to an ordinary reverse osmosis system. Its membranes do not need much maintenance because they are less likely to deteriorate.
In 2016, the year before it used the system, Wyeth Nutritionals' water uptake from PUB was about 57 cubic metres per hour, and around half the amount was treated at its used water treatment plant for discharge in sewers.
Recognising the need to reduce its potable water usage, the company purchased technology from an external provider and built a 300 cubic metres on-site recycling plant in 2017. PUB funded a portion of the project, provided technical advice and matched the company to the technology provider.
The $1.5 million plant treats and recycles used water for its cooling towers, allowing the company to save up to 25 per cent of water. By 2018, the company used 46 cubic metres of water from PUB every hour, with production unchanged.
The semiconductor industry can save up to 15 per cent of water on average. But Systems on Silicon Manufacturing Company (SSMC), a local semiconductor company, was able to recycle about 70 per cent of its water by reusing water for vital functions and installing new water recycling plants, among other things.
With PUB's help, another 13 industrial water saving projects are expected to be completed by 2021, bringing water savings to 8 mgd. Thirty-four projects are in the pipeline, which could increase water savings by another 10 mgd.
PUB has published water efficiency benchmarks and best practices guides for businesses including malls, hotels, wafer fabrication companies and semiconductor firms. This year, the agency will put together benchmarks and guides for commercial laundries and the biomedical manufacturing sector.
And for the first time, industrial water management will be a key focus at this year's Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) Spotlight. The event on Thursday and Friday (June 6 and 7) is held ahead of the biennial SIWW water conference in July next year.
More than 180 leaders from local and international water companies, and large industrial water users will be attending the SIWW Spotlight 2019 at Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Marina Bay Sands.
"Through the SIWW Spotlight event, we want to encourage more companies to recognise the technical viability of industrial water solutions and the value of water recycling for their operational sustainability, and proactively seek ways to do so," said PUB chief executive Ng Joo Hee.
