Water & Wastewater Asia JULY/AUGUST 2019 by pablopublishing

Water & Wastewater Asia I N C O R P O R AT I N G T H E O F F I C I A L N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E S I N G A P O R E WAT E R A S S O C I AT I O N

MICA (P) No: 076/05/2019 • ISSN: 2010-233X • KDN: PPS 1501/11/2012(022878) • www.waterwastewaterasia.com • JULY/AUGUST 2019

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WATER & WASTEWATER ASIA

CONTENTS JULY / AUGUST 2019 4 6 48 63 64

Editor’s Note News SWA Newsletter Events Calendar Advertiser’s Index

Market Report 11

Water Leaders Chart the Digital Transformation Journey for Utilities

Myanmar Water Portal 11

The Gyo Phyu Pipeline and its companions

In Person 14

Soren Kvorning: “More must be done for Water Sector”

From the Ground 16 18 20 22 24 26

Co-Digestion: The Way Forward Securing the best delivery through PipeLine Building a more resilient water network in the Philippines Another major success in the US for inge In Seabrook, love thy neighbour SUEZ Uses Outcome Driven Analytics to Deliver 24/7 Water Supply to Growing Communities in India Echologics® ePulse® Acoustic Technology Helps German Water Utility Assess Asset Health and Predict Network Failures

Insight 30 34 36 38

Valve Stations 101 Green pump technology against the drought Bringing success to Asia’s renewable energy projects Using the Vortex Layer of Ferromagnetic Particles in Wastewater Treatment: Part One

Opinion 22

A New Look at the Industrial Internet of Things as an Enabler for the Asian Water Industry

Technology is key to ensuring clean water access

Company Profile 52

Keeping it Fresh: Gradiant’s Claim to Fame

Tech Round Up 54 56 58

Tsurumi Submersible Pumps for High Temperature Liquids of up to 90°C Getting your sensor data faster with VEGA Tools app Duperon Launches Low Flow System for Wastewater Screening, Washing and Compacting Show Previews

EDITOR’S NOTE

WHAT CAN WE DO FOR THE WATER SECTOR? M

ORE MUST BE DONE – that is the common consensus that is being agreed upon lately. We’ve established that the water industry is currently in crisis mode, and serious discussion about the importance of sustainability and renewable energies is no longer a novel idea.

NATALIE CHEW Assistant Editor

More and more, we see how companies are developing more innova ve technologies to bridge the water supply gap, or to ease the strain that our resources are under. Black & Veatch’s Mitesh Patel expands more on possible solu ons such as floa ng solar systems, also known as floatovoltaics (p. 36), and why they hold such strong interest in the current market.

LET'S CONNECT! @waterwastewaterasia ™

In the same vein, Singapore has plans to deploy its own floa ng solar photovoltaic (PV) system in Tengah Reservoir (p. 10). It’s s ll in the works, but will be Singapore’s first single large-scale floa ng solar PV system when completed in 2020. Other innova ve solu ons to current issues include tackling other facets of the problem, like the high cost of green technology. In this aspect, Gradiant Corpora on’s answer lies in its in-house technologies, which aim to help companies fulfil Singapore’s green objec ves without breaking the bank (p. 52). It takes two hands to clap, of course, and besides expanding on more innova ve solu ons to deal with the water crisis, organisa ons are also focusing on constantly spreading awareness about the issue. Take the Interna onal Water Associa on’s (IWA) new Global Opera ons Hub in Nanjing, China (p. 6) – recently inaugurated, the hub will support the IWA’s global ac vi es and drive to achieve a water-wise world, and will develop and organise a new biennial “IWA Nanjing Interna onal Water Week”. Beyond the conversa on of making water more sustainable, there is also increased discussion on how to make water safer for everyone. Leong Chee Kuan, General Manager from Grundfos Pumps explores how be er technology can be used as safer alterna ves to chlorine gas in disinfec ng water networks (p. 46). Part one of a two-part series with Globecore (p. 38) also looks at how the humble electromagne c vortex layer device, used for intensifying purposes in wastewater treatment, plays a big part in the process, and why it’s so eﬀec ve. It’s said that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, and it’s certainly true in this regard, as we push on towards achieving more sustainable prac ces that will lead to a zero-liquid-discharge (ZLD), zero-waste industry. We’ve got a very long way to go, but we’re ge ng there.

Water & Wastewater Asia is the official publication of the Singapore Water Association

All rights reserved. Views of writers do not necessarily reflect the views of the Publisher and the Singapore Water Association. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, without prior permission in writing from the Publisher and copyright owner. Whilst every care is taken to ensure accuracy of the information in this publication, the Publisher accepts no liability for damages caused by misinterpretation of information, expressed or implied, within the pages of the magazine. All advertisements are accepted on the understanding that the Advertiser is authorised to publish the contents of the advertisements, and in this respect, the Advertiser shall indemnify the Publisher against all claims or suits for libel, violation of right of privacy and copyright infringements. Water & Wastewater Asia is a controlled-circulation bi-monthly magazine. It is mailed free-of-charge to readers who meet a set of criteria. Paid subscription is available to those who do not fit our terms of control. Please refer to subscription form provided in the publication for more details. Printed by Times Printers Pte Ltd

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

ADVERTORIAL

NEWS

Inauguration of Nanjing IWA Global Operations Hub A new IWA global operation hub based in Asia is an important and strategic step to achieve IWA’s vision of a water-wise world. Aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG6, IWA inspires water professionals to deliver water and sanitation for all. From many perspectives, Nanjing is a perfect place for IWA to establish its global operation hub. Being home to over 2,000 environment companies and 100 universities and research institutes, Jiangsu Province boosts China’s

economy and leads innovations in the water and other relevant industries. While Nanjing, the capital city of Jiangsu Province, is leading the eﬀorts to develop innovative solutions to concerns around water.

expertise. And it is going to play a pivotal role in bridging the chasm between research and practice to accelerate the development and diffusion of innovation in the global water sector.

“I do believe this IWA Global Operations Hub in Nanjing will develop a range of activities that leverage our professional networks to create value for the water sector and to serve our members and partners from the region and the globe” said IWA President, Diane d’Arras.

Kala Vairavamoorthy, IWA Executive Director, stated in his speech: “We are an association created or re-created every day by our members and for our members. I hope through all the businesses undertaken by the Global Operation Hub in Nanjing, IWA can better serve our members in the region and the world by delivering innovative, pragmatic and sustainable solutions to challenging global needs for safe water.”

The IWA new hub in Nanjing will support IWA’s global activities, and will develop and organise a new biennial global water “IWA Nanjing International Water Week” from 2021, focusing on new ‘ready to market’ water technologies and insights into transformative water innovations.

IWA Executive Director Kala Vairavamoorthy speaking at the inauguration ceremony

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

The hub in Nanjing is going to undertake horizon scanning on the future of the water sector, and will support the consolidation of global water science and technology

IWA President, Diane D’Arras, concluded: “There is much we have to do to achieve a water-wise world together. This common future will see a sustainable use of our water resources. With emphasis on re-using Water, replenish Water Sources and reducing Water consumption, we look forward to working together with you all and deliver a water-wise world to all.” WWA

Embracing Digital Transformation for Asia’s water utilities THE water and wastewater industries are facing many challenges today, and utilities have to do more with less especially as we are on the verge of great transformation. While it may be premature to claim the arrival of water management in the digital age of today, we can herald its eventuality, chart its progress, and examine potential implications. This year’s Malaysia International Water Convention (MIWC) and Water Loss Asia aims to attract high-level executives from industry, municipal and international water companies. Organised by the Malaysian

Water Association, the two-day MIWC conference is designed to prepare industry professionals to be future-ready, embracing disruptions to the water sector that will both transform and secure the future of water. The theme for this year, “Advancing Innovation, Embracing Transformation and Securing the future”, sets out to understand water 4.0, digital adoption and IoT, along with intelligent water management systems and their role in the future of sustainable water management. Visitors will gain practical insights and strategies from non-revenue

water specialists using Asian case studies. The convention aims to help water utilities discover cutting-edge technologies, and learn how digital disruptions affect the water utilities value chain, as well as what best practices can help to transform water utilities. The Conference promises an excellent return on investment with a range of progressive and stimulating sessions. Formats include inspirational keynote addresses, five conference streams, a networking reception, and illuminating panel discussions. WWA

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

NEWS

Innovation awards winners announced at BlueTech Forum A meter-to-customer software and services

means it is more important than ever to

increased revenue, decreased costs, and

platform and an advanced self-cleaning

take an imaginative approach to solving

decreased water demand in a way that is less

filter have been named as two of the most

problems.

expensive, less risky and easier to adopt.

today. FATHOM Water Management, Inc.

“Both FATHOM and Spiral Water have

Through FATHOM, utilities can build

from Arizona and Spiral Water Technologies

developed products which could have a huge

sustainable, data-driven, customer-centric

of California were selected by BlueTech

impact on the water industry. FATHOM’s geo-

enterprises while managing the realities

Research as likely to transform the shape of

spatial Smart Grid for Water platform was

of water volatility and the increasing

the water industry of the future.

created specifically for the water industry

expectations of customers. FATHOM is

to manage every interaction between a

already used by 4 million water customers

FATHOM won the Blue Truﬄe Award and

utility and its customers, while Spiral Water

in the US.

Spiral Water won the Disrupt-O-Meter Award

have engineered a self-cleaning filter which

at the fifth annual BlueTech Forum, in San

outperforms its rivals while cutting both

Trevor Hill, chairman and chief executive

Francisco on 1 June. The winners, chosen

maintenance and energy costs.”

oﬃcer at FATHOM said: “It is tremendous

innovative technologies in the water industry

from a shortlist of eleven companies, will

to have been awarded the Blue Truffle

be invited to join the Innovation Pavilion at

INTELLIGENT SOFTWARE

Award in recognition of the impact big

the Water Environment Federation Technical

FATHOM is the software-as-a-service,

data and the FATHOM platform are having

Exhibition & Conference (WEFTEC) in New

cloud-based data integration platform that

on creating more financially sustainable

Orleans in September.

is changing the water utility paradigm and

utilities. FATHOM was born in the water-

enabling the water internet of things with

scarce southwest United States, as a way

REAL CHALLENGES

its technology-agnostic way of integrating

of assuring revenues and managing budgets

Chief executive and founder of BlueTech

software, databases and equipment.

while addressing water scarcity and the

Research Paul O’Callaghan said: “Utilities

Developed by the Arizona-based water and

changing needs of customers. “Created by

and industrial users of water around the

wastewater utility Global Water Resources,

a water utility, for a water utility, FATHOM is

world are facing real challenges – which

Inc., FATHOM generates value through

redefining the meter-to-customer journey

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

NEWS

and addressing the financial needs of the

Award is a fantastic confirmation of the huge

Forum was a great opportunity to take a

water utilities.”

potential of this technology. It has been put

look at some of the most inventive, clever

to use in diﬃcult-to-treat applications –

and creative ideas emerging from around

including oils, grease, high solids and food

the world.”

HARD-TO-TREAT WATER Winner of the Disrupt-O-Meter Award was

and beverage manufacture – but could have

California-based Spiral Water for its self-

a huge range of applications for industrial

Also shortlisted for the Innovation Awards

cleaning water filter, which can be used for

users.

were Apana, Hitachi Pegasus, Nanospun,

hard-to-treat water and can be used on

Oasys Water, OptiRTC, Organica Water,

wastewater, seawater and water produced

“Not only does it cut the energy costs for

Pasteurization Technology Group, Water

from oil processing. Originally developed for

processing hard-to-treat wastewater it also

Planet and Xylem. The fifth annual BlueTech

biofuel production the revolutionary design

oﬀers a way to concentrate solids which can

Forum was attended by leading academics,

features a spiral brush, which continuously

be reused.”

representatives of clean tech companies and

cleans the filter element. The filter can deal

water industry decision makers from around

with a high level of suspended solids, and

WIDESPREAD USES

can reclaim more than 99 per cent of water,

BlueTech Research founder Paul O’Callaghan

as well as separating solids for reuse.

said: “Both FATHOM and Spiral Water have

the world. WWA

found innovative ways to solve problems Spiral Water Chief Executive Ashwin Gulati

which could have widespread uses across

said: “Winning the BlueTech Disrupt-O-Meter

the water industry worldwide. The BlueTech

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

NEWS

PUB to deploy Singapore’s first large-scale floating solar system SINGAPORE’S national water agency PUB

Because solar energy does not involve the

PUB is actively implementing the deployment

intends to deploy a 50 megawatt-peak

burning of fossil fuels, the floating Tengeh

of solar PV systems on the roofs of Singapore’s

(MWp) floating solar photovoltaic (PV)

system will eliminate the need to emit

water infrastructure and reservoirs in order

system on Tengeh Reservoir by 2021. When

28,000 tons of carbon dioxide every year

to generate renewable energy and reduce the

installed, it will be Singapore’s first single

that it is in operation – the equivalent of

country’s carbon footprint.

large-scale floating solar PV system.

removing 6000 cars from Singapore’s roads.

When the floating systems

The Request for Proposal (RFP) was launched

on Bedok, Lower Seletar

on 7 June, inviting private sector companies

PUB is also in the process

and Tengeh reservoirs

to design, build, own and operate, for

o f i m p l e m e n t i n g tw o

are completed, PUB will

25 years, the floating solar PV system on

other smaller 1.5MWp

have a total solar capacity

Tengeh Reservoir.

floating solar PV systems

of some 57MWp. Solar

o n B e d o k a n d Lo w e r

panels on the roof of Tuas

The 50MWp Tengeh floating solar PV system

Seletar reservoirs. The

Water Reclamation Plant,

will be one of the largest single floating

construction tender for

when it is finished in 2025,

solar PV systems in the world when it is

these two projects has

will add another 5MWp to

completed, and will generate green energy

closed and will be awarded

this. WWA

to power water treatment – this is expected

in the third quarter of this

to oﬀset seven per cent of PUB’s current

year. The systems are

energy needs, and reduce its carbon

expected to be in place by

footprint.

early 2020.

Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2020 Call for Nominations THE call for nominations to the Lee Kuan Yew

the world’s water challenges by developing

Water Prize is now open.

or applying innovative technologies, policies or programmes which benefit humanity.

A key highlight of the Singapore International

held during SIWW 2020. The Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2020 laureate will be announced in March 2020. For more

Water Week (SIWW), the Lee Kuan Yew Water

The Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2020 laureate

information, please visit the SIWW website.

Prize honours outstanding contributions by

will receive S$300,000, a certificate, and a

WWA

individuals or organisations towards solving

gold medallion at the award ceremony to be

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

MARKET REPORT

International Water Association (IWA) and Xylem White Paper Maps Digital Adoption Trends and Identifies Key Learnings to Help Drive Migration

he International Water Association (IWA) and global water technology company Xylem have released a comprehensive white paper titled: “Digital Water: Industry Leaders Chart the Transformation Journey.” Water thought leader and author Will Sarni, CEO of Water Foundry, served as a key author of the report. The white paper examines how digitalisation is transforming the water sector, and introduces the Digital Water Adoption Curve, a new tool to help utilities assess their digital maturity and map their digital future.

Key takeaways from the report include: • The importance of building a holistic digital roadmap and a clear business strategy: Utilities must create internal consensus on how the digital journey will unfold, maintain the customer and business outcomes as focal points throughout the digitalisation process, and educate key stakeholders (consumers, politicians, shareholders, management and employees) • The creation of an innovation culture: Utility operators, IT staff, finance, technicians, executives, and others have to be the scouts for identifying new technologies. However, to drive adoption, utilities must focus on fostering an organisation-wide curiosity and competency for embracing digital innovation • Leveraging pilots for an agile mindset: Pilot projects offer a means to explore new technologies, build momentum, and create a more holistic understanding of their physical and financial eﬀects on operations before committing to large-scale implementation • Developing architecture for optimising data use: Developing a data warehouse, where operational data sets become available to functions such as finance, engineering and IT specialists who can use the data to optimise business processes, is critical to creating value from data and effectively digitalising utility infrastructure and connectivity Digital technologies cannot be sought as simply surface-level solutions. To operate effectively, they must be incorporated into the very backbone of water and wastewater utilities. From physical infrastructure and business services to data management and customer relations, digital technologies can and should become interwoven with all levels of a utility’s operations. Many utilities are still navigating how to extract value from digital

solutions, and have reported that accessing data from legacy systems still presents a challenge, even as water utilities are increasingly dealing with large volumes of data that are both structured and unstructured coming from disparate sources. This has led to an increase in the usage of application programming interfaces (APIs). “At a time when global water challenges are escalating, digital solutions oﬀer communities around the world bold, new ways to optimise, manage and conserve this most precious resource,” said Kala Vairavamoorthy, IWA Executive Director. “‘Digital Water: Industry Leaders Chart the Transformation Journey’ leverages the insights of IWA members to help utilities learn from their peers, harness the power of digital technologies and enable communities around the world to become more water secure,” states Kala Vairavamoorthy. “Only together can we shape our water future.” WWA

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

FROM THE GROUND

Gyo Phyu reservoir is located about 64 kilometres north of Yangon. Completed in 1940, the pipeline boasts a capacity of 166,000 million gallons and a dependable yield of 93,300 cubic metres per day.

he Water Agency recently sat down with Raphael Monnier,

communities, all they want is to create a better life for their family

co-founder of Yangon-based architecture and design

and children, and more importantly create a home for themselves.

company Blue Temple. Monnier is currently working on

The children attend the local public school, the husbands are workers

renovating the Gyo Phyu pipeline with a diverse, multi-skilled team,

or night guards around the area. By including these communities in

and shared his thoughts and visions regarding the project.

the processes of design, construction and maintenance, this project opts to protect them and guarantee their safety and stay in the area.

The Water Agency (TWA): What’s the plan for Gyo Phyu Pipeline?

This project isn’t just an architectural intervention for the sake of

Raphael Monnier (RM): Built in the 40s by English Engineers using

public space design; it is also an anti-eviction programme.

American products, the Gyo Phyu pipeline is now the home of many

Through this pilot project, we hope to propose a new form of

local communities. Today it has become a community centre, a

socially responsible and ecological development in Yangon, by using

meeting place for young people, a playground for kids, a pedestrian

innovation as a tool of leverage.

highway for local dwellers, a home for homeless families, a dating area, and much more. Reflecting on the innovative ways local

TWA: How can we improve the pipeline in the perspective point of

communities were able to adapt to this uncanny environment and

landscape architects?

build a home, the future development of the pipeline will enhance this

RM:

behaviour by incrementally upgrading the pipeline into purposeful

and almost 15 kilometres more to the reservoir. The scale of this

public spaces.

infrastructure goes beyond the scope of architecture and into urban

The pipeline is 9.8 kilometres all the way to the airport

planning and landscape design. Similar to other linear parks like the TWA: Why is there a need to renovate the pipeline?

“HighLine” in New York or “La Coulée Verte” in Paris, the pipeline in

RM:

Informal settlements can be found on both sides of the

Yangon presents an incredible opportunity to create a green corridor

pipeline, and they’re now threatened with eviction despite having

that joins the whole city together. The pipeline passes through remote

lived there for over 15 years. The people living in these settlements

urban areas where nature is still very present; many initiatives can

were previously living in other settlements in Yangon, but got kicked

be implemented such as urban bee hives, wetlands, urban farming,

out due to development projects without being given any other place

and bird watching. Moreover, by upgrading the pipeline into an

to go.

accessible pedestrian highway the project can definitely help to promote alternative car-free circulation networks in the city.

Their contribution to the healthy neighbourhood goes from barber shops, small tea shops, trash picking, 20-litre water bottle

TWA: Could you share some examples of pipeline renovation

distribution, and much more. While the public looks down on these

projects in other countries?

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

FROM THE GROUND

RM:

The inspiration of this project comes directly from a

creative appropriation and usage of the pipeline by the local community living around it. It is therefore a very localised and contextual project that is not replicable in other places. This concept doesn’t come from technocrat experts, applying wellconceived ideas into a neighbourhood; it is not part of a pattern that can be seen elsewhere; it is proper to Yangon’s Gyo Phyu pipeline context. I did, however, come across another pipeline renovation project in Mumbai called “ The Landlink Design Prototype” designed by Mumbai City Lab and MARS architect. The project hopes to create a rickshaw highway to connect two major slums together, and on the long term build bigger substantial infrastructure to host working areas. TWA: What’s the next step for Gyo Phyu pipeline and its community? RM:

The idea of a photography participatory workshop was an

appropriate way to continue dialoguing with the community and better understand the site and its context through their own lens. By handing out 10 cameras to young community members as we teach them photography and storytelling basics; with the help of Yuyu Myint Than, a recognised Burmese photographer; we aim to set the ground for them to become advocates of their own living conditions and explore their environment and daily life as well. Once the workshop is finished, we plan to set up an exhibition at an abandoned warehouse within the community along the pipeline, where the stories of the participants will be shared. For this exhibition we will renovate the warehouse into a space that in the future will be able to foster social and creative exchange. Moreover, by setting up this exhibition in the community space we also aim to raise awareness on some of the issues we want to address through our project, such as decentralisation, promoting low-tech innovation, and informal settlement protection. WWA News source credited to Kyaw Nyunt Linn (The Water Agency). Photos credited to Raphael Monnier (Blue Temple).

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

President of Danfoss Asia Pacific Region Soren Kvorning speaking at the Energy Eﬃciency Summit hosted by Danfoss

ccording to a report done by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, almost 50 per cent of the Southeast Asian (SEA) population

will be living in cities, and governments across SEA are under immense pressure to meet the demands of surging populations and find a balance between keeping cities liveable yet sustainable. With all our advancements in technology, how do our cities become “climate-smart”? Water & Wastewater Asia sits down with Soren Kvorning, President of Danfoss Asia Pacific Region, to find out more about current eﬀorts to encourage sustainability in the water sector, and what more can be done. Water & Wastewater Asia (WWA): What part do you think the water and wastewater industry has to play in the drive to develop more “climate-smart” cities? Soren Kvorning (SK): When we move people into cities, the supply chain is getting more and more critical, and the water supply is a big part of this food supply chain. So, water, food, fossil fuels, these resources are under pressure. Water is a key part of the infrastructure, and we have areas today where we don’t have access to clean water for everybody. The infrastructure cannot stand alone – it requires the water supply and wastewater handling as well.

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

IN PERSON

When you talk about wastewater, it’s another element of the

So, it’s not about solving it in a few places, we need to lift the overall

infrastructure where you also need sustainability in the way you treat

infrastructure of our water. And to do that it also requires that we

water, in the before and after. We also need to accelerate the way

look at the waste, at the sewage, the other part of the equation is

we are increasing our access to water by desalination plants, as an

the wastewater treatment, therefore we all play a role regardless of

example, or clean the sewage water again, and that’s part of what

whether we are in a developed area or not, to make sure all of us are

we’re doing in Singapore so the wastewater plants for the future are

lifting it together. We need the acceleration and to take the low hanging

also fuelling the potable water.

fruits today instead of waiting. The standard we developed five years back is no longer the standard we should be having now.

WWA: In sustainable energy and development, how big a role does water and wastewater play?

WWA: What do you think the potential of the region is?

SK:

I believe approximately four to five per cent of the overall

I don’t think we know the limit – what we want to achieve is

energy consumption comes from the water industry. Here

not necessarily what we can achieve. I think at this point of time we

the water sector plays a role in educating, and they play a role in

don’t know what we can actually achieve. We know what we want to

enabling the technologies available already, to reduce the energy

achieve, and if we make it or not is a question of our actions.

consumption and pump water smarter. We can move water smarter from one place to another, and save 15-25 per cent of the energy

And I still see that with the technologies available today we could see

consumed.

more clean water, like cleaning wastewater or seawater to make it drinkable and potable for all. So potentially we could open up some of

At the same time, when you have a wastewater plant, you

the initiatives like sustainable energy for all. What about sustainable

have inertia in the water, in the CO tanks where the biological

water for all? I’d recommend that we create a sustainable water initiative

treatment is happening. And that inertia can be reused to generate

that could potentially be regional or global. It requires the partnership

energy, and as such you can at the same time convert it so it becomes

between public and private sectors, supported by institutions.

energy neutral, or even energy producing for the wastewater handling.

And that’s why I like the quote I mentioned from Dr Vivian Balakrishnan,

WWA: What are some of the challenges that the industry will

React, do it, act – be creative and make the change.”

he said something about “if the ambition is not fulfilled, don’t wait. encounter in improving sustainability? SK:

It depends on where we are. If we take Singapore as an

WWA: Tell us more about how Danfoss is helping the water industry

example, we’re pretty far along with our water supply and we’re

in saving water.

working on being independent, but we still have challenges or

SK:

requirements that have been putting pressure on Singapore’s

are, and there are certain trends in the world like urbanisation and

development. We have pretty well-developed water supply systems,

an increasing need for water which are clearly making us even more

but we still have leakages, so the water sector also plays a role in

relevant. Our technologies are innovated to support the sustainability

enabling and identifying the technology to stop these leakages. Again,

of the water sector. We also have individual components like high-

it’s looking at the whole system.

pressure pumps that generate the pressure needed to push the water

If we’re not demanding the pressure control in our system, the

in island resorts, to generate potable water.

Danfoss has never been more relevant than what we currently

through the reverse osmosis filter. We have pumps that are installed leakage and volume leaked will be higher. To reduce pending demand, we will reduce the leakages as well. At the same time, we need to

We also have various technologies today where you can control and

detect the leakages so we save water, and I think that’s the biggest

predict when there is a low season in water needs or demands, and

portion of making it sustainable.

then you can control the pumping of the water based on that. We can increase the uptime of the pumps and systems, where we are

WWA: What about the water and wastewater industry in the Asian

synchronising and balancing the pumps; instead of one pump we have

region? Is the region developing fast enough?

two, and we control the ups and downs so we can take one out for

SK:

repair, while we are continuously running with the other one.

When it comes to energy saving or our climate change, which

includes challenges and limitations on the water supply, time is never enough, and I honestly believe that we need more speed in this. We

We previously set an ambitious target of doubling our energy productivity

have ambitions, we have plans, but we need the implementation

by 2030, but we have reached 77 per cent and expect to make the target

ready to go. We have a growing middle class that will require and

by 2020. Now we have a new ambition of doubling this target one more

demand more water, and they will move to places where the water

time over the next 10 years. We need to have these ambitions, and people

is available and that will put pressure on these areas.

and societies to remind (us) to think bolder, and really go for it. WWA

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

FROM THE GROUND

Co-Digestion: The Way Forward With Singapore’s water consumption expected to double by 2060, how do we as a nation look toward more sustainable eﬀorts? Water & Wastewater Asia speaks to Dr Kelvin Koh, General Manager of the Ulu Pandan Water Reclamation Plant, to find out more. WATER & WASTEWATER ASIA (WWA):

reclamation plants which uses only as much

Reclamation Plants (WRPs) achieve the

How far is co-digestion projected to get

energy as its treatment process generates.

long-term target of energy self-suﬃciency

Singapore in economic terms, including

Co-digestion of used water sludge and food

for used water treatment processes, and

electricity offsets and the sludge not

waste is one of the key initiatives towards

50 per cent reduction in sludge generation.

needing to be incinerated? In terms of

achieving this target. The current biogas

PUB’s roadmap for Singapore’s water

production from the anaerobic digestion

Co-digestion also promotes a circular

sustainability, where does co-digestion

stage of used water treatment in Ulu Pandan

e c o n o m y a p p ro a c h t o w a rd s w a s t e

put us?

Water Reclamation Plant (without food waste

management. It maximises resource recovery

addition) can supplement approximately

from food waste and supports Singapore’s

DR KOH (DK): Water demand is projected

25 per cent of the plant’s total electricity

vision towards a Zero Waste Nation. By co-

to double by 2060 from our current

consumption. Results have shown that the

locating a used water treatment plant and

430 million gallons per day (MGD). Our

synergistic effects in co-digesting used

waste management facility in the Tuas Nexus,

energy needs and waste generation would

water sludge and food waste can increase

it allows us to harness potential synergies

increase significantly if we continue to

biogas production by up to 40 per cent,

and benefits of a Water-Energy-Waste Nexus.

function as usual. A key pillar of Singapore’s

compared to if the two waste sources are

This maximises both resource and energy

water sustainability is to meet future water

digested separately. This could potentially

recovery while minimising environmental

demand at today’s energy footprint. This

increase our biogas production, and when

footprint. In the long run, co-digestion

means creating energy self-suﬃcient water

implemented on a full scale, could help Water

will allow both PUB and NEA to lower cost of operating the facilities, making waste management more sustainable. W WA :

Is co-digestion

projected to help alleviate Singapore’s water-energy nexus, where the price of water is paid with energy? DK:

Higher biogas yield from

co-digestion means more energy can be produced using the biogas. This energy can then be used to offset the energy required to treat used water and enable us to meet future water demand in a sustainable way. Our goal is to make used water treatment fully energy self-suﬃcient while reducing sludge generation in the long run. Dr Kelvin Koh, General Manager of Ulu Pandan Water Reclamation Plant, Water Reclamation Plants Department, PUB

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

FROM THE GROUND

WWA: Other than the Tuas Nexus Plant,

ensure that co-digestion is implementable

embarked on a trial to validate the feasibility

which will likely feature co-digestion, as

in Singapore’s context. Some of the key

of co-digestion in Singapore’s context before

referenced during the media trip, are there

lessons learnt from one of our study trips

the demonstration facility was constructed.

any other plans to scale up the co-digestion

to the US is ensuring a constant source-

Insights to the design of several parameters,

process?

segregated feed, and the design of an

such as the ratio of food waste and sludge

appropriate pre-treatment method that suits

to feed to our digesters, feeding rate, were

The existing Water Reclamation Plants

local food waste. This is to ensure that the

gained through a feasibility study with NTU

(WRPs) are not designed to receive, treat and

anaerobic co-digestion process remains

at the initial stage.

co-digest food waste. Nonetheless, we will

stable to produce biogas for electricity

continue to explore the food-water-energy-

generation.

DK:

co-digestion in all new WRP developments.

WWA: How has water demand in Singapore changed over the past five to ten years, and

waste nexus for synergies and will implement WWA: What key transformational issues

how has this aﬀected sludge, in turn?

had to be addressed in the plant, as this is WWA: Hungary and the United States are

Singapore’s first demonstration plant?

DK:

Singapore’s total water demand

is currently 430 MGD and is projected to

the leaders in co-digestion technology – what lessons did PUB learn from them and

DK:

As Singapore’s first demonstration

almost double by 2060. Correspondingly,

what was successfully implemented?

facility at the Ulu Pandan Water Reclamation

used water discharge is expected to

Plant, research eﬀorts had to be calibrated

increase, and so too our sludge production,

PUB has gleaned experience and

and planned carefully to ensure its success.

which is expected to double to more than

expertise from these overseas projects to

As with other R&D projects in PUB, we

600,000 tonnes per year. WWA

DK:

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

FROM THE GROUND

or many businesses, achieving sust ainable growth is the real challenge. For PipeLine Process &

Systems (‘PipeLine’) from Singapore, a solutions provider for water treatment plants for the past 15 years, it has always taken growth in its stride. Even as it expands into Myanmar in recent years, PipeLine is taking one steady step at a time. WWA speaks to Leck Chye Chuah, marketing and sales director of PipeLine to find out more.

THE STORY

Leck Chye Chuah (right), marketing and sales director of PipeLine Process & Systems, with senior manager, Yong Khim Foo

PipeLine was founded in 2004 when Leck was

the next level and they could start quoting

Through the years, PipeLine’s principles

invited by a group of friends to make a small

for bigger projects and achieve larger sale

have not changed. “We are constantly

investment in a trading business involving

volumes. Four years after starting business,

improving our service and knowledge to

valves. Soon after, they started the business

they scored their first major project – a

ensure our supply chain partners remain

from scratch.

semiconductor project from an American

relevant. We communicate frequently with

multinational corporation. From then on,

our partners to improve product quality

business took oﬀ.

and coordination of operation as well as

“When we began operation, we had no specific product in mind, so we decided

logistics support for our overseas projects.

to kickstart our OEM brand to create an

Currently, their main target clients are from

Most importantly, we listen keenly to

identity for our products. Meanwhile we

the water sector, though over the years,

our customers to truly understand their

were also seeking product representation

their range of products have been supplied

needs.”

from international brands to boost our

to local semiconductor plants, chemical

company image. My previous boss also

plants, marine oﬀshores as well as local and

The most recent deal secured by PipeLine

offered opportunities for us to market

overseas power plants.

belongs to a well-known semiconductor

plastic piping, fittings and valves.”

project in Singapore, for which PipeLine And so, PipeLine grew from a small

supplied its range of flow control valves for

Having a clear strategy helped, within a

business selling a piece of stainless-

utilities services, ball valves for LNG lines

few years, Leck and his team steadily but

steel valve for $10

and UL/FM approved gate valves for fire

rapidly established a strong customer base

and a plastic fitting

protection services.

and OEM branding. “We strongly believe in

at less than $1, to

diﬀerentiating and positioning ourselves as

becoming a prominent

a service provider, rather than a material

player with a growth

Currently, the company is setting its

supplier. Besides investing time and eﬀort

averaging 10 per

sight on the emerging Myanmar market

to improve marketing materials, we started

cent in OEM products

and has taken a few small steps towards

to keep stock to serve local customers fast,

annually, according to

working on more projects there since

even for bulk orders. Quick delivery and

Leck. Last year, their

early 2017.

competitive pricing are a must.”

turnover amounted

EXPANDING INTO MYANMAR

to US$1.1million for

Between 2017 and 2018, they sealed

Following this approach, PipeLine achieved

their OEM range of

deals mainly for OEM products valued at

its first milestone – sales volume elevated to

products.

more than US$100,000 in Myanmar.

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

FROM THE GROUND UNDERSTANDING MYANMAR

In recent years, PipeLine has also seen many of

THE SINGAPORE BRAND AS A GUARANTEE OF QUALITY

their local clients - most of whom are local

Also, being a Singaporean company places

water treatment companies- take up

PipeLine in an advantageous position as the

overseas projects especially in

Some of PipeLine’s OEM products: 1) Resilient seated gate valve 2) ball valve 3) Dual plate check valve

the regional South East Asian countries, and entering the energy as well as oil and gas sectors.

Singapore brand is viewed as a guarantee for quality and reliability in the region. “Our progress in Myanmar has been positive and we have been doing well for the past few years. We do not set high expectations when entering

In PipeLine’s case, Myanmar was chosen for its young

a new market as we want to give ourselves ample time to understand the market, culture, policies as well as the political situation,” said

population and great potential

Leck, “We have been receiving positive responses from customers on

as a market for Singapore

our product quality when submitting project proposals.”

b ra n d s . A s a n e m e rg i n g

FUTURE PLANS

economy which is still full of uncertainties, Leck thinks

In the next few years, PipeLine plans to strengthen its Singapore quality

t h at i t w i l l b e n e f i t f ro m

image in the regional marketplace, as well as expand its distribution

Singapore brands’ reliability

network of OEM products into regional and emerging markets.

and experience. “Several important policies are changing. We are prepared to adapt Myanmar ’s economy is expected to grow 6.6 per cent

as our work progresses in these countries.” WWA

in 2019 and 6.8 per cent in 2020, according to the Asian Development Bank. With the government’s commitment to make investing in the country easier, such as standardising FDI application and implementation procedures, foreign investment in Myanmar is expected to pick up significantly. The number of FDI approvals reached about $1.5 billion between October 2018 and January 2019, compared with $823 million year-on-year. In particular, the increase was largely due to higher investment commitments from Singapore and other Asian investors. So far, the challenges faced by PipeLine include communication, unclear policies and technical knowledge, which are common and anticipated by Leck. To overcome them, Leck’s team puts in extra eﬀort in providing assistance and consistently communicating with customers. They also talk to the experts at various levels to stay updated. “Also, learning from my own experience, Singapore business operators need to tune down our pace to match the local culture. It is an important skill that we must learn,” Leck added. It helped that friendly bilateral ties between both governments allow Singaporean companies to find easy acceptance within the local business communities. “Most Burmese business owners have experience working with Singaporeans and prefer working with Singaporean companies. They see us as trusted partners,” said Leck.

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

FROM THE GROUND

By Leong Chee Khuan, Area Managing Director for South Asia and General Manager for Grundfos Pumps Sdn Bhd

ater is a precious and increasingly

in densely populated areas during the dry

casted on-site, which not only means

critical resource. Water security

season.

greater time spent on construction and

has become one of our most

detailed planning, but also susceptibility to

urgent environmental crises as well as

A recent example was when Manila

chemical corrosion and subsequent leakage

our fastest-growing social, political and

experienced its worst water crisis in nearly

over time.

economic challenges faced today. Increasing

a decade earlier this year. The crisis comes

water scarcity and pollution, rapid population

as a stark reminder that water security

They also occupy a lot of space, which is

growth and urbanisation are major factors

needs to be a top priority. We need to not

an issue for the rapidly urbanising country.

posing fundamental challenges to the global

only review existing water networks and put

Grundfos has introduced a prefabricated

water cycle, with a particular pressure on the

in place plans to expand national water

pumping station, which has been developed

urban water supply.

systems capable of moving water eﬀectively

to optimise pumping station design and

and efficiently, but the government and

operation and reduce energy consumption.

Most countries in Asia are not spared,

private sector need to work together and

The prefabricated pumping station is

and this includes the Philippines, which is

coordinate more eﬀectively on development

designed to be energy eﬃcient and operates

experiencing rapid population growth, with a

issues.

reliably in the long run. Made of hard-

projected population of 150 million by 20501,

wearing plastic, its greater durability paired

BUILDING RESILIENT WATER NETWORKS

with an advanced control system means

Water supply and sanitation has been unable to keep up with the growing population and

The local infrastructure capacity in the

energy savings.

rate of urbanisation. Additionally, climate

Philippines is unable to keep up with demand

change, ineﬃcient and excessive water use,

and efficiency levels are not optimised.

Requiring a shorter construction timeframe,

pollution and increasing volumes of food

While the Philippine government has been

Grundfos’ prefabricated pumping station

production put pressure on the country’s

driving greater eﬀorts through increased

can support the expansion of a water

water systems.

investment towards its water networks,

network in a shorter timeline. Compared

and is becoming increasingly urbanised.

optimised operations and in turn greater

industry players are also responsible for

to traditional pumping stations,

In the Philippines, water comes from

introducing innovative solutions given their

this prefabricated pumping station is

various sources – groundwater, rainfall and

expertise in the water sector.

produced in the Grundfos factory and

surface water, such as reservoirs, rivers,

sent to the site as a complete package,

and lakes. Despite the abundance in water

For example, a key part of the water

making installation easier. This reduces

sources, significant seasonal variations

network is pumping stations that collect and

installation time by as much as

and imbalanced geographical distribution

transport wastewater. However, traditional

80 per cent, ensuring minimal disruption to

often result in water shortages, especially

pumping stations are made of concrete

people and infrastructure.

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

FROM THE GROUND

internet-based system. This allows for changes in performance and energy consumption to be tracked and documented, even automatically generating reports and trend graphs, giving an indication of wear or damage to businesses to plan service and maintenance accordingly.

COLLABORATION IS STILL KEY We ultimately need public-private partnerships to ensure that new innovations are not only developed, but also incorporated on a large scale. Industry players can introduce innovative solutions to address water-related issues, as well as bring unique expertise to the table; while a

INFRASTRUCTURE ADAPTABLE TO CLIMATE CHANGE

SMART MONITORING

mandate and support from the government

Additionally, the expansion of water systems

is critical to a project’s success.

With rainfall being one of the key sources

will put greater management challenges on

of water for the Philippines, stormwater

operators and owners, making it necessary

By leveraging synergies in research and

management is also a key in the entire water

to put in place advanced monitoring systems

development, and through the exchange of

network – keeping enough reservoir storage

to control increasingly complex networks.

best practices, such partnerships ensure faster and more eﬀective development and

space available to manage floods during heavy precipitation, but also storing enough

W i t h i n t e l l i g e n t t e c h n o l o g y, w a t e r

deployment of innovative and eﬃcient water

water to protect against drought.

management can be pre-emptive and

management solutions.

predictive, ensuring that we are constantly Flooding is a constant issue for the

monitoring the conditions of our water

Water management is one of the biggest

Philippines. Heavy precipitation, storm

systems and attending to each and every

socio-economic-ecological issues of the

and flood events are expected to increase,

change adequately and addressing any issue

21st century, not just for the Philippines

putting pressure on many regions, urban

before it happens. Water providers around

but across the globe. Innovation is key for

systems and transport infrastructure.

the world are increasingly leveraging real-

governments and industry to drive water

The Philippines is situated in an area

time sensors and data analytics to support

eﬃciency and inculcate a culture of water

experiencing severe weather conditions

their daily operations.

conservation at the critical rate and scale we need. WWA

on a frequent basis, with an average of 20 typhoons each year. These events are

With digitalisation, water providers can use

expected to become more severe.

technologies that intelligently adjusts water

Reference:

flow according to demand through the use

Each situation for flood control and water

of remote sensors. This reduces any excess

Population Prospects: 2015 Revision

management comes with its own unique

water pressure, which in turn limits water

issues and requires very specific approaches.

leakages and losses, minimising cost and

Whether it is urban, coastal or river flooding,

energy.

United Nations (2015). The World

the ability to provide a customised solution for every installation is crucial, as waters

Digitalisation also empowers distribution

from muddy and sometimes polluted

models that can recommend when assets

confluences, will require different pump

need to be replaced. Pumps, sensors,

capabilities to those operating in sea water

meters and pump controllers can now all be

barrages or freshwater lakes.

connected to a centrally hosted server via an

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

FROM THE GROUND

Another major success in the US for inge

Filtrate from the RO stage is fed back into the feed of the UF stage. H2O Innovation was

selected as a partner for the construction of the new UF membrane plant. Five membrane providers were qualified for the project and three were later shortlisted. The H2O

Innovation/inge® team ultimately came out ahead of the two remaining competitors and was selected as the Membrane Filtration System supplier for Montevina. The highly robust Multibore® membranes guarantee maximum reliability for crypto and virus retention, extremely low energy requirement and minimal use of chemicals during operation. Another advantage was the highly compact design of the module racks. Space in the plant is limited, so these proved to be an ideal option, especially since they inge® managing director Daniela Calleri at the opening ceremony of the new water treatment plant

ust

few

minutes’ drive from the

centre of the town of Los Gatos, San Jose Water (SJW) has been supplying

Los Gatos in California enjoys drinking water from nature to tap using In-to-Out Ultrafiltration technology from Germany

also meet the seismic requirements of the California Building Standards Code.

100 Nephelometric

PROOF OF PERFORMANCE (POP)

Tu r b i d i t y U n i t s

A PoP test was conducted for 90 days to

(NTU), as well as

confirm the inge® membrane’s ability to

occasional spikes up

operate at the design setpoints of the bid.

to 500 NTU during

All aspects of membrane performance were

wet seasons and

evaluated, such as transmembrane pressure

after heavy rainfall

(TMP), flux, filtrate turbidity, membrane

fresh drinking water

while meeting all

integrity, permeability, cleanability, and

to residents and

state and federal

chemical usage. The PoP results met the

businesses in the greater San Jose area for

standards. Other goals included reducing

approvals of the owner and consulting

the past 150 years. Today it serves over one

energy consumption in the water treatment

engineer.

million people, providing them with clean,

process and minimising the amount of

pathogen-free water from the creeks in the

“waste” that must be disposed of at the

THE RESULTS

nearby mountains, wells, and purchased

end of the process. The plant needed to be

The construction and commissioning of the

treated water.

designed as near Zero Liquid Discharge once

plant was completed in November 2017.

the modernisation project was complete.

The upgraded Montevina WTP was ready for

THE CHALLENGE At 44 years old, the existing plant had a

THE DESIGN

capacity of 30 million gallons per day (MGD),

HDR was commissioned by SJW to plan

and was in dire need of an upgrade. SJW

the Montevina upgrade and supervise the

specified the very highest quality standards in

execution of the project. After carefully

both the planning and implementation stages

examining the pros and cons, and the lifecycle

to ensure that the local population would

costs of a number of technologies, HDR

continue to enjoy a reliable supply of high-

and SJW embarked on an elaborate

quality water at the lowest possible price. SJW

selection procedure. This ultimately led to a

had a long tradition of innovation to uphold

solution with coagulation and sedimentation

and an excellent reputation to protect.

followed by ultrafiltration (UF). All the resulting chemical wastewater is neutralised

The upgraded Montevina plant needed to be

and then treated with reverse osmosis

able to treat water with high turbidity up to

(RO).

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

One advantage was the highly compact design of the module racks

FROM THE GROUND •

Lower energy consumption during

•

A most cost-eﬀective solution

operation (50 per cent less than • •

The construction and commissioning of the plant was completed in 2017, and ready for full-scale operation in 2018

full-scale operation in May 31, 2018 after the oﬃcial inauguration ceremony that marked the successful construction of this major project. An optimisation period involving San Jose Water, HDR, H2O Innovation and inge®

previous system)

In summary, the BASF-inge® solution is

Good cleanability with minimal use of

the perfect example of a state-of-the-art

chemicals

technology for clean, safe drinking water

Excellent choice to meet the goals of

“from nature to tap”, and an excellent

nZLD (near Zero Liquid Discharge)

choice for everyone who lives in the greater

concept

San Jose area. WWA

CHECKLIST What do you want from your process? Lower operating costs?

was initiated in June 2018 to prepare for the

Acceptance Test. The Acceptance Test began late February 2019 which coincided with

“From nature to tap” is the motto chosen by

is proud to have played a key role in helping the public utility company to upgrade the Montevina WTP. On the day of the opening ceremony, inge® managing director Daniela Calleri cut the blue ribbon together with San Jose Water and representatives from both

Reduced manual intervention?

All of the above?

and was completed in March of 2019.

treatment plant to consumers. inge GmbH

Reliable control room data?

Deferred capital refurbishment?

periods of heavy rains in Northern California

SJW to market its new, ultramodern water

Site-wide optimisation?

What do you NEED from your process? Lower risk of failure?

HDR and the city of San Jose. She also gave a short speech on the role inge GmbH played in the project.

CONCLUSION This reference project in California has

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Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

FROM THE GROUND

Gazing across at the view of yachts in Seabrook, and wild birds and palm trees in the welcome breeze, it takes the start-up of a small submersible mixer to bring one back to reality that one is actually at a site that is handling sewage due to the lack of odour.

ere in sunny Seabrook, just 30 minutes south of mass

In fact, the previous mixer, a direct-drive model, kept tripping out.

Houston, Texas, this small town on Galveston Bay boasts one

On six separate occasions, Gonzales and his team had to remove it

of the world’s most pleasant wastewater treatment centres

from the water for repairs.

— a facility proven that it pays to plan ahead through clever design. For example, when the Category 4 Hurricane Harvey devastated

‘A GOOD, STURDY REPLACEMENT’

much of the low-lying grounds in southeast Texas, Seabrook WWTP

“Try as we might,” continued Gonzales, “moisture had gradually

(wastewater treat plant) remarkably kept operating as the electrical

crept into the mixer, which ultimately led to a complete burn out. So,

controls were all mounted above the high-water mark in anticipation

we needed to find a good and sturdy replacement. We could have

that one day flood waters would infiltrate the plant.

asked for another direct-drive mixer, but by discussing our needs with Landia and reviewing the application, their recommendation

The submersible mixer in question plays a key role in helping

was that a gear-driven mixer would be much better for us and so it

Seabrook WWTP to be a good neighbour, especially with many

has proved. We also saved money straight away by them being able

waterfront properties close by in the vibrant yet relaxed area, which

to use the existing guiderail for the retrofit. There was no need to

evokes a resort-style experience.

drain the tank”.

CONTROLLING ODOURS

At this 1960’s-built plant, close to the third largest boating centre

“When the air has been turned oﬀ in our digester for the dewatering

in the United States, the switch from a direct-drive mixer to a gear-

process, we use a Landia gear-driven mixer for several hours to

driven mixer raised an important, and what could rightly be described

slowly mix everything back up without creating unnecessary odours,”

as an overlooked ‘weighty’ issue.

explained Seabrook Site Superintendent Rafael Gonzales about the importance of Landia submersible mixer in controlling odours.

Landia’s Art Savage explained, “As a proud manufacturer ourselves of direct-drive mixers, it goes without saying that we’re not against

“This is very important when the digester is thick — and also depends

them! However, it is important to select the right mixer for each

on how long we’ve been waiting for the dewatering contractor to

application. In the case of Seabrook, a gear-driven mixer was more

arrive. Sometimes the sludge has been sitting there longer than we

suitable for their sludge tank than the direct-drive mixer (of a

would have liked.

diﬀerent brand) that they had previously been sold. Use of certain direct-drive mixers can become quite costly in operation and repair

“We’re at the mercy of the dewatering process every three to four

costs. A direct-drive mixer means the propeller rotates at the same

weeks, because, as is the case with most deliveries and collections,

speed as the motor shaft, e.g. up to 1800 rpm. But at that velocity, a

the sludge haulers want to do everything as fast as possible. This

great deal of disruption and damage would be made to the biological

puts us under pressure. We may not have to run our belt process,

process.”

but we do have to be very aware of odours escaping,” he added. He added, “So, without the benefit of a gear reducer, you have to Just a 10-minute car drive from NASA’s Johnson Space Center, the

slow down the propeller speed in other ways, which is typically done

mixing process at Seabrook’s 2MGD plant had become complicated

by increasing the number of poles in the motor. However, this adds

and at times labour-intensive before Landia mixer was installed

a lot of weight — and greatly reduces the motor eﬃciency. The

almost two years ago.

Landia mixer weighs around 235lbs as compared to the previous

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

FROM THE GROUND

mixer, which was more than twice that weight, and Seabrook went

“We run the Landia gear-driven mixer for an hour to two hours per

from a 15-HP to a 12-HP motor with their new mixer. The

day with no problems at all — and for its performance and reliability,

higher-pole motors are also quite costly to repair, but manufacturers

we can see that it’s just right for the application. The mixing pattern

don’t necessarily volunteer this information. Seabrook had

is good, and with an adjustable guide pipe, we can also use it during

certainly faced some high repair bills with their direct-drive

dewatering to push the solids over in the right direction. We’re very

mixer until it became evident that it was no longer viable to keep

happy with it,” said Gonzales. WWA

rebuilding it.

“We run the Landia gear-driven mixer for an hour to two hours per day with no problems at…,” said Seabrook Site Superintendent Rafael Gonzales

The mixing process at Seabrook’s 2MGD plant had become complicated and at times labour-intensive before Landia mixer was installed almost two years ago

“… we use a Landia gear-driven mixer for several hours to slowly mix everything back up without creating unnecessary odours,” explained Gonzales

The submersible mixer in question plays a key role in helping Seabrook WWTP to be a good neighbour

All images are credited to Landia.

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

FROM THE GROUND

SUEZ Uses Outcome Driven Analytics to Deliver 24/7 Water Supply to Growing Communities in India

of an innovative asset management approach inspired by the new ISO 24516 series for water supply and wastewater systems.

BASEMAP PREPARATION, NETWORK DIGITISATION AND CONSUMER SURVEYS To address the challenge associated with the availability of data, SUEZ developed a systematic approach to “filling the gaps” for the buried water assets in the networks. This included the integration of the following digital tools and processes: • Systematic base mapping process using satellite images • In-house digital platforms such as Real-time Operation Performance system (ROPeS) which enabled paperless, industrialised and reliable asset and customer data collection • Ability to set up and manage a field task force of over 100 surveyors Using these tools, SUEZ was able to collect valuable asset and

n 2011, nearly 70 per cent of households in India had access

customer data eﬃciently and make it available in a structured

to tap water – of these, only 62 per cent had access to treated

data warehouse for further application and analysis, including the

tap water. This scenario is changing with increased emphasis

development of a WaterGEMS hydraulic model.

on water and sanitation infrastructure reform programmes like aimed at achieving sustainable solutions in the water and waste

STATISTICAL INSPECTION STRATEGY USING NONDESTRUCTIVE TOOLS

sector by 2030, but in many cities the water provided does not

For feeder mains, pipe condition is diﬃcult to obtain, and non-

comply with existing per capita norms and cities are rarely able to

destructive methods are applied. Locations were selected to be

meet standards set by the Manual on Water Supply and Treatment

statistically representative of the whole system. For that purpose,

(CPHEEO).

degradation clusters were defined using machine/deep learning

the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),

processes. The best representative samples were then selected using In many cases, water supply is intermittent and the networks for

artificial intelligence to ensure that the sample maximised accuracy

transmission and distribution have high non-revenue water losses

and minimised the investment required for the survey.

of 40-70 per cent. In Coimbatore and Davanagere, SUEZ worked with the municipalities to design, construct and maintain networks

In Coimbatore, 10 locations were selected as representative of the

that can provide continuous, 24/7 potable water supply, as part

126km of feeder mains.

Pipe condition assessment with the Scanner (SmartCAT®)

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

FROM THE GROUND

The “Scanner” helped the operators to qualify the structural state of metal pipes. It is a non-destructive technique performed in-situ with no disruption of water supply required. The equipment induces magnetic flux into the pipe wall, and identifies locations where this flux is displaced from the pipe wall due to non-metallic defects. The implementation of the Scanner required

The ePulse® from Echologics

Source: Echologics

a prior excavation and cleaning of the pipe.

required in order to ensure that the selected

to better serve their communities. For

Eight scans of 1.5m length were performed

segment of pipe was continuous with

water supply and distribution networks,

all around the pipe, which requires rotating

accurate descriptive data, that contact

Optimizer™ evaluates hundreds of thousands

the position of the instrument by 22.5° after

points were available and that noise

of potential capital and operation strategies

each measurement. Data was also collected

disturbances were identified.

for network improvement assessing the risk

on the soil characteristics, as well as the

reduction, TOTEX and level of service of

The ePulse® from Echologics was applied to

OPTIMISING NETWORK LEVEL OF SERVICE AND MINIMISING TOTEX USING OPTIMIZER

assess approximately 0.5km of pipes at five

Using the data collected and the innovative

develop a strategy using Optimizer™

locations, on AC and CI pipes with diameters

approaches described above, SUEZ was

that provided 24/7 supply for 15 per

ranging from 250-350mm. This method

ready to embark on the challenge of

cent lower TOTEX when compared to

uses acoustic sensors that are attached to

designing network improvements to provide

the original strategy that was developed

existing contact points or directly in contact

24/7 supply. To achieve this hydraulic

using just the WaterGEMS model and

with a pipe. A sound wave is induced in the

level of service and in the most cost-

engineering judgment. Optimizer’s ability

pipeline, and the acoustic sensors capture

eﬀective manner, SUEZ utilised Optimatics’

to simultaneously assess cost, performance

the time it takes for the sound wave to travel

Optimizer™ platform.

and risk provided confidence in the adopted

presence of water in the pipe.

each strategy. For Coimbatore, SUEZ was able to

water supply strategy and transparency

between two sensor stations. The speed at which the sound wave travels is dictated

Optimizer™ leverages artificial intelligence,

in its development. The other advantage

by the condition of the pipe wall. With this

advanced automation and the computational

realised was the ability to perform sensitivity

technology, one can understand the average

cloud to simultaneously balance cost, risk

analysis and assess diﬀerent costing models

residual thickness of the inspected segment.

and level of service against an explosion

and demand peaking factors in an eﬃcient

Preparation works for this method were

of new factors utilities must grapple with

and timely manner. Optimizer™ continues to be used by the SUEZ team to adaptively manage the transmissions network planning and is also being utilised in the design of the distribution networks in Coimbatore.

CONCLUSION Converting intermittent water supply systems into 24/7 supply is a CAPEX-intensive activity. Advanced digital tools can help optimise not only the operational performance but also the design and the prioritisation of works. WWA Network modelling of distribution networks using the Optimizer™

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

FROM THE GROUND

Known for their well-functioning drinking water distribution network, German water suppliers invest around EUR 1.5 billion (SGD 2.3 billion) annually on infrastructure maintenance. Most utilities have a portion of aging pipes and unsustainable supply networks, as is the case with Netzgesellschaft Düsseldorf mbH. Faced with infrastructure reaching its end of life, it became critical for the utility to find a way to anticipate failures, so that they could prioritise maintenance and keep up with daily operations, while managing the necessary capital expenditures.

etzgesellschaft Düsseldorf mbH

Manager, Markus Wall. NGD and Echologics

simultaneously searching for leaks without

(NGD), a wholly owned subsidiary

field crews collaboratively selected a 35km

the need for large excavations or service

of Stadtwerke Düsseldorf AG, is

section, critical to the city’s supply network

disruptions.

responsible for network operation for the North Rhine-Westphalia capital of Düsseldorf

to kickstart the project. This is accomplished by attaching acoustic

provide the infrastructure for the distribution

HOW EPULSE TECHNOLOGY WORKS

of electricity, gas, water and district heating

ePulse technology can assess the condition

a pipe. A sound wave is then induced in the

to more than 600,000 residents, with a water

of distribution and transmission mains, while

pipeline and travels along the pipe. The

in the area of energy and water supply. They

sensors to existing contact points, such as fire hydrants, valves or direct contact with

pipe system that extends over 1,700km. NGD identified a significant amount of transmission and distribution mains made of steel and cast iron that were installed between 1950 and 1965. These pipes were said to be strongly prone to corrosion. Due to the absence of historical data and limited capacity of underground work to assess its structural condition and remaining service life, NGD searched a cost-eﬀective solution to prioritise its pipeline rehabilitation and replacement decisions. The utility’s asset management team turned to Echologics® ePulse® condition assessment technology from Mueller Water Products. “We chose the ePulse because of its unmatched ability to locate leaks noninvasively while assessing factual pipe condition versus theoretical,” said NGD Asset

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

Site plan #2 indicating the pipe segments surveyed, which are colour-coded in three categories: green (good), yellow (moderate), red (poor)

FROM THE GROUND

THE RESULTS Cast iron trunk main selection: ePulse condition assessment A total of 27.7km section was assessed using ePulse technology with three leaks successfully pinpointed. Below is a summary of decisions made by NGD, considering Echologics’ experience Steel trunk main selection: ePulse condition assessment and BEM 900m of DN600 and 500m of DN1200 Steel mains were assessed using ePulse technology.

SUMMARY The minimal average remaining structural wall thickness calculation aligned with the pitting distribution and the minimal wall thickness values gathered through the BEM ePulse® validation results for all materials. Echologics provided 104 sets of ePulse validation results. R2 is the Determination Coeﬃcient indicating how well the validation results were predicted from the ePulse results. It corresponded with the proportion of the sum of deviations from the validation results

measurements, provided a useful dataset for NGD to make informed replacement decisions.

acoustic sensors capture the time it takes the sound wave to travel

“At NGD, we seek resilient water systems to anticipate and monitor

between two sensor stations. The speed at which the sound wave

changes to pipe condition. The data-driven insights we gathered from

travels is dictated by the condition of the pipe wall.

ePulse have not only helped us safeguard the long-term availability of clean water for all customers and stakeholders in this city, but

As the sound wave travels, it pushes water molecules toward

also eﬃciently allocate operational resources,” concluded Mr. Wall.

each other. Because water is incompressible, the molecules push outward on the pipe wall. This places a microscopic flex

Netzgesellschaft Düsseldorf mBH plans to re-measure the moderate

on the pipe wall — and greater the flex, the weaker the pipe.

pipes with ePulse technology after five years to evaluate the change

Through this acoustic technology it’s possible to measure

in structural remaining wall thickness. WWA

the actual strength of the pipe wall which is an ideal measure of actual pipe condition. These results supported NGD’s cast iron replacement decisions by rapidly assessing the structural condition across the pipe network to prioritise areas with the worst degradation for immediate pipe replacement. For the steel pipe sections, broadband electromagnetic measurements (BEM) was also used to characterise the pitting distribution on each section of pipe. Pipe measurements and other pipe condition datasets were then paired with a structural analysis to determine the condition of each pipe.

Positive correlation 33.5ma from the white sensor, within the test section

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

INSIGHT

VALVE STATIONS

101

Choosing the right control valve to fit a pipeline is easier said than done – with various criteria to consider, like providing the necessary accessories for years of trouble-free operation, and providing a well-designed environment for the operational personnel that will have to maintain this valve, where does one begin?

By Mark Gimson, Director of Marketing at Cla-Val Company

irstly, it is assumed that at least the

A calculator will select a valve size based on

smaller valve to open first in the sequence,

size of the water main in question is

maximum required flow the valve has to pass,

followed by the large valve as flow increases.

known. With that in mind, and armed

based on the minimum system diﬀerential

The smaller valve is also the last to close as

with the knowledge of the maximum, average

pressure. This will be the upstream pressure

flow diminishes. This bypass line also oﬀers

and minimum flow demands, one can move

minus the required downstream pressure

redundancy as either of the valves can be

forward in the valve size selection. For the

you that the reducing valve will be set at. The

used to supply the network while the other is

purpose of this paper, assume that this valve

programme will consider the velocity passing

being serviced. This is really important where

is to be a pressure reducing valve as that is

through the valve as it is best to limit this to

it is not possible or practical to shut oﬀ the

what most valve stations in municipal water

20 feet per second, (6 m/s) in valves

main water supply for periods of time.

situations are. Sizing a pressure reducing

operating continuously.

valve is important, as problems can arise from incorrect sizing.

Anytime there is an application where In valve stations it is very common to have

reductions from a higher pressure to a

two control valves in parallel. The larger valve

lower pressure, and that ratio is greater

Rather than sizing the valve based on line

on the main line is designed to take care of

than 3:1, there is a real risk of cavitation.

size, it is necessary to consider flows,

peak flows, while the smaller second valve on

This phenomenon will destroy a valve over

pressures and velocities being dealt with.

a bypass will take care low flows. Typically, the

time due to erosion and will create noise

A sizing calculator is certainly the simplest

smaller, bypass valve will be sized to handle

and vibration in the pipeline that may be a

way to arrive at a valve size but having an

approximately 20 per cent of the peak flow.

problem for nearby residents to the station.

understanding of what the calculator is

The smaller valve is also set slightly higher in

However, unlike in days past where multiple

considering is useful.

pressure than the large valve. This allows the

valves would have to be installed to stagger

The 4000 series H-strain

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

INSIGHT

A screenshot of the calculator’s programme

the pressure drops, this can now be achieved through the use of anti-cavitation trim. This

A valve position indicator is very useful for

differences these days are

operations personnel as it gives the ability

not restrictive. Another

to see the exact position of the valve during

important point regarding

operation. If a remote signal is required this

pilot systems - these can be

can be upgraded to a position transmitter,

installed on either side of

supplying a 4-20 mA signal via SCADA

the control valve so please

or a limit switch can be added to give an

give some thought as to the

output for a specific valve position. Pressure

location of ladders etc. and

transmitters can be added to give 4-20mA

also maintenance clearances

signals for both inlet and outlet pressures.

required. Sadly, pilot tubing

This option is very useful if the intention is to

is frequently stepped on

utilize a pressure management programme

or knocked through poor

in the future.

placement and with a little forethought this is totally avoidable.

Also, consider options to give more system control. A second pilot control can be added to give the ability to have upstream pressure

steel cages with slotted openings or drilled

sustaining – very useful in situations where

orifices, that contain the cavitation in the

there is a need to protect the upstream from

center of the cages, eliminating the disastrous

being starved of pressure by high downstream

erosion issues.

demand. If downstream surge could be an issue, (maybe an application where

It is always recommend to run a

the line dead ends and

software

if a valve is closed to

programme to determine

quickly, high pressure

if cavitation will be a

could get locked

p ro b l e m , a n d t h i s

into the downstream

should be a programme specific

very popular and the price

is a specific trim consisting of two stainless

cavitation

piping). In this instance,

the

a downstream surge

manufacturer’s valve.

pilot can be added to

Generic programmes

the reducing valve that

are available but do

will close the control

not account for the

valve quickly should the

actual body shape of

downstream pressure

the valve.

rise slightly above the

As for the pilot system

pressure reducing pilot

A 100-01KO SW Cutaway

of the valve, the real

set point.

advantage of diaphragmactuated globe valves is that

The pilot system should always be installed with

An insertion flowmeter can also be added

they can be a pilot system can be tailored to

a strainer and this can either be the flow clean,

to the control valve, allowing a reducing

a specific application. There are numerous

internal style or an external Y strainer style. In

valve to also be a flowmeter, giving either

features that can be added to really give a

tough applications, a water filter can be used.

pulse or 4-20MA outputs, without the typical space requirements of a conventional

custom solution that provides real operational benefits.

Pilot isolating valves are vital for maintenance

meter.

and troubleshooting of the valve and we would Firstly, what materials should the pilot system

always recommend these even on the smallest

The possibilities of the additions are

to be constructed from? Is brass/bronze and

of valve sizes.

numerous and specific requirements should be discussed with the control valve supplier

copper suitable or would it benefit by looking for something that may last longer due to

This would take care of the basic pilot system,

to ensure you get the full benefit of all that

aggressive water or a harsher environment?

but also consider other options that may be

is available.

Stainless steel pilot systems are becoming

required.

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

INSIGHT

So now that the valve size and type are decided,

Air valves are something that should be

it is time to consider the actual layout

strongly considered for every valve station.

of a valve station. There are some key

The operation of reducing pressure

items that every valve station requires,

naturally allows air to form in the

namely isolating valves, upstream

pipeline and if this is not removed

and downstream of the control

down stream of the control valve,

valves. These are required to

this will move down the pipeline

allow maintenance for isolating

and potentially cause issues

the control valve when it is

elsewhere. Good practice is to

necessary to work on the control

install an air release valve on the

valve. These valves can be either

upstream side of the control valve

butterfly valves or gate valves and

– this will eliminate the possibility air

can be installed with handwheels

entering the pilot system, which can be a

or operating nuts depending on whether it is required to operate these valves from above ground. Typically,

The X144 Series eFlowMeter

most utilities will use non-rising stem gate

source of problems. Lastly, there are some practical and functional additions, that are bestconsidered before a valve station is installed

valves as these are the valves that are typically located throughout

as these items are easier to install before the station is operational:

the network so everyone is familiar with them, however is space or

1. Lifting eyes in the ceilings above major pieces of equipment. If

cost is an issue, butterfly valves can certainly be used, as long as

this is a concrete chamber, these need to be decided upon before

there is space between the butterfly and the

the concrete is cast to ensure correct capacity, but these

control valve to allow for clearance for

will certainly make maintenance a much

any equipment in the control valve such

easier task for the operations crew.

as insertion strainers or flow meters.

2. Spare pipeline connections – possibly for a hose bib connection.

The importance of protecting the

It is much easier to install before the line

control valve from foreign objects in the

is pressurised!

pipeline cannot be stressed enough, and

3. A sump drain. Chambers can flood and

this is where a line strainer is an excellent

getting water out of these chambers can be

addition to the station. While most water

an issue. This may be as simple as a daylight

supplies do have screening at the intake

drain or a sump with an electric pump may

point, it is not uncommon for objects to

be required.

be introduced into the network, either by

4. Protection for the downstream network

insuﬃcient flushing after piping work or even

from over-pressure. It may be prudent

open pipe ends during projects attracting animals. Everything from welding rods, fish, rodents, pieces of wood and even expensive tools, have been seen so it is

to consider adding a relief valve on the A model 36 air valve

downstream piping inside the valve station. Typically, this valve is going to be a much smaller

important that none of these things find their way into

valve than the main line valve and an angle style

the control valve. A strainer certainly eliminates that

is most common. The outlet from this valve will

possibility and is good insurance against foreign

require a drain connection to eliminate the flooding of the

objects.

chamber, should the valve ever be utilised. However, that is a small cost compared to the potential

Each station should be installed with

damage that a burst water main may cause

pressure gauges, and these can be

downstream.

installed on the pipeline or even supplied with the control valve. It is

In closing, while valve station design is

necessary to know the outlet pressure

not necessarily diﬃcult, poor design can

in order to set the reducing valve

certainly lead to operational issues down

and having an inlet gauge allows the

the road and simply giving a few moments

operator to also observe what the

of thought ahead of time can certainly win

conditions are upstream also.

friends in the operations department later. WWA An X43H Strainer

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

INSIGHT s the fourth-driest country in the

ineﬃciency not only results in high costs,

world, up to 92 per cent of Jordan

but also in increased CO 2 emissions.

is covered by deserts and desert-

Based on a joint study with the German

like landscapes. Due to these geographical

Association for International Cooperation,

conditions, water scarcity has become a

it was found that the annual energy-

permanent, natural state. The available

saving potential of 25 pumping stations

capacity of renewable water resources

would amount to 42 GWh per year. This

in the region was 1857 cubic metres in

would not only mean a reduction of up

1967, and averages less than 566 cubic

to 33 per cent, but also a reduction in

metres today. The value is expected to

CO 2 emissions to over 30,000 tons

fall further in the near future, dropping to

a year. For the implementation of the

90 cubic metres in 2025 – significantly

results of the study, five pumping stations

below the generally accepted limit of 500

were selected as pilots for the period

cubic metres of water per person per year.

2016-2020.

REORIENTATION OF WATER MANAGEMENT

OPTIMISATION OF THE PILOT BASIS

The sustainable optimisation of water supply has become a long-term project through its adoption into the Kingdom’s

ANDRITZ supplies energyeﬃcient pumps to Jordan

national strategy and agendas. The

These include, among others, the pumping stations Wala and Lib near Madaba. Built in the 1990s, the two facilities supply 184,000 people in the city and

implementation of the “Water Sector

energy consumption by the water sector.

the surrounding area from the Madaba

Capital Investment Plan 2016 – 2025” is

Currently, the Jordanian system requires

Reservoir. While Wala transports 1,500

currently underway. The objectives of this

about 15 per cent of the energy produced.

cubic metres of water per hour to Madaba

initiative are to secure and improve water

This corresponds to about 2,000 GWh

over a distance of 2.6 kilometres, Lib

supply, develop new water resources to

per year. A major part of this can be

delivers 1,500 cubic metres over a distance

increase capacity, and expand wastewater

attributed to the pumping of water. This

of 17 kilometres.

services. In 2015, these two plants were For this, the partly inadequate distribution systems are extensively renovated and modernised. This will form

selected as pilots for the installation of new energyeﬃcient pumping systems,

the technical basis for a more

as they have a common

comprehensive and sustainable

supply source and

management of water resources

in the future in order to meet

distribution system

controllable

the needs of a growing

with Heedan Well

population over the next

field. For this

ten years.

purpose, the previous five

An essential part

pumps in each

of creating a

station were replaced

sustainable water

by four newer models, and

management is the reduction of

a monitoring and control system was installed.

In the Wala and Lib pumping stations, in addition to the multi-stage, axial split case pumps also ANDRITZ high pressure pumps from the HP43 series are installed – due to their high eﬃciency, they have a strictly ecological orientation

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

INSIGHT

The ANDRITZ multi-stage, axial split case pumps are designed to customers’ specific requirements. The multi-stage impeller arrangement can be combined in diﬀerent ways to fulfil diﬀerent application needs

In 2017, the Jordan Water Company

The ANDRITZ multi-stage, axial split

is oﬀered in both horizontal and vertical

(Miyahuna) and Water Authority decided

c a s e p u m p s a re h i g h l y e n g i n e e re d

design and can be gradually expanded as

to increase the amount of water supplied

pumps designed to customers’ specific

needed. Suction and discharge nozzles

from Heedan Well field to meet an

requirements, and features a multi-stage

can be arranged variably depending on

increased demand for water in Amman,

impeller arrangement that can be combined

the intended use. With nominal sizes of

and in 2018 six new high-eﬃciency pumps

in diﬀerent ways to fulfil diﬀerent application

40 to 200 millimetres, it reaches delivery

were installed to increase the total flow

needs. In addition, the machine is calculated

rates of up to 850 cubic metres per hour at

of the pump station Lib to 2,500 cubic

and designed to withstand all load cases

up to 40 bar discharge pressure in the first

metres per hour.

which might occur during the lifetime of

expansion stage, and even up to 63 bar in

the pump.

the second stage.

These highly eﬃcient pumps have achieved very good results since being put into

Peak outputs of up to 40 MW, flow rates

“The exceptionally high eﬃciency, quality

operation. The new system is expected to

of up to 10 cubic metres per second

and best lead time were among others the

deliver energy savings of up to 20 per cent

and a cost-effective construction using

main factors for us and our pumps being

and savings of 313,000 Jordanian dinars,

barrel casings make this technology

chosen over the previous supplier. We are

which corresponds to roughly 440,000

particularly eﬀective. The axial split design

more than happy and proud to support

US dollars (SGD 601,048).

is maintenance-friendly even at high heads

Jordan with our hydraulic machines in these

of up to 1000 metres.

pumping stations. We are keen to take on

THE PUMP EXPERT

and solve further challenges to support

ANDRITZ was awarded the contract to

In the Wala and Lib pumping stations,

the overall development of a sustainable

refurbish the two stations with a total of

ANDRITZ high pressure pumps from the

and energy-efficient water supply and

12 pumps by the end of 2018. These

HP43 series were installed in addition to

management system in the Kingdom,” stated

included six high-pressure pumps from the

the multi-stage, axial split case pumps. Due

Muhammad Abou Daoud, sales manager for

HP43 series and six multi-stage, axially-split

to their high eﬃciency, they have a strictly

the Middle East. WWA

case pumps from the ASPM series.

ecological orientation. The modular machine

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

INSIGHT

Bringing success to Asia’s renewable energy projects R

egional utilities and developers are increasingly interested in constructing renewable energy plants

that can be integrated into existing power grids or function as standalone facilities in the pursuit for universal electrification. One area that is finding interest is floating solar systems: the state-run Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) has announced plans to build its largest floating solar farms (325 MW) at Sirikit Dam in northern Thailand. Singapore has announced its largest offshore floating solar panel system at about 5ha. When operational in 2019, the solar panel platform is anticipated to generate over 6,000 MWh of renewable energy annually. The project is supported by Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB). Hong Kong successfully installed its first pilot floating solar system at Shek Pik Reservoir in February 2017 for supplying electricity to the nearby pumping station of the reservoir. This was followed by the second pilot at Plover Cove Reservoir

Mitesah Patel

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

INSIGHT

which was successfully installed in October

schedule, as water bodies are usually owned

Identifying the right business partner for

the same year, for supplying electricity to

by governments. Furthermore, if the floating

the project’s specific needs is essential to

the nearby air compressor house of the

solar site is on a hydro dam reservoir, then

the long-term success of all floating solar

reservoir. Each pilot was designed for a

access to transmission interaction may be

projects. Delivery partners with proven

generation capacity of 100kW. Each of the

readily available.

expertise in solving complex technical issues

system can generate as much as 120,000 units (kilowatt-hours) of electricity annually.

can improve project success rates. Other possible benefits of installing floating solar systems include reducing water

The right partner will have critical

India’s National Thermal Power Corporation

evaporation and suppressing algae growth.

infrastructure expertise it can draw upon to

(NTPC) tendered for the development of a

Typically, a 1 MW plant covers about 7-10

advise on the installation of cables between

70 MW floating solar PV project at Rajiv

hectares of the water body, saves 15ml of

constantly moving floating arrays and the

Gandhi Combined Cycle Power Project at

water and produces 1500 MWh of electricity.

shore, while managing wind pressure load.

Kayamkulam, Kerala.

Shielding the water from the sun serves to

The right partner will also be able to combine

reduce photosynthesis, which can help to

world-class expertise, tailored to local

Mitesh Patel, Director of Asia & EMEIA for

control algae growth. This could lead to

needs, with regional delivery experience

Renewable Energy in Black & Veatch, shares

improved water quality and lower water

to address issues such as optimising the

his industry insights.

treatment costs.

placement of transformers both on the

WHAT ARE FLOATING SOLAR SYSTEMS, AND ARE THEY A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE FOR ASIA?

WHAT FACTORS CAN IMPROVE THE SUCCESS OF FLOATING SOLAR SYSTEMS?

Floating solar systems, or floatovoltaics,

Issues that need to be managed include,

refer to the deployment of photovoltaic

among others, micro cracks to modules

panels on the surface of water bodies. Yes,

caused by vibrations due to wind and

they are a viable alternative for the region.

wave movements, appropriate design for

The key challenges that face renewable

anchoring and mooring of floating solar for

energy plant owners are land acquisition,

varying water levels and extreme weather

grid connectivity, regulations and oﬀ-take.

events, and manufacturing and transporting

With solar energy generation requiring large

large quantities of float.

areas for photovoltaic panels to be laid, floating solar systems present a solution

Other issues to be assessed are optimising

that can address land acquisition issues

layout, consideration to installation of

eﬀectively.

inverters and transformers onshore versus oﬀ-shore and maintaining water quality for

floating platform or on shore and identifying operation and maintenance strategies that balance safety and cost eﬀectiveness. WWA

►► Mitesh Patel is Director of Asia & EMEIA for Renewable Energy in Black & Veatch. He helps Black & Veatch’s clients with end-to-end solutions for large and small renewable and distributed energy projects. With 25 years of experience across the

The business case for floating solar

water bodies that are used for potable water.

technologies is strong in markets that are

Technical issues include regulating the

lifecycle of power projects, Mitesh’s career

balancing high population density and

temperature of the water surrounding

spanned from structuring and executing

competing uses for available land.

the farm, and minimising the corrosion

complex deals and project development

of modules and structures. Owners are

strategies to serving on Owner’s Engineer and

Not having to deal with multiple, and often

exploring operations and maintenance

Operations & Maintenance teams of large

unclear, land title owners may result in

strategies including training the team to

Independent Power Producers.

significantly improved project development

clear nests and droppings from birds.

►►

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

INSIGHT

Using the Vortex Layer of Ferromagnetic Particles in Wastewater Treatment By Frank May, GlobeCore GmbH, Oldenburg, Germany

When it comes to the treatment of wastewater, seemingly simple devices can have a major eﬀect on the processes involved. One such example would be the electromagnetic vortex layer device, used for intensifying purposes in wastewater treatment. Part one of this two-part series explores how this device works, and how it’s useful in making the treatment process more efficient.

he electromagnetic vortex layer device consists of an

Inside the operating chamber of this seemingly simple device,

operating chamber inside an induction coil which generates

processes occur which have a strong eﬀect on wastewater processing:

a rotating electromagnetic field. The chamber contains

• a rotating (external) magnetic field;

cylindrical particles made of a ferromagnetic material, with a certain length-to-diameter ratio. The electromagnetic field causes these

• multiple interactions of the ferromagnetic particles with each other, the walls of the chamber and the processed media;

particles to move along complex trajectories, forming the so-called

• acoustic shockwaves;

vortex layer. Figure 1 shows a typical design of such a system.

• cavitation; • electrolysis. Fast motion of the particles and cavitation accelerate physical processes and chemical reactions. Formation of free hydrogen due

to electrolysis of water significantly increases the rate of reduction

reactions. At the same time, dissociation of water into Н+ and (ОН)makes it possible to suggest that the latter plays a significant role in

2 3

formation of metal hydroxides which then precipitate. The combination of all the above factors in the same space simultaneously increases the rate of practically all physical and chemical process by two to three orders of magnitude, increasing the eﬃciency of the process line accordingly.

REMOVAL OF HEXAVALENT CHROME AND OTHER HEAVY METALS FROM WASTEWATER Wastewater from electroplating, chemical, petrochemical and other 5

industries may contain chrome, nickel, zinc, lead, iron, copper, manganese and other heavy metals.

FIGURE 1: Ferromagnetic particle vortex layer device: 1 – protective collar; 2 – rotating EM field induction coil; 3 – induction coil housing; 4 – non-magnetic operating chamber; 5 – ferromagnetic particles

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

There are several processes available for purification of such wastewater with the use of electromagnetic vortex layer devices, which can significantly reduce chemical consumption and make the process continuous.

INSIGHT

The results of testing the process line shown in Figure 3 in industrial conditions are listed in Table 1. The consumption of Са(ОН)2 and FeSO4 were

Figure 2 shows an AVS-100 vortex layer device made by GlobeCore.

in accordance with the stoichiometric calculations. The experience of implementing the vortex layer devices shows that reduction of Сr+6 to Сr+3 in alkaline environment is viable with chrome concentrations below 200 mg/litre, since larger concentrations of Сr+3 result in formation of large amounts of chrome and iron hydroxides. With larger amounts of chrome, reduction of Сr+6 to Сr+3 is possible with sodium bisulphite in acidic environment with subsequent sedimentation of Сr+3 in alkaline environment, with the application of the vortex device both at the first and the second stages of the process (Figure 4).

Reduction of hexavalent chrome to trivalent occurs in alkaline environment with iron sulphate and with simultaneous sedimentation of heavy metals in the form of hydroxides. This method has been implemented for wastewater with Сr+6 concentrations of 10–200 mg/litre with wastewater рН=6 to several grams and with other heavy metals in the amounts from 10 to 1000 mg/litre (Figure 3).

FIGURE 4: Reduction of Сr+6 in acidic environment with subsequent sedimentation of hydroxide: 1 – wastewater accumulator and equalisation tank; 2 – wastewater pump; 3 – sodium bisulphite tank; 4 – lime solution tank; 5 – electromagnetic vortex layer device

Intensification and the high degree of purification of wastewater and removal of heavy metal ions using the vortex layer device occur due to multiple factors influencing the components in the vortex layer, forming heavy metal hydroxides, their sedimentation and sorption of heavy metal ions by iron hydroxide and activated colloidal iron, which forms due to the dispersion of the FIGURE 3: The reduction of Сr+6 in alkaline environment with sedimentation of heavy metals and neutralisation of wastewater: 1 – lime solution tank; 2 – iron sulphate tank; 3 – accumulation and equalisation tank; 4 – electromagnetic vortex layer device; 5 – lime solution portioning device; 6 – iron sulphate portioning device; 7 – wastewater pump

ferromagnetic elements in the vortex layer. Colloidal iron is a good reduction agent. Hydrogen also forms in the vortex layer due to electrolysis, simultaneously with the formation of colloidal iron. This influences the reduction reaction and reduces the consumption of iron sulphate, and leads to complete reduction of Сr+6 and other metals present in the wastewater by colloidal iron and hydrogen alone.

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

INSIGHT Figure 5. The influence of treatment duration on hexavalent chrome reduction: 1, 2, 3 – mechanical agitator with FeSO4 consumption of 50,80 and 100 per cent of stoichiometric respectively; 4, 5 – vortex layer device with FeSO4 consumption of 10 and 30 per cent of stoichiometric respectively

TABLE 2 Metal hydroxide dispersion in a mechanical agitator and a vortex layer device

Figure 5 compares the rate and degree of Сr+6 reduction on a vortex

more finely dispersed than in a mechanical agitator device (Table 2).

layer device and in a mechanical agitator device with various amounts

Table 2 shows the dispersion of sediment formed in the industrial

of reduction agents (Logvinenko 1976). As can be seen from the data,

wastewater treatment process using a vortex layer device; the

practically complete reduction is achieved in the vortex layer with iron

wastewater contained up to 675 mg/l lead salts, up to 275 mg/

sulphate quantity of 30 per cent or less of the stoichiometric. The

litre iron, 68 mg/litre copper, 480 mg/litre manganese (Logvinenko

duration of the reduction process in the vortex layer is one second,

1976). It should be noted that the dispersion did not slow down the

making a continuous process possible.

sedimentation process; on the contrary, precipitation of the solid matter after the vortex layer was 1.5-2 times faster than that after a

The process is most eﬃcient when lime suspension is used as a

mechanical agitator device. Clarification of water occurred faster due

reagent, which is activated by the vortex layer device. The activation

to combined chemical and polarised coagulation and flocculation. WWA

is confirmed by the IR spectrum of CaO lime milk after treatment in the vortex layer, which indicate structural and physical changes of CaO.

Part two of “Using the Vortex Layer of Ferromagnetic Particles in

This allows purification to achieve maximum admissible limits with CaO

Wastewater Treatment” will be continued in the Sep/Oct issue of

consumption of 90–100 per cent of the theoretically required. At the

Water & Wastewater Asia.

same time, intensive mixing of chemicals, electromagnetic field eﬀects and pulverisation of the material makes the resulting metal hydroxides About the Author: Fra n k M a y, S e r v i c e M a n a g e r o f GlobeCore (Oldenburg, Germany): With more than 30 years of practical experience starting-up, commissioning and operating different industrial equipment, Frank May is now focused on the purification of domestic and industrial wastewater, as well as the regeneration of insulating oils and the maintenance of power transformers.

TABLE 1: Wastewater treatment by reduction of Cr6+ in alkaline environment with sedimentation of heavy metals in the vortex layer device (ferromagnetic particle parameters: d = 1.6 mm; m = 175 g; pH before processing = 2...3, рН after processing = 8.5...9)

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

OPINION

A new look at the Industrial Internet of Things as an enabler for the Asian Water Industry By David Lovett, Manging Director, Perceptive Engineering

OT (& IIOT) Technologies have begun

assets in Asia. The impact will be to ensure

sites which are inaccessible and therefore

changing the world. The digit al

quality, security and cost eﬀectiveness of

costly to access, as well as being critical for

transformation of manufacturing,

this infrastructure across the Asian region.

the local community to ensure a clean water

personal healthcare and smart cities is well

supply is maintained.

underway; most multinational companies

CURRENT CHALLENGES

have a strategy to incorporate these

Most water companies worldwide are looking

Scheduled maintenance techniques have

highly connected tools to re-invigorate

into methods of maximising performance of

been used for some time to manage asset

or completely transform their business

existing assets, which is becoming equally

performance, particularly availability.

operation.

important as strategic investment in new

Progressing from scheduled time-based

capital projects. In some countries the

maintenance usually means developing a

Like the other sectors, the water and

regulators are making sure that particular

preventive maintenance strategy, which

wastewater sector has set out strategies and

attention is given to asset effectiveness

relies on a combination of equipment usage

produced demonstrable examples of IIOT,

and encourage operators to consider the

history and OEM statistical benchmarks to

particularly for improved Asset Maintenance.

pros and cons between replacing existing

determine a theoretical Mean Time Before

In parts of Europe and the US they have also

equipment and developing new maintenance

Failure. The calculated result enables a

steadily turned to predictive maintenance to

strategies. This situation is particularly

company to programme maintenance, to

address the current and future challenges of

relevant for small, widely-distributed WWT

prepare its staﬀ and external contractors,

improving asset performance and optimising sites and facilities. Given our insight into the Asian water industry, we believe these IIOT solutions may well have greater impact in the Asian water sector by enabling cost eﬀective monitoring and control, specifically for modular water treatment units, for clean, waste and biogas processes. The advent of lower cost sensors and widely available connectivity through wireless IOT devices, plus central cloud-based platforms, creates an opportunity for this new wave of predictive monitoring, control and maintenance systems that support the widely distributed waste water treatment

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

Figure 1: Dashboard showing process diagnostics

OPINION

developments have been part of the wave of technologies under the umbrella of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT). When this data is connected to readily accessible cloud-based systems, there is a lower cost mechanism of performing statistical analytics to scan through massive sets of data, then generating insights that can be acted upon swiftly. Furthermore, this data analysis has been augmented by a combination of rapid and self-learning modelling methods, identifying faults reliably and with enough sensitivity to directly Figure 2: Siemens IIOT connector

update real time maintenance systems.

Photo credits to Siemens.

Perceptive Engineering, a Singaporeplaces orders for replacement parts and

compliance reasons rather than using the

based company engaged in advanced

schedule turnarounds and area shutdowns.

process information to maximise eﬃciency

process control, develops model-based

Figures suggest that this has helped

or availability of the treatment facilities. So,

predictive solutions for various sectors

organisations reduce maintenance costs

has the situation really changed significantly

including water and wastewater. Perceptive’s

by a third. However, our experience has

to make a practical diﬀerence? We believe it

software platform now allows rapid digital

shown that preventive maintenance schemes

has and the next section explains why.

modelling for the key process units on

alone do not capture the whole picture

wastewater treatment plants, which has been

(too frequent) maintenance or, more

PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE METHODOLOGY

damagingly, missing a full asset failure

Predictive is different from Preventative

analytical instrument problems. The system

when an early stage fault is not detected

maintenance. It relies on monitoring and

uses a combination of statistical detection

and addressed. How do we overcome this?

understanding the actual operational

tools with a conditional machine learning

condition of an asset and its historical use.

engine to pinpoint faults and suggest

Perceptive’s View: We believe that for some

Comparison of current operation in near

corrective actions. The system is derived

years, water and wastewater companies

real time against “normal” patterns is used

from many years of practical experience in

have installed relatively sophisticated

to detect upcoming failures. Detection of

monitoring, controlling and optimising these

monitoring and base layer automation.

such an event is the first stage of predictive

process units, and building tools that can

These systems are used to enable the

maintenance; however, a much more

improve eﬃciency even when assets behave

treatment works to reach and maintain

challenging task is fault diagnosis, which

abnormally.

eﬃcient operating performance. However,

aims to specify the fault, its significance, then

historically many analytical instruments

help identify the corrective action required.

CLOUD-BASED APPLICATION

have fallen into disuse, often due to high

Getting this right leads to improvement in

Perceptive Engineering has recently

ongoing maintenance costs or lack of readily

scheduling, avoidance of downtime and,

developed an open cloud-based application,

available trained personnel. For this reason,

consequently, increased Overall Equipment

Wa t e r N e u ro n ™ , ava i l a b l e o n AW S -

it is important that preventative maintenance

Eﬀectiveness (OEE) of the asset.

Cloud Computing, Microsoft Azure and

and can result in undertaking unnecessary

should include all assets, including the

incorporated into an AI monitoring system to identify abnormal process conditions and

Siemens’ MindSphere open platforms. The

critical analytical devices monitoring the

So, what has changed to create such a

WaterNeuron™ App aims to reduce the costs

overall system’s quality and eﬃciency. This

dramatic uptake in Predictive maintenance

and expertise associated with modelling, by

isn’t easy. Achieving connectivity to many

in the US and Europe? Underpinning the

utilising powerful self-learning techniques

analytical instruments from distributed

rapid growth in predictive systems is

which capture process behaviour over

assets has been an ongoing challenge

the advancement of sensor technology,

a period of time and transform the data

for the water sector, which has tended

particularly reduced cost, robustness and

into a model representative of that plant.

to only use the instruments for regulator

ease of connectivity wirelessly. These

Alternatively, a “turbo-charged version”

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

OPINION

Whilst the model adapts to prevailing conditions, it also has the ability to ignore any data it determines as untrustworthy, such as instrument issues pinpointed by the “Data Quality Monitor”. The system also reduces data noise levels that would otherwise result in erroneous faults. This powerful combination of data pre-processing, advanced classification techniques and machine-learning algorithms generates a robust process monitor providing reliable and optimal predictive maintenance advice.

Figure 3: WaterNeuron Predictive Maintenance Dashboard

The App can reference a simple model of the process to enhance its ability to quickly detect, identify and report known fault

is also available, which uses existing

per-use pricing, allow cost flexibility and

conditions. The user can adjust the data

process unit models to give an approximate

eﬃciency. A similar scenario can develop

window for the self-learning algorithm,

representation of the plant, to speed up

in Asia with modular distributed WWT units

to ensure detection remains as sensitive,

creation of the fault detection database.

located at point of need and maintained

flexible and responsive as possible. The App

The prime advantage of the cloud-based

remotely using IOT techniques.

platform is that the end user only pays for

can be configured to send emails and alerts to mobile devices and transfer information

the data being analysed and the insights that

MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT

the analysis brings. Additionally, through the

A Predictive Maintenance Assistant is a key

Utilising an App that functions as a Predictive

use of the Siemens’ MindSphere platform,

feature of Perceptive’s WaterNeuron™ APP,

Maintenance Assistant will lead to consistent,

the system adheres to the highest data

which can be adopted to create or augment

accurate monitoring of water quality, resulting

security levels and facilitates connectivity

existing scheduled maintenance systems.

in improved environmental compliance.

to other open Apps.

The concept underpinning the App is its

into a readily accessible relational database.

configurability and self-learning capability,

In summary, Asian water companies that

The App makes use of the extensive

using signals that are readily available on-site,

incorporate next-generation digital platforms

data infrastructure around the water and

either in real time or from daily operator entries.

and predictive maintenance techniques into their operational plans, will be best placed

wastewater plant, which is augmented by machine learning capability and amplified

In brief, the system works by capturing

to capitalize on the major opportunities for

by existing process knowledge.

critical information in an Edge Server running

flexible modular distributed wastewater

Perceptive’s software. WaterNeuron™ utilises

treatment units in the region. These units

Adopting this cloud-based approach

advanced, robust statistical tools to create

oﬀer a new modular approach providing

enables organisations to start seeing the

a ‘rolling’ window of reliable data, using a

safe, environmentally-robust treatment for

benefits as quickly and as widely as possible

digital model that is automatically created

a widely distributed population, without

across their asset base, for a cost that is

within the software. In this way, it remains

incurring the enormous capital overhead of

customised to the treatment plant size or

adaptive, keeping the model up to date as

a sewer network. WWA

the volume of data analysed. This pay for

the process changes. This self-learning

use/result service reduces investment in

capability can compensate for changing

both cost and time. For example, a typical

influent characteristics (diurnal flow patterns,

UK water company has more than 500

storm and first-flush events, population

sites. Installing statistical monitors across

increase), as well as shifts in operating

all their sites would require a massive

mode (e.g. from carbonaceous to nitrifying

capit al expenditure. A cloud-based

treatment), all of which can substantially

approach to asset condition monitoring

alter the relationships between process

and predictive maintenance, with pay-

variables.

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

OPINION

By Leong Chee Khuan, Area Managing Director for South Asia and General Manager for Grundfos Pumps Sdn Bhd

he water crisis is one of the most

ensuring water quality in water networks to

essential for natural water to undergo water

pressing global issues we face

not only sustain human health and protect

treatment to eliminate any waterborne

today. This challenge also resonates

the environment, but also to ensure the

bacteria and parasites that can be harmful

strongly here in Asia, as more cities urbanise

continued economic development of the

for consumption. On the other hand, with

and populations increase, leading to an

region. As part of Vision 2020, Malaysia has

Malaysians currently producing an estimated

expected increase in water demand by

set its goals on improved management of

5.1 million cubic metres of sewage daily

55 per cent by 20601.

its water resources to ensure adequate and

– the equivalent of 2,000 Olympic-sized

safe water for all, including the environment.

swimming pools3 – the wastewater must be

With only just over one per cent of the earth’s

As countries such as Malaysia ramp up

treated properly before being released into

water supply available to us, it is paramount

their efforts to ensure water security,

the water bodies.

that we optimise the limited water resources

technological innovation will be key to

we have. An important component of

address the water quality concerns they face

Thanks to technology today, disease-

attaining water security is preserving water

and put us on a sustainable path to clean

causing pathogens can be removed

quality and ensuring the water resources

water access.

from water networks or killed by adding

available are clean and safe for end-use.

certain substances to the water, that is,

This puts water treatment infrastructure

by disinfecting the water. One of the most

at the centre of our capability to tackle the

DISINFECTING WATER NETWORKS

widespread disinfection processes used

water crisis.

About 97 per cent of Malaysia’s raw water

to remove pathogens in water networks is

supply is derived from surface water

chlorination. Generally, three methods are

sources which need to be purified. It is

used for chlorinating water - chlorine gas

There is a recognition of the importance of

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

OPINION

monitoring and adjustment features.

dosing, dosing of commercial sodium hypochlorite solution and electrolytic sodium hypochlorite generation on site.

For example, the SMART Digital DDA-

Chlorine gas, however, is a toxic

FCM pumps are used to dose chlorine

chemical, which makes chlorine gas

bleach, one of the most commonly

dosing a potentially harmful process

dosed chemicals in water treatment.

for workers operating with the bottles

With the help of integrated sensors

of chlorine. It also poses a threat to the

and intelligent adjustment features,

health of the wider population through

the pumps’ AutoFlowAdapt feature

possible air contamination in case of

monitors and regulates the dosing

a leak. On the other hand, commercial

output, as well as self-diagnoses and

sodium hypochlorite solutions produce

self-corrects faults. This also eliminates

dangerous by-products and have high

the need for additional equipment

chlorine concentrations of 100-150 g/l

such as a pressure gauge, flow meter and relief valve in a dosing system.

and pH value of 12-13, thus also being hazardous to human health4.

The Selcoperm electrolytic chlorination system

According to a study by the University of Weihenstephan-Triesdor f, the

However, technological innovation has

SMART Digital DDA-FCM can dose with

such as electrolytic sodium hypochlorite

STRIKING THE BALANCE IN CHEMICAL TREATMENT

generation, which can eﬀectively disinfect

While disinfection is one of the most important

5 ml/h to 7.5 l/h. Such intelligent technology

water in a safer way. A case in point

processes in water treatment, it can have

ensures the water treatment process

is Grundfos’ Selcoperm electrolytic

adverse impact on the environment and

is more efficient and reliable. The high

chlorination system, which produces the

human health if not executed properly. With

dosing accuracy and reduced chemical

hypochlorite solution from a solution of

overtreatment, there is a risk of acute toxicity

consumption also lower operating costs.

common salt using electricity. The system

with the formation of hazardous disinfection

does not produce any notable by-products,

by-products, while with undertreatment,

has a near-neutral pH value between 8.5

consumers are left exposed to the risk

CONCLUSION

and 9.5, and a low chlorine concentration of

of contracting waterborne illnesses.

Given that water treatment is key to ensuring

enabled the development of alternatives

extreme precision and accuracy, from

water security, we must constantly keep

8 g/l. These features make Selcoperm a safe and reliable method of producing sodium

Therefore, it is important to ensure that the

enhancing water treatment processes

hypochlorite solution on-site to disinfect

right amount of chemical is introduced to

to ensure optimal water quality in water

water networks.

the water as part of the treatment process,

networks. Today’s newest generation of water

making dosing a crucial component of

solutions are designed to provide greater

Another advantage of Selcoperm is its

disinfection systems. Digitalisation can play

safety, reliability and intelligence, delivering

low operating costs since the system only

a crucial role in maximising the eﬃciency

the eﬃciencies needed for water treatment

requires water, common salt and electricity

and reliability of dosing equipment to

applications. The government and the water

to operate. The cost savings are further

ensure the accurate delivery of these

industry must work together to adopt and

boosted by zero expenditure required on

chemical additives necessary to treat water.

integrate these new technologies to ensure a secure and sustainable supply of clean water

safe transport and storage of chlorine gas, a robust design for easy installation and

With dosing pumps being key to controlling

maintenance of the system, and a long

the entire process, intuitive and intelligent

service life.

design can ensure treatment processes run eﬃciently, reliably, and cost-eﬀectively.

From an industry perspective, the low

Under its iSolutions range of intelligent

operating cost helps boost profitability

products, Grundfos’ SMART Digital DDA and

while from an end-user’s perspective, it can

DDC dosing pumps are designed to discharge

help bring down water prices and ensure

exactly the quantity of dosing liquid required

aﬀordable water access.

for water treatment, thanks to their intelligent

for current and future generations. WWA References 1 https://www.adb.org/news/events/asiawater-forum-2018-information-innovationand-technology 2 http://www.wwf.org.my/about_wwf/what_we_ do/freshwater_main 3 https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/metronews/2017/09/16/turning-waste-into-wealth 4 https://www.watertechonline.com/ comparison-of-disinfection-alternativespart-1

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

39TH SINGAPORE WATER INDUSTRY NITE (SWIN) 30th May 2019, PUB Recrea on Club @ Level 3

NEWSLETTER OF THE SINGAPORE WATER ASSOCIATION

The 39th SWIN was sponsored by Samsung C & T Corpora on. Programme highlights included a sharing session by Samsung C & T Corpora on, updates of SWA ac vi es, presenta on by PUB Singapore and Imagine H2O Asia. The cocktail networking recep on and buﬀet dinner was well a ended by 140 guests and members which all had a joyous and comfortable networking session.

BRINGING A NEW VIBRANCY TO SINGAPORE’S GROWING WATER INDUSTRY NANJING STUDY MISSION 2019 24th to 26th April 2019, Nanjing, China It was a fully packed three-day study mission to Nanjing with visits to SNEI, Nanjing Interna onal Water Hub, two Water Plants, two Chinese Listed companies and three Universi es. The seven delegates from five local companies, SWA and Enterprise Singapore had mee ngs with five agencies and 22 companies at the Water Bureau Oﬃce on the first day.

SWA MELBOURNE MISSION 2019 6th to 10th May 2019, Melbourne, Australia Together with Enterprise Singapore and PUB, Singapore Water AssociaƟon led 10 delegates from five local companies on a five-day mission to Melbourne from 6-10 May 2019, in conjuncƟon with OzWater 2019. Delegates had 20 business meeƟngs with some government departments, uƟliƟes and retailers. 19 leads were generated from the five-day mission, and an aŌer-mission visit to Lendlease Singapore was organised for the delegates on 14 May 2019.

TECHNICAL SITE VISIT 14th May 2019, Global Foundries Woodlands Fab On 14 May 2019, 13 parƟcipants enjoyed a rewarding site visit to Global foundries, understanding HF and Wastewater Treatment processes. Discussions were held with GF to beƩer understand their wastewater reclamaƟon challenges and problem statements.

JOURNEY TOWARDS RECLAMATION OF WASTEWATER WORKSHOP 23rd May 2019, PUB WaterHub Auditorium The Journey towards ReclamaƟon of Wastewater Workshop on 23 May 2019 was well aƩended and with all appreciaƟon for the support from Global Foundries and PUB. Five companies were selected for a closed door one-to-one meeƟng with Global Foundries RepresentaƟve, Mr Kamal for potenƟal collaboraƟons and partnerships.

UPCOMING SWA ACTIVITIES TRAINING COURSES IN Q3 2019 S/N

Training Courses

No. of Days

Dates (2019)

Sustainability for Water Business (NEW)

4-5 July

Membrane Technology (MF/UF/RO/MBR)

23 - 26 July

Oil Field Water Treatment (NEW)

Aug

DesalinaƟon - Thermodynamics & Engineering (NEW)

Aug

Design of Industrial and Municipal Waste Water Recycling Plants

26 - 28 Aug

Design, Engineer & Operate Fresh Water Treatment Plants

25 - 27 Sep

For more informa on on the above courses, please contact SWA oﬃce: Ms. Cecilia Tan via email: cecilia@swa.org.sg or Tel: (65) 6515 0812.

SINGAPORE PAVILIONS AT OVERSEAS TRADE SHOWS FOR 2019 Singapore Pavilions – IMAP Approved

Days

Date

Water Philippines 2019, Philippines, Manila

20 - 22 Mar

ThaiWater 2019, Bangkok

5 - 8 Jun

IndoWater 2019, Indonesia, Jakarta

17 - 19 Jul

CamWater 2019, Cambodia, Phnom Penh (NEW)

5 - 7 Sep

Water Malaysia 2019, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

1 - 3 Oct

IDA Congress and ExhibiƟon 2019, UAE, Dubai (NEW)

20 - 24 Oct

VietWater 2019, Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh

6 - 8 Nov

MyanWater 2019, Yangon, Myanmar

21 - 23 Nov

For more informa on on the above trade fairs, please contact SWA oﬃce: enquiry@swa.org.sg or Tel: (65) 6515 0812.

BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY MISSIONS FOR 2H 2019 TYPE

SUBJECT

No of Days

Date

Business Mission

Jakarta 2019 Business Mission (IMAP Approved)

15 - 17 Jul

Technology Mission

Taiwan InternaƟonal Water Week, Taipei

26 - 28 Sep

Business Mission

Vietnam 2019 Business Mission (IMAP Approved)

5 - 7 Nov

WATEC 2019, Israel 4 Technology Mission 18 - 21 Nov For more informa on on the above missions, please contact SWA oﬃce: enquiry@swa.org.sg or Tel: (65) 6515 0812.

SWA WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS (joined from March – May 2019) ORDINARY MEMBERS 1) CPG Consultants Pte Ltd 2) Hydrobiology Singapore Pte Ltd 3) Sibelco Asia Pte Ltd 4) GrahamTek Nuwater Singapore Pte Ltd 5) Danfoss Industries Pte Ltd 6) Zweec AnalyƟcs Pte Ltd

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS 1) Aturia InternaƟonal Pte Ltd 2) NM3 Tech (S) Pte Ltd 3) EuroTec Water Pte Ltd

INSTITUITIONAL MEMBER Nanyang Environment & Water Research InsƟtute (NEWRI)

INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS 1) Mr Sharhan Muhseen 2) Dr Liu Qishan 3) Mr Kishorbhai Balubhai

PUBLISH YOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS OR ADVERTISEMENT

Members, who have any press releases or corporate announcements to share with the public, kindly contact the SWA secretariat at enquiry@swa.org.sg. SWA reserves the right to edit the submiƩed text.

INTERESTED TO JOIN SWA?

We welcome all organisaƟons who are acƟvely involved and interested in the water and wastewater industry to join the Singapore Water AssociaƟon as either Ordinary, Associate, InsƟtuƟonal or Individual members. Sign up at www.swa.org.sg/membership/sign-up-online.

COMPANY PROFILE

Founded in the basement labs of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Gradiant Corporation has come a long way – and it’s just getting started.

f you talk to Prakash Govindan about Gradiant Corporation and what it does, you’ll notice that he sounds like a proud father – and he has every right to be, as the company’s co-founder and CTO. Founded out of MIT, Gradiant Corporation owes its success to its two founders, Prakash Govindan and Anurag Bajpayee. Under their leadership, the company has grown internationally with headquarters in USA and Singapore, three operating subsidiaries: Gradiant Energy Services, Gradiant China, and Gradiant India and over 200 global patents. According to Dr. Govindan, Gradiant specialises in innovation and R&D, and provides unique solutions in three general areas: Desalination/Brine Concentration, Clarification, and Disinfection. Dr. Govindan spoke to his flagship technology Carrier Gas Extraction which he developed out of MIT while a student there and his newest technology Counter Flow Reverse Osmosis, which was invented in-house at Gradiant: “Our award-winning flagship technology, Carrier Gas Extraction (CGE), replicates nature’s rain cycle within a controlled humidification dehumidification system for industrial application. It’s hyper-eﬃcient in terms of cost and footprint, and uses a marginal amount of thermal energy to produce freshwater from wastewater and saline streams.

Gradiant’s two founders, Anurag Bajpayee (left) and Prakash Govindan (right).

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

COMPANY PROFILE

The second more recent desal-focused method, Counter-flow reverse osmosis (CFRO) will be a game-changer as well. Reverse osmosis (RO) technology is widely applicable for seawater, brackish waters and tap water, but is limited in terms of the amount of reject produced. The amount of reject i s p ro p o r t i o n a l t o t h e a m o u n t o f freshwater generated, most can only produce 50-60 per cent freshwater from the wastewater or seawater coming in.” For clients, this is not enough. “50 per cent freshwater production rate is insuﬃcient for a wastewater treatment system,” explains Govindan. “With CFRO we solved that problem by taking it to the saturation limit of salt – if you take it any further it’ll produce solid salt. We broke that barrier with an innovative thermodynamic approach allowing us to apply RO to produce freshwater.” Looking to the future, Gradiant aims to include electrochemical-based techniques to its repertoire, along with membrane techniques with an emphasis on developing ceramic membranes for bioreactors. Electrochemical reactions will be especially welcome in sectors such as the textile industry, as the reaction will be able to remove specific dyes and compounds, and is expected to be more cost-friendly and efficient compared to bulk removal techniques. As for the ceramic membranes, Govindan expects that the technology will help to drastically extend the life of industrial applications: “Normally, a polymeric MBR membrane will last a year before it has to be replaced. We’re in the early stages of our R&D, but we’re looking to increase the lifespan to six or seven years.” All this, he adds, will aid in Singapore’s drive to close the loop in water usage and

recycling, ultimately fulfilling the country’s green objectives and easing the strain of water consumption. “Singapore is a country focused on moving toward zero-waste and self-sufficiency not only in waste management, but water management. Singapore has invested heavily in municipal water. At this point every drop of water – domestic, not industrial – is being used two to three times through reusing, recovering, and recycling. Now the country is looking to solve industrial wastewaters by investing in companies that develop technologies focused on zerowaste within the business sector. Innovative solution providers such as Gradiant, with our upcoming technologies and existing products, can help achieve the nations objective by closing the loop in zero liquid discharge (ZLD). If you look at today, the picture is not as dire in terms of the water situation in Singapore, but fast forward to 2040, Singapore is going to be water-stressed again. Water being used by industries is where the savings will be moving forward.” Thanks to modern innovations, ZLD and minimum liquid discharge (MLD) technologies exist in the market. However, Govindan points out that there are several obstacles to closing the loop: “Generally, ZLD/MLD technologies have been extremely expensive. If there’s $100 million to be invested in a ZLD system, it is hard for a water management level person to get approval from executives to put that in the budget, because that’s not a revenuegenerating product. Innovations like CGE and CFRO can bridge that gap, making that cost of water competitive with the cost of water the client is procuring and the cost they have by discharging. The barrier has been overall cost of water

and upfront investment, but quite honestly it has also been not enough regulatory drivers. Every single industry wants to become sustainable, and wants to have that circular economy within their mission and philosophy. In other words, they have to do ZLD. Disposal methods are becoming saturated. The earth is a finite body – we often think of it as infinite, but it’s not.” In dealing with the financial aspect with ZLD/ MLD technology, Gradiant seems to have an advantage against its competitors in terms of pricing. When asked how the company keeps its cost of its products and technologies lower than its competition, Govindan attributes it to Gradiant’s focus on R&D. “We have fundamentally diﬀerent products, fundamentally new innovations, we’re coming up with better ways of treating water. That’s what it comes down to, and at the end of the day I’d say it’s as fundamental as hiring a team which can do all that. Why we come up with more and more groundbreaking solutions is that we can at the same time grow our operational impact.” Whatever Gradiant’s strategy, it appears to be working. According to Govindan, Gradiant Energy Services had only 10 employees when it started out in late 2016. Now, the subsidiary has grown to 120 employees. For all the success that Gradiant has enjoyed, however, Govindan remains unfazed. In fact, he’s more than happy to admit he’s a self-labelled nerd, when sharing how Gradiant’s name came to be: “I wrote my PhD thesis studying the fundamental driving forces which drive the extraction of freshwater from saline water. Those driving forces are gradients of temperature and concentration, and mathematically, a gradient of concentration is written as ∆N, and a temperature gradient is written as ∆T, so we named the company GRADI∆NT.” WWA

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

TECH ROUND UP

Tsurumi Manufacturing Co., Ltd. oﬀers pumps

and lubrication oil and bearing grease for

The SFQ-series of pumps are for corrosive

for various liquids including those diﬃcult to

coping with high temperature liquids.

liquids, as the principal wetted parts are made of 316 stainless steel, while those

handle, such as seawater, corrosive liquids and high temperature liquids, as well as

Targeting these markets, three types

parts that need consideration for wear

pumps for general wastewater. The company

of pumps are available: the KTZ-series

resistance, such as the impeller and pump

also manufactures submersible pumps that

( f o r d ra i n i n g g e n e ra l w a ste w ate r ) ,

casing, are made of 316 stainless steel

can drain high temperature liquids of up to

GPN-series (for draining slurry) and

casting. Also, the SFQ-series can withstand

90°C, known as their “submersible pumps

SFQ-series (for draining corrosive liquids).

liquids of pH values of 2 to 13, which includes

for high-temperature liquids”.

The KTZ-series is positioned amongst

strong acids.

Tsurumi’s general-purpose pumps as a There are many applications that need such

flagship model, with a heavy-duty structure

These pumps are equipped with an anti-

drainage capability, e.g., draining hot spring

and their impellers made of high-chromium

wicking cable entry and inside mechanical

water from mines located in volcanic zones,

cast iron.

seal with silicon carbide face, as standard features. Tsurumi gives first priority to

or draining industrial wastewater from power plants or ironworks. Tsurumi’s standard

The GPN-series oﬀers high-power slurry

designing pumps that ensure continuous

pumps can drain liquids of up to 40°C,

pumps equipped with an agitator, wherein

duty for a long period of time, by providing

while some models can handle liquids

the impeller, suction plate and agitator are

reliability and durability that enable stable

of 60°C to 90°C. The latter provides

made of high-chromium cast iron and the

operation even under harsh environments.

specifications suitable for the temperatures

shaft is made of chromium molybdenum

WWA

of the liquids they handle, i.e., high-grade

steel that provides excellent strength and

insulation and high-quality rubber materials,

hardness.

GPN: Slurry Pumps

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

KTZ: Drainage Pumps

SFQ: Corrosion-Resistant Pumps

TECH ROUND UP

Getting your sensor data faster with VEGA Tools app The practical tool for simple, wireless adjustment of VEGA instruments

ndustrial equipment spread out over a wide area, with high tanks or potentially explosive zones, poses an enormous challenge to the implementation of digitisation and Industry 4.0 concepts. To reach diﬃcult-to-access or dangerous measuring points from a safe distance, VEGA oﬀers the option of parameterising sensors and reading out their measured values via Bluetooth on a smartphone or tablet with the VEGA Tools app. The advantages are obvious: especially easy to operate, all data permanently available in real time, and numerous possibilities for upgrading in the future.

AN IMPORTANT INDUSTRY 4.0 MODULE With the VEGA Tools app, sensors can be controlled wirelessly over distances of up to 25 metres and accessed directly – without technicians having to climb high ladders or go into hazardous environments.

In keeping with the spirit and purpose of Industry 4.0, the tool simplifies communication with sensors. In addition to convenient visualisation of current level and pressure data, it supports fast setup and easy maintenance. A wide range of display and diagnostic functions are also available in the app. Thus, with the VEGA Tools app, a direct, wireless live connection takes the place of the “direct wire” – wherever physical wiring is diﬃcult to implement. In the everyday life of technicians and plant operators, this mobile solution means real added value. For example, in potentially dangerous working environments it allows them to carry out and detect faults more safely during maintenance work.

THE YOUNG OLD ONES: RETROFIT The PLICSCOM universal VEGA display and adjustment unit, which is compatible with all instruments in the plics® system, can be supplied with Bluetooth communication and simply retrofitted to any sensor with just one “click”. This means that the Bluetooth PLICSCOM and VEGA Tools app are backward compatible with VEGA instruments from as early as 2002. In wireless operation all important instrument parameters can be individually configured, or, what is even more convenient, transmitted as predefined parameter sets. Operating data and parameter changes stored in the instrument can be quickly viewed and transferred to a PC for more extensive visualisation.

SAFE AND SECURE: DOUBLE PROTECTION Security also plays a role in every wireless connection. It starts with secure communication through the app architecture and password protection on the smartphone and extends through to sensor setup by the user. The system includes encrypted, password-protected IT networks, rights assignments for employees and clear rules on who can do what in the system and with which device. Thanks to the VEGA Tools app with IT security, the user can easily adjust and operate his sensors from a safe distance with a smartphone. WWA

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TECH ROUND UP

Pre-engineered, automated bar screen package for small WWTPs includes FlexRake® Low Flow bar screen and Low Flow Washer Compactor companion

uperon Corporation has announced

With a front-clean, front-return design that

the launch of the new Low Flow

eliminates debris carryover, the FlexRake Low

System, a pre-engineered, fully

Flow has no jam points or lower sprockets

automated preliminary liquid/solids

that require below-deck maintenance. The

separation system for wastewater treatment

proven SmartLink™ technology lifts or pivots

applications with average flows of one million

around debris and is made of UHMW, a self-

gallons per day (MGD) or less, and up to

lubricating material that requires very little

four MGD during peak flows. The Low Flow

to no water in the channel.

System includes a Duperon FlexRake Low ®

Flow and the new Duperon Low Flow Washer

The new single-auger Low Flow Washer

Compactor.

Compactor has been designed as a companion to the Duperon FlexRake® Low

“Over 80 per cent of treatment plants in the

Flow, integrating seamlessly to remove,

U.S. are rated for one MGD or less,” noted

clean, compress and discharge screenings

Duperon Corporation president, Mark Turpin.

approximately 10 feet in any direction. With

“The men and women who operate these smaller community wastewater systems are at the front line of environmental protection,

The Duperon Low Flow System for wastewater screening, washing and compacting includes a Duperon FlexRake ® Low Flow and the new Duperon Low Flow Washer Compactor

the adaptability of its discharge chute, drain connection, and motor location the new Low Flow Washer Compactor provides a flexible

yet they’re often working with slim budgets

standard design for easy site configuration.

and few resources. After listening to the

The packaged system achieves an 80 per

challenges facing our customers, we’ve

cent reduction in screenings volume and

developed the new Low Flow System as an

a 60 per cent reduction in screenings

integrated solution for screening, washing

weight, saving operators valuable handling

and compacting. We’ve used the same

time and hauling costs. It is also energy-

design principles that are a hallmark of all

eﬃcient, operating under one hp to help

Duperon products– simple in design, easy to

municipalities conserve on power costs.

operate, with minimal maintenance required and a low cost of ownership.”

After several years of testing, Duperon is pleased to announce and add the Low Flow

The Duperon FlexRake® Low Flow bar screen

System and Low Flow Washer Compactor to

has been an eﬀective screening solution for

its innovative product portfolio. WWA

small community applications since 2009.

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

Duperon single-auger Low Flow Washer Compactor

SHOW PREVIEW

Malaysia International Water Convention 2019: Transform & Secure our Water Future this October

he Malaysia International Water Convention (MIWC) is all set to run from 1-3 October 2019 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) in Kuala Lumpur. Held concurrently at the convention is the 7th edition of Water Loss Asia (WLA) 2019, a specialised NonRevenue Water roving event. MIWC 2019 is organised by the Malaysian Water Association (MWA), who has been organising Water Malaysia, a biennial international exhibition and conference that encompasses all across the entire water cycle, since 1991. The event is supported by the Ministry of Land, Water and Natural Resources (KATS). MIWC 2019 & WLA 2019 will feature more than 5,000 water industry professionals, 500 conference delegates and around 200 convening organisations from 30 countries. This event will bring together policy makers, water and utility management companies, professionals from the water and wastewater industry, leading technology innovators, international agencies, NGOs and scientists from around the world to share knowledge and discussions on opportunities, challenges, and technologies for the transformation of

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

the water sector, Themed “Advancing Innovation, Embracing Transformation and Securing the future” with a core focus on water 4.0, digital adoption, IoT, and intelligent water management systems, the event will offer a whole range of programmes that will help the water utilities to discover cutting edge technologies and learn how digital disruptions affect the value chain, and the best practices for transforming water utilities. Attended by regulatory authorities and the water industry authorities from the region, the water leaders and water regulators forums will focus on the role of smart water solutions to achieve water security; the latter on water sector policies in general and in specific on IoT and how the polices affects the industry, the consumers and affordability, accessibility and secure water futures. The Malaysian government has also allocated RM690 million (SGD 227 million) and RM590 million (SGD 194 million) respectively to improve water supply and sewerage services in Budget 2019, providing an excellent platform to build new partnerships with customers from Malaysia and reconnect with

existing customers from the region at MIWC & WLA Exhibition. Malaysia has made headways into water supply, wastewater treatment and river development infrastructure for the past ten years with the construction of Langkat 2, Pantai 2 and River of Life. Participants are invited to join the technical tours and gain in-depth practical insights to these sites. Gain valuable insights and learn country experiences during the two-day conference featuring at least 50 distinguished industry leaders and experts representing organisations across the water sector spectrum. The line-up includes path-breaking scientist and technologists, C-level executives from the biggest names in the industry, thinkers and visionaries. The event promises an excellent return on investment with a range of progressive and stimulating programmes for everyone. Formats include Non-revenue water workshop, Pre-event workshop, Water Industry Awards, Young Water Professionals programme, gala dinner and complimentary Innovation Talk sessions for the discerning trade visitors. WWA

Asia’s leading platform for the environmental protection industry

co Expo Asia is a global trade platform for the environmental protection industry that showcases the latest green products, equipment and state-of-the-art technology. Co-organised by the Environment Bureau, the Expo provides B2G and B2B opportunities for the green industry through its strong support from Hong Kong, Mainland China, international government authorities and industry associations.

Embracing the new theme of “Less Carbon, Less Waste • Green Innovation”, the 14th Eco Expo Asia will showcase a wide range of environmental products and solutions from Hong Kong, Mainland China, Asia and the global green tech community. The expo, running from 30 October to 2 November 2019 at AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong, is jointly organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, and co-organised by the Environment Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government.

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN ASIA

The Asia Pacific region has the highest climate smart investment potential against any region in the world according to the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. The green building sector is leading the way with an estimated

Key highlights include: Eco Asia Conference Industry experts and academics from around the world gather each year at the Eco Asia Conference to discuss important environmental issues and propose new ways forward to solve pressing environmental concerns. Business matching Make your next business connection at this dedicated networking and matching session.

USD17.8 trillion in opportunities by 2030. One of Asia’s largest cities, Jakarta, represents close to USD30 billion in investment opportunities, while other Asian megacities are also cited as having significant potential for investments that yield emission reductions.

GREATER BAY AREA INTEGRATION

T h e G u a n g d o n g - H o n g Ko n g - M a c a o Greater Bay Area Development oﬀers new opportunities through innovative policies on employment, entrepreneurship and investment. Hong Kong, Mainland China and Macao have been cooperating on various environmental initiatives to mitigate environmental pollution and advocate energy saving and waste reduction among others through a number of Hong Kong-Guangdong Joint Working Groups.

STAUNCH SUPPORT FOR WASTE REDUCTION AND RECYCLING BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT

To complement the implementation of the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) charging scheme, the HKSAR Government will provide recurrent resources to strengthen their support of waste reduction and recycling. An additional provision of around HK$300 – 400 million for the 2019-20 financial year when the MSW charging scheme is launched.

Start-up Zone A special zone for young start-ups in the eco industry, it is the ideal platform for new ventures to find potential buyers and investors while showcasing their green innovations.

ECO EXPO ASIA

Fair Dates: 30 Oct–2 Nov 2019 Venue: AsiaWorld-Expo, Hong Kong Admission: Trade Day (30 Oct-1 Nov 2019): Free admission to trade visitors aged 18 or above only, trade visitors must present their admission badges upon request during the fair. (All exhibits are for display only and not for sale) Trade and Public Day (2 Nov 2019): Free admission to all visitors (Part of exhibits will be for sale)

The Organisers are also oﬀering exclusive incentives for overseas buyers – interested parties are encouraged to contact Ms. Chloe Yeung at (852) 2240 4099 or email ecoexpo.visitor@hktdc.org for enquiries.

ADVERTORIAL

LESS CARBON, LESS WASTE • GREEN INNOVATION

SHOW PREVIEW

CAMWATER 2019 – The Kingdom’s Water Industry Expo Returns to Phnom Penh

A M W AT E R 2 0 1 9 – C a m b o d i a ’ s

rural areas by 2025. A total of around US$119

International Water & Wastewater

million (SGD 164 million) has been invested by

Technology Show is returning to the

the Government and the Asian Development

Diamond Island Exhibition & Convention Centre

Bank for projects to upgrade provincial water

in Phnom Penh from 18 to 20 September 2019.

supply and sanitation services in Battambang, Preah Sihanouk, Kampong Cham and Siem

The Expo aims to continue expanding on its

Reap. The Ministry of Rural Development has

previous successes in providing a business-to-

also encouraged private companies to invest in

business platform where architects, consultants,

these projects.

engineers, designers, contractors, distributors, suppliers and retailers can meet to source for

CAMWATER 2019 plans to bring together

new industry equipment and solutions, make

over 150 companies and brands in the water

investments, introduce and discuss ideas, and

production and treatment sector from various

form networks or business partnerships.

countries including China, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. In addition, CAMWATER

Spurred by its steady economic growth over

2019 will be co-located with other expos

recent years, Cambodia has embarked on an

such as CAMBUILD 2019 for the building and

ambitious initiative to improve the water supply

construction sector, CAMENERGY 2019 for the

and treatment infrastructure of its urban centres

electric power industry, and CIVAR 2019 for the

and to ensure suﬃcient supplies of clean water

HVAC technology industry. This combination of

and sanitation for the people in the country’s

events will bring in more potential buyers for the exhibitors’ products or services as well as creating a convenient onestop event for visitors with interest in the other industry sectors. CAMWATER 2019 promises to be an exciting opportunity for exhibitors, delegates and visitors to engage in lucrative business, and will also pave the way to a brighter future for Cambodia, the Southeast Asian region and possibly the wider world as well. The expo is organised by AMB Tarsus Events Group, a leading trade show organiser in Southeast Asia, and is endorsed by the Cambodian Ministry of Commerce. It also has the support of the Board of Architects Cambodia and the Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority. Such support from prominent government and industrial organisations highlights the solid reputation and dependability of the expo in helping Cambodia to realise its grand initiatives. WWA

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

EVENTS CALENDAR 2019 JANUARY WFES Water 14 to 17 January Abu Dhabi, UAE https://www.worldfutureenergysummit.com/wfes-water

Pumps & Valves Asia 2019 5 to 8 June Bangkok, Thailand http://www.pumpsandvalves-asia.com

InterAqua Tokyo 2019 30 January to 1 February Tokyo, Japan https://www.interaqua.jp/eng

12th IWA International Conference on Water Reclamation and Reuse 16 to 20 June Berlin, Germany http://www.iwa-network.org/events/12th-iwa-internationalconference-on-water-reclamation-and-reuse

FEBRUARY World Water-Tech Innovation Summit 2019 26 to 27 February London, UK https://worldwatertechinnovation.com MARCH Water Philippines 20 to 22 March Metro Manila, Philippines https://www.waterphilippinesexpo.com APRIL Global Water Summit 8 to 10 April London, UK http://www.watermeetsmoney.com IE expo 15 to 17 April Shanghai, China http://www.ie-expo.com WQA Convention and Exposition 2019 23 to 26 April Las Vegas, USA http://www.wqa.org/convention

SEPTEMBER Asian Utility Week 2019 3 to 5 September Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia http://www.asian-utility-week.com CAMWATER’19 18 to 20 September Phnom Penh, Cambodia http://www.camwaterexpo.com

LAOWATER’ 19 20 to 22 June Vientiane, Laos http://www.laowater.org

OCTOBER Malaysia International Water Convention 2019 1 to 3 October Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia https://www.miwc.tech

International Young Water Professionals 23 to 27 June Toronto, Canada https://iwa-youngwaterprofessionals.org

IDA 2019 Water Congress on Desalination 20 to 24 October Dubai, UAE https://wc.idadesal.org

JULY Trenchless Asia 2019 17 to 18 July Jakarta, Indonesia https://www.trenchlessasia.com

NOVEMBER VietWater (Ho Chi Minh) 2019 6 to 8 November Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam https://www.vietwater.com/en-us

INDO WATER 2019 17 to 19 July Jakarta, Indonesia https://www.indowater.com

MAY OZWATER’19 7 to 9 May Melbourne, Australia http://www.ozwater.org

VietWater (Hanoi) 2019 24 to 26 July Hanoi, Vietnam https://www.vietwater.com/en-us

JUNE Aquatech China 2019 3 to 5 June Shanghai, China https://www.aquatechtrade.com/china

AUGUST PUMP & VALVE INDONESIA 28 to 30 August Jakarta, Indonesia https://www.pump-and-valve-indonesia.net

MyanWater 2019 28 to 30 November Yangon, Myanmar https://www.myanwater.org

DECEMBER IWA Water and Development Congress & Exhibition 1 to 5 December Colombo, Sri Lanka http://www.waterdevelopmentcongress.org

Water & Wastewater Asia • July / August 2019

ADVERTISERS INDEX WATER & WASTEWATER ASIA July / August 2019

IFC

ANDRITZ PUMPS https://www.andritz.com

ASIAWATER https://www.asiawater.org

CAMWATER http://www.camwaterexpo.com

OBC

China Lesso Group Holdings Limited https://www.lesso.com Danfoss https://www.danfoss.com Diehl Metering https://www.diehl.com

PABLO SINGAPORE Publisher William Pang williampang@pabloasia.com Associate Publisher Pamela Buckley pamela@pabloasia.com Editor Pang Yanrong yanrong@pabloasia.com Assistant Editor Natalie Chew natalie@pabloasia.com Assistant Editor Szeto Hiu Yan hiuyan@pabloasia.com Contributor Sarah Si sarahsi@pabloasia.com

Eco Expo Asia https://m.hktdc.com/fair/ecoexpoasia-en

Estruagua https://estruagua.com

Business Development & Marketing YanJun Pang yanjun@pabloasia.com

Festo https://www.festo.com

Graphic Designer Edwin De Souza edwin@pabloasia.com

Global Water Solutions https://www.globalwatersolutions.com

Admin & Circulation Manager Shu Ai Ling circulation@pabloasia.com

Harbin Firstline Environment Technology Co., Ltd http://www.firstline.com.cn

INDO WATER 2019 Expo & Forum https://www.indowater.com

LACROIX SOFREL http://www.lacroix-sofrel.com

MYANWATER https://www.myanwater.org

Perceptive Engineering https://www.perceptiveapc.com

IBC

Sumitomo (SHI) Cyclo Drive Asia Pacific Pte Ltd www.sumitomodrive.com TAITRA https://www.taitra.org.tw

Vontron Membrane Technology Co.,Ltd http://en.vontron.com

Water & Wastewater Asia (Social Media) https://www.waterwastewaterasia.com

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PABLO BEIJING General Manager Ellen Gao pablobeijing@163.com PABLO SHANGHAI Editor-in-Chief, Chinese Edition Wendy Wei pabloshanghai@163.net

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