Reflection

ABOUT

SIWW The Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) is the global platform to share and co-create innovative water solutions. Stakeholders from the global water industry gather at SIWW to share business opportunities and showcase the latest water technologies. SIWW is part of the strategic programme of the Singapore Government to grow the water industry and develop water technologies.

Explore collaborations and innovative water solutions within a vibrant ecosystem of companies, research institutions and water leaders. Experience Singapore’s “living laboratory” and learn how sustainable water management is essential to liveable cities. Shape the future of water and cities at SIWW, the world’s only integrated event on water and urban sustainability.

Reflections

SIWW: Oasis of Innovative Water So lutions The concept behind this title brings out two forms of ‘reflections’ – the reflection of the journey SIWW has taken over the past five years and water reflections in a modernist and innovative direction, illustrating SIWW’s readiness towards a new future.

The inspiration of Reflections comes from looking upon the grandeur of a water surface with the movement of water ripples forming prism-like shapes, reflecting upon the viewer.

Published in September 2013

by Singapore International Water Week.

No reproduction is permitted in whole or in part without written permission from Singapore International Water Week.

Copyright © is held by the publishers.

Every effort has been made to ensure that accuracy and completeness of the information herein at time of print.

40 Scotts Road, #22-01 Environment Building Singapore 228231 Republic of Singapore Tel: (65) 6731 3191 Fax: (65) 6736 1207 For more information, email info@siww.com.sg or visit www.siww.com.sg This publication has been printed on FSC-certified paper as an eco-friendly solution to environmental needs. The origins of this FSC paper is assuredly from sustainably-managed forests.

CONTENT

01

Good Governance and policy p12

WATER 0 3 THE INDUSTRY p50

05 FUTURE CHALLENGES p78

SCIENCE 0 2 HARNESSING AND TECHNOLOGY p38

0 4 PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP p62

0 6 Thoughts Special Section:

about SIWW p82

07 The Lee Kuan Yew Special Section:

Water Prize Laureates p88

0 8 Acknowledgements p105

A Note From

PROFESSOR TOMMY KOH

A NOte from Professor Tommy koh // 5

Dear Friends, It has been my pleasure to serve as the Chairperson of the Singapore International Water Week – Water Leaders Summit since the event’s inauguration in 2008.

The Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) is a global platform to share and co-create innovative water solutions. Over the past five years, SIWW has grown to become a magnet for policy makers, industry leaders, domain experts and professionals engaged in the water sector. Technologies and solutions have been showcased, collaborations have been created, knowledge has been disseminated and rich discussions have been sparked off during each event.

Each SIWW also celebrates the award of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize to individuals or organisations who made an outstanding contribution to solving the world’s water challenges.

These awards not only honour deserving laureates but bring a much-needed focus on innovation. To paraphrase Einstein, the world’s water problems cannot be solved by the same thinking that caused them. Perhaps we need to look at the problems differently. Innovation in technology, policy and management is the only way to tackle the challenge of bringing sanitation and clean water to the unserved millions of the world.

6 // A NOte from Professor TOMMY KOH

Now in 2013, I think it is a good time to pause, look at our journey so far and take stock of what we learned from the past five SIWWs. The takeaway lessons I would like to highlight are:

1.

Every country is obliged to and can afford to provide safe drinking water and basic sanitation for all its citizens, rich and poor. With political will, every obstacle can be overcome. We need good water policy and sensible management. We need good governance in the sense of transparency, integrity and accountability.

2.

The true value of clean water has to be understood and taught. For this to happen, it cannot be given away free or subsidised. Every attempt has to be made to recover the full price of water, so that it can be sustainably treated, supplied, used and reused.

3.

Water is needed not just for drinking but also for producing food and energy, and is required in industrial processes. The entire water cycle should be managed in an integrated manner and not in individual silos.

4.

Since the management of water cuts across many ministerial portfolios such as energy, agriculture, industry, transportation, waste disposal, housing and others, there is bound to be conflict. It is important to have a high-level coordinating mechanism at the cabinet level to oversee water in a holistic way from one end of the value chain to the other.

5.

We should not let the ideologies of public or private sector management of water cloud our vision. There are successful examples of water management in both the public and private sector, just as there are failures.

There are many models to deliver water and sanitation, and the best option should be selected on a case-bycase basis.

6.

The water sector has been said to be averse to risk and slow in adopting new technology and innovations.

Governments must provide an enabling environment for innovation to flourish.

The following pages will synthesize the knowledge that was shared during SIWW each year from 2008 to 2012.

I believe this documentation of the ideas and solutions presented by water leaders who came from around the world will help in a small way to take the water conversation forward. Moving forward, despite the multifaceted nature of water challenges that lie ahead, SIWW will continue to provide the platform where all sectorsgovernment, industry, research institutes, international organisations and civil societies can come together, to share and co-create innovative water solutions to meet future challenges. With our collective learning and wisdom, I hope we can move towards a world where water is managed more holistically, more responsibly, and more innovatively.

With Best Wishes,

Prof Tommy Koh Chairperson, Singapore International Water Week – Water Leaders Summit

A NOte from Professor Tommy koh // 7

Welcome Message by

CHEW MEN LEONG

Welcome Message // 9

Dear Friends, It fills me with great happiness to look back at the journey of SIWW from the time it started and see how it has matured into a premier water event. In 2008, we started with 8,500 participants from 79 countries. Like a caravan which moves through a dry desert and becomes longer and longer as more travellers join it, we grew to 19,231 participants who came from 104 countries at our 5 th show in 2012.

Every year, we SIWW travellers set camp in an oasis of innovative water solutions from which all of us drank deeply. I want to thank each and every one who joined us, shared knowledge, learned, collaborated, and enabled SIWW to grow from strength to strength.

10 // Welcome Message

In the following pages, we have synthesised the five recurring themes of the past five SIWWs which helped focus the discussions, namely:

1. Good Governance and Policy:

At the heart of good water management is good policy and governance, which gives the enabling framework. SIWW brought together ministers, administrators and officers involved in setting water policy and governing the sector.

2.

Harnessing Science and Technology: Many water challenges have been addressed with the help of science and technology, which in turn created new opportunities. A variety of discussions on applying cuttingedge technology to ease water scarcity and quality issues have taken place at past SIWWs.

3. The Water Industry:

Trends, challenges and opportunities for water companies were examined at length

over the years at SIWW.

4. Public-Private Partnership (PPP):

The utilisation of synergies between the public and private sectors can lead to an effective management of water services. SIWWs have been designed to facilitate interaction between members of the public and private sectors, and to bring about cooperation in myriad ways.

5. Future Challenges:

There is no dearth of future challenges staring at us as we cross milestones of urbanisation, population, climate change, energy consumption and more. Every year, leaders gather at SIWW to share and co-create water solutions to address them. In this chapter, Singapore’s Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, examines how we can overcome them together and explore the exciting opportunities that will be thrown up.

I welcome all of you to SIWW 2014 coming up next summer from 1 to 5 June, which will again bring together decisionmakers from the entire value chain. SIWW 2014 will continue to be held in conjunction with the World Cities Summit and the CleanEnviro Summit Singapore at the iconic Marina Bay Sands, in an integrated showcase of urban sustainability.

SIWW 2014 will centre on the four themes of ‘Cities-Water-Environment Nexus’, ‘Municipal Water Solutions’, ‘Future of Water’ and ‘Industrial Water Solutions’.

Once again, we wait with bated breath to see who is selected as the winner of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize.

Let us meet at SIWW 2014!

Chew Men Leong Chief Executive, PUB Singapore Executive Director, Environment & Water Industry Programme Office

01

Good Governance and policy

GOOD GOVERNANCE AND POLICY // 13

Governance has been a key theme in all SIWWs. With ministers and political leaders coming from different countries, water policy matters have figured largely in the discussions.

As Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in Water Conversation held at SIWW 2011, an honest and effective government would gradually make water and sanitation accessible and affordable to all. “This is something governments have to do; they have to invest in infrastructure projects; they can use taxpayers’ money; they can have private partnerships, they can get foreign investors or they can have World Bank projects. The scale is enormous but the governments must make it a priority.”

Earlier at both SIWWs 2008 and 2009, many speakers brought out the important fact that the government is ultimately responsible for meeting the basic needs of its citizens including water and sanitation. The government has to establish the institutional framework and monitor its functioning – in other words, play the role of a “sector” enabler.

Water Leaders Summit Chairperson Prof Tommy Koh has often spoken at various SIWWs about the problems caused by overlapping of water-related responsibilities across different ministries and vertically across national, regional and local authorities. He has emphasised the need to strengthen the coordination mechanisms across ministries and government levels.

The first winner of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize in 2008, Dr Andrew Benedek, said: “Governments are critical to the water industry. They push regulations and markets through their regulations.

Also, without governments funding universities, there would be no people to employ to meet the regulations.”

Governance formed a core theme of the Water Leaders Summit. This was apparent from the fact that in SIWW 2010, ‘Good Governance for Water Sustainability’ was discussed in the very first roundtable. Chaired by Michael Rouse, the panel of experts sought to examine the key aspects of good governance that help in the effective delivery of water services and sanitation.

GOOD GOVERNANCE AND POLICY // 15

Erna Witoelar, then Vice-Chair of the Governing Council of the Asia-Pacific Water Forum, remarked at the same roundtable that various ministries involved with different aspects of water tend to pull in different directions. “Water has to be managed holistically either through a minister in charge or a high-level coordinating mechanism,� she asserted.

Philip Fletcher, then Chairman of the Water Services Regulation Authority (Ofwat), which is the economic regulator of water and sewerage companies in England and Wales, had called for decisions to be taken at the most appropriate and preferably the lowest level to achieve an effective outcome.

According to him, an objective analysis of costs and benefits as well as risks should form the basis of decisions. The tradeoffs should be well understood. Mr Fletcher said there should be a preference for market-led solutions where appropriate, but always within a context of broad regulation which is likely to achieve the best outcomes both for the environment and the consumers.

Let us listen to some more water leaders expand on the theme of good water governance.

16 // GOOD GOVERNANCE AND POLICY

Yoshiro Mori President Asia-Pacific Water Forum

Governance has to be improved through international platforms and multi-stakeholder engagement Six and a half years have passed since the Asia-Pacific Water Forum (APWF) was jointly established by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Japan Water Forum (JWF). In this time, the APWF has made a collective effort to highlight the necessity and challenges of regional water security on various occasions, such as the first Asia-Pacific Water Summit, SIWW and the World Water Forum. In addition, it has created opportunities for regional leaders to get together in order to raise awareness of water issues and initiate concrete actions. This has been made possible by the ceaseless efforts of the APWF’s Lead Organisations and Sub-regional Coordinators, under the leadership of the Chair and Vice-chairs of the Forum’s Governing Council.

There are only two years to go before 2015, the global target year for accomplishing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Thanks to the efforts of various people around the world, the target for drinking water has already been accomplished, though there are still approximately 800 million people with no access to safe drinking water. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to achieve the sanitation target. There are still 2.5 billion people, or 40% of the global population, with no access to basic sanitation. In the Asia-Pacific region in particular, sanitation problems are serious. More than half of the people in the world who have no access to basic sanitation live in this region.

Due to rapid population growth and industrialisation, food and energy problems, as well as water contamination, are threatening water resources and the water environment. Therefore, it is necessary for us who live in this region to improve water governance through multi-stakeholder engagement and legal and regulatory frameworks based on the principles of participation, equity,

GOOD GOVERNANCE AND POLICY // 17

“Water is an essential issue that affects not only water stakeholders but also the course of nations. Therefore, heads of states and governments should be at the forefront of addressing it.�

accountability, and transparency. This region is also very vulnerable to water-related disasters, which cause serious damage. About 80% of the victims of all water-related disasters worldwide live in this region. The severe flooding that hit the Bangkok area in Thailand had considerable impact on world economies, including that of Japan. It reminded us of the necessity to assess economic risks arising from climate-related natural disasters.

As you know, on 11 March 2011, Japan experienced a catastrophic disaster on a scale not seen for a thousand years: the Great East Japan Earthquake. As Japan is prone to earthquakes, we had been taking numerous precautions against earthquakes and tsunamis for many years. But the size and impact of this disaster was far beyond our imagination, and many precious lives were lost. We should deeply reflect on our traditional measures against natural disasters.

This disaster was certainly a sad experience, but it reminded all Japanese people of the value of human life, family ties and regional cooperation. We felt truly grateful for the help offered from all over the world and began to reconsider how we build resilient communities in the face of climate change and water-related disasters. I would like the story of our experience, our technologies and efforts toward reconstruction to be of some help in minimising human, environmental, and economic losses.

Water is an essential issue that affects not only water stakeholders but also the course of nations. Therefore, heads of states and governments should be at the forefront of addressing it. All nations in the Asia-Pacific region should share the common understanding that continued leadership and commitment are indispensable for the effective solution of water problems.

GOOD GOVERNANCE AND POLICY // 19

Dennis Wichelns Director Institute of Water Policy, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore

The key ingredient in governance is leadership Leadership is a key ingredient in ensuring that ministries and departments coordinate their efforts regarding water management.

Senior members of the administration in any country must demonstrate the importance of considering issues pertaining to natural resources and the environment, across ministries and departments.

That said, there will always be a concentration of expertise regarding individual resources within specific ministries and departments.

Water specialists will accumulate in water ministries, energy specialists will be found largely within energy ministries, and health experts will work primarily in health departments. One approach for bridging this natural and largely efficient divide is to convene at forums in which specialists from an array of ministries meet regularly to discuss areas of technical overlap in their portfolios.

A second approach would involve the establishment of multi-ministerial task forces to address specific topics of cross-cutting importance, such as water, energy, and health issues. Task forces should be given clear terms of reference with objectives to be achieved within stated timelines.

20 // GOOD GOVERNANCE AND POLICY

“Job one in areas where water is scarce is to ensure that all water users appreciate the prevailing scarcity conditions. This can be achieved through water prices or allocations that reflect the scarcity value of water.�

Full cost recovery of water services is possible but it is not necessarily the most pressing issue in many locations. Job one in areas where water is scarce is to ensure that all water users appreciate the prevailing scarcity conditions. This can be achieved through water prices or allocations that reflect the scarcity value of water. Volumetric prices work well in communicating water scarcity conditions, as do water allocations. In areas where water pricing is politically sensitive, water allocations might be viewed with a greater sense of feasibility.

Once the task of communicating scarcity conditions is achieved, public agencies can then consider efforts to achieve full-cost recovery. Yet that goal might not be a necessary or sufficient condition to ensure wise resource use over time.

For example, there might be situations in which a case can be made for a perpetual subsidy on the capital component of water delivery systems. Such a subsidy might be funded from general revenues, in the interest of ensuring universal access to drinking water or wider access to water for use in irrigation and livestock watering.

22 // GOOD GOVERNANCE AND POLICY

Uschi Eid Vice-Chair United Nations Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation (UNSGAB)

The cultural context of water and sanitation is crucial I think we have seen some real success over the last ten years in bringing water and sanitation to the top of government agenda, especially sanitation. Part of the challenge is demonstrating to top decision-makers, especially finance ministers, that investing in water and sanitation will yield significant returns while contributing to national development goals. Before the Summit on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2010, UNSGAB published a paper showing how more investment and focused policy interventions for water and sanitation contributes to reaching every MDG. For example, the lack of safe drinking water is linked to poor sanitation since faecal contamination of drinking water is one of the main reasons why 2,000 children under the age of five die from diarrhoea every day. And so, to reach the MDG on reducing child mortality, investing in safe drinking water through better sanitation will help you reach this objective. One of the things our Board can do is to get this information to high-level decision makers.

Every day, we have more evidence and our Board is using the Sanitation Drive to 2015 campaign as a vehicle to get the message out. The Sanitation and Water for All Partnership involves around 43 developing countries with donor partners, multilateral organisations, civil society groups in an effort to sharpen policy and increase investment so that universal access to water and sanitation will become a reality. It is extremely encouraging to see this partnership take shape.

GOOD GOVERNANCE AND POLICY // 23

“It is also crucial to consider the cultural context and to work with local communities so that the sanitation systems are meeting the needs of the local population.”

Like all development interventions, sanitation is site-specific and there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach. In many parts of the world, sanitation systems that rely on massive inputs of water and with centralised infrastructural systems simply don’t make sense. And in fact, they are proving unsustainable in many rich countries. Smaller scale modular systems that take advantage of innovation should be considered. In many cases, waterless sanitation systems make the most sense. It is also crucial to consider the cultural context and to work with local communities so that the sanitation systems are meeting the needs of the local population. We have seen well-meaning organisations introducing systems that are simply not used. We must learn from these mistakes and in the future take the time to research and understand what systems will work in each specific context.

It is obvious that sanitation does not stop at the toilet. Our Board has been making this point for years, but we need an entry point to focus people’s attention on the sanitation crisis. If you hold a sign saying “We need sanitation!”, you are likely to get some interest but not that much. However, if you hold a sign saying “We need toilets!” then people will pay attention. The sanitation crisis is so grave, with a staggering 2.5 billion people living without an improved source of sanitation, that we need all kinds of efforts – especially those that grab attention.

Once we have people’s interest, then we can start discussing the bigger picture. That’s why we support efforts like the ‘Reinventing the Toilet’ campaign supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The Foundation is supporting research that is developing waterless toilets that will use excrement for productive purposes. They have chosen to call their campaign ‘Reinventing the Toilet’, rather than ‘Reinventing Sanitation’, for a reason. And they have got lots of media interest as a result.

GOOD GOVERNANCE AND POLICY // 25

Michael Rouse Independent International Advisor Distinguished Research Associate University of Oxford

Sustainable cost recovery of water services is essential Considering that water is such a cross-cutting theme, it is becoming very important for different ministries and departments of governments to work more closely on water management. This is more so with rapid urbanisation and the need for freshwater and used water to be seen in the context of cities of the future. In recent decades there has been a lot of attention given to Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), including Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the European Framework Directive.

Policies and planning need to be revisited as hydrological considerations are insufficient, and water resource thinking has to be linked with urban development. I believe that events will force integration on governments, but Prime Ministers have to be brought more to the fore so that strategic planning either takes place within PM’s offices, or PMs designate a lead department.

Sustainable cost recovery of water services will become essential. Currently, throughout the world, existing supply systems are deteriorating through a lack of maintenance arising from insufficient income. Water and wastewater investment worldwide over 25 years is estimated to be as high as US$23 trillion, of which much is required for refurbishment of existing systems. In many countries, access to piped water services for many people is lost. The UN Declaration of Water and Sanitation as a Human Right gives emphasis not only to extending access but also to sustainability. Loss of access will become regarded as a loss of human right.

The main argument against sustainable cost recovery is that the poor can’t pay, but the poor are paying far more to water vendors when there is no public service. What the poor require is easy payment methods, which are becoming increasingly available in Africa through mobile phone accounts. Resistance to sustainable-cost recovery comes mainly from those who are receiving a subsidised piped water service. Generally those consumers are easily able to pay more. General subsidies should be phased out gradually and replaced by direct subsidies to assist the poor and unserved. Such subsidies can be used to extend distribution systems and to assist the poor with access connection charges. Without policies to achieve sustainable-cost recovery, there is no prospect of sustainable progress.

26 // GOOD GOVERNANCE AND POLICY

“What can be taken from Singapore is the rigorous holistic approach taken to long-term planning, based on clear objectives, with meticulous implementation.”

It is not feasible to try to emulate a particular country model, as no country’s history and requirements are the same.

What can and should be transferred are principles and elements which are shown to work in practice. One example is the principle of 24X7 (continuous supplies) which has been demonstrated in India. This results in a service for which the poor are prepared and able to pay, but requires less water resource. This has application worldwide, and is essential for sustainability, as pressurising and depressurising distribution systems result in a spiral of deterioration.

Singapore’s drivers have been based on circumstances particular to Singapore, and it does not make sense for many countries to emulate its approach. What can be taken from Singapore is the rigorous holistic approach taken to longterm planning, based on clear objectives, with meticulous implementation.

Unfortunately, ideological rhetoric gets in the way of progress. It is important to increase communication between and with the ‘general public’, so as to counter the often persuasive single issue pressure groups. Water professionals should become far more active in this process, so that people understand the real issues – for example, that sustainable water services are not possible without cost recovery and thus realistic water charges; or that when rainfall is unreliable, storage is essential, and if not possible underground, in artificial lakes. Social media provide the opportunity to communicate the issues accurately and more widely, but equally provide the route for misinformation. It is important that professional organisations, such as the International Water Association (IWA), and events, such as SIWW, take up this challenge.

28 // GOOD GOVERNANCE AND POLICY

“We believe that good governance and integrated long-term planning, are the first principles on which water management must be based.”

Tan Gee Paw Chairman PUB Singapore

Strong political commitment is a pre-requisite for success in water management 40 years ago, Singapore faced challenging water problems as our nation was developing. Our waterways were heavily polluted with sources of pollution from squatters, backyard industries, street hawkers, animal waste from farms, and riverine activities. We also faced immense water scarcity and had to ration water when our water stocks dropped to critically low levels due to drought.

Although Singapore receives an average rainfall of about 2400 millimetres a year, the 2006 United Nations World Water Development Report ranked us at the 170th position out of 190 countries in terms of freshwater availability.

Today, Singapore has turned its vulnerability into a strategic asset and is capable of producing water for all its domestic and industrial consumption needs. This is the outcome of commitment from our political leaders and systemic implementation of water policy in Singapore.

A key factor necessary for successful water management in Singapore is the strong commitment from our political leaders, who have ranked water as among the top priorities in our national agenda for the last 40 years. As our first Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew put it, “… This (water) dominated every other policy. Every other policy had to bend at the knees for water survival”.

GOOD GOVERNANCE AND POLICY // 31

Another factor is the systematic implementation of water policy. PUB as Singapore’s national water agency is able to apply integrated water management based on a systems approach. This involves looking at water holistically as a resource from both the demand and supply perspectives, and also as a single water loop including storm-water management, drainage network and reservoirs management, water treatment and distribution, collection and recycling of used water (NEWater created from purifying the used water) and desalinated water.

Identification of gaps in the water loop becomes possible as a result, so that R&D efforts are appropriately targeted. We are able to pursue planned measures to increase our water availability by converting more land into catchment area, desalinating seawater and recycling used water. Together with various initiatives, we have been able to provide high levels of service to customers through the reliable supply of good quality water. We have consistently achieved low rate of Unaccounted-For-Water (UFW) in the region of 5% in recent years. With low UFW, we ensure that more of the water produced reaches customers and less is lost along the way. This not only reduces wastage and operating costs but also defers the need for investment in new capacity.

Furthermore, our water tariff allows for full recovery of costs.

It includes a water conservation tax imposed as a level that brings the tariff up to the marginal cost of water.

While these serve as good learning points for countries in their management of water resources, every country has its own set of unique challenges, and water management initiatives must go hand-in-hand with the level of socioeconomic development of the country. Thus it is not feasible to look for a one-size-fits-all solution that can be applied anywhere. Nevertheless, we believe that good governance, and integrated long-term planning, are the first principles on which water management must be based.

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Wim Kuijken Commissioner Delta Programme

All stakeholders have to connect to common goals For the Netherlands, working with water is a matter of survival. Over half our country is floodable, were it not for our system of dams, dykes and levees. We are also one of the largest exporters of agricultural produce. Water safety on one hand, and the availability of water of the right quality in the right locations on the other hand, are essential.

That is why we have organised the Delta Programme in the Netherlands, in which all stakeholders, that is several ministries at the national level, provincial and municipal governments, water boards, utilities, knowledge institutes and the private sector, work together to realise national goals and to find optimal solutions for the long-term survival of our country. We recognised that this calls for a special organisation, in which all parties can overstep the boundaries of their sectoral interests. This would be difficult to attain under the supervision of any one ministry of the central government.

The government appointed a special functionary, the Delta Commissioner, with the task of guarding the progress and coherence of the programme. This functionary can advise the government and parliament. He works intensively with all parties. His position and the programme itself are anchored in a special law that also arranges for a special fund, the Delta fund, of a billion euros a year to finance the needed projects for water safety and water availability.

It is very important to connect short-term actions to long-term goals. The underlying strategic framework for the Delta programme is so-called “adaptive delta management�. Although we take decisions on the general direction of long-term developments, the magnitude of our future challenge is of course, unknown. Therefore, the exact timing of needed measures or their size is also unclear. Both over-investment and under-investment need to be avoided. This is why we use a strategy making use of adaptation paths, maintaining systemic flexibility, with the objective of making the right decisions in a timely way.

GOOD GOVERNANCE AND POLICY // 33

“It will be necessary to connect all stakeholders on the common goal … and to do so, some sort of framework bringing together all these parties is needed. Deciding on shared values to work with … helps to evaluate the various options.”

We try to avoid taking a path that ultimately becomes untenable, but almost impossible to diverge from (lock-in).

To help compare the different adaptation paths and their steps, we make use of tools like cost-benefit analysis, real options analysis and discounting rates to get a handle on the values of future projects and to get a grip on the monetary implications.

It is important to recognize that there are large differences between countries in the way they are organised, the way their institutions work. That makes it hard to transplant any one system indiscriminately. But it is my firm belief that within the constraints of the particular set of circumstances of any one country or region, there is room to address key aspects needed for a long-term programme directed to water safety or water security. It will be necessary to connect all stakeholders on the common goal, for instance a sustainable water supply, and to do so, some sort of framework bringing together all these parties is needed. Deciding on shared values to work with, such as sustainability, solidarity and flexibility, as we did in the Netherlands, helps to evaluate the various options. A legal base may help, and the issue of how to finance solutions should be addressed as soon as possible. To that end, some of the ingredients of the Dutch Delta Programme may serve as an example.

Working in partnership with the civil society is very important. It is impossible to collectively decide on optimal solutions if there is dissension regarding the underlying problems. Therefore all stakeholders should together decide on the facts and the problems. In the Netherlands we created a process called joint fact-finding. First we generate a communal understanding of the facts and figures of the problems that need solving. Extensive communication with the public at large and the participation of stakeholders is necessary and we put a lot of effort in this. Only then can we move to the solutions.

34 // GOOD GOVERNANCE AND POLICY

Khoo Teng Chye Executive Director Centre for Liveable Cities

Emerging cities demand high-density, resource-efficient solutions At one level, good water management ensures a city has enough water for its residents and industry, is relatively flood-free, and has good sanitation and unpolluted waterways.

At another level, water is no longer just a resource to be consumed but is also an asset for improving our liveability, sustainability and competitiveness. The old view of water as a utility can generate much ugly infrastructure like massive concrete canals or steelpipes, which is a blight on urban environments. Initiatives like Singapore’s Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters (ABC Waters) programme transform utilitarian drains, canals and reservoirs into beautiful streams, rivers and lakes that bring nature back to the city-scape. Just visit the Kallang River at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park on a weekend, and you will see how well-loved it is by residents.

Beyond technical knowledge transfers, many cities are keen to learn about water governance. The Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC) conducts capability development programmes, such as the Temasek Foundation Leaders in Urban Governance Programme, where each participating team of foreign leaders develops an action plan to tackle a real urban challenge that they face. This year,

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“At another level, water is no longer just a resource to be consumed but is also an asset for improving our liveability, sustainability and competitiveness.”

our participants from the Beijing Development and Reform Commission wanted to tackle their water shortage, while the city of Medan in Indonesia needed to expand its sewerage system. CLC matched both cities with a PUB expert. Based on Singapore’s experience from analysing these cities’ needs, he pinpointed areas for improvement and advised them on how to improve their action plans. For this model of learning to work, the beneficiary city should also take ownership of their plans, to ensure they are feasible in their respective context.

Wealthy, low-density cities often top liveability rankings. But their model of sprawl - suburban houses with gardens, and long commuter highways - is not viable for emerging cities in terms of what they can afford spatially, environmentally or financially. Emerging cities face challenges such as rapid growth and scarce resources, requiring high-density, resourceefficient solutions. Singapore occupies a unique position, combining high density with high liveability. Being a city-state has forced us to develop innovations – from our pioneering work in congestion charging and vehicle quotas to our unique public housing model and urban water catchments. While other liveable cities took centuries to develop, we have had to manage rapid population, economic and urban growth, such as by learning how to build large quantities of housing at great speed and low cost. Furthermore, as Singapore is in the tropics, we have worked on cooling and draining our hot and wet city, respectively. This makes us a test bed for solutions that could be applicable to other tropical cities.

GOOD GOVERNANCE AND POLICY // 37

KEY MESSAGES Water is no longer just a resource to be consumed but is also an asset for improving our liveability, sustainability and competitiveness.

Good governance is key to sustainable water management and making water and sanitation accessible and affordable to all. Water and sanitation thus need to be promoted to the government’s top agenda.

Water should be managed holistically by the Prime Minister, Minister-inCharge or a high-level coordinating mechanism such as multi-ministerial task forces. Objective analysis of costs and benefits as well as risks should form the basis of decisions, and the trade-offs should be well-understood.

Water should be priced such that people value its true cost. In places where water pricing is politically sensitive, water allocations might be viewed as an alternative. Furthermore, the poor may be willing to pay for water and sanitation if they are given easy payment methods.

Solutions are site-specific and there is no “one-size-fits-all� approach. There are large differences between countries in their level of socio-economic development, the way they are organised, the way their institutions work.

It is not feasible to try to emulate a particular country model. What can and should be transferred are principles and elements which are shown to work in practice.

Considering the cultural context of water, there is a need for multistakeholder engagement to communicate issues to and work in partnership with the civil society.

Appropriate policies and regulations are needed to bring about sustainable water supply and management such as water allocation, water pricing and water quality standards.

02

Harnessing Science and Technology

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Science and technology have been a key theme through the years at SIWW. Many of the winners of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize have pioneered pathbreaking technologies to either purify water and used water or recover nutrients from used water.

At SIWW 2011, Singapore’s Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Dr Vivian Balakrishnan said that ever since the city-state began to manage its water as a strategic asset, she embarked on a trajectory of leading-edge technologies in water and used water. He highlighted the role of technology in helping the country move towards self-sufficiency in water. “Great emphasis has been placed on research and innovations,” he said. “In order to build an ecosystem of research organisations, corporate R&D centres and universities as well as to nurture a spirit of innovation, Singapore has long been building ties with the best in other countries.”

However, innovation has been more the exception than the norm when it comes to water management around the world. At SIWW 2009, a roundtable discussion had unanimously concluded that the water industry is inherently slow in adopting new technology.

Tom Searle of CH2M Hill had recalled how the invention of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation was so hard to introduce as an alternative to chlorination of water supplies: “I remember trying to convince the utility director at Madison, Wisconsin to consider UV instead of chlorination. The director asked, “Why should I take the risk when everyone else uses chlorination? Let someone else take the risk first.”

At a technology-themed roundtable held during SIWW 2010, Dr Andrew Benedek, winner of the first Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize pointed out that it is the opportunity to make money and the competition for it that drives technology creation. “You have to find a way to make a product that’s truly competitive, not just an improvement,” he had asserted.

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Outlining a possible scenario, Dr Benedek had said that the UN Development Programme in India could probably solve the water problem by “announcing a competition engaging the entire world in figuring out a system for supplying 20 m3/day of good water to villages”. The system would need to be energy self-sufficient, maintenance-free and priced at about US$10,000. If the government agreed to finance the production of about 10,000 of these units in partnership with donors, then, according to Dr Benedek, within a few years, “At a hundred million bucks, somebody’s gonna do it!”.

Many organisations came up with announcements of awards for low-cost innovative water purifiers and toilets in different parts of the world following 2010.

Successive SIWWs have also highlighted that the technologies suitable in one location may not be appropriate for another in the same form. Even within the same country, the local conditions such as temperatures might vary. Transferring technologies blindly might often be counter-productive. Customising technologies to suit local conditions is thus an imperative.

Another important aspect deliberated in SIWW over the years has been the intertwining relationship of water with energy, food and waste. When water and energy and food were cheap and abundant, it did not matter if they were considered separately.

However,as population grows, this luxury of separation is no longer possible. The water-energy-food-waste nexus brings additional challenges and presents opportunities for technology to play a part.

Here are some reflections by more water leaders.

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Lord Ronald Oxburgh MEMBER House of Lords, United kingdom

Waste is a low hanging fruit to be plucked At SIWW 2009, I mentioned that the laser was around for 25 years as an academic curiosity before anyone found anything useful to do with it. Often, it takes very long to convert an innovative finding into a useful application.

Normally only large companies and governments have the resources necessary to support major R&D efforts. Company size is very different between the energy, water, food and waste sectors, the largest being in the energy sector. It is hard to generalise because circumstances vary from country to country but probably governments should direct most of their efforts to regulatory reform and support in the waste services area.

The relationship between energy, water, waste and food is both interesting and complex. In an earlier world that did not see itself as short of resources it was normal for public utilities and private companies to consider these sectors as entirely separate and independent sectors. We now recognise that although they continue to have separate functions, there are important ways in which they depend on each other and can support each other.

At SIWW 2009, I spoke about not being able to talk about water without talking about energy, food and waste. Each of these sectors feed into the other with complicated feedback loops. The challenge is to have an organisational framework that exploits synergies without limiting each sector in fulfilling its primary function.

The largest single change is in the way that ‘waste’ is viewed. We have to regard waste as a new feedstock to which all the ingenuity and sophistication that is expected in the primary resource industries, such as mining and oil, are directed to recover useful constituents. Existing industries and supply chains tend to resist change but, for example, it is now clear that substantial quantities of plastics can be recovered and reformulated for new manufacture at a lower cost than ‘first cycle’ plastics.

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“Each of these sectors (water, energy, food and waste) feed into the other with complicated feedback loops. The challenge is to have an organisational framework that exploits synergies without limiting each sector in fulfilling its primary function. The largest single change is in the way that ‘waste’ is viewed.”

The macro level challenge is to establish a regulatory and business environment in which these changes can happen naturally. This may mean widening the responsibilities and opportunities of traditional utilities (e.g. allowing water utilities to generate power) or changing the management of food wastes so that fats, oils and grease can be readily recovered to make fuel oils. The other macro level role for government is to remove regulatory constraints and possibly to provide initial financial assistance to enterprises that come up with bright but disruptive ideas.

In many parts of the world, clean water is seen as a ‘free good’ and if not free, at least low cost. Many improvements in the water industry would be driven by market forces if the local price of water were allowed gradually to rise to the cost of production. This would lead to a wider consideration of the quality of water needed for different purposes and the reuse of grey water.

There is still low hanging fruit to be recovered in ‘waste’ streams. Wet wastes and dry wastes have to be treated separately and trials in different parts of the world have shown that it can be profitable to recover metals, plastics, fats, greases and fibres, and ultimately energy from them. The challenge is that this tends to be done on a local scale and only where the local commercial and regulatory environment allows it. The biggest opportunity or challenge is to find a useful means of recycling the enormous quantities of CO2 that is emitted from power stations – could it be returned to the solid state in which much of it occurs in nature as limestone?

Energy is a major cost to the water industry and the industry should pay attention both to energy conservation by improving the efficiency of processes and where cost-effective to use renewable energy as far as possible.

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Alexander Zehnder Founder Triple Z Limited

The right incentives, regulations and technologies need to be in place The biggest challenge is that in all countries I know, there is no central institution which actually deals with the water-energy-foodwaste nexus, worse there is not even a common legislation and no political will to bring these four aspects together. They are generally handled by four different ministries, often they are even placed in more than four organisations, each with different and rarely overlapping priorities and objectives. With such an organisational fragmentation, an integrated approach is extremely difficult and can hardly be attained.

The lowest hanging fruit is waste treatment. Waste represents often a source of materials, elements and/or energy. Most technologies are in place to turn waste into useful products with an economic value. Often extraction is profitable. However, the legislation and regulation is most often missing to make the adequate processes work. I give you an example of Singapore.

Restaurants in the country are producing a lot of food waste. This food waste could easily be converted into natural gas (methane).

HARNESSING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY // 45

“The lowest hanging fruit is waste treatment. Waste represents often a source of materials, elements and/or energy. Most technologies are in place to turn waste into useful products with an economic value.”

The value of that gas would pay for the collection, the investments necessary and the running cost. If well planned, even a small profit is possible. As long as no regulation says that food waste needs to go to separate containers which can be separately collected, the food-waste to energy will not work.

The greatest difficulty in any sector is the right technology and incentives of how to make it work economically. If technologies are in place and the economic model allows a business, regulations need to be in place which actually also may enhance the business model. The regulation is often technically the easiest, though it may politically be a very complex process to achieve it.

Water is important for all three issues in the nexus. Water leaders are mostly those individuals who have the most comprehensive view on the nexus. Through their vision and understanding of the entire context, they can indicate the weak points and identify the area’s most crucial for innovation.

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Leon Awerbuch Director International Desalination association

Opportunities abound in the oil and gas industry revolution The water-energy nexus continues to be the focus of the desalination industry. The security, health, economic development and environment of nations depend on a sustainable supply of both energy and water. These two resources are inextricably linked.

The IDA Energy Task Force (ETF) has been engaged in intensive studies and discussions on the need to reduce energy for desalination. The goal of ETF is to achieve a 20% reduction in energy consumption in all major seawater desalination processes by 2015. It will investigate hybrid processes and use of alternative energy sources in desalination.

The most recent untapped opportunity in the nexus is the ongoing revolution of the gas and oil industry. Hydraulic fracturing which involves the use of high-pressure water, sand and chemicals that break open rock seams, makes it easier for natural gas to flow out. The process, coupled with horizontal drilling, is largely responsible for a boom for natural gas and oil production in the US and other countries. Energy experts predict that the US has several decades of natural gas supplies locked underground.

One of the most contentious issues in shale gas drilling is how to handle millions of gallons of contaminated used water. Once used, the contaminated water must be removed from the well and is commonly referred to as “flowback” water. Obtaining the needed water for fracking and the subsequent disposal of the flowback water presents significant problems for gas and oil production firms.

Once gas and oil wells are in production, additional water entrained in the gas and oil is generated. This is commonly referred to as “produced” water, which also presents a substantial disposal problem.

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“Partnerships and collaborations are an essential element in increasing innovation in the water sector.”

Desalination technologies can enable these streams to be reused and disposed safely. Mining industry also requires water, but many of the world’s most significant mineral resources are in parts of the world where water is very scarce, such as Western Australia, Northern Chile and Southern Peru. Finding solutions to water productions and water reuse is critical to development of energy resources.

In addition to advancing conventional technologies such as reverse osmosis, multi-effect distillation and hybrid processes, we see significant R&D in nano-engineered membranes, aquaporins, membrane distillation, forward osmosis and graphene.

It is true that many excellent innovations do not find their way beyond laboratory or pilots. Partially it is because inventors do not have sufficient practical experience to turn the ideas into commercial products. One way to create enabling environment is to provide sufficient funding for R&D and demonstration place for new ideas. Many governments, water utilities and R&D centres provide support for development of new technologies but the work is not coordinated.

Partnerships and collaborations are thus an essential element in increasing innovation in the water sector. IDA recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Saline Water Conversion Corporation, the largest water desalination and power utility in the world, which will greatly help in developing desalination technologies. We also entered a MoU with PUB Singapore during SIWW 2012, which will help to synergise each other’s strengths.

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KEY MESSAGES The municipal water industry is inherently slow in adopting new technology.

With the right economic model and regulatory environment, there can be an incentive for innovation.

There is a wide spectrum of technology solutions that countries and cities at various stages of development can tap on. A technology suitable for one country may need to be customised for another in order to be effective. There is no one size that fits all.

There are many untapped opportunities in the water-energy-food-waste nexus but there is a need to have an organisational framework that exploits synergies without limiting each sector in fulfilling its primary function. One of the lowest hanging fruits is waste treatment but we will need to change the way that we view waste.

Under the water-energy nexus, managing ‘produced’ water from shale gas, oil sands and coal-bed methane presents immense challenges and opportunities for the future especially in desalination. Mining for resources in water-scarce regions in the world is also a field that will require innovative solutions.

Both the public and private sector need to provide the enabling environment and organisational framework to facilitate R&D and adoption of technologies.

Mutually beneficial partnerships between key water stakeholders like governments, water utilities, R&D centres, international organisations and associations will go a long way in accelerating innovation.

03 THE WATER INDUSTRY

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“Water is an enormous growth industry,” said Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during SIWW 2011. “But you need to have the political pre-conditions,” he added.

He was referring to the business for desalination, used water treatment, biosolids, disinfection, nonrevenue water control and countless other technologies, which has grown significantly since public supply of water and collection of used water began. Also, with the rising awareness that water is linked to energy, food, waste and other sectors, the opportunities in the nexus of these resources have become even more significant. In many parts of the world, buying and selling of solid waste originating from water treatment is a growing business, which is benefiting even the poor.

Prof Tommy Koh said in SIWW 2012, “The World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB) have accepted that water is a viable industry and have endorsed public-private partnerships (PPP) as an option for solving the water problem.”

Water is used in large amounts in almost every manufacturing process whether it is paper, processed food or oil-refining. With increasing water scarcity, rising costs and greater regulation of this valuable resource, it is understood that instead of letting water used in manufacturing go to waste, it is a far better design to reuse it in the industry. Industrial water management and reuse has therefore made great strides as a sector and is an attractive career option for water professionals.

What are some of the challenges and obstacles to water becoming a growth industry? What are the opportunities? What can water companies do?

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Heiner Markhoff President and CEO GE Power & Water, Water & Process Technologies

Reuse and recycle is the way forward The water industry is quite fragmented, with many players across various regions. There are many stakeholders who have an interest in how water is managed. These include local, regional and national governments; industrial users, such as manufacturers, processing facilities and power plants; community leaders; and residents – those who are using water in their homes.

Also presenting challenges are ageing infrastructure, water pricing that is subsidised for both industrial and municipal users, global population growth, and water scarcity. According to some estimates, 36% of the global population lives in water-scarce regions today. Without action, this figure could increase to 50% by 2050. The need to recycle and reuse our existing water supply is clear, which means that this is a growth industry in spite of the many challenges.

We see the greatest growth opportunities in industrial wastewater reuse. In spite of global economic challenges, we believe that the municipal market will come back as well. Advanced technologies will play a significant role in propelling growth in these sectors, which is why GE is developing products that will help customers improve productivity, energy efficiency, and sustainability, while also addressing their tough-to-treat water challenges.

One of GE’s newest advancements is the LEAPmbr, a membrane bioreactor (MBR) system, which is 25% more energy efficient than other available MBR technology. At SIWW 2012, we also launched the Integrated Pump and Energy Recovery (IPER) system, which can significantly reduce the energy usage in desalination.

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“From a policy standpoint, it is very important to think about water and energy together. More specifically, governments should be looking to promote integrated planning between water and energy providers, while also promoting greater conservation and reuse of water.”

There is a very significant connection between water and energy. For example, the United States Geological Survey reports that 41% of all freshwater withdrawals in the United States are used by the thermoelectric power industry to cool electricity-generating equipment. This does not even include all the water that is used in the exploration and production of oil and gas. And water and wastewater systems are extremely energy intensive. Globally, moving and treating water for use consumes at least seven percent of all electricity generated.

So from a policy standpoint, it is very important to think about water and energy together. More specifically, governments should be looking to promote integrated planning between water and energy providers, while also promoting greater conservation and reuse of water.

Greater conservation will in turn reduce energy consumption, and water reuse is almost always far less energy-intensive than treating and distributing new supplies of water via desalination and other technologies. Water reuse also reduces dependence on often already strained water supplies.

The real driver on whether or not governments focus on water-related issues is water scarcity – the more water-scarce the region, the more focused the government will be on trying to solve the issues. The lack of priority – the lack of a pressing water issue – will affect investments in infrastructure improvements.

Singapore has led the way globally in its efforts to secure a stable water supply, and continues to demonstrate water leadership in municipal and industrial reuse efforts, ensuring continued growth and competitiveness.

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Len Rodman Chairman, President and CEO Black & Veatch

Need for greater collaboration within water industry The demand for better quality services will grow from the burgeoning middle class in the fast growing economies like Brazil, China, India, Indonesia and countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council. In parallel, the ageing systems of the developed world would struggle with a lack of investment over time.

Our cities, new and old, will come under increasing stress. The world passed seven billion people last year and in less than ten years, five billion people will be living in urban areas. Similarly, the number in the middle class will increase from slightly less than two billion to five billion in the same timeframe. These demographic changes create enormous pressure to provide infrastructure to support this growth as potable water, energy and electric generation and transmission capability will have to be developed to move these resources to increasingly dense areas of population.

There are opportunities for businesses that specialise in delivering water and other related infrastructure to meet these rising demands. The water industry must collaborate with related industries to develop both the right infrastructure and tariff systems to meet these future needs. Now is the time to further address the important relationship between energy and water.

As our valuable resources become scarcer and as a result, water solutions cost more, the urgency for integration of essential infrastructure will only heighten. This can occur at a policy, planning or implementation level. Bringing telecom, energy and water infrastructure systems together will improve the lives and experiences of people in the cities of today and tomorrow. This inevitable convergence is what we have defined as the growing demand for Critical Human Infrastructure™ as the global middle class swells and expectations for level of services advance.

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“The water industry must look beyond its traditional borders and work with other interests to deliver best quality service for people around the world. SIWW has been instrumental in driving this agenda and building awareness.”

Simply put, resource sectors need to think and plan together, holistically. While not an easy task, the benefits for this new commonality are huge.

Over the years at SIWW, it has been a common theme that I have heard being discussed. The topic has certainly evolved and I see real momentum in the thought process and beginning of real action on the ground as a result.

I remember being at the Bloomberg studios on the first day of SIWW 2010 and introducing the topic of the nexus of water and energy, a relatively new discussion topic for mass media and the financial market then. The following year at SIWW, this had evolved further and was a vibrant discussion topic at the Water Leaders Summit, and I recall Prof Tommy Koh’s thoughtful summary on the issue and opportunity.

Last year, I saw this conversation evolve further and mature. We held a joint interactive workshop with SIWW in 2012. More than 100 water leaders came together, and shared their views and best practices on how to advance the industry.

One of the key findings from the white paper report was the call for greater collaboration within the water industry and between related infrastructure sectors. Whether we define this as a nexus or need for Critical Human Infrastructure™, the point remains the same. The water industry must look beyond its traditional borders and work with other interests to deliver best quality service for people around the world. SIWW has been instrumental in driving this agenda and building awareness.

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Glen Daigger President International Water Association

The way to build capacity is ‘learning by doing’ During SIWW 2010, I pointed out that many of the world’s natural resources are under strain because we are taking the old model of development and putting it on steroids. Rather than understanding what society really needs, there is a focus on using more efficient ways to thoroughly exploit resources.

If we examine where we have become unsustainable, four areas emerge: energy, nutrients, water and chemicals. If a way could be found to deliver water and sanitation to everyone such that nutrients and chemicals are recovered, energy is generated and water is reused, that would be a ‘value proposition’ for society in the real sense. Perhaps, this is the ultimate challenge for the water sector.

While we continue to further develop technologies and practices, we actually know enough right now to address the water and sanitation needs of a region. Appropriate technologies and approaches exist for both developing and less developed countries.

These range from highly water efficient approaches, such as those used in Singapore, to approaches such as Decentralised Wastewater Treatment Systems used in Indonesia. This further emphasises that the availability of technology is not the factor which constrains progress in meeting the need.

Also, partnerships are the key to progress. Very few of us have the total answer and many parties bring elements of successful solutions. It is important to understand all that is needed to deliver effective water services and then to look where those resources can best be obtained. Then, once this is done, the next step is to form partnerships which respect what each party brings to the table and appropriately compensate each party for their contribution. There is a business book titled ‘I Learned Everything I Need

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“It is often thought that partnerships are unusual in water service delivery. Taking the developed world as an example, it is quite clear that every successful utility develops successful partnerships with senior government, the private sector, and civil society. This is the norm in our industry, not the exception.”

in Kindergarten’. One of the lessons that is learned at this stage of our lives is to ‘play nice’ with others. If we just remember this, then we have what we need to form effective partnerships. Treat others as we ourselves would like to be treated.

It is often thought that partnerships are unusual in water service delivery. Taking the developed world as an example, it is quite clear that every successful utility develops successful partnerships with senior government, the private sector, and civil society. This is the norm in our industry, not the exception. We need to understand this and make this a regular part of how we operate in the developing world as well.

Another important challenge is the lack of capacity in the public sector. It is obvious that the capabilities of the private sector need to be used from a service delivery perspective. Quite frankly, this is done widely in developed countries, so there is no reason to think that it cannot be done successfully in developing countries. The models may be somewhat different, reflecting the specific conditions in various developing countries, but the private sector has significant capability to mobilise resources, bring effective tools and processes, and recruit and train local staff.

At the same time, indigenous capacity must also be increased through education, training, and experience. Of course, providing compensation which is competitive in the local economy is essential. What we know about the water profession, however, is that professionals must have the necessary fundamental knowledge but that practical experience is vital.

Learning by doing is essential. So, we must be “doing” in developing countries so that indigenous professionals are having the experiences essential for their development.

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KEY MESSAGES Water scarcity is the key driver for growth of the water industry.

Opportunities abound for businesses that specialise in delivering water and other related infrastructure to meet rising demand in both the municipal and industrial sectors.

In the municipal sector, the demand for better water services will grow due to the burgeoning middle class in developing countries as well as the need to renew ageing water infrastructure in developed countries.

As water becomes more scarce and costly, there is a greater incentive for the industrial sector to reuse it rather than let it go to waste. Regulations on water quality also help to focus the growth of clean water technologies. Water reuse and advanced methods of water treatment with improved productivity, energy efficiency and sustainability, will significantly propel the growth of the industrial water sector.

There will be a growth in energy-efficient and energy-recovering technologies as well as small footprint and compact technologies which make optimal use of resources such as land and energy.

The need for integration of essential infrastructure is imminent. Partnerships and collaborations within the water industry and between related infrastructure sectors will contribute to the growth of the industry.

Manpower capacity in the water industry must be increased through education, training, and experience. The private sector has an important part to play in building up capacity of water professions.

04

PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP

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Traditionally, the provision of water services has been a public responsibility. However, the private sector has always been involved in one way or the other.

During Water Leaders Summit 2011, it was highlighted that there is no clear boundary in practice between public and private operators. The latter work under one of many available structures to perform specific tasks under the authority of public bodies. They are often used as “change agents” to inject new know-how, technologies, management techniques, finance and customer-related performances into services.

Faced with the huge real needs for better performance right across the water sector, decision makers are realising that the private sector has much to offer. During SIWW 2011, Jack Moss from AquaFed - The International Federation of Private Water Operators explained: “The private sector operators are now seen as a tool, or set of tools, that are among the options that governments can use to meet the challenges they face.”

At SIWW 2012, Singapore’s Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Dr Vivian Balakrishnan recommended public-private partnerships (PPPs) for the “financial discipline” brought by the private sector. “It helps ascertain whether the project is viable or not” and “provides another set of rigorous testing on the necessity and viability of a project,” he said.

Minister Balakrishnan also highlighted that Singapore values the latest technologies brought in by the private sector, mentioning that “if we leave it entirely within public hands, the temptation is to just make incremental improvements or maintenance, but you are not going to get a radical proposal …So you need the possibility that someone will come up with an idea that will completely change your business model, and your cost structure.”

However, he cautioned that a PPP is not a substitute for long-term planning. Public authorities still need to know how much water or energy is needed, so planning is essential. “The related corollary is that the government agencies that are making decisions on PPPs need to be honest, otherwise the whole process is subverted,” he emphasised. “Secondly, they need to be competent enough to be able to intelligently assess the proposals which land on the table. So all I am saying is that PPP is a good idea if the circumstances are right, but it is not a substitute for planning. It is not a substitute for integrity, and it is not a substitute for the lack of familiarity with the latest technology.”

Role of Development Banks Development banks have been a part of the discourse in all the SIWWs. Their role has not been confined to merely financing water-related projects but includes contributing to policy, giving technical assistance, strengthening the public sector and preparing the ground for private sector operations.

Here we present the thoughts of the industry and development banks.

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“I would advise a government going into a public-private water partnership to choose a private sector partner which has strong financial backing and a proven track record in financing, and executing water and wastewater treatment projects.�

Tang Kin Fei Group President and CEO Sembcorp Industries

The business structure of a PPP must be commercially viable For a PPP to succeed and be sustainable, it is critical to have a business structure which is well-defined and commercially viable.

Contracts should be drawn up in a way which is fair, with risks allocated between the parties such that they are manageable and mitigable by the respective parties.

For projects which are more sizeable and capital-intensive, the terms of the water purchase agreement (WPA) should also be bankable in order for the project to secure funding from lenders.

I would advise a government going into a public-private water partnership to choose a private sector partner which has strong financial backing and a proven track record in financing, and executing water and wastewater treatment projects, preferably in a number of projects and international markets.

The contract for the project should also clearly allow the operator to pass through to the customer any changes in operating costs, due to market conditions such as fluctuating energy prices.

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Olivia Lum Executive Chairman and Group CEO Hyflux

The water purchase agreement is at the heart of a PPP The stress should be on the partnership aspect of PPPs which is crucial to the success of any project. As in any successful partnership, the arrangement must be one that is equitable and mutually beneficial to the parties. Our partnership with PUB Singapore for the establishment of Singapore’s first desalination plant on a Design-Build-Own-Operate model is a good example of how a well-managed PPP can work in the water sector. SingSpring was the first PPP for PUB and Hyflux, who were working together for a common goal – to turn on Singapore’s fourth national tap and deliver desalinated water. The learning experience has been invaluable for us.

What makes a PPP work in the water sector is the WPA. The WPA signed between PUB and SingSpring, the concession company, covers the technical, commercial and legal terms and conditions for the supply and purchase of desalinated water. The WPA – the concession period is 20 years in the case of SingSpring – determines the project bankability because lenders will have the security of debt service payments by the Concession Company.

The second key factor for successful PPPs is financing. The investment for the Singspring desalination plant was financed by both equity and non-recourse project financing, obtained from a consortium of banks led by Singapore’s DBS Bank. The bank loans were paid from revenues from the sale of water. As PUB is a very credible off-taker, this has been instrumental to achieving longtenure project financing. The banks have been very supportive, and the guarantee of a minimum purchase volume by PUB also helped to put the lenders more at ease and lowered the risk for SingSpring.

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“However, governments should not blindly enter into PPP arrangements.

It is important to understand why a PPP is preferred over other procurement methods, as well as the structure of the PPP that will best serve the community.”

Another important consideration is that the PPP deal allows for some flexibility for adjustment of the payment structure, to take into account inflation. The aim of this indexation is to share the long-term risks of changes to costs in the future.

The risk allocation is therefore more efficient and equitable.

However, governments should not blindly enter into PPP arrangements. It is important to understand why a PPP is preferred over other procurement methods, as well as the structure of the PPP that will best serve the community. There are various elements such as legal, political, financing and risk-sharing aspects to consider. They should look at how successful PPPs are developed and managed, by holding discussions with both government agencies and private companies that are involved in the PPP programmes. Visiting a PPP plant to see how it is operated and maintained is also useful.

At SIWW 2010, I spoke about Hyflux delivering water at a record-breaking US$0.38 per cubic metre from the desalination plant at Tuas in Singapore and at US$0.55 per cubic metre in the “riskier” market of Algeria. I gave full credit to the Algerian government for guaranteeing the costs of financing, electricity and land, which freed up the bidders to bring along the most innovative technologies.

On the other hand, the Chinese government does not offer any guarantees, which leads bidders to take the ultimate risk as a concessionaire. Thus, the appetite of a company for risk determined the projects it would bid for. As I said at the 2010 event, our company strategy is that if there are no clear guidelines, no off-take volumes specified, no functional industrial parks, not enough population and no sustainable tariffs, Hyflux will walk away from such a PPP project.

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Gerardo C Ablaza, Junior President and CEO Manila Water

Have clear ‘rules of the game’ A number of factors were responsible for the success of the PPP between Manila Water and the Philippine government through the regulator, Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS).

Firstly there was visionary political leadership. The MWSS concessions were initially enabled by a strong commitment at the top of the political ladder to initiate reforms for the country’s water sector. Despite voices in the political opposition and civil society, the commitment to change was a key factor in jump-starting the movement towards PPPs in the water sector.

Secondly, there was no political interference. Once the MWSS concessions were awarded, an important factor that made Manila Water’s initial gains possible was the government’s political neutrality, allowing the contractual parties to implement the concession agreement’s provisions as written. The absence of political interference allowed the concessionaire to pursue its investment programmes without being captured by political interests or populist sentiments.

Thirdly, the ‘rules of the game’ were clear. The concession agreement was crafted very carefully and lays down the contractual obligations of the signing parties in detail. The service obligations of the concessionaires, the tariff-setting mechanisms and dispute resolution provisions of the contract are highly detailed, leaving little space for misinterpretation. This provided the concession with a sense of predictability and stability. This, in turn, allowed Manila Water to focus on the tasks at hand – to improve and expand services within our service area.

Fourthly, we had a performance-based contract. MWSS measures the performance of the concessionaire based on outcomes and end-results (i.e. service obligations) rather than on the means to achieving these (i.e. outputs in the form of projects completed or investments made). This gives the concessionaire the flexibility to determine how it will go about achieving its regulatory targets in the most prudent and efficient manner.

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“My advice to a local government planning a PPP arrangement would be to first hire expert transaction advisers. Secondly, maintain political will. Thirdly, respect contracts.

Fourthly, have no ambiguities.”

Fifthly, the concession agreement was based on the “full-cost recovery” principle in the tariff-setting mechanisms. This induces the concessionaire to mobilise capital from the beginning of the concession period to fast-track the improvement and expansion of the metro’s water and wastewater system, since the concessionaire is sure to recover its costs over the life of the concession. The long-term nature of the concession ensures the smoothening of tariff increases over the life of the contract, despite the frontloading of infrastructure spending in the first years of the concession.

Sixthly, the private sector’s commitment to fulfilling its obligations under the concession agreement and expertise are also necessary to ensure a successful PPP in the water sector. The professional culture, technology and management systems introduced by the private sector entity were all necessary in Manila Water’s experience.

My advice to a local government planning a PPP arrangement would be to first hire expert transaction advisers. In the case of MWSS, International Finance Corporation served as its transaction adviser to guide in the process of conceptualising the PPP framework and preparing for the bidding phase.

Secondly, maintain political will. Political commitment to a PPP project is an important factor in attracting private sector participation. Flip-flopping on such projects may deter potential investors. One solid show of political will would be the issuance of a sovereign guarantee as a symbol of the government’s commitment to keep its end of the bargain.

Thirdly, respect contracts. After the awarding of the PPP contract, the local government must constrain its actions within the universe of options embodied in the said contract. The moment political interventionism starts, the private sector partner’s efforts to deliver on its commitments may be stifled.

Fourthly, have no ambiguities. Local governments should develop detailed contracts which clearly lay down (1) the obligations of each of the contracting parties, (2) how tariffs will be set, and (3) how disputes will be settled. The government should also consider adopting performance-based mechanisms and the principle of full-cost recovery in the contractual arrangements.

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Bindu N. Lohani Vice President for Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development Asian Development Bank

Water and sanitation must be seen as a real business instead of a government-owned programme The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has a wide geographical constituency, ranging from the remote Pacific islands to emerging economies like the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and India, and to the Central Asian republics. Their needs are varied and often overlapping. There are huge gaps in the provision of water supply and sanitation services, particularly sanitation, with many countries in our region unlikely to meet the related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) targets by 2015. The development banks have sought to act as catalysts, to help facilitate change through direct investment in infrastructure and policy interventions to stimulate reform.

I mentioned at the finance-themed roundtable in SIWW 2010 that unlike commercial banks, proďŹ t is not the ultimate objective of ADB. We often work in places where no commercial banks would ever venture. We prepare the scene to enable the government to help its own people.

However, the financial resources required to meet the challenges of the water sector are enormous, and dwarf the lending capacity of the development banks. We are therefore working with clients to leverage knowledge in their operations to help them do more with less. The days of supply-side interventions alone are over; demand management is key to bringing efficiency and value to all water sector operations. The era of smart water has started.

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“Until water supply and sanitation is seen as a real business instead of a government-owned programme, it will continue to be starved of finance or hobbled by a subsidy-mentality.�

The engagement of all constituents is vital for the challenges to be met within a reasonable timeframe. The MDG deadline of 2015 will come and go, but there should be no slippage on the new post-2015 development agenda targets - they must be met.

A particularly difficult hurdle is delivering financial sustainability of the sector. Until water supply and sanitation is seen as a real business instead of a government-owned programme, it will continue to be starved of finance or hobbled by a subsidy-mentality. If the sector can set itself on the right path, these services can be delivered in sustainable ways. There will always be a need for support to those who need it (usually through targeted subsidy), but most other consumers should pay a fair price for reliable and safe services.

The development banks have traditionally worked in close collaboration with the public sector. As such, the majority of ADB’s operations in the water sector are delivered in cooperation with government-owned water service providers. But we also have private sector divisions which help stimulate and facilitate collaboration with the private sector. Their project creation cycle has the clear aim of allowing private sector participation. The task of engaging the private sector in water, however, is not just for development banks, since our resources are small compared to what the sector requires.

This is something all constituents must help facilitate. We work to simplify markets and level the playing field so investors and other private sector entities can enter the water sector with some degree of certainty on issues like financial terms, tariff setting and regulatory environments.

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Bert Hofman Chief Economist for the East Asia and Pacific Region, Director of Singapore Office World Bank

The key is awareness that water has a cost Development, water and sanitation are closely intertwined. Clean and reliable drinking water is essential for good health. In developing regions, 84% of the population has access to improved drinking water, with 96% having access in urban areas. In rural areas, the number of people without clean drinking water is more than five times the number in urban areas. The world is on track to meet the MDGs of cutting in half the number of people without access to clean water by 2015, but progress in uneven; most of the improvements are in China and India, with Sub-Saharan Africa lagging (37% of people without access to clean water live there).

Globally, an estimated 2.5 billion people lack access to adequate sanitation, and current efforts to improve access are not adequate to meet the MDGs of halving the number of people without access to improved sanitation by 2015. The World Bank Group is increasingly investing in demand-responsive, cost-effective, safe sanitation and hygiene promotion approaches in rural and urban areas, all aimed at protecting human health as well as the environment. The World Bank’s investment in sanitation also goes towards urban sewage systems and protection of the environment.

In the Philippines, where I was country director before coming to Singapore, we have a very successful cooperation with Manila Water, a private company that is responsible for half of the water supply in Metro Manila. We expanded this cooperation to finance a major expansion of sewerage and sewage treatment, which aimed to help clean up the Pasig river and Manila Bay. We also financed many small-scale water supply systems for villages around the country through our community-driven development programme. We also financed a municipal water supply improvement programme, which aimed to increase the creditworthiness of municipal water companies.

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“To put it straight: water is costly, and someone needs to pay­–be it the ultimate user or the taxpayer. Creating this awareness requires a sustained effort by political leaders, and it is the basis for sustainable financing of water supply, sanitation and irrigation.”

There are many challenges in this area, but perhaps the key one straddling all aspects of water is the awareness that water, be it for irrigation or drinking, has a cost, and that sustainable supply requires a revenue stream for the provider to deliver reliable water or irrigation. To put it straight: water is costly, and someone needs to pay–be it the ultimate user or the taxpayer. Creating this awareness requires a sustained effort by political leaders, and it is the basis for sustainable financing of water supply, sanitation and irrigation. Countries that manage to create such awareness do better in developing and maintaining their water systems.

For infrastructure development, it is important to have strong political leadership, clear legal frameworks, and strong government capacity to implement. Of course, many developing countries do not have all of these, but once there is political commitment, the development partners can help in developing legal frameworks and capacity.

Increasingly, the World Bank’s role includes facilitation of knowledge-exchange between client countries themselves, although analysing experience and digesting on-the-ground knowledge remains an important role for us as a global organisation.

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KEY MESSAGES There is a natural synergy between the public and private sectors.

For a PPP to succeed, it is critical to have a business structure which is welldefined (clear rules of the game) and commercially viable. Contracts should be drawn up in a way which is fair, with risks allocated between the parties such that they are manageable and mitigable by the respective parties.

PPPs are not a substitute for a government’s planning, integrity and familiarity with technologies.

Government policies and regulations play a key role in ensuring the success of a PPP. Political commitment to a PPP project is an important factor in attracting private sector participation. Flip-flopping on projects may deter potential investors.

Multilateral development banks and financial institutions help to prepare the ground for other players (private sector, commercial banks) to step in. Unlike commercial banks, profit is not the main motive; development is.

Development banks need to work in close cooperation with the government to simplify markets and level the playing field so investors and other private sector entities can enter the water sector with some degree of certainty on issues like financial terms, tariff setting and regulatory environments.

05

FUTURE CHALLENGES

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Message from Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore’s Minister for the Environment and Water Resources The world’s water challenges are becoming more urgent and complex. Expanding populations living in increasingly urbanised environments intensify water demand and put a greater strain on the adequacy and reliability of water supply. Because of climate change, we are also experiencing more unpredictable weather events, which can substantially affect livelihoods and heighten uncertainties for the future.

As we review our strategies and implement our plans to address these challenges, it is important to reaffirm the key principles of having good governance, getting the economics right and prudent utilisation of the best technology available.

Good governance requires competent authorities with the political will to address water issues openly, and to manage water via a holistic and integrated systems approach. In Singapore, PUB, the national water agency, manages the entire water loop from source to distribution to discharge. It also works with partners relentlessly to explore new water technologies. Today, through the ‘Four National Taps’, we have diversified our sources of water to enable a robust and reliable water supply.

To help us stay ahead of our growing water needs, PUB formulates extremely long term master plans, revises these plans regularly and executes projects in a flexible, scalable and modular manner. The business and people sectors are deeply involved as they all have a stake in ensuring the success of these projects.

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We also need to get the economics and price of water right. The price of water should reflect its true cost, including externalities, and the costs of energy and land required to produce it. Singapore believes that prices have to reflect the long run marginal cost of the next available drop of water. This is needed to ensure that governments will have the fiscal resources to make the considerable capital expenditures to maintain and develop essential water infrastructure. It also gives confidence to the private sector to make the necessary long term investments, especially when governments utilise public-private partnership arrangements.

In addition, right-pricing water promotes water conservation and appropriate use of limited resources. It incentivises the private sector to create value by seeking more cost effective solutions in a competitive environment.

Finally, governments should continue to invest in research and development of the latest water technologies, as technology can be a game-changer. More than a decade ago, the advent of reverse osmosis technology enabled Singapore to implement the recycling of used water and the desalination of seawater at an economically viable price. This completely changed the water equation for Singapore.

Singapore continues to invest in developing more cost effective and innovative water technologies for the future. We have set aside $470 million in funds to help grow the water sector, and the funds are structured to support both research as well as commercialisation of technologies. Many such emerging technologies can create long-term value for the water industry.

In conclusion, water sustainability can be an achievable goal for all cities, even one as resource-scarce as Singapore. Moving forward, Singapore will continue to work through challenges to meet our water needs. The solutions to our dependence on water have resulted in greater dependence on energy. As such, the key challenge in the future will be careful management of the production, cost and security of energy used in the production of clean water for the population and the economy.

I strongly believe that all of us – not just engineers, scientists, economists and governments, but also regular citizens, businesses and non-governmental organisations – can work together to achieve water security for our future generations. I look forward to continuing conversations and discussions with all of you, at future SIWWs and beyond.

Special Section:

THOUGHTS ABOUT SIWW

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LEN RODMAN Chairman, President and CEO

Black & Veatch

Every year, without fail, I board my plane in Changi with the next SIWW dates firmly in mind; the SIWW experience has always been a great source for strategic thinking and game-changing points of view. The experiences, insights and relationships I have gained over the past five years demand this advanced planning. Although my personal experience, it seems this is how colleagues from around the world view their own SIWW experiences and how I believe countless peers view the event as well.

Black & Veatch was the first global water engineering and construction company to sign up as a Founding Sponsor when given the opportunity over five years ago. We did not need much convincing, however. Knowing the passion for water innovation and the depth of business acumen at PUB Singapore, there was no doubt in our minds that SIWW would become an industry mainstay and help advance the water industry in the right way, for the right reasons.

To simply summarise key takeaways would undermine the true value of the event as experienced by all levels of our business. Or maybe that is the first takeaway? I never approached SIWW as a place to go with a preconceived notion. I went to SIWW with the idea that global leaders in the Water Industry would be present and the creative environment of Singapore would provide a vast array of problems, solutions and trends.

Having immersed myself throughout the past five SIWW experiences, a common theme that I have noticed is that of collaboration. I do not observe any party or voice being marginalised through the events that take place. Industry’s contribution to the dialogue is clearly valued, for example, and there is a conscious effort to broaden the conversation where possible, whether that is through the co-located events or through the topics which frame the focus. I particularly have valued that diversity of attendees ranging from Government leaders to technology and solution providers – all seemed able to find a forum for sharing of views. By rethinking and extending the conversations, each SIWW has been fresh and equally engaging.

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Gerardo C Ablaza, Junior President and CEO

Manila Water

To be truly successful in the provision of water and wastewater services, a holistic view in providing solutions that cater specifically to your market is necessary. Beyond technical solutions, considering your service area’s socio-political issues is equally critical in responding to business challenges.

For years, SIWW has been bringing passionate water experts and industry leaders together to exchange ideas and best practices. There is truly a vast opportunity for collaboration amongst participating groups to provide solutions to Asia’s water challenges.

Wim Kuijken Commissioner

Delta Programme Water is essential to life. It is also a force to reckon with. It is my impression that the SIWW plays a very valuable role for the sharing of ideas, the co-creation of new technologies and thus in the promotion of innovation. And innovation is needed to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. After all, water is essential and sometimes scarce or abundant. By 2050, over half of the world’s population will be living in flood-prone areas. Irrespective of the local abundance of water, issues like the availability of water of sufficient quality and the avoidance of both problems created by drought or by flood call for action. Water cooperation in the broadest sense is necessary to deal with these issues. SIWW helps to bring together the knowledge and expertise of all stakeholders and is a catalyst for much needed action.

Michael Rouse Independent International Advisor Distinguished Research Associate

University of Oxford

The most important aspect of SIWW has been the focus on solutions. This has meant that instead of conference discussions being around theories and what might be, the sessions have been about what is required in the real world. In particular, SIWW has highlighted the need for long-term planning and sustainable political support for implementation, of which Singapore itself is an excellent example.

The Singapore experience generally has been important, including integrated city planning and government support for innovation. Although reuse treatment technology, especially membranes, has received a lot of attention because of Singapore, SIWW has covered other critical aspects such as sustainable cost recovery and non-revenue water.

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Asit Biswas Founder

Third World Centre for Water Management In the area of water, the most important annual water meeting of global interest was started as Stockholm Water Symposium in 1991. Surprisingly, the prime mover to initiate the Stockholm meeting was not the water profession but the Chamber of Commerce of the City. Concerned with the slow pace of business activities in Stockholm in August, the Chamber of Commerce tried to see if these could be boosted. The proposal that came out was to have a week-long Stockholm Water Festival with fairs, music, dances and fireworks. The Water Symposium and the Stockholm Water Prize were added to give the overall event the necessary gravitas.

After a few years, it was realised that the Stockholm Water Festival was not a financially viable idea and was discontinued. Instead, Stockholm Water Symposium, which later became World Water Week, started bringing more and more traffic to the city and fulfilled, and even exceeded, the initial objective of the Chamber of Commerce.

I was a member of the Scientific Programme Committee of the Stockholm Water Symposium from the very inception of the idea in 1990 to 2006, continuously, when I decided to resign.

When the Stockholm Water Symposium was initiated, the objective was to make it a cutting-edge scientific meeting. However, by early 2000, it had become more of a platform for international organisations for networking and showing their “wares�, rather than discussing the new and innovative ideas, management and technological breakthroughs and the latest implemented solutions from different parts of the world.

Thus, in March 2003, during a breakfast with the Chief Executive of PUB Singapore and his senior staff members in Mexico City, I suggested that Singapore should consider becoming a global knowledge and technology hub for water. Such a knowledge and technology hub simply did not exist anywhere in the world. In 2006, PUB invited me to give a public lecture in Singapore, which was held in the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. During the last part of this lecture, I re-emphasised the need for such a global water hub in Singapore, including SIWW, and the need for a world-class Institute of Water Policy which again did not exist anywhere.

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My view was that by establishing such a hub, SIWW and Institute of Water Policy, Singapore would not only make significant contributions to improve water management practices globally. This would also bring major economic benefits to the city-state over the long run.

I was also convinced that PUB is an incredibly efficient water institution, and one of its main strengths is excellent longterm planning and its implementation. Accordingly, if any city could become a water hub of the world, Singapore had the potential to achieve it, and PUB should play the most important role to make it a reality.

In addition, there was no international meeting focused on the business of water. By early 2000, I was convinced that the water business globally was going to explode, which has proved to be the case. Thus, SIWW, the third arm of my proposal, could focus on water business and discuss solutions to the current and future water problems of the world.

This would further cement Singapore´s reputation as a global water hub.

Singapore launched its International Water Week in 2008. Meticulously planned, the event became a total success on the business of water, certainly much more than most of its strongest supporters had initially expected. For example, in 2008, the total value of announcements during the first SIWW was SGD 380 million. By 2012, this amount had ballooned to SGD 13.6 billion. By any criterion, this was truly a remarkable achievement. As one of the Asian Ministers whom I advise told me in 2012: “where else can you find all the information you want, say on membranes, in one place from all the best manufacturers of the world, in one day, in one place?”

While there is no question that the business aspect of the event, including all the regional business forums, has become an outstanding success, commensurate progress still has to be made to bring solutions to the world´s water problems and on finding a format that truly works for the Water Leaders Summit. The Summit discussions and formats have been consistently pedestrian and SOS (same old stuff). This needs to be improved.

Fortunately, there are signs that SIWW is changing. In 2012, rightly in my view, it was decided that this event would be held every two years, rather than annually. Equally, both SIWW and World Water Forum have finally realised that most Ministerial discussions are like good quality water: colourless, tasteless and odourless! Equally, if the Water Leaders Summits are to be successful, speakers must be selected because they have something important to say and can state their case persuasively. They must not be selected only because of their high political or business positions. They must provide some new information that is mostly unknown to the participants. SOS-type of discussions has no place in so-called Summits of the true water leaders. The Summit must also have competent moderators who can bring out the best from the speakers and the participants, which has not happened most of the time.

Let us hope that SIWW 2014 will break new grounds after a 2-year period of reflection, especially by making the Water Leaders Summit more productive and useful, bringing real solutions to the attention of the participants (and through them to the rest of the world). With these changes, I have absolutely no doubt that SIWW will establish itself as one of the premier water events of the world.

Special Section:

THE LEE KUAN YEW WATER PRIZE LAUREATES

SIWW has become synonymous with the prestigious Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize, which is awarded for outstanding contributions by individuals or organisations towards solving the world’s water challenges. The use of innovative technologies or implementation of policies and programmes which benefit humanity form an important yardstick for the jury that deliberates on the Prize.

In the past five years, the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize has not only been awarded to trailblazing innovators, but has also increased awareness about their pioneering technologies or initiatives which advanced water management to the next level.

Hopefully, the enhanced understanding of water issues since the Prize was instituted is stimulating more research into solutions by scientists, governments and organisations, and helping to foster partnerships.

Let us take a look at the laureates of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize from the time it made its debut in 2008.

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THE LEE KUAN YEW WATER PRIZE

2008 LAUREATE

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DR ANDREW BENEDEK Strong leaders with the right balance of technical and commercial skills are needed to develop breakthrough technologies

In 2008, the very first Prize was awarded to Dr Andrew Benedek, who pioneered the development and use of low-pressure membranes in purification. This enabled drinking water to be produced from even highly polluted water, and created an entirely new water source for the world. He also founded Zenon Environmental Inc., a company that developed and marketed the use of low-pressure membranes, demonstrating their reliability, efficiency and ease of operation. It spawned a market for low-pressure membranes.

Dr Benedek’s work also impacted desalination. Previously, drinking water was produced mostly through thermal desalination, which has high demands on energy.

With the use of low-pressure membranes in the pretreatment stage, desalination has become a cost-efficient and viable option for many countries and even in small towns.

Utilities in the United States, Europe, Japan, Australia and Singapore have incorporated membranes in their water treatment processes. Other countries such as China, India and those in the Middle East and South America have followed suit.

The wider usage has led to lower prices of membranes, which make them affordable for more countries.

What advice does Dr Benedek have for those who dream of developing breakthrough technologies of the future?

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“Often companies can get started with the help of government support and in many countries, venture capital is available for the more promising companies. Nonetheless, most companies do not become successful commercially. There are always many factors at play in failure, but it is easier to look at the common factors that make companies successful. In my view, commercially successful water companies share strong leaders who are able to balance the technical and commercial aspects of their company. Secondly, successful companies focus on a large niche, typically in the municipal arena and pursue this niche with great persistence. Finally, the niche these companies exploit is either in an upcoming need area that no one is as yet serving, or in a region of the world that is growing fast, and entry is difficult for more established companies. The corollary, of course, is that companies without the right leader in small niches and in over-served markets are likely to fail or just hobble along until a larger company buys them out.

Dr Benedek sees many exciting innovations in membrane materials, designs and processes, and in sludge treatment processes such as digestion, conversion and nutrient recovery.

“Definitely, startup and financing are much easier today than in 1970 when I graduated. As a result, the number of young technology companies is also higher. And most importantly for Asia, the market has grown tremendously. In the world today Israel, Singapore and Canada are leaders in terms of the number of water startups per capita as the governments of these countries have consistently provided research support for water research and seed funding for companies. Over the next decade, many of these companies will learn the secrets of commercial success and will help the world and many more will fail. Overall, even if the winners will be relatively few, the payback will be ample and benefits will accrue to the stakeholders (except for investors) even in the case of failure.”

Bold, new thinking is needed to come up with the next breakthrough technology. It is important for companies to identify the right niche for their technology and pursue this niche with great perseverance.

The ability to combine technical innovation with commercial ingenuity will eventually produce winners.

Dr Benedek pointed out that during the forty-three years of his professional life, the population of the world nearly doubled and water consumption nearly tripled. “Going forward, we can expect commodity prices to increase over time and recycling water, recovering energy and fertilisers from wastewater will make sense politically and most important, economically. To do this smartly, we need to re-look at used water treatment holistically and to do so along the water- energy nexus.”

After winning the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize, Dr Benedek devoted his energies toward the nexus and sustainability in general. “In fact, shortly after delivering the Singapore Water Lecture, I founded a company called Anaergia with a focus along these lines. This company now has developed some improvements in this area and is busy commercialising its products out of offices in Singapore and Beijing, as well as many parts of Europe and North America,” he shared.

“I think that is a great idea to use government policies to advance development in used water treatment. Policy makers have to be clever in developing regulations. Smart regulations have driven the greatest progress in many fields, and would certainly help in this one.”

THE LEE KUAN YEW WATER PRIZE

2009 LAUREATE

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PROFESSOR GATZE LETTINGA Close the water and matter loops for sustainable development

Prof Gatze Lettinga was awarded the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize in 2009 for his breakthrough, environmentally-sustainable solution for the treatment of used water using anaerobic technology. His revolutionary treatment concept enables industrial used water to be purified cost-effectively, and produces renewable energy, fertilisers and soil conditioners.

Prof Lettinga pioneered the widespread use of anaerobic technology which uses micro-organisms in an oxygen-free environment, to remove pollutants in used water. His anaerobic reactor is able to pre-treat polluted used water from industries such as breweries, beverage, paper and pulp manufacturing, sugar, starch and alcohol distilleries.

While the anaerobic technology has been around for over a hundred years, Prof Lettinga made a breakthrough with his invention by proving that anaerobic technology could be operated as a highly effective and self-sustaining process for low- and medium-strength used waters. It is also a simpler system compared to the aerobic process, as it does away with the use of oxygen, generating energy savings of 30% to 40%. At the same time, energy such as methane, which can be reused as fuel, is produced in the process.

The significant cost savings and treatment superiority have led to rapid adoption of the anaerobic technology worldwide over the past decade. Prof Lettinga’s decision not to patent his Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket reactor has made it freely available. Today, the almost 3,000 reactors in operation constitute about 80% cent of all anaerobic used water treatment systems in the world. With energy-efficiency concerns becoming more critical, this technology is being increasingly applied not just to industrial used water, but also to municipal used water in countries like Brazil and India.

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More than two decades ago, the Brundtland Report (also called ‘Our Common Future’) defined sustainable development as that which met the needs of the present without compromising those of future generations. Asserting that there is no use in escaping from the recommendations of the Brundtland report, Dr Lettinga believes that ‘Sustainable Methods of Environmental Protection’ cannot be delayed anymore.

According to him, the basis of all methods of environmental protection (which includes processes for treating freshwater and used water) should be “closing the water and matter loops”, such that natural resources are conserved and nature is not polluted. Moreover, these processes should be affordable – that is, within the reach of developing countries, as well as robust.

Dr Lettinga urges the engineering community to make use of NBM or Natural Biological Mineralisation processes that are found so commonly in nature. Elements such as carbon, nitrogen and sulphur are recycled by nature with the help of different types of microorganisms or bugs, which help to break down or degrade complex organic compounds into simple inorganic ones. These natural processes, when utilised by engineers to treat solid waste and used water, actually make microorganisms work for the benefit of mankind.

“We must evaluate successes and failures of innovations in the past and see what has been implemented, who has benefited and where,” advised Prof Lettinga. “We must make clear what the real incentives for future innovations are, and we must define criteria to be met for such innovations which benefit all people,” he said.

Prof Lettinga speaks out against the excessive centralisation of sanitation. According to him, sanitation facilities which rely on diluting human wastes and carrying them in sewers for treatment at a centralised plant are not only hugely capital intensive and expensive to maintain. They are also responsible for greatly increasing pollution in the world today, and do not close the water and matter loops, thereby leading to a waste of nutrients and even water itself.

The solution recommended by Dr Lettinga is to separate black water (solid waste from toilets), yellow water (urine) and grey water (the waste coming from kitchens perceived as not so polluting), so that they can be treated separately in an optimal manner. The challenge, according to the professor, is to find the “optimal decentralisation” for communities, industries and agriculture.

Applying the laws of nature and closing the water and matter loops should guide future generations to sustainability.

Excessive centralisation of sanitation will lead to a waste of nutrients and water.

THE LEE KUAN YEW WATER PRIZE

2010 LAUREATE

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YELLOW RIVER CONSERVANCY COMMISSION Manage rivers in an integrated manner with innovative technologies

For hundreds of years, the Yellow River was known as China’s River of Sorrows. More recently, it was one of the famous rivers that never reached the sea. However, in 2010 it gained fame for another reason – the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize which was awarded to the Yellow River Conservancy Commission (YRCC).

The Prize recognised YRCC’s remarkable progress in overcoming natural and man-made challenges through innovative and sustainable policies and solutions that enabled the Yellow River to flow unabated from the year 2000.

YRCC’s integrated water allocation programme balances water availability with social, economic and ecological developments. The improved, reliable supply of water brought about by YRCC’s efforts has enhanced the quality of life for over one hundred million people, both in the basin and in regions served by the river. Large areas of wetlands and biodiversity in the Yellow River Delta have also been restored over the years, returning life and vitality to the river.

By regulating water and sediment flow in a river that has the highest average annual sediment-transporting volume and concentration in the world, YRCC has been able to significantly reduce the risk of devastating floods that the Yellow River was previously associated with. For the 90 million people living in the flood-prone areas downstream of the river, this means protection from loss of lives and damage to livelihoods and property.

According to Sun Yangbo, Division Director of International Cooperation, YRCC, “river development and management is based on understanding and following the natural rules of the river. This is the key to achieving outputs effectively and efficiently and we applied it to the Yellow River.”

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Mr Sun explained that YRCC put forward a vision called ‘Maintaining the healthy life of the Yellow River’, which emphasised a harmonious co-existence between humans and nature. To implement this vision, the commission integrated the functions of government agencies overseeing water, electricity, industry, agriculture, domestic water supply, and environmental protection.

Information technology was used extensively in water allocation and regulation. Remote sensing and automation methods were applied to collect real-time river system information, and operate a series of reservoirs on the main stream and tributaries of the Yellow River in an integrated manner.

Understanding and following the natural rules of a river is the key to managing it effectively.

The revival of the Yellow River exemplifies the success of an integrated approach combined with the use of innovative technologies.

Through the Yellow River Water Regulating System, up to 78 water diversion works downstream could be remotely controlled and monitored. In addition, a drought monitoring and flow forecasting meteorological satellite system – the first of its kind in the world – was used to predict water run-off patterns. Thus, the Digital Yellow River Project, as it is called, not only evaluated the impact of different scenarios even before implementation of directives, but also helped the planners to look at the entire basin holistically. The impact of climate change was also incorporated into the models.

Since 2002, YRCC has capitalised on the strategic position of the Xiaolangdi Dam to carry out nine flushing operations. Using precise calculations and highly coordinated efforts, these flushing operations have successfully regulated the flow of water and the amount of sediments in the lower reaches of the Yellow River.

Thus, the Yellow River has not only been tamed but also transformed into a source of energy and water for households, industries and agriculture, with some left over for the environment.

THE LEE KUAN YEW WATER PRIZE

2011 LAUREATE

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DR JAMES BARNARD Look at used water as a resource containing valuable phosphorus and nitrogen

For his groundbreaking invention of the Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) technology, an environmentally sustainable, biological method to treat used water, James Barnard stood out from a record of 72 high-quality nominations received from 29 countries in 2011, to become the fourth recipient of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize.

The citation for the Prize stated that Dr Barnard’s “relentless pursuit of adaptable solutions to resolve the challenge of water reclamation has led to a highly sustainable technology that protects the quality of precious water resources and the environment, and delivers immense benefit to mankind. Bridging the gap between research and industrial application, his technology now forms the basis of all BNR processes in use today in both developed and developing countries.”

Internationally recognised as the ‘Father of BNR’, Dr Barnard began exploring the possibility of removing phosphorus and nitrogen from used water when faced with water quality challenges in his native South Africa, and arid Namibia in the 1970s.

Left to accumulate, nitrogen and phosphorus can lead to excessive algae growth, which adversely affects the ecology in water bodies and contributes to poor water quality in rivers and lakes. Prior to the development of the BNR technology, the only option for used water treatment plants to remove nitrogen and phosphorus was to use chemicals. Dr Barnard’s BNR technology eliminates the use of chemicals, which is costly, needs more resources and energy to produce, and creates more sludge for disposal. His environmentally sustainable alternative to conventional chemical processes makes it possible to return treated used water to rivers and lakes, with minimal detrimental impact on the environment.

The lee kuan yew water prize laureates // 101

So what are the biggest challenges in recovering phosphorous from wastewater?

According to Dr Barnard, the greatest challenge is the lack of knowledge about the dire consequences of mining the world’s limited resources of phosphorus rock in an unsustainable way, and the fact that soon most of this will come from only Morocco. “The portion of phosphorus that can be recovered from wastewater is very small compared with the demand - some would say insignificant - but for me, phosphorus recovery at treatment plants is symbolic. It will lead to awareness that phosphorus should be recovered also from agricultural waste, and that measures should be put in place to curb the excessive waste of phosphorus in agriculture.”

“The other big challenge is to convince political leaders and other key stakeholders that there is indeed a problem. In Europe, they have formed an organisation to promote the concept and already goals of 70% recovery from wastewater were set for owners of wastewater treatment plants.”

Dr Barnard pointed out that ill-conceived policies, for example, subsidising the production of biofuels, could have unwanted side-effects such as wastage of phosphorus. “At present, about 1.7 million tons of phosphorus fertiliser are used annually for producing biofuels from corn. It has been estimated that the total energy going into producing biofuels in this way is about the same as that derived from the biofuels. In other words, in the United States the tax payers are subsidising this waste of phosphorus for no gain at all,” he said.

According to Dr Barnard, China will build more than 4,000 treatment plants in the next ten years. His advice would be to “consider the more sustainable alternative of using biological phosphorus removal, reducing the reliance on chemicals, while making it possible to cost-effectively recover phosphorus as struvite which could be used directly as a slow release fertiliser.”

At present, about 40% of the phosphorus in used water can be recovered as struvite in a cost-effective manner. Dr Barnard explained that “in certain cases, the plants should also consider incineration; the least that could be done is to landfill the ash in a dedicated site for future recovery. In this way, almost 100% of the phosphorus will be available for future generations. In many existing plants that use chemicals for removal of phosphorus, there are cost-effective ways of switching to biological phosphorus removal which would allow this recovery. Other means of recycling phosphorus consist of drying the surplus sludge and producing a fertiliser containing both nitrogen and phosphorus.”

Dr Barnard believes that communicating information about the advantages of sustainable processes is the key to getting more authorities to be familiar with the science. “We already see the benefits of this in the many plants in the world where phosphorus recovery is viewed as essential to the survival of the human race,” he shared.

By looking at used water as a resource rather than as a nuisance, we can open up enormous opportunities.

Phosphorus reserves in the world are finite and can be mined only in a few regions. It is important to recover these reserves from used water and agricultural waste, rather than allowing them to cause excessive algal growth in water bodies.

THE LEE KUAN YEW WATER PRIZE

2012 LAUREATE

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PROF MARK VAN LOOSDRECHT Move from a linear to a cyclic model of innovation

In 2012, the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize went to Professor Mark van Loosdrecht for his breakthrough contributions to creating sustainable solutions in the field of wastewater treatment.

Chosen from 61 nominations received from 25 countries, Prof van Loosdrecht was recognised for pioneering an innovative biological process, named Anammox, that provides a cost-effective, robust and sustainable way to remove unwanted pollutants from used water. This was made possible by the discovery of a unique group of bacteria which removes pollutants in used water using less oxygen and no added organic carbon, compared to conventional processes. Anammox can greatly reduce the overall energy consumption, chemical usage and carbon emissions of conventional used water treatment plants.

Anammox also shortens the conventional used water treatment process through bypassing an intermediate nitrate form which normally occurs; instead, Annamox converts the pollutant ammonia in used water into harmless nitrogen gas.

The traditional used water treatment is an energy-intensive process. It is estimated that in most industrialised countries, the energy consumed in the water cycle takes up about 1 to 3% of a country’s total energy budget. A part of this energy may be considered wasted, as the end-product of used water treatment is discarded back into the environment. However, with the application of Prof van Loosdrecht’s Anammox technology to used water treatment, biological nitrogen removal systems worldwide will see substantial energy savings.

104 // The lee kuan yew water prize laureates

Prof van Loosdrecht believes in moving away from the traditionally linear model of innovation to a cyclic model where scientific research, technological development, product creation and the market interact in a cyclic manner. This, he says, would enable one innovation to drive the next one. This is how Dutch organisations such as Delft University of Technology 1 2 (TU Delft), STOWA , Paques and a water board developed the Annamox reactor.

We need to move away from the traditional linear model of innovation to a cyclic model, where scientific research, technological development, product creation and market interact in a cyclic manner.

Universities, the industry and potential clients need to work closely together to facilitate this innovation cycle.

The water discussion has moved from water reuse and MDGs through energy and is now moving to resource recovery.

“I have always worked in a way where I combine academic curiosity with demand-driven research,” explained Prof van Loosdrecht. “Only if academies, engineering and consultancy companies and water boards work together, each respecting the other’s space, can new developments emerge. As an example, when aerobic granular sludge was introduced in practice, our research already led to the next steps where resources (polymers, struvite) recovery can be integrated in the process in future. With only market-demand driven research, we would not have stumbled upon the polymer recovery option. With the good contacts and knowledge of the market, we can now introduce it more quickly.”

The professor, who attends four to five conferences each year, notes that the borders between disciplines are getting more blurred. He sees greater integration of microbiology and water treatment, as well as of urban planning and water.

“The interaction between water and other research fields, such as process engineering and chemistry, is rapidly increasing,” said Prof van Loosdrecht. “In more general terms, the water discussion has moved from water reuse and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) through energy, and is now moving to resource recovery. In principle, these discussions are useful but at the end of the day, technology has to be developed, and the patience of managers and politicians involved in these discussions is often not long enough to lead to new developments. It was only because we had been working on Anammox already for 15 years that its development matched very well with the discourse on decreasing energy consumption for wastewater treatment.”

1. Dutch acronym for the Foundation for Applied Water Research 2. A Dutch company that develops anaerobic water purification systems which produce energy from wastewater, whilst purifying the water and facilitating water reuse

Acknowledgements

106 // Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the following distinguished persons and organisations for their valuable contributions in making the Singapore International Water Week the global platform for sharing and co-creation of innovative water solutions:

Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize Sponsor Singapore Millennium Foundation

Founding Sponsors AECOM, Arcadis, Black & Veatch, Boustead Salcon, CDM Smith, CH2M Hill, Moya Asia, Hyflux, Keppel Corporation, Memstar, Mitsubishi Electric, PWN Technologies, Sembcorp Industries, Siemens, Suez Environnement, Trojan UV & Hach, Toray, United Engineers, Veolia Water Solutions and Technologies, Xylem

SIWW Strategic Partners • Asian Development Bank • Institute of Water Policy, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore • International Desalination Association • International Water Association • The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (“World Bank”) • Singapore Water Association

Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize Nominating Committee • Mr Tan Gee Paw, Chairman, PUB Singapore & Chairperson, Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize Nominating Committee • Prof Perry McCarty, Professor Emeritus, Stanford University, USA • Prof Chen Jining, President, Tsinghua University, China • Dr Andrew Benedek, Executive Chairman and Chief Technology Officer, Anaergia Inc., USA • Prof Dr Mahmoud Abu-Zeid, President, Arab Water Council, Egypt • Prof Bertil Andersson, Provost, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore • Mr Daniel McCarthy, Principal, Dan McCarthy Consulting LLC, USA

Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize Council • Dr Tony Tan, President, Republic of Singapore & Chairperson, Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize Council (2008-2011) • Mr Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Home Affairs, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister-in-charge of the Civil Service, Singapore & Chairperson, Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize Council (2012-) • Dr Sadayuki Sakakibara, Chairman, Toray Industries, Japan

Acknowledgements // 107

• Prof Lim Pin, Chairman, Singapore Millennium Foundation • Prof Clayton Christensen, Kim B. Clark Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School, USA • Lord Ronald Oxburgh, Member, House of Lords, United Kingdom • Prof Tommy Koh, Ambassador-at-Large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore • Mr Kenji Fujiyoshi, Chairman, Mitsui Chemicals, Japan

SIWW Advisors • Prof Asit Biswas, Founder, Third World Centre for Water Management • Prof Michael Rouse, Independent International Advisor & Distinguished Research Associate, University of Oxford • Mr Claude Smadja, President, Smadja & Smadja

Water Leaders Summit • Prof Tommy Koh, Ambassador-at-Large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore & Chairperson, Water Leaders Summit • Prof Kishore Mahbubani, Dean, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore

Water Convention Programme Committee • Mr Darryl Day, Executive Director (Energy Policy), Department of Mines and Energy, Australia (Co-Chair) • Mr Harry Seah, Chief Technology Officer, PUB Singapore (Co-Chair) • Mr Adam Lovell, Executive Director, Water Services Association, Australia • Mr Alan Baird, Senior Water Supply and Sanitation Specialist, Asian Development Bank • Dr Albert Janssen, Global R&D Coordinator Water Handling, Shell, The Netherlands • Dr Anand Chiplunkar, Director, Urban Development and Water Division, Asian Development Bank • Mr Andrew Shaw, Global Practice and Technology Leader in Sustainability and Wastewater, Black & Veatch, USA • Mr Brendan Harley, Senior Vice President, CDM Smith, USA • Mr Bruce Gordon, Acting Coordinator, World Health Organisation • Ms Carol Howe, Director, ForEvaSolutions, USA • Mr Chan Chi Chiu, Director, Drainage Services Department, Hong Kong • Prof Chen Jining, President, Tsinghua University, China • Mr Chen Xiao Hua, Engineering Director, Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies, China • Mr Chong Hou Chun, Director, Water Supply Network, PUB Singapore • Mr Christoph Luethi, Programme Officer, Water and Sanitation in Developing Countries (SANDEC), EAWAG, Switzerland • Mr Chua Bing Guan, General Manager, O&M Dept, Indah Water Konsortium, Malaysia • Dr D.V. Darshane, Director, Policy, Product & Technology, The Coca-Cola Company, USA

108 // Acknowledgements

• Dr Daniel Deere, Director, Water Futures Pty Ltd, Australia • Mr David Spector, Principal Project Manager, CDM Smith, USA • Mr Dorai Narayana, Senior Manager, Planning & Engineering Department, Indah Water Konsortium, Malaysia • Mr Edward Ohanian, Director, Health and Ecological Criteria Division, US EPA, USA • Mr Enrique Lopez Calva, Technical Director, Neysadurai Centre, CDM Smith, Singapore • Mr Francisco Arellano, Head, Corporate Quality, Environment, Safety and Health, Maynilad Water Services Inc., The Philippines • Mr Geoff Linke, Delivery Centre Manager, Adelaide, Melbourne at Aurecon, Australia • Dr Glen Daigger, President, International Water Association • Prof Hao Xiaodi, Professor, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, China • Prof In S. Kim, Gwangju Institute of Science & Technology, Korea • Dr Jamie Bartram, Professor and Director of the Water Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA • Dr Jerry Liu Jianlin, Vice President, Water-Process and Technology, Sembcorp Industries Ltd, Singapore • Ms JodieAnn Dawe, CEO, Water Research Australia • Dr Johan Groen, Vice President, Head of Dewatering Business Line, Outotec Corporation, Finland • Prof John Langford, Director, Uniwater, University of Melbourne, Australia • Mr Jonathan Clement, CEO, PWN Technologies, Netherlands • Dr Josef Klinger, CEO, TZW, Germany • Mr Joseph Zuback, President and Founder of Global Water Advisors Inc., USA • Prof Kala Vairavamoorthy, Dean, Patel School of Global Sustainability, University of South Florida, USA • Mr Keith Cadee, General Manager, Water Corporation, Australia (retired) • Dr Les Lampe, Global Practice Leader, Black & Veatch, USA • Ms Lisa Henthorne, Chief Technology Officer, Water Standard, USA • Mr Ma Lee-tak, Director, Water Supplies Department, Hong Kong • Mr Malcolm Farley, Principal Consultant, AQUA2, UK • Ms Marion Savill, Executive Director, Affordable Water, New Zealand • Prof Martin Wagner, Professor, Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany • Dr Masaru Kurihara, Advisor, Toray Industries Inc., Japan • Prof Michael Rouse, Independent International Advisor & Distinguished Research Associate, University of Oxford • Prof Michael Saunders, Professor, Georgia Institute of Technology, USA • Prof Ng Wun Jern, Executive Director, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Singapore • Mr Nicholas Apostolidis, Director, GHD Pty Ltd, Australia (retired) • Prof Ong Choon Nam, Director, NUS Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore

Acknowledgements // 109

• Ms Pamela Kenel, Global Practice Leader, Black & Veatch, USA • Mr Pascal Dauthuille, Director, Projects, CIRSEE, Suez Environnement, France • Mr Paul Reiter, Strategic Counsel, International Water Association, The Netherlands • Mr Ramon Alikpala, Chairman, Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, Philippines • Prof Ren Nanqi, Professor & Vice President, Harbin Institute of Technology, China • Prof Shane Snyder, Professor and Co-Director, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Arizona Laboratory for Emerging Contaminants, University of Arizona, USA • Dr Rengarajan Ramesh, Managing Director, Wasserstein & Co, USA • Mr Robert Bos, Senior Advisor, International Water Association • Prof Robert Skinner, Professorial Fellow, Centre for Water Sensitive Cities, Monash University, Australia • Prof Shane Snyder, Professor and Co-Director, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Arizona Laboratory for Emerging Contaminants, University of Arizona, USA • Prof Shinichiro Ohgaki, Professor, Tokyo University, Japan • Prof Srinivas Chary Vedala, Dean of Research and Management Studies, Administrative Staff College of India • Mr Steve Moddemeyer, Principal, Collins Woerman, USA • Mr Sun Yangbo, Director, International Cooperation Division, Yellow River Conservancy Commission, China • Dato’ Ir Syed Muhammad Shahabudin, Board Member, National Water Services Commission, Malaysia • Dr Tao Li, Director, IWA China Regional Office, International Water Association • Mr Tsui Wai,Deputy Director, Drainage Services Department, Hong Kong • Prof Viet-Anh Nguyen, Professor, Hanoi University of Civil Engineering, Vietnam • Mr Virgilio C. Rivera, Group Director, Manila Water Company Inc., Philippines • Prof Wang Xiaochang, Professor, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, China • Prof Yang Min, Professor, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China • Mr Yoji Matsui, Director, Training and International Department, Japan Water Works Association

Special thanks to Abeima, ACWA Power, Apex Expo Logistics, Asahi Kasei, Bentley Systems International, Chemical Process Piping, CPG, Dow Water & Process Solutions, KPMG, Ley Choon, Meinhardt, Mitsubishi Rayon, MSIG Holdings, MWH, Nitto Denko, Samsung C&T, SAPAC, Singapore Exchange, Singapore Workforce Development Agency, Starhub Many thanks as well to all our co-located event organisers, delegates, exhibitors, Singapore government agencies, supporting organisations, supporting publications and partners who have helped SIWW become what it is today. Let us continue to co-create a better SIWW for many years to come.