Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) Posts from Black & Veatch

They came…they ate…they didn’t dance

Posted Jul 7 2011 by Constance Ward in Around Singapore, From the Floor, Sights, Sounds & Quotes, SIWW 2011 Posts with Comments Off

The first gang to grab the chocolate

The first-ever “SIWW Splash Mob” took place today at the Black & Veatch booth. A “Splash Mob” is like a “Flash Mob” but people are invited to eat chocolate, not dance – well, a couple of people who attended attempted to dance along with me but they were definitely more interested in the chocolate. Only one person actually showed up on purpose at the time of the Splash Mob so he got extra chocolate. But we managed to pull together about 20 staff and willing passersby to create a buzz around the booth!

A terrific launch worth remembering

Posted Jul 7 2011 by Youth@Singapore International Water Week in News, Facts & Figures, People, SIWW 2011 Posts with Comments Off

The representatives who made the grand launch

I was at the release of the World Health Organisation’s Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality 4^th Edition on the 4^th of July, where distinguished representatives from the World Health Organisation (WHO) made the book’s launch grandly worthwhile.

To commence, we had Mr Robert Bos provide a simple, yet well thought out introduction, which set the tone just right.

The next part was my favourite, where after further elaborations, Dr Maria Neira explained a 60-year mission to achieve highest standard of public health by saving water and sanitation – except now using different approaches. Dr Maria added that the lack of saving water efficiently in certain countries, has led to two million deaths yearly, hence the need to get policy makers and experts involved.

Our Guest of Honour LG (NS) Desmond Kuek then acknowledged the hard work that went into the research of the book. He mentioned that the SIWW is a good platform to address the challenge of supplying safe drinking water.

The book’s details (yes, the more technical part) were explained by the final speaker Dr David Cunliffe, who strongly emphasised that this 4^th Edition was released not for further substantial changes, but it was to clarify the messages from the 3^rd edition and to provide additional guidance.

The most awaited part of the event – the book’s launch was accompanied with an incredible mini pyrotechnic display.

So to end off on a note, a tremendous amount of work has went into the publication of this book and it should be appreciated fully, for everyone must play a part in keeping the Earth’s precious water alive. Furthermore, the book’s available for digital download here.

By S. Suvinraj Pillai, Singapore Polytechnic, Roving Reporter for Youth@SIWW

Past is not a predictor of the future

Posted Jul 7 2011 by Constance Ward in News, Facts & Figures, People, SIWW 2011 Posts with Comments Off

Sue Murphy talks to and inspires a packed Australian Business Forum

In the Australian Business Forum today, Sue Murphy, Chief Executive of Water Corporation of Western Australia, discussed a specific example of the fact that water industry leaders can no longer rely on the past as a predictor of the future. Pilbara Cities were a group of sleepy towns that experienced a sudden burst of growth as large mining and industrial customers brought a rapid increase in the population of the region. Seemingly overnight, Water Corporation experienced a three-fold increase in new services requested as large mining companies, for example, brought in workers for their industry. “They can build a house in 4 weeks but we can’t build a water system in 4 weeks.” She reported on how Water Corporation is solving this unprecedented challenge – they are working on demand management and co-funding water efficiency projects with Australian government.

Purposeful partnerships

Posted Jul 7 2011 by Dan McCarthy in Ideas, SIWW 2011 Posts with Comments Off

Dan McCarthy speaking about purposeful partnership, added by Ed

The theme of “purposeful partnerships” came up again yesterday in the Water Leaders Summit Roundtable titled “Water in the Changing Urban Environment: the Water-Energy Nexus Challenge.” Several of the delegates echoed my comments Sunday night at the PWN Technologies event, where I discussed how we choose to partner with those who can best create value for themselves, their clients and their clients’ customers – and for ourselves, of course. We seek purposeful, not predatory partnerships. Predatory partnerships – when one party takes advantage of the other partner – just aren’t sustainable. We’ll always seek to work with the best in the business…and from what I heard at yesterday’s roundtable, many of our business partners feel the same.

Need chocolate? Join the ‘Splash Mob’!

Posted Jul 7 2011 by bvgmbc in From the Floor, Ideas, People, SIWW 2011 Posts, Uncategorized with Comments Off

If you’re interested in getting your chocolate fix, stop by the Black & Veatch booth (4B02A) at SIWW 11 on Thursday, 7 July, at 12:30 p.m. to join our “Splash Mob.”

Don’t worry, while it’s the same concept as the more commonly known “flash mob” term, there is no dancing involved.

Just stop in for a visit, let us know you heard about the “Splash Mob” from our posts here on SIWWDiary.com or through our posts on Twitter, and collect some B&V chocolates!

My Tuesday in Singapore

Posted Jul 7 2011 by James Barnard in From the Floor, Ideas, People, Sights, Sounds & Quotes, SIWW 2011 Posts with 1 Comment

My Tuesday in Singapore was a tremendous, humbling and rewarding experience. Estimates have the crowd from the Water Lecture at about 1000; and it’s estimated that more than 600 were on hand for the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize Award Ceremony and Banquet later that night. I am deeply honored to have received such a prestigious award on behalf of a process that so many have influenced and helped to develop.

At the Water Lecture, I spoke about one of my true professional passions: treating wastewater – used water — as a resource and the importance of recovering the nutrients, particularly phosphorus, from it. Phosphorus is a very limited resource and cannot be replaced. It’s key for use in fertiliser, which, of course, helps us to grow food. Without phosphorus, there can be no life, and currently we are using it in a not-so-sustainable manner. By recovering phosphorus — even from ash after an incineration process of biosolids or from the use of chemicals in treatment — we afford ourselves the opportunity to store it and use it later when the price is driven even higher.

I promote the idea of phosphorus recovery at all levels. Our children and grandchildren will ultimately benefit from such efforts.

The Award Ceremony and Banquet from Tuesday night gives me another idea for another post. I’ll file that one a bit later during this busy, but very rewarding week.

Photo courtesy of SIWW.

Breaking ground

Posted Jul 6 2011 by Youth@Singapore International Water Week in News, Facts & Figures, People, SIWW 2011 Posts, Technology with Comments Off

Hyflux, in partnership with PUB, Singapore’s national water agency, is breaking ground once again – this time, for Singapore’s second and largest seawater desalination plant in Tuas that will offer cheap and clean water.

The plant, called the Tuaspring Desalination Plant, is built under the Design, Build, Own and Operate scheme, and will add 315,500 cubic metres of water to the country’s water supply. The 14-hectare project should be operational by July 2013.

According to Hyflux’s Group President and CEO Ms Olivia Lum, the plant will offer the cheapest desalinated water in the world.

Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, was the guest of honour at the event which was co-located at the Singapore International Water Week. He shared that the country hopes that by 2060, 30 percent of its water needs would be met by desalination.

By Sujith Kumar, Roving Reporter for Youth@SIWW

The Future Is Now

Posted Jul 6 2011 by Youth@Singapore International Water Week in Around Singapore, SIWW 2011 Posts, Sustainable Water Solutions with Comments Off

“The future? A direct relationship with water bodies in the city,” said Dr Herbert Dreiseitl, a landscape architect who spoke at the 2^nd Water Sensitive Urban Landscape Seminar at the Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

And based on what I saw at the event, which included the ABC Waters Certification presentation and launch of the 2^nd edition of the ABC Waters design guidelines, Singapore is the future.

The Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters (ABC Waters) Programme is a strategic initiative by PUB, Singapore national water agency. Launched in 2006, it aims to integrate water bodies such as drains, reservoirs and canals with the surrounding environment to create clean streams, rivers and lakes for communities to enjoy.

This year, 17 developments that bring people closer to water were awarded certificates. Among the recipients were the Singapore Zoo and various condominiums and parks. Some features of the certified projects are green roofs, educational signs, significant water recycling and the introduction of plant and animal species.

The guest of honour was Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts and the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources Ms Grace Fu.

Dr Dreiseitl, who spoke about the deep impact of waterscapes on future cities, also lauded the country for its sustained water efforts that is, “admired all over the world”.

Personally, I’m impressed by quality of thought that has been put into moulding Singapore into a clean and sustainable city – it’s something even my former supervisors at Greenpeace would be proud of! I didn’t quite realise just how much was going on behind the scenes, and I’m glad that the Singapore International Water Week has jolted me out of my ignorance.

By Sujith Kumar, Roving Reporter of Youth@SIWW

The Doctor is In — Singapore Water Lecture

Posted Jul 6 2011 by Youth@Singapore International Water Week in People, Sights, Sounds & Quotes, SIWW 2011 Posts, Sustainable Water Solutions with Comments Off

It’s impossible to miss the fact that the highlight of the Singapore International Water Week is the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize. This year’s laureate, South African engineer Dr James L. Barnard, beat 71 other nominees from 29 countries to clinch the prestigious award with his invention of a sustainable method of treating used water.

The method, called Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR), uses naturally-occurring micro organisms to extract nitrogen and phosphorus from used water. This environmentally friendly method has delivered significant cost savings over traditional chemical-intensive methods. The treated water is then returned to rivers and lakes.

The Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize, which honours stellar contributions that help solve global water problems, is sponsored by state-linked research funding body, the Singapore Millennium Foundation.

Dr Barnard, who is recognised internationally as “the Father of Biological Nutrient Removal” gave a lecture introducing BNR to a full audience at the Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre

A key point of his lecture is how urine, when left in the open, becomes sterile and odourless, and becomes a good fertiliser. Urine contains significant amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus, which are needed for strong plant growth.

“I’m thinking of golf courses that have housing around them. Why can’t we collect urine from the houses and use them on the course?” he asked.

The session was moderated by Professor Kishore Mahbubani, Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

Dr Barnard received his prize of S$300,000, an award certificate and a gold medallion at the Lee Kwan Yew Prize Award Ceremony and Banquet that was held that evening at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore. Earlier, it was reported by Channel NewsAsia that he would use the money for charitable purposes, such as improving the South African school system.

By Sujith Kumar, Roving Reporter of Youth@SIWW

State of independence

Posted Jul 6 2011 by Malcolm Hallsworth in Ideas, News, Facts & Figures, People, SIWW 2011 Posts, Sustainable Water Solutions with Comments Off

Prime Minister of Singapore, Mr. Lee Hsien Loong and Mr. Tommy Koh, Ambassador-At-Large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the inaugural Water Conversation, courtesy of SIWW

Can, indeed should, other states follow Singapore’s model of water and sanitation services provision? During Tuesday’s Water Conversation, at the root of many questions to Singapore’s Prime Minister, Mr Lee Hsien Loong, was the extent to which his country could lead others in the region in developing their water services.

Mr Lee Hsien Loong made plain the fact that the starting point on his country’s current journey was vulnerability bred from dependency on another nation for water. Singapore’s success was driven by strategic necessity. Everything that has been achieved to date is rooted in that fact: public acceptance of water pricing policy, ending the silos between water and sanitation management to create an integrated ministry able to optimise the whole water cycle, large-scale adoption of desalination and reuse.

So in part the question as to whether Singapore’s model is applicable elsewhere centres upon whether other countries have the same strategic necessity, as opposed to just the desire to make things better. It’s often been said that future wars will be fought over access to water. Which indicates that even if there’s currently no countries in Singapore’s position, a potent combination of climate change, urbanisation, population growth and increasing economic social aspirations means there may well be in the future. These drivers may not even be limited to national boundaries.

In the United States, for instance, who can take what from the Colorado River is a growing bone of contention between the south western states. Policy makers there may yet find themselves looking east for inspiration.

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They came…they ate…they didn’t dance

A terrific launch worth remembering

Past is not a predictor of the future

Purposeful partnerships

Need chocolate? Join the ‘Splash Mob’!

My Tuesday in Singapore

Breaking ground

The Future Is Now

The Doctor is In — Singapore Water Lecture

State of independence

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