Water & Wastewater Asia May/June 2023

MAY / JUNE 2023 

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CONTENTS 

16 

13 

CONTENTS 

04 Editor’s Note 

06 News 

49 SWA Newsletter 

63 What’s Next? 

64 Advertisers’ Index 

SINGAPORE FOCUS 

10 The destruction of toxins in 

wastewater containing hardly 

degradable pollutants with 

Aquarden 

IN CONVERSATION WITH 

12 “This filtration system does not 

require electricity” 

14 Tightening cybersecurity in the 

water industry 

16 Kori Odyssey: The sail to secure 

drinking water in Pacific islands 

IN THE FIELD 

19 River water monitoring in Bangkok 

using WTW spectral sensors 

22 An environmental airport 

wastewater solution 

24 The next generation of ZWEEC’s 

biomonitoring technology 

26 Indonesia’s dam project supports 

water access in tourism destination 

2 WATER & WASTEWATER ASIA | MAY/JUNE 2023

CONTENTS 

37 

53 

28 Performing under high pressure in 

wastewater treatment 

30 Shanghai meets sludge challenge with 

ANDRTIZ complete solution 

FOCUS 

32 The water-energy-food nexus 

34 How operators rehabilitate fire water 

main with trenchless technology 

36 The ‘FIDO way’ to find and fix water 

leaks 

38 Fresh and wastewater treatment with 

HI Systems 

40 Smart water grid management in 

Indonesia 

HOTSEAT 

44 Binnies announcement adds weight to 

RSK Australia’s expansion programme 

45 CENTRISYS/CNP awarded Texas 

wastewater treatment plant upgrade 

46 NM3’s environmental monitoring 

innovation 

ON OUR RADAR 

53 Enhanced connectivity for 

remote water level logger 

54 Emerson’s showcase of 

hydrogen solutions at World 

Hydrogen 2023 

56 SABO automated industrial 

wastewater treatment systems 

for environmental compliance 

57 New Verderflex Dura 80 

peristaltic pump 

58 SurfCleaner completes pine oil 

clean-up for an European port 

SHOW PREVIEW 

60 Unlocking opportunities for 

the water technology sector at 

Aquatech China 2023 

61 Pump & Valve Indonesia 2023 

SHOW REVIEW 

62 The comeback of Water 

Philippines 2023 

WATER & WASTEWATER ASIA | MAY/JUNE 2023 3

FROM THE EDITOR 

THE WATER-ENERGY- 

FOOD NEXUS 

The circular economy in the water sector 

relies on the interconnected relationship 

between water, energy and food. At the heart 

of the UN 2023 Agenda, this nexus forms the 

core of its sustainable development goals. 

In this issue, experts give us a rundown 

on recovering energy, the climate impacts 

felt through water and upgraded water 

capabilities in Q1 of 2023. 

South East Asian countries are enhancing 

their water policymaking and technologies 

to secure the water-food-energy nexus. In 

Indonesia, smart water grid management is 

implemented to manage water, according 

to Bima Sakti Alterra (p. 40). Further, with 

Indonesia as a tourism destination, Bentley 

Systems’ digital monitoring software is 

utilised in Hutama Karya’s dam project for the 

development of the country’s infrastructure 

and economy, a ‘national strategic 

project for the acceleration of economic 

growth in Indonesia’ (p. 27). In Thailand, 

Xylem Analytics’ WTW smart sensors 

are implemented to monitor water quality 

and detect water contamination for early 

intervention (p. 20). All these innovations serve 

to stabilise the circular economy in this region. 

The world’s most populous countries, China 

and India, are finding ways to establish 

low-cost water systems. In a lithium iron 

phosphate cathode manufacturing facility 

in the Hubei province of China, circulating a 

closed water system helped to save high cost 

(p. 28). The winner of 2022 VinFuture Special 

Prize for innovators from India, Prof Thalappil 

Pradeep has helped millions of Punjabis 

access clean water with his filtration system, 

and implemented plans to set up water sensor 

networks across India as part of government 

programmes (p. 13). 

chosen an eco-friendly way of transport, 

setting sail to secure drinking water with 

solar energy as a desalination solution. 

In a collaborative effort, the Kori Odyssey 

initiative has ambitious long-term and 

tailor-made programmes for these rural 

communities. Read about its challenges 

the team has to overcome to best address 

these water stakeholders’ needs on 

page 16. 

As these communities find better ways 

to approach this interconnected nexus, 

Singapore too is tightening its water 

security with innovation. For instance, two 

Singaporean companies, NM3 Tech, a 

water sampling and biomonitoring startup 

(p. 46), and Aquarden, a specialist in 

destroying toxins in wastewater containing 

hardly degradable pollutants (p. 10), are 

featured for their breakthroughs in the 

industry. 

Following the outcome of 2022 UN Climate 

Change Conference, the adoption of the 

circular economy model is necessary, 

according to Agilent Technologies (p.32). 

These three domains, water, energy and 

food need to be managed by governments 

and corporations all around the world to 

balance the needs of communities, the 

economy, and the planet. 

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Even in remote Pacific islands, Mascara 

Nouvelles Technologies’ team of three has 

Amira Yunos 

Assistant Editor 

Water & Wastewater Asia 

incorporates the official newsletter 

of Singapore Water Association 


NEWS 

GRUNDFOS COMMERCIAL BUILDING SERVICES 

UNVEILS NEW GLOBAL HQ IN SINGAPORE 

1 2 

Grundfos, a global manufacturer in advanced 

pump solutions and water technologies, 

inaugurated the global headquarters (HQ) 

of its commercial building services (CBS) 

division in Singapore. The move followed 

the demand for resource-efficient solutions 

to foster a sustainable built environment in 

Singapore and the region, where almost 56% 

of ASEAN’s population will be urban by 2030. 

Serving commercial buildings such as hotels, 

hospitals, office towers, airports, and data 

centres, Grundfos’ CBS division delivers 

water pump systems that serve various 

applications supporting the operation of these 

buildings, including air-conditioning, cooling, 

heating, fire protection, to wastewater and 

water disinfection. 

A component of Grundfos’ relocation 

strategy will be the Singapore Innovation 

Hub, which aims to leverage local knowledge 

to pioneer solutions for energy-efficient 

commercial buildings. The facility will look 

to bring Grundfos’ R&D capabilities closer to 

customers and the market, as well as provide 

a platform for collaboration with industry 

partners, customers, and researchers to 

co-develop energy and water-efficient smart 

solutions. 

As part of developing the Singapore 

Innovation Hub, Grundfos has engaged 

in various feedback, steering and risk 

management efforts since March, following 

which the company will embark on 

developing innovation initiatives, establish 

governance structure, and discuss areas 

of collaboration with potential partners. 

All these will contribute towards a 

comprehensive working plan for the new 

Singapore Innovation Hub by Q3 of 2023. 

Singapore’s location as the gateway to other 

ASEAN countries also allows Grundfos 

to work closely with customers in these 

markets and support their urbanisation 

needs. 

Recent reports of climate change and 

rapid urbanisation has called for countries 

to examine their buildings’ environmental 

impact. The region’s building sector 

accounts for nearly a quarter of total energy 

consumption and energy-related carbon 

emissions, and this is still projected to grow 

by around 60% by 2030 and 120% by 2040. 

Space cooling is the fastest-growing use of 

energy in buildings globally and in ASEAN, 

according to International Energy Agency 

reports. Being a vulnerable region to climate 

1 Singapore was selected for the relocation based 

on its nation-wide commitment to sustainability 

through its Singapore Green Plan 2030 

2 From left: Bent Jensen, group executive 

vice-president and CEO commercial building 

services, Grundfos; Soh Wai Wah, principal and 

CEO, Singapore Polytechnic; Poul Due Jensen, 

group president and CEO, Grundfos; Birgit 

Dohmann Chang, Chargé d’affaires, Royal Danish 

Embassy Singapore; Eric Lai, regional managing 

director, industry – APAC and country director for 

Singapore, Grundfos 

change, the sector’s sustainability ambitions 

are high on the region’s agenda. 

Its CEO said, “Locating our CBS HQ in the 

heart of Asia is part of our wider business 

strategy of operating as a truly global 

company. 

“At Grundfos, we are committed to delivering 

on our net-zero targets validated by the 

Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to 

ensure our growth is sustainable.” 

Under the new CBS HQ, Grundfos will 

strengthen its talent pipeline to over 200 

employees, by bringing in global expertise 

and the hiring of local talents. The company 

will also continue its efforts in collaborating 

with public and private players locally. 


NEWS 

DR ANDREA RINALDO WINS STOCKHOLM WATER PRIZE 

Dr Andrea Rinaldo, professor of 

hydrology and water resources 

at the École Polytechnique 

Fédérale de Lausanne and at the 

University of Padova, has been 

named the 2023 Stockholm Water 

Prize Laureate. Since 1991, the 

Stockholm Water Prize laureates 

have represented a range of 

water-related activities, 

professions, and scientific 

disciplines from around the world. 

Originally from Venice, Italy, 

Dr Rinaldo was chosen for his 

research in hydrologic science, 

which showed the connections 

between river networks and 

the spread of solutes, aquatic 

species, and diseases, according 

to the award. Throughout 

his career, Dr Rinaldo has 

advanced the understanding 

of the complex interactions 

between the hydrologic cycle, 

ecological processes and 

landscape evolution. At a time 

when hydrology was mainly 

associated with fluid mechanics 

and hydraulic engineering, 

he searched for alternative 

approaches and developed new 

conceptual and quantitative 

models to describe how water 

shapes the earth surface and 

ecosystems. 

The Stockholm Water Prize, a 

global prestigious water award, 

is often described as the Nobel 

Prize of water. The US Water 

Environment Federation (WEF) is 

a Stockholm Water Prize founding 

partner. Laila Sukkariyyah, senior 

manager of global programmes 

at WEF said, “As a sponsor of the 

award, we congratulate Dr Rinaldo 

on this achievement.” 

The prize is awarded by the 

Stockholm International Water 

Institute in cooperation with 

the Royal Swedish Academy of 

Sciences. It will be presented 

by H.M King Carl XVI Gustaf of 

Sweden, who is the official patron 

of the prize, at World Water Week 

in August 2023. WEF board 

president Ifetayo Venner will be 

travelling to Stockholm, Sweden 

for the award ceremony. 


NEWS 

THE COCA-COLA FOUNDATION AND IMAGINE H2O 

LAUNCH WATER INNOVATION FUND 

The Coca-Cola Foundation and 

Imagine H2O, a global non-profit that 

accelerates and deploys new water 

innovations, have partnered to scale 

entrepreneurial solutions for the 

global water crisis. The sustainable 

access solution fund unlocks targeted 

grants and technical support to 

help communities pilot and adopt 

innovation, doubling Imagine H2O’s 

annual pilot funding budget this year. 

As one-third of the world’s inhabitants 

still lack access to safe drinking water, 

technologies are emerging that can 

help boost water supply, mitigate 

pollution and strengthen climate 

resilience. However, widespread risk 

aversion and financial constraints 

prevent utilities, businesses and other 

end-users from testing and validating 

these solutions. 

The solution fund creates opportunities 

for innovators and their customers to 

overcome these barriers, building on 

Imagine H2O’s ongoing pilot initiatives 

supported by philanthropic and public 

sector partners including OceanKind, 

11th Hour Racing, Enterprise 

Singapore, World Bank and Asian 

Development Bank. 

Since 2018, Imagine H2O has awarded 

US$1.9m for 69 pilots. This support 

has triggered up to seven times in 

matching or follow-on funding from 

other partners. Beyond financial 

support, the solution fund utilises its 

global startup accelerator programmes 

and in-country networks to mentor 

entrepreneurs as they design, execute, 

and monitor the impact of these 

projects. Awards will be recycled 

back to the solution fund when pilots 

succeed. 

“This partnership marks another 

milestone to accelerate progress 

towards the UN sustainable 

development goals, all 17 of which 

will be affected by how our water 

resources are used, treated and 

managed in the future,” said Saadia 

Madsbjerg, president of The Coca- 

Cola Foundation. 

The solution fund will source 

solutions that directly enable access 

to safe drinking water and help 

communities restore or sustain 

water resources threatened by 

climate change or environmental 

degradation. From biosensors 

for rapid contamination detection 

to rural water supply monitoring 

systems, a range of technologies will 

be vetted from across Imagine H2O 

network of 175 startups. 

“From Johannesburg to Jakarta, the 

appetite to leapfrog conventional 

water management approaches 

is growing,” said Imagine H2O 

president Scott Bryan, “With The 

Coca-Cola Foundation, we will help 

underserved communities embrace 

new technologies by providing 

dedicated funding and insight to 

entrepreneurs, local water providers 

and government partners.” 

An Imagine H2O 

entrepreneur installs 

a decentralised 

wastewater 

treatment system in 

Hyderabad, India 


NEWS 

MEMSIFT TO RECOVER NICKEL FROM 

MICROELECTRONIC INDUSTRIAL 

EFFLUENT IN SINGAPORE 

1 

Membrane-based solutions company Memsift 

Innovations received a new contract from a 

global microelectronics corporation to build a 

first nickel recovery plant in Singapore using 

its TS-30 improved membrane distillation 

technology followed by pilot trials. This 

project builds on Memsift’s track record in 

developing and implementing membrane 

distillation technology for the treatment of 

industrial effluent. The project is part of an 

initiative to reduce the environmental impact 

of the microelectronics manufacturing 

process. 

The microelectronics industry generates 

industrial effluent containing valuable metals 

such as nickel, which are typically lost 

during conventional wastewater treatment 

processes. Memsift’s improved membrane 

distillation system recovers more than 95% 

of water and up to 100% nickel from the 

microelectronics industrial effluents, 

as estimated nickel recovery is about 

10.2 tonnes/year. 

The system is designed to achieve efficiency 

in nickel recovery while minimising energy 

consumption and operating costs by up to 

80% compared to the current method in 

place. It helps to reduces emission by about 

211 tonnes of CO2/year compared to the 

business-as-usual scenario. About 43% 

of emission reduction is due to the direct 

energy savings. Typically, it requires about 

8,436 trees to absorb the same amount of 

CO2 from the atmosphere over a year. 

1 Initial case study samples: feed, permeate and 

the concentrate 

2 Pilot scale TS-30 improved membrane distillation 

system that has been validated in the field 

2 

120WATER NAMED CHEROKEE NATION LCR DATABASE OF RECORD 

Committed to providing programme 

management tools to rural water systems, 

digital water solutions provider 120Water has 

been selected by sovereign tribal government 

Cherokee Nation as its Lead and Copper Rule 

(LCR) database of record. The partnership 

will expand on a successful pilot carried out 

earlier this year, assisting in the preparation 

of Lead Service Line Inventories (LSLI) for 25 

small systems across northeast Oklahoma, 

US. The announcement took place at the 

Facilities Construction Spring Meeting hosted 

by the Indian Health Services (IHS) office of 

environmental health and engineering. 

“Since 1839, the Cherokee Nation has 

dedicated itself to improving the livelihood of 

our tribal community,” said its senior director 

of environmental health and engineering Billy 

Hix. 

As the first major stipulation outlined in the 

LCR Revisions (LCRR), water utilities have 

until 16 Oct 2024 to establish a preliminary 

inventory of all service line materials. 

Information must be digital and submitted 

to the governing body responsible 

for reporting in each state, which for 

the Cherokee Nation is the Oklahoma 

Department of Environmental Quality 

(ODEQ). The 120Water contract includes 

historical records review and inventory 

development, with funding assistance 

provided by the IHS. 

The partnership announcement came 

after the release of the US Environmental 

Protection Agency’s seventh drinking 

water infrastructure needs survey and 

assessment, which estimated US$625bn 

needed over the next 20 years to modernise 

water infrastructure. Report findings were 

used to determine annual funding to states 

through the drinking water state revolving 

fund. With a prediction of more than 28,000 

lead service lines, Oklahoma is slated 

to receive $28.6m for LSL Replacement 

(LSLR) improvements across the state. An 

additional $60m has been set aside for 

American Indian and Alaska Native water 

systems nationally. The Cherokee Nation 

hopes its work with 120Water will assist in 

helping obtain funds required to continue 

the lead remediation process beyond 

inventorying. 

Hix added, “A total of over 130 utilities within 

our reservation have to comply with the 

many facets of LCRR.” 

Encompassing nearly 7,000 square miles, 

the Cherokee Nation is a sovereign tribal 

government with more than 141,000 citizens 

residing within its reservation boundaries. 

Representatives from 120Water at the 

event included regional sales manager Jon 

Dawson, director of client success Logan 

Turner, and vice-president of sales Matt 

Boes. 



THE DESTRUCTION OF 

TOXINS IN WASTEWATER 

containing hardly degradable 

pollutants with Aquarden 

Aquarden develops and markets solutions that provide a way of treating 

problematic wastewater streams that have a high chemical oxygen demand (COD). 

reused as process water. It all takes place in 

a continuous, one-step process. 

Cost-benefit analyses show that the SCWO 

treatment achieves lower operating costs 

per cubic metre and better COD reduction 

compared to other destruction methods 

such as incineration and other chemical 

oxidation techniques. 

Aquarden’s SuperOx SCWO system 

Aquarden’s systems for wastewater treatment 

are based on a technology called supercritical 

water oxidation (SCWO). Supercritical is a 

physical state that water reaches when it is 

heated above 374°C and pressurised above 

221bar. 

When wastewater turns supercritical, it 

becomes a great medium for oxygen and 

organic molecules to react with one another as 

the solubility of inorganic substances drops. 

In Aquarden’s system, all hardly-degradable 

organic pollutants are destroyed in the oxidation 

process, producing only non-toxic compounds 

such as water, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen. 

SCWO TECHNOLOGY 

Salts and heavy metals are concentrated and 

removed at a temperature of around 374°C 

while organics oxidise further up in the reactor 

at 450-550°C. 

The salt-free supercritical wastewater is 

further heated to 450-550°C, where the 

following occurs: All organic compounds 

are oxidised to benign products like carbon 

dioxide and water. Other nitrogen containing 

compounds are converted into harmless 

nitrogen gas. Further, no dangerous gases are 

produced and more than 90% of the heat is 

reused by a built-in heat exchanger, offering a 

compact and energy-friendly process. 

The result is water that is free of salts and 

organics, and which can be disposed of 

through the sewer system, sent to sea, or 

The company has refined the SCWO process 

over years of research and development, 

treating wastewater with hardly degradable 

organic pollutants from various industries. 

These include the chemical, biotech, 

pharmaceutical, hospital, landfill, defence, 

and wastewater treatment industries. 

R&D AND PRODUCTION 

The company’s interdisciplinary team 

of mechanical and chemical engineers 

develops products and systems that are fully 

automated and in compliance with safety 

and environmental standards. 

Wastewater varies greatly in composition. 

Its pollutants can be medicinal drugs, 

hormones, per- and polyfluoroalkyl 

substances (PFAS), industrial chemicals, 

hormone-disrupting toxins, and pesticides. 

Its chemical staff subjects each waste 

stream to examination to ensure a treatment 

solution that conforms to discharge 

requirements. 



Aquarden routinely tests its systems to 

document the purification of the wastewater. 

Its SCWO reactors are fabricated from 

corrosion and heat-resistant alloys at 

production facility. 

With years of experience within the fields of 

metal processing and pressure equipment 

fabrication, production personnel work in 

partnership with its research team to refine the 

reactor designs with quality in manufacturing. 

Auxiliary systems are assembled from 

commercially available components to ensure 

maintenance and long operational lifetimes. 

SOLUTIONS AND SERVICE 

Aquarden provides an all-inclusive solution 

that helps clients improve their wastewater 

treatment processes and their triple 

bottom-line reporting. 

Based on the analysis of customer 

specifications and lab tests of the waste 

streams, Aquarden recommends system 

dimensions, operating parameters, 

pre- or post-treatment systems, and 

auxiliary equipment, if any. 

Depending on individual requirements, 

Aquarden delivers either tailor-made 

solutions or standard units. Systems 

are scalable and modular and are 

easily integrated with other treatment 

systems like filtration, concentration 

using reverse osmosis (RO), and ion 

exchange. All SCWO systems are 

plug-and-play and feature a continuous, 

fully automated process. The units are 

typically installed on-site at the clients’ 

premises, but off-site treatment may 

also be arranged. 

Aquarden’s solutions are designed to 

ensure low total cost of ownership with no 

transportation costs. On-site treatment 

eliminates high transportation costs to 

external wastewater treatment facilities, 

along with automated start-up and shutdown 

procedures that reduce expensive downtime. 

It also offers individual support and service, 

from ad-hoc support calls to outsourcing of 

the entire operation. 

THE COMPANY 

Aquarden was founded in 2005. It also 

partners with ArianeGroup — an European 

aerospace engineering company — to destroy 

hazardous waste in the space and defense 

sectors such as explosives and chemical 

warfare agents. Aquarden was awarded the 

2016-2017 European Business Award for the 

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“THIS FILTRATION SYSTEM 

does not require electricity” 

Prof Thalappil Pradeep — winner of 2022 VinFuture Special Prize for 

innovators from developing countries — has developed a low-cost filtration 

system to remove arsenic from groundwater, helping more than 

7.5 million people in India get access to clean water. 

By Amira Yunos 

India’s northern state of Punjab is 

known as the country’s breadbasket, 

due to its groundwater which flows 

down from the Himalayas. Much of 

that water, however, is contaminated 

with naturally occurring arsenic and 

iron. 

People who rely on well water in rural 

areas, especially poorer members of 

the local communities, are at risk of 

arsenic poisoning from drinking the 

contaminated water. 

“The long-term impact of drinking 

arsenic water can be deadly, and 

the problem has been a pressing 

concern in Punjab for many years,” 

Prof Pradeep said. “As we expanded 

the reach of our activities, we found 

that in several regions there are 

other contaminants too such as 

manganese, chromium and uranium.” 

Prof Pradeep and his team 

Based on his research, these metal 

nanoparticles could be used to 

disrupt bonds that bind and transport 

arsenic in the groundwater. This 

separation provided a means to purify 

groundwater at a low cost, reaching 

transforming contaminated water to 

clean drinking water for more than 7.5 

million people. 

FEATURES OF FILTRATION 

SYSTEM 

Prof Thalappil Pradeep 

(Image: Department 

of Chemistry, Indian 

Institute of Madras) 

discovered the processes for utilising 

millions of impacted households. 

In remote areas, this technology is 

nanomaterials, in which nanoparticles 

even more advantageous because it 

of metals, such as silver, can 

In 2020, more than 80 purification 

does not require electricity. 

break down pesticide molecules. 

units using his technology have 

“This is a process called reductive 

been installed in Punjab, providing 

Prof Pradeep added: “Our water 

dehalogenation, which led to the 

arsenic-free drinking water to about 

purifier works by using advanced 

discovery of utilising nanomaterials 

150,000 people. The purifiers are also 

nanomaterials. These materials, 

in practical drinking water filters,” he 

in use in other states, including Uttar 

although composed of nanoparticles, 

said. 

Pradesh, Bihar and west Bengal, 

appear like black sand.” 



The arsenic and iron removal 

technology is due to new materials 

which remove the different forms of 

arsenic present in groundwater at 

equal efficiency. 

“The contaminated water passes 

through the filter, which traps the 

arsenic, iron, uranium, and other 

contaminants. The system is low-cost 

because it does not use expensive 

materials or membranes, and it does 

not require electricity, which makes it 

ideal for use in rural areas.” 

1 

The system can be operated 

continuously with only two 15-minute 

maintenance procedure, once 

a month, and it produces less 

wastewater than treatment with 

alternate methods such as reverse 

osmosis (RO), according to him. 

For Prof Pradeep, his work is driven 

by a belief in the vital importance of 

clean water technologies for the poor 

and the need for low-cost solutions 

that can be operated continuously with 

minimal maintenance. 

2 

THE VINFUTURE SPECIAL PRIZE 

The VinFuture prize award by the 

VinFuture Foundation was held on 

20 Dec 2022 in Hanoi, Vietnam to 

celebrate scientific breakthroughs 

that contribute to global recovery 

and post-pandemic restructuring. 

Prof Pradeep was the recipient for 

the US$500,000 Special Prize for 

innovators from developing countries. 

He plans to continue his water 

purification research and 

expand his team’s reach to 

more communities across the 

country. Prof Pradeep founded the 

International Centre for Clean Water 

with the objective of building a 

water-secure world. The incubated 

companies have already set up 

water sensor networks across the 

country, as part of the government 

programmes. In the next 10 years, 

it is expected that over 100 million 

water sensor networks will be 

deployed cumulatively at homes 

and in treatment plants. He also 

co-founded seven companies around 

advanced materials, capacitive 

deionisation, atmospheric water 

harvesting, and advanced sensors. 

1 Prof Pradeep 

was selected 

from nearly 

1,000 

nominations 

across 71 

countries 

(Image: 

VinFuture 

Foundation) 

2 Punjabi boys 

enjoying clean 

water derived 

from his 

technology 

It is our hope that this also inspires 

innovators to find solutions to problems 

faced in developing countries 

all over the world. 

“It is our hope that this will draw 

the attention of academic institutions 

and other sources of funding, and 

also inspires innovators to find 

solutions to problems faced in 

developing countries all over the 

world,” he said. 



TIGHTENING 

CYBERSECURITY 

in the water industry 

Previously, Vijay Vaidyanathan, regional vice-president, solutions engineering, 

Asia-Pacific and Japan, Claroty shared about the NIST framework implementation 

progress in the water sector. In this issue, he tells us ways to tighten cybersecurity 

measures in Singapore and the Asia-Pacific region. 


to managing cybersecurity, helping 

organisations to identify and prioritise 

their most critical assets, assess the 

effectiveness of their current cybersecurity 

measures, and implement measures to 

protect against potential threats. 

I believe that the full implementation of the 

NIST framework in Singapore will further 

enhance the country’s efforts to protect 

against cyber threats and secure its critical 

information infrastructure. The country’s 

commitment to cybersecurity and its strong 

legal framework make it well-positioned 

to fully adopt and implement the NIST 

framework, and I look forward to seeing this 

progress in the near future. 

With the Singapore’s Cybersecurity Bill 

passed in 2018, when and why do you think 

Singapore will fully implement the NIST 

framework implementation progress? 

Vijay Vaidyanathan: The implementation 

of the NIST framework in Singapore is on 

course to be fully realised as the country 

continues to prioritise the protection of its 

critical information infrastructure and national 

security. The Cybersecurity Bill passed in 

2018 serves as a strong foundation for the 

implementation of cybersecurity standards 

and best practices, including those outlined in 

the NIST framework. 

In the current digital landscape, cyber threats 

are constantly evolving and becoming 

more sophisticated, making it increasingly 

important for organisations to adopt a 

comprehensive and proactive approach to 

cybersecurity. The NIST framework provides 

a systematic and risk-based approach 

Despite government facilities’ 

willingness to adopt the framework, why 

are resources still lacking in the water 

and wastewater utilities to support a 

robust cybersecurity programme? 

Vaidyanathan: There are several reasons, 

including the prioritisation of operational 

and physical security. Water and 

wastewater utilities may focus on physical 

security and operational efficiency over 

cybersecurity, which can result in a lack 

of resources being allocated towards the 

development of a robust cybersecurity 

programme. 



Another reason is ageing infrastructure. Many 

water and wastewater utilities have ageing 

infrastructure, including control systems, 

that may not have been designed with 

cybersecurity in mind. Upgrading or replacing 

these systems to improve cybersecurity can 

be an investment that may be challenging 

for some utilities. To rectify these resource 

challenges, water and wastewater utilities 

can take several steps, including prioritising 

cybersecurity. Upgrading and modernising 

infrastructure is a critical step as well. This 

may involve improving or replacing ageing 

infrastructure, such as control systems, to 

boost cybersecurity efficiency. 

What are the cyber-physical threats and 

dangers to water infrastructure in the 

APAC region? 

Vaidyanathan: In the Asia-Pacific region, 

there have been several high-profile 

examples of cyber-physical threats to water 

infrastructure. For example, in 2016, the 

Maroochy Shire Council in Australia was 

targeted in a cyber-attack that resulted in the 

release of over 1 million litres of raw sewage 

into local waterways. In another incident in 

2020, a water treatment plant in Vietnam 

was targeted in a ransomware attack that 

temporarily disrupted the plant’s operations. 

These incidents highlight the need for 

increased investment in cybersecurity for 

water infrastructure to ensure the protection 

and reliability of these critical systems in the 

Asia-Pacific region. 

insights into water usage, quality, and 

distribution, enabling them to make informed 

decisions and optimise their operations. 

Furthermore, XIoT can help in improving 

the security of water supply systems and 

reducing the risk of water contamination and 

theft, ensuring that communities have access 

to safe and secure water supplies. 

For these reasons, the water industry should 

gear towards securing XIoT as it offers a 

solution for managing and securing water 

resources and supplies, while also providing 

insights and enabling better decision-making. 

By incorporating XIoT into their operations, 

companies and organisations can improve 

their efficiency, sustainability, and security, 

and contribute to a better future for both the 

water industry and society as a whole. 

How has Claroty supported the shift 

towards NIST framework in the water 

industry? 

Vaidyanathan: Claroty, a partner for 

customers in the water and wastewater 

sectors, applauds the industry standards 

and best practices that help organisations 

manage cybersecurity risks. 

Our technology and expertise help our 

customers and partners in keeping disruptive 

attacks at bay. We also understand the 

government’s need for enhanced visibility 

into the operational technology (OT) networks 

at the hub of indispensable services, public 

safety, and national security. 

critical assets. At Claroty, we have focused 

on extending the reach of our platform to 

cover the XIoT. We continue to build on our 

capabilities, including full-spectrum visibility, 

risk and vulnerability management, threat 

detection, and secure remote access controls 

for industrial, healthcare, and enterprise 

environments. Our platform allows users to 

extend their governance model to include the 

breadth of devices and systems within and 

connected to their environment, and to assess 

and strengthen their overall security posture. 

Our clients, on top of their existing 

infrastructure, utilise the component of 

continuous threat detection (CTD) for 

full spectrum OT, IoT, and IIoT visibility, 

continuous security monitoring, and real-time 

risk insights with zero impact to operational 

processes and underlying devices. They 

also use secure remote access (SRA) to 

safeguard the industrial networks from threats 

introduced via unmanaged or unmonitored 

access by remote users, including third-party 

vendors, contractors, and technicians. Finally, 

enterprise management console (EMC) is 

utilised to simplify management at scale, 

consolidating data from Claroty products and 

provide a unified view of assets, activities, 

and alerts across multiple sites. The Claroty 

Platform also integrates via the EMC with 

the company’s newly deployed IT security 

infrastructure. 

What is XIoT and why should the industry 

gear towards securing it? 

Vaidyanathan: The Extended Internet of 

Things (XIoT) is a holistic umbrella term that 

encompasses all cyber-physical devices 

connected to the internet. An organisation’s 

XIoT can include cyber-physical systems. 

By leveraging advanced technologies such 

as IoT sensors, cloud computing, artificial 

intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), 

predictive technology and advance process 

control, the water industry can gain real-time 

Water facilities and utilities cannot defend 

what they cannot see. Technology that 

identifies connected assets, vulnerabilities 

putting those assets at risk, and provides 

remediation strategies are important. 

Secure remote access technologies 

purpose-built for OT that provide user 

provisioning, role- and policy-based access 

controls, alerting, and the capability to 

audit, investigate, and terminate potentially 

malicious remote sessions must be a 

requisite for facilities with online connected 

Vijay Vaidyanathan, regional vice-president, 

solutions engineering, Asia-Pacific and Japan 



KORI ODYSSEY: 

The sail to secure drinking 

water in Pacific islands 

Martin Bourillet — Mascara Nouvelles 

Technologies’ (NT) project manager — 

shares about Kori Odyssey initiative led 

by a team of three; sailing and utilising 

solar energy to secure drinking water 

in remote areas. The team plans to visit 22 

archipelagos in the South Pacific region this 

year, meeting with water stakeholders to 

discuss how best to address their needs. 


The boat is an eco-friendly mode of 

transport to meet remote communities 



Mascara, a French company 

specialising in water treatment 

solutions using renewable energies, 

launched the Kori Odyssey initiative 

to implement tailored water access 

programmes using solar energy 

in remote areas. The company 

developed Osmosun, a solar 

desalination technology. It has 

already installed 60 Osmosun units in 

15 countries around the globe, from 

Africa to South East Asia, and to the 

Pacific. 

The courier departed from Papeete 

on 15 Feb 2023, and plans to 

visit 22 archipelagos in the South 

Pacific region, meeting with water 

stakeholders and discussing how 

best to address their needs. 

As many Pacific islands are lacking 

in fresh water, this autonomous and 

battery-free desalination technology 

provides sustainable and affordable 

water to remote communities, 

according to Bourillet. Kori Odyssey’s 

one-year itinerary includes meeting 

water stakeholders in these rural 

communities via sailboat. 

The objective of the coalition is to 

deepen the understanding of these 

communities’ challenges. In the 

operational phase, the team will install 

Osmosun. After which, it involves 

the community in the operation and 

maintenance of the solar desalination, 

cultivating a long-term service. 

“Desalination is not here to 

replace rainwater harvesting,” 

Bourillet added. “I would say the 

right solution is really a mix of 

the three: brackish underground 

water, rainwater harvesting and 

desalination.” 

But in the archipelago of low islands 

with no altitude, underground 

water is not readily available, 

which means a heavy reliance on 

rainwater. During dry seasons, 

accessing water becomes difficult. 

Mascara’s technology thus 

alleviates the water problem 

during this time. The team also 

hosts workshops to educate the 

community about its eco-friendly 

approach to technology, which 

aligns with the Pacific culture to 

protect its environment. 

“They are interested by the 

technology and our approach of 

doing it on a sailboat to spend 

time understanding needs of these 

communities,” Bourillet said, “For 

instance, we have a workshop at 

the guest house to meet water 

stakeholders of the island of 

Rangiroa to present the technology, 

understand the need and discuss 

possibilities.” 

THE CHALLENGES OF THE 

ODYSSEY 

Although the team has good internet 

connection in the middle of the ocean, 

having it is not enough. 

“The real challenge beyond any project 

is to have a tailor-made programme, 

something that is built with the 

community and for the community, and 

not imposed by a foreign company,” 

he added. 

Bourillet said that the community 

needs to adapt to the technology 

themselves to build a long-term 

service. However, due to the 

remoteness of this endeavour, 

logistically, transporting energy 

equipment and its spare parts have 

proven arduous. Reverse osmosis (RO) 

requires mechanics and electronics 

skills hence the longevity of this 

project is dependent on the skills 

imparted to these communities. 

Kori Odyssey, in response, trains the 

operator with a three-level operation 

and maintenance scheme. 

“We will train the operator on-site, the 

technician of the community of the 

water committee, and the municipal 

council for the basic and daily 

operation,” Bourillet said. “We have 

SOLAR ENERGY AS A 

DESALINATION SOLUTION 

Many remote areas already have 

rainwater and brackish groundwater 

harvesting, which are already good 

solutions, according to Bourillet. 

As desalination is more energy 

consuming, a mix of different 

resources would be the ideal 

solution. 

The team of three 

anticipates the scale up 

of the programme 



Kori Odyssey 

plans to deploy 

and co-build its 

Osmosun solar 

desalination 

solutions to a 

potential target 

of 125 villages 

a technical partner in the capital city 

that can provide outline, spare parts 

and support for installation after-sales 

service to help the daily operator in 

the process, and then at a third level, 

Mascara, where we provide support to 

our partner in the capital city.” 

Data collection is another challenge. 

While Mascara wants a non-electronic 

system to make it easy for the 

communities technically and 

financially, bringing back quality data 

is essential for operational feedback. 

data from the operator directly. This 

ensured reliable data collection for 

long-term planning to improve Kori 

Odyssey’s system. 

Further, Kori Odyssey is also 

collaborating with international 

development agencies to help these 

communities connect with the support 

from these donors. Discussions with 

the World Bank, Luxembourg, German 

and French corporations are ongoing 

to garner support for the beneficiaries. 

For Bourillet, Kori Odyssey stemmed 

from the idea to build an adaptive 

programme catapulted by on-the-ground 

discussions. “To me, the Pacific way is 

to find solutions together and that is the 

direction we are willing to integrate,” he 

said, “Technology is one thing, 

but having it integrate into the 

ecosystem is another. We are trying 

to build a long-term service with the 

people there.” 

Images: Mascara 

To solve this, the team works in other 

places where it is more automated to 

liaise with the water committee in the 

capital city. For instance, at the team’s 

recent stopover in Port Vila, Vanuatu, 

they relied on a water company to 

support the water committee. The 

water company then collected the 

Technology is one thing, but having it 

integrate into the ecosystem is another. 

We are trying to build a long-term service 

with the people there. 


IN THE FIELD 

RIVER WATER 

MONITORING IN 

BANGKOK 

using WTW spectral 

sensors 

A multi-branch network of channels 

covering hundreds of square 

kilometres, also referred to as 

Khlongs, connects the adjacent 

rivers Chao Phraya, Tha Chin and 

Bang Pakong in Bangkok, Thailand. 

This Khlong network is utilised as 

a transport route, as a drainage 

system for storm and flood events, 

as a circulation system for brackage 

water for the shrimp farms at the 

southern end of the city, as well as a 

transport medium for wastewater via 

the rivers into the ocean. 

According to the Thailand State of 

Pollution Report 2015 of the Thai 

Pollution Control Departments 

(PCD), the quality of the surface 

waters was evaluated as good in 

34%, as moderate in 41% and as 

poor in 25%. 

In metropolitan Bangkok with its 

high population, industrial density 

and insufficient wastewater 

treatment capacities, about 55% of 

wastewater reach the Khlongs and 

rivers in an untreated state. 

To improve the general quality 

of the water in Thailand, the 

A measuring 

station at the river 

Chao Phraya in 

Bangkok 


IN THE FIELD 

1 2 

planned construction of four new 

wastewater treatment plants in 

Bangkok by the Bangkok Metropolitan 

Administration (BMA) is intended to 

increase wastewater volume treated 

by wastewater treatment plants. 

The Thai cabinet has approved a 

two-year action plan to improve 

the water quality of the Saen Saep 

Khlong. Public campaigns are 

targeted to sharpen the population´s 

environmental awareness regarding 

water contamination and solution 

approaches to improve water quality. 

The existing system for monitoring 

water quality in the metropolitan region 

of Bangkok is to be expanded further. 

There are plans to install additional 

automatic river water measuring 

stations at various Khlongs and at the 

river Chao Phraya, which flows through 

Bangkok. 

The operators of these river water 

measuring stations are the BMA and 

the PCD. The measured data recorded 

3 

by their sensors can be transmitted 

to central servers. This data can be 

integrated into models for water quality 

early warning systems along with 

additional measuring data such as 

precipitation volumes, levels and flow 

measurements. In addition, the data 

for a five-level water quality evaluation 

of ‘very good’, ‘good’, ‘sufficient’, 

‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ are used and 

published for transparency on PCD’s 

home page. 

In 2023, the Thai business partner 

of Xylem Analytics has equipped a 

total of more than 200 state-owned 

river water measuring stations 

for measuring water quality in the 

metropolitan area of Bangkok with 

measuring devices manufactured 

1 Khlong, where 

NiCaVis 705 IQ 

tests for COD 

and nitrate were 

conducted by 

means of the 

spectral sensor 

2 Water sampling 

site of a 

measuring 

station equipped 

with a floater 

to allow water 

sampling, by 

means of a 

submersion 

pump, during 

fluctuating 

water levels 

3 COD and nitrate 

data from the 

test phase on a 

Khlong, where 

purified water is 

discharged from 

a wastewater 

treatment plant 

at an industrial 

park 


IN THE FIELD 

by WTW. The measured standard 

parameters are oxygen, turbidity, 

pH value and conductivity. Another 

16 measuring stations were added 

which measure the additional 

chemical (COD) and the biochemical 

oxygen demand (BOD) as 

parameters for the organic load, as 

well as nitrate by means of spectral 

sensors, such as NiCaVis 705 IQ. 

The decision to use WTW online 

spectral sensors in river water 

monitoring applications, which 

were originally intended for use in 

municipal wastewater, was preceded 

by testing in different Khlongs. The 

‘very good’ match of sensor-COD 

and nitrate values with laboratory 

reference values, which was 

determined in the course of COD 

and cuvette tests, convinced Green 

Banyan, PCD and BMA regarding 

the spectral measuring principle. 

The continuously operating 

ultrasound cleaning system 

which is integrated in the spectral 

sensors and the additional installed 

compressed air cleaning system 

allowed measured values over time 

frames of several weeks without 

frequent manual cleaning of the 

measuring windows. The sensors 

were not installed directly in the 

Khlongs or rivers but the water 

sample was pumped into the 

measuring station on the shore by 

means of submersion pumps. The 

measuring stations are equipped with 

flow-through units for the sensors, 

data storage and modems for remote 

data transmission. 

4 The inside of the measuring station 

with IQ controllers, a cleaning air box 

for additional cleaning of the spectral 

sensor by means of compressed air 

as well as a modem for remote data 

transfer, to the left: flow-through basin 

with installed oxygen, pH, conductivity 

and turbidity sensors 

5 One of the 16 newly installed river water 

measuring stations in the metropolitan 

area of Bangkok 

6 A spectral sensor with flow-through 

fitting and additional compressed air 

cleaning installed at the back of the 

measuring station 

4 

5 6 


IN THE FIELD 

AN ENVIRONMENTAL 

AIRPORT 

wastewater solution 

When a utilities and services provider was commissioned to create an 

environmentally critical application for one of the world’s busy airports, they 

collaborated with water-treatment specialist SEKO for a fail-safe solution. 

SEKO customised a solution for the client 

This multi-terminal European airport 

welcomes in an excess of 80 million 

passengers each year, and pre-pandemic, 

handled as many as 1,300 flights per day. 

Typical of such a large-scale operation, the 

airport’s management faced a huge number 

of logistical challenges to ensure flights leave 

safely and on time. During winter, chief among 

these was overcoming the effect of severe cold 

weather on aircraft. 

INDUSTRIAL-SCALE DE-ICING TO 

PREVENT FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS 

The presence of snow and ice was a major 

issue in aviation as it disrupts airflow over an 

aircraft’s wings and tail, hindering its ability to 

create lift and consequently preventing pilots 

from taking off. 

The airport in question was no exception, and 

the management knew that if this problem was 

not addressed, they faced the potential delay 

or cancellation of hundreds of flights. The 

subsequent disruption would cause travellers 

inconvenience and damage the airport’s 

reputation for maximising its flight capacity. 

To protect itself against adverse 

weather conditions, the airport invested 

in industrial-sized de-icing cannons for 

spraying airliners with a heated glycol fluid 

which would ensure that settled snow and ice 

melted while preventing further build-up once 

planes were airborne. 

A COMMITMENT TO MINIMISING 

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT 

Despite the benefits of this approach, the 

operator was concerned that wastewater from 

the process could contaminate waterways 

with glycol, which would potentially have a 

devastating effect on surrounding waterborne 

wildlife. With up to 1,000l of de-icer required 

to clear an Airbus A380, the pollution risk was 

significant. Further, any contamination incident 

would setback years of its efforts in reducing 

environmental impact. 

Airport management thus commissioned 

a utilities provider to build and operate a 

dedicated treatment works adjacent to the 

site to improve the quality of wastewater 

discharged. 

When designing the plant, the utilities company 

decided to treat wastewater via a flocculation 

process, whereby contaminated particles in a 

liquid clump together and then sink, separating 

them from the clean water, which would be 

safely discharged. 

Water-treatment dosing and control specialist 

SEKO was approached to supply an automated 

polymer batching system that could separate 

pollutants and allow treated water to be safely 

discharged into a nearby watercourse. 

Following an assessment of the site and 

application, the result of this process saw 

SEKO recommend its PolyCendos polymer 


IN THE FIELD 

preparation unit (PPU) to automatically 

The siphon transfers the solution to 

dose up to 200l of wastewater per 

the maturing chamber, where another 

second with flocculant. 

slow agitator keeps the mixture 

uniform until maturing is complete. 

SAFETY, RELIABILITY AND 

PERFORMANCE IN ONE 

Subsequently, the solution is 

PolyCendos is an all-in-one system for 

transferred to a storage chamber 

the preparation of polymer solutions 

from where it can be transferred 

in heavy-duty water-treatment 

for use. When this tank is full, the 

environments. The system is supplied 

powder dosing pump automatically 

complete with an IP65-rated electric 

stops and the water inlet is closed, 

control panel, dosing pumps and 

powder feeder. 

preventing further solution from 

being batched. 

1 

The unit has three chambers for 

dissolving, maturing and storage which 

are interconnected by syphons, forming 

a flow necessary for the formation of 

a high-quality solution. The chambers 

Finally, two motor-driven SEKO’s 

PS2 spring series pumps dose the 

polymer solution into the wastewater, 

with flow-rate adjustment performed 

automatically by SEKO’s Aktua 

2 

1 SEKO’s 

PolyCendos PPU 

2 Elektra allows 

the operator to 

access process 

data on demand 

include inspection covers and emptying 

control unit, which can be calibrated 

valves, and are made in PPH for 

during operation. 

chemical resistance and a low-friction 

surface. 

BRINGING IOT TO DOSING 

As part of a packaged solution, 

PolyCendos’s safety features include a 

SEKO also supplied its spring pumps 

safety pressure switch for the automatic 

and its Elektra digital controllers 

water supply system, emergency stop 

for dosing of anti-foam, which is 

for all components and a separate 

commonly required in wastewater 

safety level switch for overflow levels. 

HOW POLYCENDOS WORKS 

processes. 

The IoT-enabled Elektra meant users 

AFTER-SALES SUPPORT AS PART 

OF A COMPLETE SERVICE 

First, operators will tip powdered 

could control anti-foam dosing from 

With this water-treatment system in 

polymer into a hopper from 20kg bags, 

any location via PC, laptop or smart 

place, the airport management could 

in compliance with manual handling 

device with the SekoWeb app. 

ensure the quality of discharged water, 

regulations. When the level of prepared 

This platform, also available via 

protect local wildlife and enhance their 

solution falls below the minimum level, 

web browser, brings operational 

drive towards sustainable growth — 

an alarm indicates that the powder tank 

efficiency to multiple water-treatment 

all without compromising daily flight 

must be replenished. 

processes, giving operators access 

schedule and service delivery. 

to data 24/7 as well as the capacity to 

Next, the powdered polymer enters 

adjust programming without the need 

Meanwhile, SEKO’s policy of working 

the system via a stainless-steel 

to be on-site. 

alongside its client at every stage 

batching screw — managed by a 

of the process meant that airport 

precise speed regulator — and mixes 

SekoWeb connection was useful here 

management had after-sales service, 

with water before the resulting solution 

because the client’s site management 

supported with technical guidance after 

drops into tank one below and the 

operated multiple plants and were 

installation. This assistance from the 

dissolving phase begins. A customised 

not always present at the airport. 

local SEKO team ensured site engineers 

stainless-steel agitator slowly and 

This gave the ability to remotely 

were fully trained and could get the 

continuously turns the tank’s contents, 

view and adjust dosage, saving time 

most out of their equipment. 

ensuring thorough homogenisation of 

while reducing travel costs and the 

the solution. 

environmental footprint. 

Images: SEKO 


IN THE FIELD 

THE NEXT 

GENERATION OF 

ZWEEC’s biomonitoring 

technology 

Singapore-based water technology company 

ZWEEC Analytics introduces the next generation of 

its smart biomonitoring technology, Aquapro. Previously 

named AquaTEC, it improved its application, detection 

sensitivity, reliability, and operability. 

PERFORMANCE IN HIGH 

TURBIDITY WATER 

The newly launched Aquapro is 

designed to perform in high turbid 

water condition with up to 150 

nephelometric turbidity unit (NTU). Its 

artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm and 

visualisation enhancement enable it 

to distinguish the fish, even when the 

human eye fails to visualise due to the 

cloudiness of water. 

Aquapro is able to monitor 20 fish in 

motion with accuracy. The fish is locally 

sourced, depending on the availability 

in the region. In Singapore and warmer 

regions, the tiger barb is a common 

type of fish used. In colder regions such 

as Taiwan, shubunkin is an alternative. 

Aquapro’s tiered 

alarm system 

DESIGNED FOR LOW 

MAINTENANCE 

A new fish tank design and an 

automatic flushing feature are also 


IN THE FIELD 

1 

added to Aquapro. It prevents the 

accumulation of sediments that 

could, over time, affect the system 

visualisation and service maintenance 

is also less frequent. 

2 

This presents a fully automated and 

centralised biomonitoring system. The 

project monitoring the quality of raw 

water supply at Singapore’s National 

Water Agency, PUB’s Tengeh Pumping 

Station showed robust performance of 

fish detection. 

Aquapro enables real-time, 24/7, 

continuous water quality monitoring 

that could be accessed remotely, 

for intervention to safeguard water 

security, and increase operational 

productivity. 

INROAD INTO TAIWAN AND THE 

MIDDLE EAST 

In late 2022, Aquapro made an inroad 

into Taiwan and the Middle East. These 

are upscale deployments after both 

countries initially adopted the previous 

supplied to end-user residents and the 

semiconductor industry. In the Middle 

East, Abu Dhabi Distribution Company 

(ADDC) adopted the technology at 

their drinking water pumping station in 

smart remediation, smart analytics, 

and smart IoT infrastructure. 

Adopting an integrated and 

data-driven approach, ZWEEC 

1 Aquapro 

deployment at 

ADDC 

2 Aquapro 

deployment at 

TWC 

generation system, AquaTEC. 

Yas island and Jabana. 

leverages on AI, advance analytics, 

and predictive modelling to power 

Taiwan Water Corporation (TWC) 

ZWEEC has developed technology 

IoT solutions for early intervention 

adopted Aquapro at their Hsinchu 

solutions to aid in the water cycle 

opportunities. 

water treatment plant to monitor 

from source to distribution, with 

raw water quality that treated and 

applications in smart monitoring, 

Images: ZWEEC 


IN THE FIELD 

INDONESIA’S 

DAM PROJECT 

supports water access 

in tourism destination 

Hutama Karya uses digital monitoring software to promote safety 

and sustainability in key national infrastructure project. 

By Aude Camus, senior product marketing manager, reality modelling at Bentley Systems 

Hutama Karya 

decided to fully 

digitise its surveying 

and data collection 

processes 

Within the archipelagic nation of 

Indonesia, Bali is an island with an 

international tourism profile. But to its 

east in the chain of the Lesser Sunda 

Islands, the island of Lombok is also 

growing a reputation as a tourist 

destination. 

Lombok is known for Mount Rinjani, 

Indonesia’s second-highest volcano. 

Additionally, Mandalika, a resort area 

on the island’s southern coast, was 

named in 2020 as one of Indonesia’s 

five ‘super-priority destinations’ — 

sites that the Indonesian Tourism and 

Creative Economy Ministry is working to 

promote as international tourism hubs. 

Recently, Mandalika has attracted the 

2022 Indonesian motorcycle Grand 

Prix, which served as the second round 

in the international Moto Grand Prix 

Championship. 


IN THE FIELD 

However, island locals are facing a daily 

threat, one that is also holding back 

the area’s tourism potential. Lombok 

and the larger Indonesian province of 

west Nusa Tenggara have experienced 

growing water scarcity during dry 

seasons, with limited water available 

for drinking and sanitation. This 

scarcity also encroaches on Lombok’s 

agriculture practices; the island is one of 

the top rice producers in Indonesia, and 

farming is the most common profession 

among locals. 

To provide balance in water availability 

between Lombok’s rainy and dry 

seasons, Indonesia’s directorate of 

general water resources tapped on 

Hutama Karya, a state-owned enterprise 

that executes infrastructure projects, 

to engineer a dam in the west Lombok 

regency. This district stretches along 

most of the south-western coast of 

Lombok. The Indonesian government 

has honed in on the Meninting dam as 

a linchpin for the development of the 

country’s infrastructure and economy, 

officially naming it a ‘national strategic 

project for the acceleration of economic 

growth in Indonesia’. 

However, to achieve this vision, Hutama 

Karya’s engineers had to navigate tricky 

terrain. Parts of the site chosen for the 

dam were difficult to access with thick 

trees, shrubbery and steep conditions. 

The undeveloped site presented 

an unknown degree of hazards for 

surveyors and construction workers. 

When the team attempted to survey the 

property using traditional methods, the 

data collection process was drawn-out 

and dangerous. 

Considering these challenges, Hutama 

Karya decided to fully digitise its 

surveying and data collection processes. 

The team used a drone with a flying 

distance of 7-8km to capture images and 

data from the site’s hardest-to-reach 

areas. The drone’s findings were then 

processed using Bentley’s 3D reality 

modelling and real-time visualisation 

software to chart maps and monitor 

ongoing conditions at the site, identifying 

any new potential work hazards over time. 

This methodology cut the time required 

for data collection and monitoring by 

half. In total, project engineers saved 

an estimated $2.1m in fees by avoiding 

potential work-related accidents. 

future projects, and digital surveyance 

will become a best practice. 

SUSTAINABLE PRIORITIES 

Another one of Hutama Karya’s priorities 

for the Meninting dam was to keep the 

project’s development sustainable. 

For instance, during construction, the 

company reduced the impact of tree 

cutting. Where trees had to be removed 

in the dense forest area, steps were 

taken to use displaced soil in another 

area of the project. That soil was also 

used to plant new trees. 

It was important to ensure that 

construction activities did not result in 

further contamination of the Meninting 

watershed. Through digital monitoring, 

project managers noticed that river 

water around the dam’s construction 

was becoming dirty with excavated 

soil and heaps, creating a potential 

environmental risk for people who live 

within a 3km radius of the dam. Project 

managers were then able to reduce the 

pollution and avoid creating ill effects 

for the civilians they hoped to serve with 

this key infrastructure project. 

“It will support the agricultural sector of 

the locals, and also support economic 

growth by making a new destination for 

the tourism sector,” said Christy Vania, an 

engineer building information modelling 

(BIM) at Hutama Karya. 

SAFETY MEASURES 

Work on the US$95.15m Meninting 

dam began in 2019 and should last 

into 2023. When completed, the dam 

will be 79m high with a water capacity 

of 12 million m 3 . It will irrigate more than 

1,500 hectares of agricultural property 

and ensure the availability of clean water 

to nearby Lombok residents and tourists. 

Additionally, the dam will provide an 

additional 0.8MW of hydroelectric power 

to the community. 

“Because the terrain is steep, there is a 

high potential for landslides. But we had 

around 1,200,000 safe resource hours 

without lost time or injury,” said Vania. 

For the construction phase of the project, 

these digital visualisation tools were 

folded into Hutama Karya’s geographic 

information system (GIS) dashboard, 

which also integrated BIM capabilities. 

Post-construction, these tools will also be 

useful so that Indonesia’s directorate of 

general water resources can monitor the 

dam’s performance and upkeep. 

Vania believes that the safety and cost 

benefits evident from Hutama Karya’s 

innovations on the Mentinting dam will 

be carried forward into the organisation’s 

Aude Camus, senior product marketing manager, 

reality modelling at Bentley Systems 


IN THE FIELD 

PERFORMING UNDER 

HIGH PRESSURE 

in wastewater treatment 

Energy Recovery’s new Ultra PX pressure exchanger delivers cost 

and energy savings while eliminating toxic wastewater. 

slugs of ammonium phosphate. 

To tackle this problem, the facility 

enlisted Sinochem Memtech, a 

subsidiary of Sinochem International 

and an enterprise focusing on 

membrane product solutions for 

the water treatment industry, to 

design a treatment facility using 

a combination of technologies 

to pretreat the waste stream. By 

employing two reverse osmosis (RO) 

stages and an ultra-high-pressure 

reverse osmosis (UHPRO) stage, 

Sinochem reduced the process 

flow rate by 90%, before using a 

thermal process on the remaining 

flow to reach zero liquid discharge 

(ZLD). However, these processes 

would normally require high energy 

consumption, making it harder to 

achieve cleaner operations without 

incurring high costs. 

The estimated cost 

savings is about 

US$186,176 per 

year (Image: Energy 

Recovery) 

China has made water conservation 

a key priority and is ramping up 

regulations around wastewater 

discharge, limiting both the 

high-performing solution to treat its 

wastewater for reuse while producing 

this component used in electric 

vehicles around the world. 

COUPLE THE ENERGY 

RECOVERY PX WITH THE ULTRA 

PX FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Sinochem chose the PX Pressure 

Exchanger for the second RO stage 

concentration of contaminants 

and the Ultra PX — flow ranging 

and discharge volume. Industrial 

The site produces 50,000 tonnes of 

from 4.5-13.6m³/hr and designed to 

wastewater treatment is a crucial 

LFP per year for large lithium iron 

operate in an ultra-high-pressure 

but oftentimes expensive process. A 

battery manufacturers, resulting 

environment — for the UHPRO 

lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode 

in a combined waste stream with 

stage to capture energy otherwise 

manufacturing facility in the Hubei 

approximately 16,000mg/l of 

wasted in these high-pressure 

province needed a cost-effective, 

ammonium sulfate and periodic 

processes. The combination of 


IN THE FIELD 

these technologies lowered the 

overall energy consumption for 

waste treatment, allowing the site 

to decrease both operating and 

capital expenses, and to reduce the 

investment in the thermal system. As 

an added benefit, treated freshwater 

is also circulated back into the battery 

production facility, creating a closed 

water system that slashes water 

consumption and associated costs. 

CLEANER OPERATIONS WITHOUT 

HIGHER ENERGY CONSUMPTION 

This site was the first to commission 

an Ultra PX in early 2022. Site 

visits were conducted to confirm 

performance of the Ultra PX. While the 

facility has yet to ramp up to its full 

capacity, under real-world operating 

conditions, the PX achieved an 

efficiency of more than 95%, and the 

Ultra PX an efficiency of more than 

93%. With this savings, the payback 

for the equipment will be less than 

two years even at reduced feedwater 

levels of total dissolved solids (TDS). 

As the plant continues to increase 

TDS concentrations and system 

pressures, increased energy savings 

can be expected. 

The PX accommodates a wide 

operating range for flow and 

pressure. The waste stream 

parameters from a cathode 

manufacturing plant can vary 

in terms of flow rate, TDS, and 

temperature, which will lead to wide 

flow and pressure operating ranges 

for RO processes. The Ultra PX can 

accommodate these changes while 

maintaining performance. 

“By integrating the PX and the 

Ultra PX into our high-pressure and 

ultra-high-pressure concentration 

process sections, energy consumption 

in the concentration process is reduced 

by about 51% and energy consumption 

across the entire wastewater treatment 

system is reduced by 4-5%,” Liu 

GenTing, vice-president of technical, 

Sinochem Membrane Technology said. 

“The result is a membrane concentration 

system that is more affordable and more 

energy efficient, thereby reducing the 

investment and operation expenses 

of the downstream evaporation 

crystallisation system.” 


IN THE FIELD 

SHANGHAI MEETS SLUDGE 

CHALLENGE WITH 

ANDRITZ complete solution 

The Bailonggang wastewater treatment plant processes most of the 

Shanghai’s sludge. When ANDRITZ supplied a sludge drying and 

incineration plant, landfilling of sludge from Bailonggang stopped. 

The new plant also runs largely without fossil fuel. 

The Bailonggang 

Wastewater 

Treatment Plant 

(Image: SMEDI - 

Shanghai Municipal 

Engineering Group) 

The Bailonggang wastewater 

treatment plant in Shanghai, China 

is said to be one of the largest in 

Asia and has been in operation 

since 1999. In 2010, ANDRITZ built 

an adjacent sludge drying plant 

to process part of the sludge in 

phase one. The remainder was 

transported to landfill, which 

proved problematic given the vast 

quantities requiring disposal and 

increasing distance to transport 

the sludge to available sites. 

Thus, the Shanghai government 

looked for an environmentally 

friendly solution involving 

sludge incineration. “ANDRITZ 

had worked closely with the 

Bailonggang operators when we 

installed phase one. Previously, 

we also had delivered China’s 

first municipal sludge drying plant 

and had supplied Hong Kong 

with a major sludge incineration 

plant to generate power from 

sludge. Hence, we decided to 

propose a complete ANDRITZ 

solution to respond to this 

challenge,” said Yan Xu, the 

project manager. 

The company proposed a 

package that included sludge 

handling and drying systems, 

incineration systems, flue 

gas treatment, and full plant 

automation. ANDRITZ was also 

responsible for engineering, 

manufacturing, delivery, and 

supervision of erection and 

commissioning work. 


IN THE FIELD 

Its specialists across the globe 

worked together to implement 

this project. “Although the project 

execution largely fell within the 

global pandemic, we managed 

to build the plant in record 

time,” said Christian Lackinger, 

ANDRITZ project director. The 

Bailonggang plant has been 

running since early 2021. 

LARGE AND ECO-FRIENDLY 

The ANDRITZ plant at Bailonggang 

is a sludge drying and incineration 

plant that handles 3,000 tonnes 

of wet sludge per day, according 

to the group. This is equivalent to 

about 130 40-ft containers full of 

sludge every day. 

Combustion takes place in six 

‘EcoFluid’ bubbling fluidised bed 

boilers, each with a firing capacity of 

100 tonnes of dry substance a day. 

The boilers are fed with a mixture 

of fully dried and wet sludge. The 

organic components of the sludge 

produce energy in the boiler, and 

the remainder is collected as ash in 

silos as part of the flue gas treatment 

system. The incineration plant is 

equipped with a multi-stage flue gas 

treatment system, the operational 

emission values of which are below 

the regulated emission limits. 

The steam produced from 

combustion is used to dry parts of 

the wet sludge in nine fluidised bed 

drying systems, each capable of 

evaporating 9.6 tonnes of water per 

hour. The drying systems provide 

stable output conditions regardless 

of the sludge input, acting as a 

stabilising element in the fuel mix to 

the boilers. 

“As long as the organic content 

of the sludge is high enough, the 

plant can run largely without any 

fossil co-firing, taking the energy 

required from sludge combustion,” 

Lackinger added. “By converting 

sewage sludge to ash, the volume 

sent to landfill has decreased 

exponentially.” 

Supported by ANDRITZ 

technologies, the Bailonggang 

wastewater treatment plant 

in Shanghai has contributed 

towards a more sustainable 

future by principally operating on 

biofuel and reducing fossil-fuels 

consumption, industrial emissions, 

and landfill. 

The new plant runs 

largely without fossil 

fuel (Image: SMEDI - 

Shanghai Municipal 

Engineering Group) 


FOCUS 

THE WATER-ENERGY-FOOD 

nexus 

Of all the natural resources, water, energy and food 

are most needed to sustain life on earth. The 

interconnected water-energy-food nexus forms the 

core of the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) 

that make up the UN 2030 Agenda. 

By Chow Woai Sheng, Singapore general manager and vice-president of 

global instrument manufacturing, Agilent Technologies 

of all water withdrawals are used by 

agriculture and 90% of global power 

generation is water-intensive, while it 

typically takes between 3,000-5,000l 

of water to produce 1kg of rice. 

Despite the close relationship of 

water, energy, and food, different 

people in separate agencies perform 

the policymaking and funding of these 

resources, creating a silo that may 

lead to negative trade-offs impacting 

policy and technological choices. 

Urgent scale-up and coordinated 

actions by all countries are needed 

to accelerate SDG implementation to 

get back on track and chart a course 

for better recovery. Policy makers 

today shape their opinions based on 

science to make sound decisions. 

With increasing investments from 

governments in disruptive research 

projects to unlock technological 

bottlenecks, the emphasis is on 

resource recovery as the key to 

climate solutions. 

Water quality testing 

in a lab 

Science is responsible for 

humankind’s achievements, from 

small incremental improvements that 

scientists make daily to life-changing 

discoveries that ensure the safety and 

quality of our water, food, and energy. 

In South East Asia, the crises of 

the pandemic, climate change, 

and economy have magnified the 

challenges of achieving the SDGs. As 

the region continues looking for better 

policy options and initiatives in resource 

management, water-food-energy 

insecurity is an impediment to social 

stability and a circular economy. 

WATER-ENERGY-FOOD NEXUS AS 

AN ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY 

Pressure on the nexus has been 

compromised in parallel with decades 

of economic growth. For example, 72% 

WATER SECURITY 

Since 2002, the Singapore 

government has invested S$640m 

to foster technologies. Now, it has 

the ability to reuse saline water 

or wastewater for drinking water 

supplies through the development 

of high-pressure membranes and 

reverse osmosis (RO). Developing a 

water byproduct requires stringent 

testing to ensure it is safe for the 

public to drink. 

Agilent, a global scientific instrument 

company, plays a role in advancing 

research and testing, with its 


FOCUS 

scientists creating technology with 

increased capabilities to characterise 

the environment. Its field engineers 

work side-by-side with academic 

institutions, government agencies, and 

other organisations to help maximise 

productivity. 

High-resolution mass spectrometry 

and inductively coupled plasma 

instruments with gas and liquid 

chromatography (GC/LC) are used to 

identify substances such as disinfection 

byproducts and other halogenated 

species that were previously unknown 

to scientists. 

Agilent also collaborates with 

Singapore’s Nanyang Environment 

and Water Research Institute (NEWRI) 

to solve testing development water 

challenges for the government and 

local communities. Research by PUB, 

Singapore’s National Water Agency 

in developing new membranes could 

further enhance desalination process 

efficiency. If successful, this may boost 

water and energy security as the nation 

cuts reliance on fossil fuels, defining the 

‘two-way interaction’ nexus approach. 

ENERGY SECURITY 

Globally, governments and companies 

have the ability to replace fossil fuel 

and gas with the production of 

low-carbon hydrogen to generate 

electricity, power vehicles, and heat 

homes. The challenge is the large 

amounts of high-quality water used in 

hydrogen production. 

Scientists are finding new ways to 

separate hydrogen and oxygen gas from 

seawater in the electrolysis process 

using advanced technologies, which is 

key to reducing the energy-water nexus 

pressures. 

A next generation of clean energy 

emerged in the development of 

plasmonic carbon-neutral-fuel 

artificial photosynthesis producing 

hydrogen, methane, and oxygen. 

Agilent solutions supports China’s 

Beijing Guanghe Technology (BGT) in 

industrialising micro-GC technology 

for real-time gas concentration 

measurements to understand the 

effects of synthetic processes and 

compositions. It strives to provide new 

energy sources to address the nexus 

challenges, reduce carbon emissions, 

and create new economic growth 

opportunities. 

FOOD SECURITY 

There is growing investment in the 

research field of non-meat-based 

proteins to design cultivated meat 

as a future food. This includes 

plant-based, cell-based, and 

fermentation-based foods to repel 

consumers away from animal and 

seafood-based products, which 

exemplifies the creation of a more 

sustainable water-energy-food nexus 

and a circular economy. 

Since 2020, Agilent has signed two 

research collaboration agreements 

to support the Singapore Food Story 

R&D programme with the Singapore 

Institute of Food and Biotechnology 

Innovation (SIFBI) and the Future 

Ready Food Safety Hub (FRESH). 

They outlined the collaboration 

of developing new food research 

knowledge to strengthen Singapore’s 

food security using the GC/LC with 

quadrupole technology from the 

mass spectrometry (MS) applications 

for high-sensitivity analysis of small 

molecules. 

This technological progress can detect 

and identify small molecules in a single 

sample. Agilent brings solutions to 

make processes faster and labs more 

efficient. 

ADOPT THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY 

MODEL 

One outcome from the 2022 UN Climate 

Change Conference (COP27) was 

the reaffirmation of commitment to 

target the temperature increase cap to 

1.5°C while integrating water and food 

security into its adaptation efforts. This 

is the first time water and food have 

been referenced in the COP outcome 

document, emphasising the role the 

three domains play in climate change 

adaptation. 

A nexus framework must embrace 

a circular economy as a new policy 

goal and an integrated ‘low-carbon, 

resource-efficient, and socially 

inclusive’ development strategy. To 

withstand current and future pressures 

of the nexus, governments must 

ensure integrated and sustainable 

management of resources in clean 

water, food security, and green energy 

to balance the needs of communities, 

the economy, and the planet. 

Chow Woai Sheng, Singapore general manager and vice-president 

of global instrument manufacturing, Agilent Technologies 

(Image: Agilent Technologies) 


FOCUS 

HOW OPERATORS 

REHABILITATE 

FIRE WATER MAINS 

with trenchless 

technology 

A functional fire-extinguishing system is 

the prerequisite for an operating permit 

in the industrial sector. Chemical plants, 

refineries or airports all need it. For its 

permanent maintenance, operators 

must test their fire water mains 

regularly. Any weak points or damages 

discovered in the process must be 

remedied to ensure the lines function 

properly in the event of a fire. 

TECHNICAL CHALLENGES FOR 

OPERATORS 

Operators carry out flow rate 

measurements periodically for 

above-ground pipelines. In the case of 

underground fire water mains, however, 

tests may lead to pipeline breaks. In a 

deployment simulation or a hazardous 

situation, fire water is forced through 

pipelines at increased pressure. 

Damaged, ageing or even corroded 

pipelines cannot withstand this 

pressure. Repairs to these damages are 

usually only a short-term remedy, since 

the pressure in the pipe seeks the next 

weak point, causing further damages. 

A multitude of other 

transport and supply 

lines in the facility often 

hinders accessibility of 

fire water mains to be 

rehabilitated 

Refurbishing existing fire-extinguishing 

systems in buildings is gruelling, 

but indispensable. How does Primus 

Line, the trenchless technology for 

pressure pipe rehabilitation, serve as 

the cost- and time-saving alternative? 

If operators in the industrial sector use 

seawater or salt water for firefighting, 

the transportation can affect the 

pipeline and make it corrode — steel 

pipes or cast-iron pipes without a 

cement lining are examples. These can 

then no longer absorb the operating 

pressure. 

“Accessibility for the rehabilitation of 

fire water mains also plays a role in 

industrial plants,” said Andreas Gross, 

head of the water international business 

unit with Rädlinger Primus Line. 

“The pipelines are frequently laid under 

access roads, larger asphalt surfaces 

or embedded in concrete. Or there is a 

multitude of other transport and supply 

lines in the facility. The fire water mains 

branch out to hydrants, for example. In 

these cases, an open-trench method 


FOCUS 

with heavy equipment such as excavators 

would involve high costs and possibly 

restricted operation, due to strict safety 

regulations and protocols.” 

ECONOMIC CHALLENGES FOR 

OPERATORS 

The economic challenges include, above 

all, repairs of suddenly occurring damages. 

These are cost-intensive and as mentioned, 

usually only successful for a short time. 

Operators need to consider permits to enter 

the site, scheduling of repair activities, and 

impact on productive operation. 

In a study, a refinery operator compared the 

repair work expenses using conventional 

construction methods and Primus Line at 

one of his sites. In their case, trenchless 

rehabilitation reduces the costs per metre 

to around half, whereas the metres of pipe 

rehabilitated per month increase by a factor 

of 10-15. 

Existing shafts can also be used as access points for trenchless rehabilitation 

The same operator also accumulated the 

repair costs, including follow-up costs, for a 

three-digit number of leaks at one location 

over a period of 13 years. The result was 

an amount in the low double-digit millions. 

Rehabilitation of these leaks with Primus Line 

would limit the renovation work to five years, 

reducing the investment sum for the execution 

period by a third without any follow-up costs. 

TRENCHLESS SYSTEMS PREFERRED 

Seamlessly manufactured hose liners such as 

Primus Line only require small construction 

pits at the beginning and end of the 

rehabilitation section to pull it into the pipe 

to be renovated. These pits can be dug out 

with a suction excavator or even by hand in 

extreme cases. Likewise, existing shafts can 

serve as access points. 

Furthermore, insertion only needs few 

equipment; one pulling winch is sufficient. 

Fewer equipment can free up more staff for 

other purposes. The insertion speed of up 

to 10m/min reduces installation time to a 

minimum. 

If damage occurs suddenly, refurbishment 

can be quickly carried out when hose liners 

are stored on site, while regularly maintaining 

maintenance windows that are available at 

short notice. Not even requiring external 

installation personnel, Rädlinger Primus 

Line trains the operators accordingly so that 

they can carry out the renovation activities 

themselves. 

There are no follow-up costs after a 

rehabilitation with Primus Line since the 

manufacturer has designed for a service life 

of 50 years. In a refinery at an Austrian airport, 

1,300m of fire water mains were rehabilitated 

with the inliner 15 years ago. The Primus 

Line is still functioning today, proving its 

durability. It is common for fire water mains to 

run in horizontal or vertical 90° bends. Under 

appropriate conditions, the flexible Primus 

Line goes up to four 90° bends. Bends up to 

45° are standard. 

As-built plans in industrial facilities are 

frequently not up to date so the on-site 

installation team must react flexibly. Due to 

the structural conditions or the assignment 

to danger zones, it is often not permitted 

to inspect pipes for rehabilitation with a 

camera initially. Obstacles or discrepancies 

are thus only detected during liner insertion 

on site. 

“Safety is the top priority for operators of 

industrial plants so [we tested] our hose 

liner several times for fire resistance in the 

presence of independent testing companies,” 

Gross said. “The result is reassuring. If the 

pipe is filled with fire water, it has a cooling 

effect, and the liner shows scorch marks at 

the outer of its three layers. The inner layer 

and the reinforcing aramid fabric, however, 

are not damaged by either selective or 

extensive heat input. Functionality is ensured 

even if the fire water main itself [is] affected by 

the fire.” 

“Pipe rehabilitation with Primus Line increases 

efficiency, reduces investment and operating 

costs and extends the service life of the 

fire water mains, convincing arguments for 

trenchless methods,” added Gross. 


FOCUS 

THE ‘FIDO WAY’ 

to find and fix water leaks 

FIDO Tech was founded in October 2019 as a direct response 

to the global issue of leakage and non-revenue water. 

Today, FIDO works across the globe with water utilities, 

aiming to end water scarcity for all. 

to prioritise the largest leaks. With 

reliable data, utilities can fix their leaks 

at pace and dig more accurately. 

In January 2023, the FIDO direct 

service (FIDO Direct) was launched. An 

AI-led service, FIDO Direct harnesses 

FIDO AI to offer a leakage reduction 

on any pipe material, including plastic. 

Engineers follow the AI to mark up 

the leak for the utility to dig and 

repair, leaving the simple sensors — 

‘FIDO bugs’ — to validate the repair. 

Post-repair, FIDO AI calculates the 

success of the repair, checking that 

no further leaks have been caused as 

a result of that repair and then reports 

on the volumetric of water which has 

been saved verifying against dig and 

flow data. 

IN THE UK 

For UK water services company 

Leak technicians 

from one of FIDO’s 

global delivery 

partners receive 

training on the ‘FIDO 

way’, the name given 

to the company’s 

AI-led leak reduction 

process 

Approximately over 30% of 

the world’s clean water is lost 

through leaking pipes before it 

reaches consumers. Adding to this 

challenge, 90% of water leaks never 

show above ground, so finding and 

fixing leaks is a constant battle 

innovation lab, FIDO created a 

sensor agnostic, multi-functional 

algorithm that has the capability to 

locate and prove the repair of water 

leaks using artificial intelligence 

(AI). 

Northumbrian Water, FIDO was 

assigned an initial 15 problematic 

district metering areas (DMAs). In 

these DMAs, nightlines remained 

high and previous traditional leakage 

detection methods failed to bring 

the leakage levels back down to 

for any water provider across the 

Three years and an investment 

acceptable levels. These DMAs were 

globe. 

later, FIDO’s algorithm pinpoints 

an average of 18km in size with an 

leaks exactly on the network and 

average of 2023 properties per DMA. 

At the UK water and wastewater 

calculates the leak’s size. Using its 

They had an average pipe material of 

services company United Utilities 

AI, network managers are now able 

62% metal and 38% plastic. 


FOCUS 

1 

FIDO engineers deployed its bug 

sensors at regular intervals across 

the targeted DMAs. These were left 

overnight, and FIDO AI generated 

a leak size and a ‘leak’ or ‘no leak’ 

result. The engineers then returned to 

each point of interest (POI) generated 

by the AI and used its sensors to 

verify and pinpoint the leak location. 

They then marked up a blue line for 

Northumbrian Water to promote and 

dig repair. 

FIDO Direct removed the need for 

any manual analysis or follow-up by 

Northumbrian Water leakage staff, so 

their resources were freed up. 

works on a variety of projects across 

Asia by introducing technologies and 

resources. 

One company Truss is supporting 

is the Metropolitan Water Authority 

(MWA) in Bangkok, Thailand. Truss 

provides a team to support MWA’s 

awarded contracts this year. 

As part of its support package, Truss 

connected MWA with FIDO Tech. MWA 

network is made up of low-pressure 

polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes. Further, 

the surrounding area is noisy, resulting 

in failure from traditional acoustic leak 

detection equipment. 

2 

The final results for the 15 problematic 

DMAs were a 9.2 average reduction 

per DMA (m 3 /hr), 2.45 total reduction 

across all DMAs (Ml/d), 37% average 

reduction across all DMAs (m 3 /d) 

and 110 total leaks located across all 

DMAs. 

Leigh White, Northumbrian Water 

south area leakage manager said: 

“The FIDO AI trial in Essex and Suffolk 

Water has shown that the technology 

was able to identify intermittent 

private side losses that might have 

gone unidentified with conventional 

leakage control methods and acoustic 

logging.” 

IN ASIA 

Over the past year, FIDO has partnered 

with Truss Development Asia. Truss 

Initially, MWA showed the deployed 

FIDO team a stretch of leaking 

pipe and told the team that it was 

impossible to locate and fix the leak, 

according to multiple sources. The 

leak was on a 300mm PVC pipe with 

less than 1 bar of pressure. 

In response, the FIDO engineers used 

two FIDO AI-enabled sensors on two 

pipe access points, 100m apart, to 

take exact synchronised acoustic 

samples. The exact leak location was 

calculated by FIDO AI, proving its 

success in locating leakage in tough 

environments. 

Truss continues to support the 

relationship between FIDO and 

MWA. Three engineers from Truss 

travelled to the UK for a two-week 

3 

1 FIDO AI automatically detects water leaks and their size, helping 

leak teams prioritise large leaks first to save more water faster 

2 FIDO Cloud Correlation was used to locate an ‘impossible’ leak on 

a section of this low-pressure PVC pipe in Bangkok 

3 With its new FIDO Direct service, FIDO personnel deliver an 

end-to-end leak detection service, including marking up large 

leaks and validating volumetric reduction 

one-on-one training with specialists who 

designed, built and used FIDO. They are 

now qualified FIDO specialists trained in 

using the ‘FIDO way’ and are preparing the 

FIDO direct service roll-out across MWA 

and further contracts in other surrounding 

areas. Both MWA and Truss are planning 

to expand FIDO coverage to trunk mains in 

the near future, according to Truss. 


FOCUS 

FRESH AND WASTE 

WATER TREATMENT 

with HI Systems 

Presented in South East Asia for the first time at Greentech 

Festival Singapore in November 2022, German water 

solutions company Hydro Intelligence (HI) introduced 

a new water treatment device and system. 

be controlled with conventional 

technology of wastewater treatment 

plants. Filter systems require a lot of 

energy, are expensive, and have to 

be changed constantly. 

Modern life would be inconceivable 

without chemicals as they ensure 

health and quality of life. However, 

many chemical substances cause 

problems as they enter the water 

cycle — and through this, the food 

chain. Wastewater treatment is 

already reaching its limit in removing 

all critical substances. More 

complex processes are needed. 

As a result, costs of equipment, 

additional materials such as filters 

or chemicals as well as energy 

consumption are on the rise. 

HI lab setup in 

Fuessen, Germany 

HI is currently the only known 

technology that is able to eliminate 

WATER SCARCITY AND WATER 

CONSUMPTION TODAY 

THE HI PRINCIPLE 

organic contamination such as 

By 2025, half of the world’s population 

The HI system is a patented 

germs, viruses and bacteria based 

will be living in water-stressed areas. 

technology that purifies water 

on nature’s model, according to the 

About two billion people lack access 

without filters or chemical additives. 

company. 

to clean and available drinking water, 

It changes the molecular structure 

according to UNICEF. Polluted 

of water, killing germs, viruses and 

At the same time, HI flushes out and 

drinking water is estimated to cause 

bacteria without leaving residues. 

prevents the cause, such as biofilms, 

more than 502,000 deaths each year 

Contaminated water is accelerated 

without chemical additives. The 

due to diarrheal diseases. 

to over 1,000km/h under high 

water is conditioned in such a way 

pressure by a pump in a reaction 

that other known processes work 

Many toxic substances that flow into 

chamber. This creates a dynamic 

with less energy. 

natural waters via wastewater cannot 

interaction of centrifugal forces, 


FOCUS 

shear stresses, friction, cavitation 

and negative pressure. In addition 

to destroying germs, viruses and 

bacteria such as legionella, this 

process ensures improved water 

properties. 

It also decreases in surface tension 

by approximately 40%, and increases 

in oxygen and nitrogen content. 

As part of the flow-dynamic 

conditioning process, the biofilm in 

the drinking water pipes or cooling 

towers is gradually removed, reducing 

the risk of new contamination. Due 

to the improved molecular structure 

of the water, drinking water or 

industrial wastewater — even from 

textile factories, which make up 

around 25% of the global wastewater 

market — can be treated to process 

without expensive filter systems. 

The development of HI systems has 

its origins in nature. In rivers, for 

example, hollow eddies are formed 

to ensure that oxygen enters the 

water to support the self-purification 

process. 

The HI systems replace and 

complement other known processes 

by increasing performance 

and efficiency. This has been 

demonstrated in a wastewater test 

in an Indian textile factory and an 

oily water test in China’s transformer 

stations. 

APPLICATION FIELDS 

A water recycling plant with additional 

modules, such as ozone, UV and 

electrolysis can be complemented 

with HI systems since the technology 

will make these systems operate 

more efficiently. Most substances can 

be removed from wastewater during 

the recycling and cleaning process. 

Energy consumption and wear of 

parts in conventional wastewater 

1 2 

treatment plants are reduced due to HI systems have undergone testing 

the change in properties and to the and certifying in laboratories and 

elimination of many substances. institutes, such as the University of 

In health fields, HI systems are 

Barcelona, University of Münster 

installed at drinking water treatment and Fraunhofer Institute for ceramic 

in hotels, nursing homes, hospitals, technologies and systems. 

universities and colleges as well as 

sports facilities, gymnasiums and RECENT AGRICULTURE TESTS 

public swimming pools. They are About 69% of the world’s available 

used by various city administrations freshwater is consumed in agriculture. 

in Europe. 

The wastewater industry accounts 

for 19% while households and 

In the wastewater sector, French and communities account for 12% of 

German car manufacturers use HI water withdrawals. In recent tests, 

systems for cooling water, washing HI systems were used to improve 

systems and paint water treatment. processes in the agricultural sector. 

A Swiss watch manufacturer uses Less water is needed for quicker 

HI systems for cooling water and plant growth as water reaches the 

wastewater treatment as well. A roots through the soil without much 

German airport uses it for rainwater evaporation due to better flow ability, 

treatment and the country’s rail-bound and it carries more nutrients, with 

public transport uses it for washing increased oxygen and nitrogen 

systems and air washers. 

content. 

1 HI system 

improves 

viscosity and 

increases flow 

rate 

2 Only a pump 

drives these HI 

systems with 

neither filters 

nor chemicals 


FOCUS 

SMART WATER 

grid management 

in Indonesia 

Only 60% of Indonesia’s population has access to 

safe water sources, including piped water and protected 

wells. The rest relies on contaminated sources, 

such as rivers, lakes, and unprotected wells. 

Fig. 1: SWGM 

framework 

Risk analysis on 

water resources 

• Water demand 

• Water potential 

• Information system 

for water resources 

• Weather forecast 

• Disaster hazard map 

• Water availability 

By Putri Respati, COO of Bima Sakti Alterra (BSA) 

WATER ISSUES IN INDONESIA 

Indonesia’s local water companies, 

known as PDAMs, face challenges in 

providing affordable and accessible 

drinking water that meets standards in 

both quantity and quality for citizens. 

Further, insufficient investment in the 

water sector has resulted in a shortage 

of proper water treatment plants, 

storage facilities, and distribution 

networks. Many of PDAMs’ distribution 

networks were built decades ago 

without good record-keeping, resulting 

in less precise pipeline mapping. 

SMART WATER GRID MANAGEMENT 

Real time data 

management & 

monitoring 

• SCADA 

• Smart Water Meter 

• Asset management 

• Pressure management 

• Flow management 

• IoT based multisensor 

• Smart electricity panel 

• Water quality 

monitoring 

Combined with a lack of a real-time 

monitoring system, no early warning 

system is available to inform the water 

company beforehand when there is 

potential leakage. All these prolong 

maintenance, leading to higher 

non-revenue water (NRW) rates. 

The average national NRW in 2021 

is 33.24%; but this may be higher as 

many PDAMs are still facing unreliable 

automatic and real-time water loss 

detection and measurement systems. 

Financial losses are incurred which 

Integrated system 

• Web app 

• Mobile app 

• Desktop app 

• App integration 

• Real time data 

• Data security 

Decision support 

• Insightful Dashboard 

• ICC (Command Center) 

• Supply chain system 

• Notification & alert 

system 

contribute to the current PDAMs 

performance in Indonesia. In the 

absence of proper water production 

and distribution management, we risk 

losing the chance to preserve water 

resources and meet future water 

demands. 

BSA believes that integrating water 

management infrastructure, risk 

management and data analysis will 

give feasibility on water management 

to support faster decision-making 

and smoother operations through 

a multi-dimensional ICT-based 

approach. 

SWGM AS SOLUTION FOR 

WATER MANAGEMENT 

BSA has developed a smart water 

grid management (SWGM) solution 

that comprises various dimensions in 

its implementation. This is a step-up 

from the enterprise resource planning 

(ERP) administration system, which 

is used by more than 100 Indonesian 

water companies, launched 14 years 

ago. This is part of BSA’s commitment 

to improve water management 

technology. 

The risk analysis on water resources 

section analyses water resources 

and its usage by mapping water 

demand in the area and the potential 

availability of influent water (Fig. 1). 

This enables water companies to 

manage their water resources so 

that they meet the standard quantity 

and quality for customers and the 

community. The data is collected 

and analysed real-time as well as 

periodically, which will help PDAMs 

to quickly obtain information related 

to water production and distribution 

conditions. Various sensors are 

installed, such as pressure sensors, 

flow sensors, electricity sensors, 

water level and quality sensors to 

capture real-time data in the field. 


FOCUS 

INTEGRATED SYSTEM 

SWGM is an ecosystem that gives 

the ability for PDAMs to monitor the 

flow of the water, from production, 

transmission, distribution to 

consumption at customer level (Fig. 2). 

It shows water usage, water balance 

and the leakage pre-detection along 

the piping system through a single 

integrated dashboard. This is the 

multi-dimensional concept promoted 

by SWGM. 

Multiple IoT-based sensors are 

installed at pre-determined points 

from production to distribution to 

provide real-time reports on the 

conditions of water flows, water usage 

and asset’s performance in the field. 

Any anomaly data can be obtained in 

real time, hence the alert, root cause 

and corrective suggestion can be 

sent directly to the field operator’s 

device instantly. This integration will 

allow PDAMs to identify, analyse and 

formulate solutions. Furthermore, with 

the application of machine learning 

(ML), this system will be more precise 

in giving solutions through bigger 

data and cases that have been solved 

before. 

1 

1 Fig. 2: SWGM 

implementation 

diagram 

2 Fig. 3: IoT data 

logger built by 

BSA to log and 

send data from 

multiple sensors 

Integrated with Web geographic 

information systems (GIS), this 

data will display what is happening 

according to the location point. 

The system can also easily isolate 

data, narrowing down the source 

of the problem. Moreover, its 

cross-platform integration will make 

it easier for related departments to 

receive alerts via the mobile app 

and cloud-based messaging app 

Telegram. Officers-in-charge can then 

carry out maintenance and repair 

work. They can also input survey 

results and maintenance activities 

through the same application, 

documenting all administrative and 

technical processes. 

The flow of the water supply chain 

system can be visualised from 

production to consumption, complete 

with data from the various sensors. 

The water supply chain system is 

able to provide both technical data 

and financial insight. Soon, it will also 

be able to simulate the expansion of 

PDAMs’ pipeline networks. 

DECISION SUPPORT 

The data presented will provide 

information for fast decision-making in 

PDAMs’ operations. Stakeholders such 

as field officers and directors 

will be able to access real-time and 

historical data for policymaking. 

The data is visualised in a mobile 

dashboard with a command 

centre display for coordination 

between departments. In the next 

phase of development, whenever a 

solution, asset or action is needed, 

it will be done through the smart 

remote control system, which 

is integrated with the SWGM to 

execute more automatic action or 

decision. 

2 


FOCUS 

TIRTA SANJIWANI’S 

IMPLEMENTATION IN BALI 

Tirta Sanjiwani is a PDAM that 

serves 61,000 households in Gianyar 

regency, Bali and supplies water for 

about 469,000 lives. As BSA’s client 

that has committed to implement 

SWGM in the early stages, it had 

installed several IoT-based sensors 

at several determined points from 

a district meter area (DMA) since 

2021 (Fig. 3). Adopting WebGIS, 

Tirta Sanjiwani was able to identify a 

drop in water pressure which causes 

service disruption. 

3 

In 2023, Tirta Sanjiwani and BSA 

had agreed to implement a more 

comprehensive SWGM solution, 

which piloted in the Blahbatuh 

technical zone. The pilot project 

isolated water flow from production 

to consumption of 70 households. 

A water level sensor was installed 

in the reservoir to provide real-time 

information to prevent under- and 

over-capacity. The minimum 

level of water was adjusted to the 

customer’s water demand level so 

that water continuity is maintained. 

4 

Pressure and flow sensors were 

also installed in critical distribution 

networks to help the water company 

identify a drop in water pressure 

early. On the end-user side, smart 

water meters were installed, which 

made NRW rate more accurate since 

the water usage data is measured in 

real-time (Fig. 4). 

After all the sensors were installed, 

the system was able to provide a 

comprehensive picture of the water 

distribution process. This data 

was displayed on the supply chain 

system portal and the integrated 

command centre (ICC) (Fig. 5). 

Anomaly alerts were flashed on 

the officer’s mobile phone, making 

it easier to check. The progress of 

repairs was monitored through the 

ICC. 

The SWGM solution helps PDAMs 

manage water distribution, detect 

water leaks, identify a decrease in 

water quality, and control the supply 

of clean water to consumers. It runs 

on a subscription business model for 

those companies that face investment 

issues. By minimising water losses and 

ensuring water continuity, this solution 

unlocks these Indonesian companies’ 

capacity development and expansion 

to provide drinking water. 

3 Fig. 4: 

Implementing 

the end-user 

smart water 

meter 

4 Fig. 5: Mandala 

command centre 

with water 

supply chain 

information 

5 Putri Respati, 

COO of BSA 

5 


HOTSEAT 

BINNIES ANNOUNCEMENT 

adds weight to RSK Australia’s 

expansion programme 

Engineering and environmental 

consultancy RSK Australia has 

announced that its rapid expansion 

plan will be enhanced by the addition 

of water and environment specialist 

Binnies, a business that boasts an 

international presence through its work 

in the UK, Singapore, Hong Kong, 

Vietnam and the Philippines. 

Binnies Australia will be overseen by 

Gary Laing, director of international 

and special projects. 

RSK Australia managing director 

Mark Haydock said he welcomed the 

addition of Binnies Australia to the 

division, as the business represents an 

established name in the water sector 

with a 100-year history of providing 

solutions to complex engineering and 

environmental challenges. 

Haydock said: “RSK [emphasises] 

on a full suite of environmental, 

engineering and technical services 

across the country, with a commitment 

to helping clients progress towards 

a resilient future-ready Australia. The 

announcement follows the acquisition 

of Pensar, an expert in critical water 

infrastructure solutions, by RSK 

Australia earlier this year.” 

Along with new opportunities and 

partnerships, Binnies will collaborate 

with Pensar on multiple design and 

build projects, adding Binnies’ digital 

engineering, process technology, 

construction, and commissioning 

1 

2 

capabilities to Pensar’s significant 

design and build capabilities and 

specialism in Australia. 

Binnies UK managing director Scott 

Aitken said that adding the Binnies 

brand to the existing RSK companies, 

established in the Australian market, 

with over 400 staff already in the 

country aim to help resolve challenges 

arising from population growth, climate 

change and asset resilience while 

meeting sustainability objectives. He 

added, “There are many common 

challenges faced by water utility 

companies, but we also recognise the 

nature of some of the challenges that 

Australian utilities face.” 

1 Tuas Nexus, 

Singapore 

(Image: PUB, 

Singapore’s 

National Water 

Agency) 

2 Victorian 

desalination 

plant, Dalyston, 

Australia 

(Image: Binnies) 


HOTSEAT 

CENTRISYS/CNP AWARDED 

Texas wastewater treatment 

plant upgrade 

Centrisys/CNP, a North American 

manufacturer of decanter centrifuges 

and advanced biosolids treatment 

technologies, was awarded the 

69th Street Wastewater 

Treatment Plant project 

to upgrade equipment 

for Houston, Texas, 

US. The upgrade will 

include 14 CS21-4HC 2ph 

decanter centrifuges with 

two spares. The new equipment will 

replace ageing dewatering and solids 

handling equipment and will support 

the facility’s management of up to 

200 million gallons per day (MGD) and 

daily average flow of 400 MGD 2-hour 

peak flow. 

Centrisys/CNP’s manufacturing 

representative, Global WET assisted 

with the project in the planning of 

technology to advance Houston’s 

69th Street Wastewater Treatment 

Plant’s infrastructure and 

performance. 

“In collaboration with Global WET, 

an assessment was conducted during 

the bidding phase to ensure [it] would 

get the optimal equipment,” said 

Josh Gable, sales director for 

Centrisys/CNP. “It is a first step 

when municipal plant representatives 

understand the process and 

importance of a bid evaluation 

and take the costs associated 

with maintenance and spare parts 

availability into consideration.” 

The features of these decanter 

centrifuges include a Rotodiff hydraulic 

scroll drive — Centrisys/CNP’s 

standard back drive; high G-volume 

and torque capacity; feed capacity up 

to 225gpm; low installed combined 

HP (90HP) in its size specification; 

increased solids handling, reduced 

polymer consumption and an auto lube 

system. It is US designed and built, 

with a Texas-based centrifuge service 

and repair facility. 

Houston’s wastewater staff are 

responsible for the operation and 

maintenance of 40 wastewater 

treatment plants, three wet weather 

facilities, a collection system with over 

380 lift stations, and over 6,100 miles 

of pipelines, ranging in size from 

2-144in in diameter located throughout 

the Houston area. The city’s 69th Street 

Wastewater Treatment Plant currently 

consists of 21 decanter centrifuges 

separated into seven trains. Each train 

is equipped with two duty decanter 

centrifuges and one standby. The 

upgrade will allow for the replacement 

of existing decanter centrifuges, 

continuing the use of two decanter 

centrifuges per train, with two backup 

decanter centrifuges stored on-site. 

In January 2023, Centrisys/CNP 

opened a new service and repair 

centre in Houston, Texas, to support 

customers located throughout the 

south-central region of the US. The 

facility offers full-service repair and 

maintenance capabilities, including 

inspections, machining, welding, and 

balancing. On-site technicians will also 

have the capability to test equipment 

and manufacture spare parts, with 

quality control capabilities for all 

brands of decanter centrifuges. 

Centrisys/CNP 

CS21-4HC 2ph 


HOTSEAT 

NM3’S ENVIRONMENTAL 

MONITORING 

innovation 

By Lei Lei, NM3 director and Vishal Wagholikar, Ripple2wave incubator manager 

NM3 Tech — a water sampling and 

biomonitoring start-up — is backed 

by Ripple2wave, a Singapore-based 

incubator building water technology 

leaders supported by Enterprise 

Singapore and PUB, Singapore’s 

National Water Agency. NM3 leverages 

its expertise in IoT and big data 

analytics to deliver advanced systems 

that monitor the quality of water, 

air, and soil. These systems enable 

stakeholders to take action towards 

environmental sustainability and 

responsible resource management. 

AUTOSAMPLER 

NM3’s autosampler boasts a 

range of applications in municipal, 

industrial, and agricultural wastewater 

management; environmental monitoring 

and pandemic surveillance. It comes 

equipped with accurate sampling with 

less than 5% error rate, reproducible 

results across various conditions, 

and lower maintenance and operation 

costs. The product also offers real-time 

auto-sampling, as well as intuitive 

and user-friendly programming and 

calibration. 

The product also gives a single-shot 

sampling volume that ranges from 

50-350ml. Additionally, the autosampler 

has the capability to collect multiple 

group samples and can operate at 

uniform or non-uniform time intervals. 

With a depth range of over 25m below 

ground level, the product performs in 

challenging environments. 

With a multi-hole stainless steel 

strainer and pneumatic bladder pump 

system, reliable operation and low 

maintenance are ensured. It features 

a multi-bottle configuration that 

can accommodate up to 24 1-litre 

polypropylene (PP), polyethylene 

(PE), or high-density polyethylene 

(HDPE) bottles. For users who require 

advanced monitoring capabilities, the 

autosampler can be equipped with 

multiparameter sensors such as water 

level, temperature, and door sensors. 

Furthermore, the remote terminal unit 

(RTU) enables users to connect to 

plant control or Supervisory Control 

and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems 

for operation. 

APPLICATION SCENARIOS 

Municipal wastewater from homes, 

businesses and industries may 

contain harmful contaminants such 

as pathogens, hazardous chemicals, 

heavy metals and various organic 

and inorganic substances. These 

pollutants, if not properly treated and 

removed, can impact aquatic life and 

environmental ecosystems, and harm 

human health. NM3’s autosampler 

provides real-time monitoring of 

both influent and effluent quality of 

municipal wastewater, giving insights 

for pollution control, recovery and 

reuse of water resources. 

It is also designed for challenging 

environmental conditions found in 

Autosampler and its 

benefits 


HOTSEAT 

wastewater treatment facilities and 

industrial plants. It can sample 

various sample types, including 

water, sludge and soils, to be 

deployed to cost-effectively handle 

sampling needs of a range of 

industrial processes. 

Agricultural wastewater from farming 

activities, such as irrigation, animal 

husbandry, and crop cultivation, can 

contain harmful contaminants such 

as pesticides, fertilisers, and heavy 

metals that pose environmental and 

health risks. NM3’s autosampler 

operates in all weather conditions 

to sample various soil conditions. 

Its rugged design enables efficient 

sampling to improve the quality and 

safety of agricultural wastewater 

management. 

Groundwater is a resource that 

supplies drinking water to millions of 

people worldwide. However, it can 

be susceptible to contamination. 

Proper monitoring and sampling 

of groundwater are crucial to 

identify negative impacts, such as 

over-abstraction, reduced recharge 

and pollution. With the autosampler, 

collecting samples at depths of up 

to 30m below ground is possible. 

It allows data capture and sharing 

for download, covering a large 

catchment area to improve the safety 

and quality of groundwater. 

Environmental monitoring is critical 

for identifying and managing pollution 

risks to air, water, and soil. Again, 

the autosampler detects and 

mitigates contaminants to ensure 

the well-being of both public health 

and the environment. 

Pandemic monitoring helps identify 

and prevent the outbreak and spread 

of infectious diseases, such as 

COVID-19. Wastewater samples is 

collected by NM3’s autosampler to 

identify the presence of biological 

contaminants from household 

wastewater, hospitals, sewer 

network and wastewater treatment 

plants. Regular wastewater-based 

epidemiology on health markers can 

generate insights into pharmaceutical 

consumption, disease prevalence, 

antimicrobial resistance and chemical 

exposure within communities in 

order to take preventive actions to 

safeguard public health. 

MICSENSE 

Water treatment plants play a 

role in ensuring clean water for 

consumption. However, these plants 

are vulnerable to infestations of 

chironomid larvae, commonly known 

as midges. Regular monitoring helps 

detect early signs of infestation, but 

the current monitoring method is 

laborious and time-consuming. It 

relies on plant operators to manually 

collect water samples and trained 

analysts to identify and count live 

and dead chironomid larvae under a 

microscope. 

The process of manually collecting 

and analysing samples can take 

up to several hours, leaving water 

treatment plants at risk of missing 

critical warning signs. Additionally, 

this method is prone to errors due 

to the subjective nature of manual 

analysis. 

To streamline the detection of 

chironomid larvae in water treatment 

plants, PUB and NM3 proposed a 

system that automates the sampling 

and analysis process. With the new 

system, chironomid larvae in 1,000l 

of water are detected within 1hr, 

with quasi-continuous detection 

mode and minimal maintenance 

requirements. 

The AI-based 

micro-invertebrate 

detector 


HOTSEAT 

Rapid microbial 

sensor technology 

for environmental, 

food and 

pharmaceutical 

The multifilter concentrator subsystem, 

featuring a stainless-steel filter 

with a pore size of 40μm, is used to 

concentrate the larvae in the water 

sample. The trapped larvae are then 

flushed down into a small volume of 

concentrated sample and transferred 

to the optical detector for image 

capturing using a scanning imaging 

system. The computing processor 

analyses the morphology and 

movement of the trapped particles and 

compares the results with the derived 

image database. 

The working prototype was installed 

at a PUB installation for a three-month 

site trial, during which the system 

continuously operated under a 

24/7 mode. The system’s stability 

was validated with 1,744 samples 

analysed on-site, and the detection 

accuracy was verified with 151 blind 

test samples spiked with varying 

numbers of chironomid larvae. The 

system achieved an accuracy of over 

80% in detecting chironomid larvae. 

An upgraded version of the system, 

called MicSense, with better stability, 

has been developed and adopted 

by PUB for official deployment in its 

waterworks. 

BACSENSE 

To ensure the safety of drinking water, 

the bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) 

is monitored by PUB’s water quality 

monitoring programme in Singapore. 

Traditionally, water samples are 

collected and tested using plating 

or enzyme assay methods in a lab, 

which can take up to 24hrs. NM3 has 

developed a new portable system for 

rapid bacteria detection that utilises 

an enzyme assay-based detector with 

a microfluidic chip cartridge design. 

The new system has been optimised 

to increase sensitivity, miniaturise size, 

and reduce testing time to 6hr. 

The microfluidic chip works by 

concentrating bacteria from a water 

sample onto a 0.22µm filter in a 200µl 

volume reaction chamber. Selective 

culture media is then introduced to 

activate the target bacteria, such as 

E. coli or total coliform. A mixture 

reagent is used for enzyme extraction, 

activation, and hydrolysis reaction 

in sequence. The final solution is 

transferred from the filtration part of 

the chip to the detection part, where 

a specific fluorescent substance is 

tested using a sensitive confocal 

optical detector with suitable light 

source and optical filter set. The entire 

process is automatic and programmable, 

and includes temperature control to 

ensure repeatability of testing results for 

different bacteria species. 

The system has achieved a two-fold 

increase in sensitivity due to the 

recipe optimisation of the enzyme 

assay test reagent, micro-litre level 

reaction chamber, intracellular enzyme 

extraction, and confocal optical detector 

compatibility with the microfluidic 

chip. The detection results include the 

existence and concentration of the 

target bacteria, and testing accuracy of 

higher than 90% can be achieved. The 

current signal database includes E. coli 

and total coliform, with work in progress 

to develop the library for other bacteria 

species. 

This new system improved in the 

monitoring and management of water 

microbiological safety, allowing for 

rapid on-site testing and prompt alerts if 

necessary. The system has been tested 

on samples collected from different 

locations in Singapore, including 

non-spiked tap water samples and 

spiked water samples that showed higher 

intensity increase over time. 


Visit by Air Selangor Malaysia 

27 Feb 2023, Singapore Water Exchange (SgWX) 

NEWSLETTER 

OF THE 

SINGAPORE 

WATER 

ASSOCIATION 

BRINGING 

A NEW VIBRANCY 

TO SINGAPORE’S 

GROWING 

WATER INDUSTRY 

Forty delegates 

from Air Selangor 

had a networking 

session regarding 

the state's water 

challenges and 

goals, followed by 

an afternoon tea. 

As Malaysia's largest water operator, it provides drinkable water 

to about 8.4 million consumers in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and 

Putrajaya, Malaysia. They operate 34 water treatment plants 

located in 11 regions, namely Petaling, Klang, Shah Alam, Kuala 

Langat, Sepang, Gombak, Hulu Langat, Hulu Selangor, Sabak 

Bernam, Kuala Selangor, Kuala Lumpur city and federal territory 

of Putrajaya. 

Blue Taichi Day 

12 Mar 2023, Sports Hub 

In support of Singapore World Water Day 2023, SWA and PUB 

co-organised a taichi workout event. This event was sponsored by 

VA Tech Wabag to generate awareness of the importance in saving 

water for a sustainable future. More than 50 people attended this 

workout, and attendees were given a goodie bag worth S$20. 

Footage can be viewed at https://www.swa.org.sg/news/swatch/.

Webinar: Bridging Austria and 

Singapore market with opportunities 

Co-organised with Austrian Trade Commission 

15 Mar 2023, Webex 

Austrian Trade Commissioner David Bachmann gave welcome 

remarks at this webinar, followed by an introduction and overview 

by Walter Kling, its deputy CEO from the city of Vienna, Austria. 

Speakers came from different Austrian companies like Imhotep 

Industries and Rabmer Group as well as a few Singapore-based 

companies such as Imagine H20 Asia, Aquarden and Zingametall. 

More than 40 attendees participated in this webinar with a 

Q&A session at the end. 

Singapore World Water Day 2023 anchor event 

18 Mar 2023, Marina Barrage 

Singapore World Water Day 2023 

was held at Marina Barrage with a 

showcase of water management 

solutions and Singapore’s 

commitment to sustainable water 

usage for a better future. 

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for 

Finance, Lawrence Wong graced the 

event and visited SWA’s booth with SWA 

president, Chew Men Leong. 

As Singapore celebrates World Water 

Day, SWA strives to collaborate and 

drive advancements in water technologies for 

a water-secure future locally and globally. 

Footage can be viewed at https://www. 

swa.org.sg/news/swatch/. 

Trade fair: Water Philippines 2023 

22-24 Mar 2023, SMX convention centre, Pasay city, 

Manila, the Philippines 

SWA attended the trade fair with 

11 Singapore-based companies, 

occupying an area of 135m 2 at the 

Singapore pavilion. The Singaporean 

exhibitors enjoyed Enterprise 

Singapore’s LEAD International Fairs 

and Mission (LEAD IFM) subsidy of 

up to 70% on booth participating 

fees. Ferdinand Marcos Jr, 

president of the Philippines, 

visited the pavilion to meet with a 

few Singaporean exhibitors. 

Visit to PUB WaterHub by JTC and 

Jurong Island companies 

24 Mar 2023, SgWX 

SWA hosted 53 teams from 25 Jurong Island and JTC 

companies at PUB SgWX. The visitors met with a few 

SWA members for a water statement discussion. This 

was followed by networking and light refreshments.

Seminar: Engaging coastal protection with the Netherlands 

31 Mar 2023, PUB Water Hub, Peirce auditorium 

The welcome address was made by Hajo 

Provo Kluit, acting ambassador of Embassy 

of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and 

president of SWA, Chew Men Leong. 

This seminar was co-organised by 

the Netherlands Embassy and the 

Netherlands Water House. A few 

Netherlands companies based in 

Singapore were present for the sharing 

session such as Royal Haskoning Deltares 

DHV, Delta Marine Consultants and 

Witteveen+Bos. 

As the Netherlands has developed 

effective techniques for protecting 

low-lying land from the sea, the country’s 

approach to coastal protection is based on 

a combination of natural and engineered 

solutions and is seen as a model for other 

countries facing similar challenges. 

About 80 SWA members attended 

this event which was followed with a 

networking lunch. 

47th Singapore Water Industry Nite (SWIN) 

13 Apr 2023, PUB Water Hub, Peirce auditorium 

The 47th SWIN was sponsored by 

ProMinent Fluid Controls. The programme 

highlights included SWA’s welcome 

address and updates, a sharing by 

ProMinent Singapore followed by request 

for proposal (RFP) presentations from PUB 

and Imagine H2O. NEWBrew was PUB’s 

sponsored drink that was served at the 

networking dinner for more than 120 guests 

and members. 

UPCOMING SWA ACTIVITIES 

Trade fair: Oz Water 2023 

10-12 May 2023, Sydney, Australia 

For the first time, SWA will manage a 54m 2 pavilion at Oz 

Water 2023, the biggest water conference and exhibition 

in the southern hemisphere. This year’s theme is United by 

Water, which celebrates water’s role in connecting individuals, 

organisations, industries and nations to achieve sustainable 

social, environmental, cultural and economic outcomes. 

The trade fair will focus on 12 key sub-themes, featuring 

presentations and discussions linked to resilience and water 

security, future communities, asset management, delivering a 

circular economy and responding to climate change.

UPCOMING SWA ACTIVITIES 

SWA Golf 2023 @ Singapore International 

Water Week (SIWW) Spotlight 

6 Jun 2023, Singapore Island Country Club 

In conjunction with SIWW Spotlight 2023, 

SWA golf tournament will be held once 

again, this time, at a new challenging 

course with panoramic views. 

It serves as a platform for business 

networking with Dr Koh Poh Koon, 

Senior Minister of State, Ministry of 

Sustainability and the Environment; 

PUB; foreign government officials; 

regional water utility leaders and global 

water professionals. Its hole-in-one 

prize, goodie bags and lucky draw prizes 

are up for grabs. Lunch and dinner 

will be served, along with snacks and 

refreshments on the golf course. 

For more information on sponsorship, 

flights and dinner tables, please contact: 

jasvinder@swa.org.sg 

SWA WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS 

(joined from February-March 2023) 

ORDINARY 

1. Darco Water Technologies Ltd 

ASSOCIATE 

1. Filtrate Aquaworks Pte Ltd 

2. ISL Services Singapore Pte Ltd 

3. Roechling Industrial (Singapore) Pte Ltd 

4. WOG Technologies Pte Ltd 

INDIVIDUAL/ YWPC 

1. Loh Wei Hao 

2. Meng Xiaohua 

3. Soo Yi Win 

4. Jacqueline Tham 

5. Liew Woan Feei 

6. Bannister Wayne Francis 

7. Goh Tse Hng 

8. Venkat Reddy Amanaganti 

9. Sabarethinam 

2023 EVENTS CALENDAR INTERESTED TO JOIN SWA? 

We look forward to your continuous support in 2023. Download 

SWA events calendar at https://www.swa.org.sg/ 

wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Events-Calendar-2023.V7.pdf. 

For further queries, please contact SWA at T: 65150812 or 

enquiry@swa.org.sg. To stay connected on SWA's latest 

updates, visit https://www.swa.org.sg and follow us on 

LinkedIn, Facebook, Telegram and Instagram. 

SWA welcomes organisations involved and interested in the 

water and wastewater industry to join as either ordinary, 

associate or institutional member. 

Sign up at https://www.swa.org.sg/membership/sign-up-online.

ON OUR RADAR 

ENHANCED 

CONNECTIVITY FOR 

remote water level logger 

The water and weather monitoring 

solutions provider OTT HydroMet, 

has added additional communication 

options to its water level and 

temperature logger, the OTT ecoLog 

1000. Equipped with low-power LTE-M 

(CAT M1) connectivity, the device 

provides water professionals with simple 

and fast access to their water level data, 

which is provided by a ceramic pressure 

sensor. 

LTE-M is a type of low-power wide area 

network communication technology 

standard for a range of cellular devices 

and services in machine (M2M) and 

IoT applications, such as networks of 

groundwater monitoring sites. LTE-M 

has 5G compatibility as cellular networks 

evolve. Mobile devices, smart phones, 

and tablets operating with Android, iOS 

or Windows 10 are all supported. In 

addition, simple local communication is 

available via Bluetooth. 

By supporting 4G and cellular IoT 

transmission, LTE-M increases the 

speed and lowers the cost of data 

transmission, enabling users to conduct 

remote two-way operations such as 

configuration, network management, 

data download or the viewing of 

real-time data. 

It is simple to install and 

runs on low power with a 

10-year battery life 

The ecoLog 1000 has been designed for 

long-term and unattended deployment. 

Enhanced connectivity further reduces 

the requirement for site visits, and 

lowers the cost of ownership. 


ON OUR RADAR 

EMERSON’S SHOWCASE 

of hydrogen solutions at 

World Hydrogen 2023 

1 

1 Last May, the global hydrogen 

industry convened at the 

Rotterdam Ahoy for World 

Hydrogen 2022 

2 TESCOM VAVG series valve 

US technology and engineering company 

Emerson exhibited its range of measurement, 

control, software and electrical technologies 

at World Hydrogen 2023, from 9-11 May 2023 

in Rotterdam Ahoy, Netherlands. 

Its portfolio of green hydrogen products 

and solutions is designed to help meet the 

challenges of hydrogen fuel production, 

distribution and end-use applications. 

Emerson enables users to build hydrogen 

projects with high-performance and 

easy-to-maintain solutions while using 

data to optimise process and reduce 

downtime through predictive maintenance. 

2 

Its showcase featured Emerson’s control 

and safety systems, measurement devices, 

pneumatic solutions, lighting and electrical 

components, and flow control solutions. 


ON OUR RADAR 

These provide safe control to help 

production efficiency and purity, ensure 

safe distribution and maximise fuel cell 

safety. 

The VA and VG series are air operated 

valves that offer normally open and 

closed capabilities, operating pressures 

of 414, 690, and 1034bar with a high 

cycle life. They have a reduced footprint 

and can be maintained easily without 

dismantling. They are suitable for liquid 

and gas applications, and ideally 

used in hydrogen refuelling stations, 

high-pressure cycle testing, pneumatic 

and hydraulic control panels, and R&D. 

for demanding applications. This 

Substance Poster-124x185mm copy.pdf 1 18/4/23 3:15 PM 

The ASCO series 290 is a 

product series is suitable for a variety 

pressure-actuated, direct-acting, of electrolyser applications, such as 

angle-body piston solenoid valve built hydrogen and oxygen, as well as pilot 

air or nitrogen and pure water. It is also 

suitable for high temperatures up to 

250°C and for solid oxide electrolysis 

cell (SOEC) applications. 

ASCO series 290 

pressure operated 

piston valve 

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Our global reach will 

offer you the latest trends 

and developments with 

an Asian perspective. 

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Scan to subscribe to 

WWA’s e-Newsletter 

For more information, please visit www.waterwastewaterasia.com 


ON OUR RADAR 

SABO AUTOMATED 

INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER 

TREATMENT SYSTEMS 

for environmental compliance 

For industrial facilities, 

complying with the US Environmental 

Protection Agency (EPA) and local wastewater 

regulation have become easier with more 

fully automated, wastewater treatment 

systems from Sabo Industrial Corporation, 

a New York-based manufacturer, distributor 

and integrator of industrial waste treatment 

equipment and solutions, including 

batch and fully automated systems, 

Cleartreat separating agents, bag filters, 

and accessories. These meet regulatory 

wastewater requirements, and reduce the 

cost of treatment, labour, and disposal when 

Cleartreat separating agents are also used. 

In contrast to labour-intensive multiple-step 

processes, automated wastewater treatment 

can help to streamline production, usually 

with a one-step process, while lowering costs 

at industrial facilities. 

An automated wastewater treatment 

system can eliminate the need to 

In contrast 

to labour-intensive 

multiple-step processes, 

automated wastewater 

treatment can help to 

streamline production, 

usually with a one-step 

process 

monitor equipment in person while 

complying with EPA and locally mandated 

requirements. Such automated systems 

separate suspended solids, emulsified 

oil and heavy metals, and encapsulate 

the contaminants, producing an easily 

de-waterable sludge in minutes. The 

water is typically then separated using a 

de-watering table or bag filters before it is 

discharged into sewer systems or further 

filtered for reuse as process water. Other 

options for de-watering include using a 

filter press or rotary drum vacuum. The 

resulting solids are non-leachable and are 

considered non-hazardous, so they will 

pass all required testing. 

These systems are available as manual 

batch processors, semi-automatic, or 

automatic, and can be designed as a 

closed loop system for water reuse or 

provide a legally dischargeable effluent 

suitable for the sewer system. A new, 

fully customised system is not always 

required. In many cases, it can be faster 

and more cost-effective to add to or 

modify an industrial facility’s current 

wastewater treatment system when this 

is feasible. 

Because of the importance of separating 

agents for wastewater treatment, Sabo 

uses a type of bentonite clay in a line of 

wastewater treatment chemicals called 

Cleartreat. This line of wastewater 

treatment chemicals is formulated to 

break oil and water emulsion, provide 

heavy metals removal, and promote 

flocculation, agglomeration and 

suspended solids removal. 

Today’s automated systems along with 

Cleartreat separating agents can provide 

manufacturers an easy, cost-effective 

alternative so they remain compliant with 

local ordinances and the EPA. These 

systems do not require much attention 

and can be more economical than paying 

fines or hauling. 


ON OUR RADAR 

NEW VERDERFLEX 

DURA 80 

peristaltic pump 

Netherlands pump manufacturer 

Verder Liquids has introduced the new 

Verderflex Dura 80 peristaltic pump, an 

industrial peristaltic pump designed for 

applications in the process industry. 

The Dura 80 has a flow rate of 42m³/h 

and a maximum differential pressure 

of 16bar, making it ideal for high-flow 

applications. The key features are the 

lifting point for supporting the front 

cover if it needs removal; the lubricant 

filling point that allows easy access 

without requiring the removal of other 

bolting; and the access cover at the 

bottom of the front panel to allow 

cleaning of any debris during hose 

change. These new features are based 

on user feedback and are designed 

to provide easier operation and 

maintenance. 

“The Verderflex Dura 80 is the latest 

addition to our Dura range,” said 

Michael Homer, managing director at 

Verder UK. “This pump sets standards 

in performance and ease of use, 

providing a solution for applications 

where high flow and discharge 

pressure are required.” 

The VerderFlex 

Dura 80 

Verder presents a range of pumps for 

the pumping industry. The portfolio 

includes in-house produced robust 

peristaltic pumps, air-operated 

diaphragm pumps, electric double 

diaphragm pumps, and high-efficiency 

stainless steel centrifugal pumps 

and mixer solutions. This range of 

solutions ensures adaptability to 

the individual requirements of its 

customers. 


ON OUR RADAR 

SURFCLEANER 

completes pine oil 

clean-up for an 

European port 

SurfCleaner deployed 

SCO 1000 skimmer/ 

separator device, 

within 90mins of 

the alarm 

Swedish water treatment specialist 

SurfCleaner has completed its first 

pine oil clean-up project for a major 

European port. 

The work was delivered within the 

inner harbour of an international 

logistics and cargo handling hub, 

following a pine oil leak during the 

ship-to-shore transfer process. The 

incident happened after an operator 

within the port experienced a 

leak causing pine oil to enter the 

stormwater system. 

Its engineer Ricardo Cambra said 

that there was a vacuum truck 

attempting to siphon the surface water. 

Its SCO 1000 device performed an 

operation separating and collecting 

the pine oil from within the harbour’s 

water treatment plant basin. “Within 

24hrs of this first call-out, further pine 

oil residue was found within a well 

connected to the sewerage system 

where we again installed a SCO 1000 

device to tackle the issue,” he added. 

“Pine oil is a popular solvent, used in 

industrial applications for gums, resins, 

and other substances. However, it 

presents an issue when it comes to 

spills. In this instance, it reacted with 

other petroleum-based products and 

emulsified creating a tough sludge, 

which is difficult to collect. If it enters 

the sewerage network, it travels to 

the water treatment system where it 

can damage equipment such as sand 

filters, which are costly to replace.” 

SurfCleaner is said to be the world’s 

first hybrid skimmer separator that 

treats a variety of water surface 

contaminants — including oil, diesel, 

petrol, plastics, sludge and other 

pollutants. The technology has 

potential across the maritime industry 

including harbours, coastlines and 

nearshore markets, with the group 

partnering with UK operation Briggs 

Marine to extend its market reach. 

According to statistics from the 

International Tanker Owners Pollution 

Federation (ITOPF), most oil spills 

originate near port. The non-profit 

organisation — which provides 

technical advice for ship-sourced spills 

— calculates that circa 80pc of tanker 

spills arise from operational incidents 

including loading, discharging and 

bunkering. 

Ricardo said, “Our lightweight machines 

were easy to transport and deploy in 

restricted locations. They can be moved 

by one person and run autonomously 

if necessary, managing oil spills across 

different areas, from wells, basins, plant 

operations to the harbours. 

“SurfCleaner’s machines are also 

capable of removing and separating 

water sheen, which is relevant in 

oil-spill clean ups, removing the need 

for costly absorbents. Due to the level 

of performance, the client has kept 

the machines on site through a rental 

agreement, with a view of purchasing 

long-term.” 

The SCO 1000 device requires 20W 

of electricity on average, equivalent 

to a small household lightbulb. Other 

comparable devices require circa 

7.5KW, close to 13 times the energy 

demanded. This low-power profile 

means devices can be operated using 

mobile batteries for up to four days. 

Around 40 SurfCleaner units have been 

installed in the oil-water separation 

segment, serving customers including 

the Swedish Coast Guard, Preem 

Refinery, Esso Refinery, Sonatrach 

Refinery, Exxon Mobil and Ports of 

Stockholm. 


SNEAK PEEK 

UNLOCKING 

OPPORTUNITIES 

for the water technology sector 

at Aquatech China 2023 

Aquatech China, Asia’s leading trade show for water technology and solutions, 

is celebrating its 15th anniversary this June in Shanghai, China. The show brings 

together more than 1,750 exhibitors from over 45 countries, attracting over 

65,000 visitors, including industry professionals and representatives from 

government, international organisations and businesses. 

Aquatech China will be held in 

Shanghai’s National Exhibition 

and Convention Center (NECC) from 

5-7 Jun 2023. As China reopens and 

many international exhibitors are on 

the calendar this spring, the exhibition 

serves as a meeting place for market 

leaders within the Asian water sector 

to connect with Chinese water sector 

leading players. With its government 

support to solve water issues and 

rising market demand, Aquatech China 

brings international visitors closer to 

the Chinese water market. 

CHINA’S RISING DEMAND 

As the world continues to grapple 

with the effects of climate change and 

the need to find renewable sources 

of energy, the demand for new water 

technologies is rising. This has also led 

to a surge in the number of companies 

looking to enter the Chinese market, 

sourcing new products and solutions. 

approximately 220 million tonnes of 

wastewater every year. Out of the 

total wastewater, only around 45% 

is treated. Further, around 70% 

ALL ABOUT WATER 

Like other Aquatech tradeshows, the 

exhibition covers the water cycle, from 

wastewater treatment to resource 

Register a free visit 

to explore different 

aspects of water 

technology at 

Aquatech China 2023 

of China’s cities are estimated to 

recovery, sustainable water solutions, 

Aquatech China 2023 has a focus 

suffer from water shortages. It is a 

digital solutions, industrial and 

on wastewater treatment solutions. 

global opportunity for wastewater 

corporate water, urban water, storage 

According to China Water Risk’s 

treatment solutions, and China is no 

and distribution, clean and drinking 

2018 report, China generates 

exception. 

water. 


SNEAK PEEK 

PUMP & VALVE 

Indonesia 2023 

The fourth Pump & Valve Indonesia makes its return as the one-stop event 

for international pump, valve system and equipment in agriculture. From 

23-25 Aug 2023, it will be held at JI Expo Kemayoran, Jakarta, Indonesia. 

Following the success of Pump & Valve 

Indonesia 2022 which attracted 268 

companies from 22 countries and 

7,693 trade attendees from over 25 

countries, this ASEAN’s trade show 

for pump and valve with agriculture, 

plantation and maritime industry will 

be held with three other exhibitions 

in Indonesia this August. They are: 

the national trade fair for agriculture 

technology solutions, INAGRITECH; 

the 9th Indonesia international palm oil, 

machinery and processing technology 

exhibition, INAPALM Asia; and the 

fifth Indonesia international sugar 

machinery, equipment, processing and 

technology exhibition, SugarMach. 

This exhibition brings potential 

customers, suppliers and 

partners together with networking 

opportunities. Attendees can expect 

free educational workshops and learn 

about the latest technologies and 

regulations in the industry located 

within the exhibition halls. 

As the largest archipelagic country 

in the world, Indonesia is known as 

a maritime country with most of its 

territory is the waters. Further, it has 

a land area of 191.07 million hectares 

where half of the area has potential for 

agriculture. Pump & Valve Indonesia is 

expected to host international visitors 

in this competitive domestic market to 

general global businesses with quality 

buyers. 

2 

1 

1 The event 

will bring 

international 

buyers and 

suppliers 

together 

2 Pump & Valve 

Indonesia 2023 

makes its return 

to serve as a 

platform for the 

industry 


SHOW REVIEW 

THE COMEBACK OF 

Water Philippines 2023 

This trade show met the needs of 

the water and energy sectors due 

to its variety of exhibitor profiles, 

targeted delegates and trade 

visitors. 

1 

This platform showcased the 

industries’ innovation and 

sustainability in the Philippines. 

This integrated trade event had 

a total of 10,855 delegates and 

trade visitors consisting experts, 

professionals, and major industry 

players. They forged business 

relationships and shared the 

latest solutions from local and 

international perspectives. 

2 

The exhibitor survey revealed 

that 99.4% of participants 

were satisfied with the overall 

experience. With a showcase of 

notable conferences during the 

three-day event co-organised 

by the Philippine Water Works 

Association and Philippine 

Energy Efficiency Alliance, Water 

Philippines 2023 helmed a variety 

of free-to-attend seminars with 

different product presentations 

of market trends, and hosted a 

workshop by the Philippine Society 

of Mechanical Engineers. 

1 This trade show 

helped expand 

business 

prospects 

2 The seventh 

edition of Water 

Philippines will 

make its return 

in 2025 

Water Philippines 2023, the 

international water and wastewater 

event, has wrapped up its sixth 

edition on 22–24 Mar 2023 at SMX 

Convention Center, Pasay city, 

metro Manila. This trade event is in 

conjunction with the third edition of 

PhilEnergy, the energy trade event in 

the Philippines. 

Both events provided an all-in-one 

business hotspot for industry players, 

gathering over 300 exhibiting brands 

and businesses from 14 participating 

countries in different sectors of the 

water and energy industries. This 

marked the comeback in the physical 

event of Water Philippines and 

PhilEnergy since 2019. 

Both Water Philippines and 

PhilEnergy are set to continue 

in bringing this biennial event 

as a model of Informa Markets 

Philippines’ sustainable efforts, 

in line with UN Sustainable 

Development Goals for the next 

edition on 19-21 Mar 2025 in 

the Philippines again. 


WHAT’S NEXT 

EVENTS CALENDAR 

2023 

MAY 

8 – 10 May 

Global Water Summit 

Berlin, Germany 


OzWater 

Sydney, Australia 

JUNE 

4 – 6 Jun 

Singapore International Water 

Week (SIWW) Spotlight 2023 

Singapore 

5 – 7 Jun 

Aquatech China 

Shanghai, China 

28 – 30 Jun 

IE expo Chengdu 

Chengdu, China 

AUGUST 

30 Aug – 1 Sep 

ThaiWater 

Bangkok, Thailand 


Pumps & Valves Asia 

Bangkok, Thailand 


IndoWater Expo & Forum 

Jakarta, Indonesia 

SEPTEMBER 

13 – 16 Sep 

Water Indonesia 


OCTOBER 

11 – 13 Oct 

VietWater 

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam 

NOVEMBER 

14 – 16 Nov 

Enlit Asia 


2024 

JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 

25 – 28 Jan 

WWETT 

Indiana, US 

31 Jan – 2 Feb 

Interaqua 2024 

Tokyo, Japan 

20 – 21 Feb 

World Water-Tech Innovation 

Summit 

London, UK 

APRIL 

16 – 18 Apr 

World Future Energy Summit 

Abu Dhabi, UAE 

23 – 25 Apr 

AsiaWater 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 

MAY 


IFAT 

Munich, Germany 


10th World Water Forum 

Bali, Indonesia 

JUNE 

10 – 14 Jun 

ACHEMA 2024 

Frankfurt, Germany 

18 – 22 Jun 

SIWW 

Singapore 

AUGUST 

11 – 15 Aug 

IWA World Water Congress 

& Exhibition 

Toronto, Canada 


ADVERTISERS’ INDEX 

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS 

ADVERTISER 

PAGE 

ANDRITZ AG 29 

BRENNTAG ASIA PACIFIC PTE LTD 

IBC 

DANFOSS SINGAPORE PTE LTD 11 

GUANGDONG LIANSU TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD 

OBC 

HARBIN FIRSTLINE ENVIRONMENT TECHNOLOGY CO.,LTD 7 

INDOWATER 2023 5 

PUMPS & VALVE INDONESIA 43 

TSURUMI MANUFACTURING CO., LTD 1 

VIETWATER 2023 59 

WATER & WASTEWATER ASIA IFC, 55, 64 

XYLEM ANALYTICS 

FC 

FOLLOW US 



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Water & Wastewater Asia May/June 2023

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