SUI (Singapore Utilities International), a subsidiary of PUB, has evolved through the years.

"Today, besides supporting PUB's functions through its expertise in cutting-edge water and wastewater treatment technologies, SUI also plays a leadership role in growing the water industry by utilising the expertise of PUB to build a comprehensive international water business together with Singapore-based companies," said Ng Han Tong, Managing Director of SUI and concurrently PUB's Director of Industry Development.

In the past year, SUI has secured several beachhead projects which will open doors for Singapore-based companies to participate in water and waste-water related projects overseas.

In June 2006, for example, SUI won a $1.6 million contract from Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Water and Electricity (MOWE), to provide consultancy for and supervision of unaccounted-for-water and full operational audit study of water and wastewater services in Greater Damman and Madinah cities. The project included training workshops for MOWE staff, and study visits to Singapore.

The contract came soon after the Minister for Water and Electricity of Saudi Arabia visited Singapore in 2005 and liked how PUB manages the water supply and used water system in Singapore.

Besides the Middle East, SUI has been active in Brunei, successfully completing two big consultancy projects there for the Government of Brunei, with a combined value of about $2.4 million.

Another promising market in which SUI has established a beachhead is China. SUI had earlier entered into a multi-million dollar joint venture agreement with Sembcorp Utilites Pte Ltd and the Nanjing Chemical Industrial Park Company to invest, develop and operate an industrial wastewater plant. This came to fruition when the wastewater plant was commissioned in May 2005. This project helped SUI establish itself in the China market and SUI has since divested its share in this joint venture agreement.

This freed SUI up to explore other water and waste-water projects with various Singapore-based water companies. "SUI does not compete against other Singapore based-water companies. Rather, our role is to add value when a consortium of such companies is formed to take on overseas projects," explained Mr Ng.

Because a range of expertise is needed to break into new markets, forming a consortium allows the various companies to synergise and together offer a total solution. Mr Ng added that a true measure of SUI's success will be the number of overseas projects it helps to secure for Singapore-based water companies.

By ONG MAY ANNE