Meeting of Minds
Left: The 4th International Water Association (IWA) Leading- Edge Conference & Exhibition on Water and Wastewater Technologies was held in Singapore. This is the first time the conference has been held in Southeast Asia.
To raise its profile as a technology-driven global hydrohub, Singapore plays host to a series of international conferences and summits geared towards finding sustainable water solutions for the world.
Worldwide, the water industry is gaining momentum and Singapore aims to be an integral part of this growth by developing into a wellspring of water solutions. As a venue for world conferences and summits, Singapore puts itself on an international platform, sharing its water success story. Strategic tie-ups with international organisations further raise its international standing in water resource management, putting PUB in the forefront of the water race.
In the lead-up to the inaugural Singapore International Water Week held in June 2008, Singapore played host to a series of global water conferences and summits.
The first Singapore Desalination and Water Reuse Leadership Summit, held in Singapore in April 2007, saw more than 100 global leaders and key decision makers from the private and public sectors come together to share best practices in the areas of water reuse and desalination. The two-day summit was opened by Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Dr Yaacob Ibrahim and jointly organised by the International Desalination Association and PUB.
“To overcome the water challenges of the world, a forum like the Singapore Leadership Summit allows all parties to network and find optimal solutions together,” said Mr Khoo Teng Chye, Chief Executive of PUB, and concurrently the Executive Director of the Environment and Water Industry Development Council (EWI).
Inset: Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for the Water and Environment Resources, gets a first look at new developments during the 4th IWA Leading - Edge Conference & Exhibition on Water and Wastewater Technologies.
In June 2007, Singapore scored another breakthrough by hosting the 4th International Water Association (IWA) Leading-Edge Conference & Exhibition on Water and Wastewater Technologies.
The conference, which made its maiden voyage to Southeast Asia, is instrumental in promoting technology breakthroughs. It brought together 300 water experts and researchers worldwide to interact and identify how developments in water treatment technologies can be applied to wastewater and vice versa.
Said Mr Khoo: “Singapore is well placed to take the lead in this industry as an R&D base and as a provider of water solutions. This conference provides a unique opportunity to hear from those who are leaders in their respective fields. It is also in line with EWI’s effort to forge closer international global connections within the water sector.” Yet another gathering of senior specialists took place in July 2007 when Professor Tommy Koh, Singapore’s Ambassador-at-Large, chaired the Asia-Pacific Water Forum’s (APWF) 2nd Governing Council meeting at PUB’s WaterHub. All previous three Governing Council meetings have been held in Singapore and the fourth meeting will be held in Singapore in November 2008.
＂Singapore is well placed to take the lead in this industry as an R&D base and as a provider of water solutions.”
— Mr Khoo Teng Chye, Chief Executive, PUB
Mooted by the water ministers of the Asia-Pacific region during the 4th World Water Forum in Mexico in March 2006, the APWF is an independent, not-for-profit, non-political network set up to encourage more collaborative efforts on water resources management and to accelerate the effective integration of water resources management with the socio-economic development process of the Asia and Pacific region.
PUB and UNESCO are taking the lead in developing knowledge and lessons in water resource management, one of the key areas which the forum will be looking into. They are building knowledge hubs which aim to deliver state-of-the-art, knowledge-based products and services that meet the practical needs of water organisations like utilities, ministries and planning agencies.
