| Opening of Tuas Desalination Plant marks major milestone in Singapore’s journey towards water sustainability | 159 | https://www.pub.gov.sg/news/pressreleases/OpeningofTuasDesalinationPlantmarksmajormilestone | Opening of Tuas Desalination Plant marks major milestone in Singapore’s journey towards water sustainability | 27/6/2018 4:00:00 PM | | Desalination can now meet up to 30% of Singapore’s current water demand
Robust pre-treatment process and solar capabilities – a first in local desalination scene | Issue Date | Press Release | About PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency | Find out more about us | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | <p style="text-align:justify;">Singapore's desalination journey marks a major milestone today with the opening of the Tuas Desalination Plant (TDP). This is the country's third desalination plant and the first to be owned and operated by PUB, Singapore's National Water Agency. Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, joined by some 100 guests, officiated the opening of the plant this morning.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><img alt="Facade of TDP" src="http://public.prdweb.pub.gov.sg/sites/assets/PressReleaseAssets/TDP1.jpg" style="margin:5px;width:498px;" /><br> </p><p style="text-align:justify;">The TDP is a strategic infrastructural asset that will boost Singapore's desalination capacity from the current 100mgd to 130mgd, meeting up to 30% of the country's current water demand. By 2060, desalination is expected to meet up to 30% of Singapore's water needs then.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><img alt="Facade of TDP" src="http://public.prdweb.pub.gov.sg/sites/assets/PressReleaseAssets/TDP2.jpg" style="margin:5px;width:498px;" /><br> </p><p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>Setting industry benchmarks and optimising operational efficiencies </strong></p><p style="text-align:justify;">The TDP is a compact plant, occupying a footprint of 3.5 hectares. It can produce up to 30 million gallons a day (mgd) (or 136,000 m<sup>3</sup>) of drinking water, equivalent to the water demand of about 200,000 households. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">TDP boasts of many firsts. Besides being the first plant to be owned and operated by PUB, it is also the first desalination plant in Singapore to adopt a robust pre-treatment process that combines Dissolved Air Floatation and Ultrafiltration<sup>1</sup>. Such a combination helps to reduce membrane fouling when treating seawater of varying water quality, thereby enhancing operational efficiency. </p><p style="text-align:justify;"><img alt="Interior of TDP" src="http://public.prdweb.pub.gov.sg/sites/assets/PressReleaseAssets/TDP3.jpg" style="margin:5px;width:498px;" /> </p><p style="text-align:justify;"><img alt="Interior of TDP" src="http://public.prdweb.pub.gov.sg/sites/assets/PressReleaseAssets/TDP4.jpg" style="margin:5px;width:498px;" /><br> </p><p style="text-align:justify;">Another first for TDP is its pursuit of clean energy. A 1.2MWp solar photovoltaics (PV) system will be installed on more than half of TDP's roof surface by the end of 2018. Covering over 7000 square metres of the roof surface, the solar PV system will be able to generate some 1.4 million kWh of clean energy a year, equivalent to powering the energy needs of more than 300 four-room flats a year<sup>2</sup>. This will help to power the energy needs of part of the plant and reduce the plant's carbon footprint. For its use of solar photovoltaics and energy-efficient LED lightings, TDP has been conferred the Green Mark Award (Gold) in 2018.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">"<strong><em>Seawater desalination has a starring role in Singapore's water future. And the opening of this TDP is another milestone in our quest for enduring water security. TDP may well be the most space-efficient one of its kind in the world. Being owned and operated by PUB, it serves to anchor core desalinating competency inside of PUB. More excitingly, it is a real-world testbed for the cutting-edge technologies that PUB has been exploring in recent years in our ambitious bid to half the energy take for seawater desalination,</em></strong><strong>"</strong> said Mr Ng Joo Hee, Chief Executive, PUB.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">Besides Tuas Desalination Plant, Singapore has two other desalination plants – SingSpring (30 mgd) and Tuaspring (70 mgd) in operation. There are two other desalination plants – at Marina East (30 mgd) and on Jurong Island (30 mgd), which are under development. When completed in 2020, they will further strengthen the resilience of Singapore's water supply.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>Securing water for Singapore's future needs</strong></p><p style="text-align:justify;">Singapore's water demand is projected to double from today's 430 million gallons per day by 2060 as our economy and population grow. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">PUB's plan is to progressively increase supply capacities to meet the growing demand, and to cater for resilience against contingencies such as prolonged dry weather. There is a natural limit to supply augmentation from local catchments as two-thirds of Singapore is already water catchment. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">Singapore's future water security lies with desalination and reuse. These rainfall-independent sources of water will also help to reduce our vulnerability to weather uncertainties. </p><p style="text-align:justify;"> Please click <a href="http://public.prdweb.pub.gov.sg/sites/assets/PressReleaseDocuments/Annex.pdf">here</a> for Annex</p><p style="text-align:justify;"> </p><p style="text-align:justify;"><sup><em>1</em></sup><em>Dissolved Air Floatation (DAF) introduces chemicals into seawater to gather impurities, grouping them into bigger particles. Fine air bubbles are injected to adhere to these particles and float them for removal. The seawater then passes through semi-permeable membranes to remove impurities, microorganisms and bacteria during ultrafiltration, before pumping to Reverse Osmosis (R.O) membranes for further treatment. A combination of DAF and Ultrafiltration reduces the deposits of impurities on the R.O membranes and allow them to last longer, thus improving operational efficiency.</em></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><sup><em>2</em></sup><em>Based on Energy Market Authority's average monthly electricity consumption data in 2016.</em></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><em><img alt="The six processes of TDP " src="http://public.prdweb.pub.gov.sg/sites/assets/PressReleaseAssets/TDP_infographics%201.jpg" style="margin:5px;width:643px;" /></em> </p><p style="text-align:justify;"><em><img alt="The milestones of desalination in Singapore " src="http://public.prdweb.pub.gov.sg/sites/assets/PressReleaseAssets/TDP_infographics%202.jpg" style="margin:5px;width:641px;" /></em><br> </p> | <p>
PUB is a
statutory board under the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources. It
is the national water agency, and manages Singapore’s water supply, water
catchment and used water in an integrated way.</p><p>PUB has ensured a diversified and
sustainable supply of water for Singapore with the Four National Taps (local
catchment water, imported water, NEWater, desalinated water).</p><p>PUB calls on everyone to play a part in
conserving water, in keeping our waterways clean, and in caring for Singapore’s
precious water resources. If we all do our little bit, there will be enough
water for all our needs – for commerce and industry, for living, for life.</p><div style="text-align:justify;"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman">
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