Singapore, 9 June 2021 – Singapore’s National Water Agency PUB has been named ‘Resilient Water Agency of the Year’ at the Global Water Awards 2021, a recognition conferred by the international water community for its robust efforts in ensuring water security for Singapore, even amidst challenges posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, Singapore’s newest desalination plant, the Keppel Marina East Desalination Plant (KMEDP) was conferred the ‘Desalination Plant of the Year’ Award, in recognition of its innovative capability to treat both seawater and freshwater from the surrounding reservoir.
Established by the Global Water Intelligence (GWI) in 2006, the annual Global Water Awards recognise the most important achievements in the international water industry and rewards initiatives in the water, used water and desalination sectors, that are moving the industry forward through improved operating performance, innovative technology adoption and sustainable financial models.
The ‘Resilient Water Agency of the Year’ is a new award category to recognise government agencies or water utilities that have offered the most robust or innovative response to the unique challenges of 2020 for the water and used water sector. The three other nominees in this category were Anglian Water in the United Kingdom, Gruppo Hera in Italy, and the Orange County Water District in USA.
The ‘Desalination Plant of the Year’ recognises the most impressive technical or ecological desalination plant commissioned in 2020. The three other nominees were the Al Dur 2 IWPP (Bahrain), Khobar I SWRO (Saudi Arabia), ZPC Seawater Desalination Project (China).
Ng Joo Hee, CEO of PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency, said, “As the pandemic grew in 2020, PUB has been focused on achieving two outcomes—keeping our staff and workers safe from the virus and keeping Singapore’s water system running smoothly. Because we have been quick to act, nimble in adjusting, and able to coordinate as one, PUB continues to accomplish our water mission, in spite of a raging pandemic and an uncertain business environment. The commencement of operations at the Keppel Marina East Desalination plant, with its dual-mode capability, has further strengthened Singapore’s water security, adding a weather-resilient source of water in the face of climate change.”
Christopher Gasson, Publisher of Global Water Intelligence, said, “The Global Water Awards recognise the most important achievements in the international water industry, and reward those initiatives in the water, wastewater and desalination sectors that are moving the industry forward. I would like to congratulate PUB, for being named the ‘Resilient Water Agency of the Year’, a new category to honour the tireless and often unseen behind-the-scenes efforts by our water agencies in ensuring uninterrupted water services during 2020’s COVID-19 challenges, while keeping its staff and customers safe with a comprehensive crisis management plan. I would also like to congratulate Singapore’s Keppel Marina East Desalination Plant, for being named the Desalination Plant of the Year, for setting a new standard for desalination, by optimising energy-efficiency and resource-efficiency with its dual-mode capabilities to treat both seawater and freshwater,”
– Construction+ Online
Source: PUB
