NEWater: Singapores Experience in Water Reuse

Ong Key Wee

Senior Principal Engineer, Water Supply (Plants)

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Contents
Introduction The Journey to NEWater Uses of NEWater Network and Infrastructure

Gaining Publics acceptance

Managing the Entire Water Cycle

From sourcing, collection, purification and supply of drinking water, to treatment of used water and turning it into NEWater, drainage of storm water

Rain

Sea

NEWater
Direct NonPotable Use

Overview of NEWater Concept

Rain Sea

Direct NonPotable Use

Overview of NEWater Concept

Used water

Water Reclamation Plant

Final Effluent Reject

Discharge to Sea

NEWater Factory

NEWater

NEWater Production Process

Reverse Osmosis

Treated Used Water

Microfiltration / Ultrafiltration

NEWater

Ultra-Violet

What is Osmosis ?
Semi-permeable Membrane

Clean Water

Unwanted salt, bacteria & virus etc.

Solution

What is Reverse Osmosis ?

Semi-permeable membrane Pressure

Clean Water

Unwanted salt, bacteria & virus etc.

Solution

Sampling and Monitoring Programme (SAMP)

295 water quality parameters, over and above the 100 specified by USEPA and 114 specified by WHO Most comprehensive water quality study of reclaimed water conducted to date Categories of parameters: Physical Inorganic Organic Pesticides/ Herbicides Radionuclides Wastewater signature compounds Synthetic and natural hormones Microbiological parameter Good laboratory practice QA/QC team Analytical protocols Good quality and accurate data for analysis / trending / troubleshooting
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Water Quality Comparisons

Water Quality Parameters Turbidity [NTU] Local Reservoir Water 0.5 - 11 PUB Tap water < 0.1 NEWater USEPA / WHO Standards < 0.1 5

Total Dissolved Solids [mg/l]

Lead [mg/l] Mercury [mg/l]

117 - 154
< 0.013 <0.00003

149.5
0.002 <0.00003

48.5
< 0.0005 to 0.002 <0.00003

500
0.01 0.001

Hormones (Synthetic & Natural) [g/l]

PCBs [g/l] Dioxin [pg/l] Total Organic Carbon [mg/l]

ND
ND ND 2.6 6.2

ND
ND ND 1.9 3.5

ND
ND ND <0.1

Not Specified
0.5 30 Not Specified

Total Coliform [cfu/100 ml]

Enterovirus

3 - 967
ND

ND
ND

ND
ND

ND
ND

ND Not Detected

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Sampling and Monitoring Programme (SAMP)

To date, more than 133,000 tests have been conducted on samples from treated used water and NEWater The quality of NEWater consistently meets the latest requirements of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys (USEPA) National Primary and Secondary Drinking Water Standards and World Health Organisations (WHO) Drinking Water Quality Guidelines

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Contents
Introduction The Journey to NEWater Uses of NEWater Network and Infrastructure

Gaining Publics acceptance

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Background to NEWater Journey

Planned Indirect Potable Use (IPU) as a source of water supply is not new. It has been practised in several parts of the United States for more than 20 years. Study Trip was conducted to learn from overseas experience

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NEWater Study Project Organisation Structure

Steering Committee

Consultant

Technical Committee

Expert Panel

Project Unit
Sampling & Monitoring Programme Demo Plant Health Effect Study Team
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NEWater Demonstration Plant

Demonstration Plant Studies Pilot Plant Studies Upstream fundamental research

Demonstration Plant

Learning from Overseas experiences

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NEWater Demonstration Plant

To design, construct and operate a 10,000 m3/day advanced water reclamation demonstration plant, operational since May 2000 Objective of demo plant is to test the technology for its reliability and robustness Operational problems experienced at demo plant level can be incorporated into the design of full scale plant Some problems and concern: low flow at night, use of hypochlorite will damage membrane
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Expert Panel
Name
Prof Ong Choon Nam (Chairman) Prof Joan Rose Mr William Lauer

Expertise
Human Health and Toxicology Microbiology Water Reclamation Studies

Institute
National University of Singapore (NUS) Michigan State University American Water Works Association

Prof Ng Wun Jern

Prof Mulkit Singh Dr Chew Suok Kai Prof Lee Hian Kee Dr Bosco Bloodworth

Engineering and Water Technologies

Microbiology Human Health and Epidemiology Environmental Chemistry Water Quality and Analysis

NUS
NUS Ministry of Health (MOH) NUS MOH/Health Sciences Authority of Singapore (HSA) Nanyang Technological University
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Prof James Tam

Life/Biological Sciences

Sampling and Monitoring Programme

293 water quality parameters; more than the 100 specified by USEPA and 122 specified by WHO Most comprehensive water quality study of reclaimed water to date Categories of parameters Physical, inorganic, organic, radio-nuclides, pesticides / herbicides, wastewater signature compounds, synthetic / natural hormones Microbiological water quality parameter study

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Health Effects Study

Complements SAMP in determining the safety of NEWater

Toxicological assessment of NEWater against reservoir water

Short and long term health effects on two animal species Mice Long term toxicity and carcinogenicity assessment Fish Long term toxicity and carcinogenicity assessment, and estrogenic assessment (reproductive and development)

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Health Effects Study

Mice testing facility at the Animal Handling Unit, NUS (Mice; B6C3F1 strain)

Modified and improved fish testing facility at the NEWater Demonstration Plant

(Fish; Japanese Medaka)

Histopathological analyses of animal tissues and organs at Experimental Pathology Laboratories Inc. (EPL) in the U.S.

Histopathological analyses of fish tissue and organs No long term carcinogenic effect No estrogenic effect
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No long term carcinogenic effect

The Journey to NEWater

Birth of reclaiming used water
1972 2007

2010 Completion of 5th NEWater factory Completion of 4th NEWater factory

2003/04 2002

2001 1998

Completion of 3rd NEWater factory Completion of 1st two NEWater factories (NF)

PUB embarked on the NEWater initiative More affordable cost of membrane technology
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NEWater
N

17 mgd
Kranji NF

Bedok
Woodlands NEWater SR

18 mgd

Kranji

Mandai SR

Tampines NEWater SR

Jurong Hill 65 SR
JIWW

Ulu Pandan NF Bedok NF

Changi NF

32 mgd
Ulu Pandan
Pulau Bukom

Kent Ridge NEWater SR

Changi 50 mgd
LEGEND

EXISTING NEWater PIPELINES

PROPOSED NEWater PIPELINES PROPOSED NIP LINES PROPOSED NEWater SERVICE RESERVOIR AT MANDAI HILL 68 EXISTING NEWater SERVICE RESERVOIR EXISTING NEWater FACTORY

NEWater met 30% of water needs Water for All (NEWater)

INDUSTRIAL WATER PIPELINES

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Bedok NEWater Factory (18 mgd)

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Kranji NEWater Factory (17 mgd)

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Ulu Pandan NEWater Factory (32 mgd)

Design-Build-Own-Operate PUB purchases water from Keppel-Seghers

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Changi NEWater Factory (50 mgd)

Design-Build-Own-Operate PUB purchases water from Sembcorp Industries

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Contents
Introduction The Journey to NEWater Uses of NEWater Network and Infrastructure

Gaining Publics acceptance

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Uses of NEWater
Primary purpose is for Direct Non Potable Use (DNPU)
o o As part of the Replace Strategy, this frees up large amounts of potable water for other vital potable purposes Will increase to 40% of Singapores water needs by 2020

Secondary purpose is for Indirect Potable Use (IPU)

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Singapore Water Demand

Non-potable water (primarily NEWater)

Domestic
(Residential)

Non-domestic
(Commercial & Industries)

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Where is NEWater used?

Others - general washing - toilet flushing, etc

Cooling towers - hospitals - commercial buildings - institutions, etc

Processes
- wafer fabrication - petrochemical - power plants, - manufacturing etc

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Indirect Potable Use in Singapore

Rainwater

Raw water Import

Reservoir Waterworks

NEWater NEWater Factories

Mixing

Water Reclamation Plant Desalted Water

Population Industries Commercial

Sea

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Contents
Introduction The Journey to NEWater Uses of NEWater Network and Infrastructure

Gaining Publics acceptance

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NEWater Supply Network

Total NEWater network ~ 360 km NEWater Infrastructure Plan (NIP)
87km of transmission pipelines (2200 mm dia) from Changi NEWater Factory in the east to Jurong in the west via Bedok, Kranji and Seletar clusters
Completed in 2011 To supply an additional 50 mgd

Important part of Singapores integrated water management

Linking all the NEWater factories Managing NEWater demand as a whole

Increasing the reliability of supply

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NEWater Infrastructure Plan

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NEWater
N

Kranji NF

Woodlands NEWater SR

Kranji

Mandai SR

Tampines NEWater SR

Jurong Hill 65 SR
JIWW

Ulu Pandan NF Bedok NF

Changi NF

Kent Ridge

Changi

LEGEND EXISTING NEWater PIPELINES PROPOSED NEWater PIPELINES PROPOSED NIP LINES

Pulau Bukom

PROPOSED NEWater SERVICE RESERVOIR AT MANDAI HILL 68 EXISTING NEWater SERVICE RESERVOIR EXISTING NEWater FACTORY INDUSTRIAL WATER PIPELINES

NEWater Transmission Pipelines under the NEWater Infrastructure Plan

Water for All (NEWater)

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Contents
Introduction The Journey to NEWater Uses of NEWater Network and Infrastructure

Gaining Publics acceptance

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Public Communication - Simple Messaging

MICROFILTRATION
REVERSE OSMOSIS
Semi-permeable membranes Hollow fibres
High Pressure

UV DISINFECTION

Treated Used Water

NEWater

Suspended solids and bacteria of more than 0.2 microns are filtered out. Filtered water is conducted through the middle of the hollow fibres.

0.0004 microns membranes Unwanted solids trapped on the outside of the fibre

Water is further disinfected with ultraviolet light.

Production of NEWater too technical?

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Estrogen Water Bacteria Virus Endrocrine molecules Disruptors

Reverse Osmosis Pore Size

100 Million Times

Size of Tennis Balls

Water molecules

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Public Communication

Good Branding

Choice of words
Used Water vs Wastewater; NEWater vs Reclaimed Water Water Reclamation vs Sewage Treatment

Emphasis
Concept is not new RO technology Indirect Potable Use

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Gaining Publics acceptance

PUB and its parent ministry took the lead in public communication with support from the Panel of Experts Bottled NEWater for public sampling, bottles distributed on National Day Parade Strong political leadership with its ability to rally the entire community to face a national challenge Grassroots leaders helped NEWater to reach out to the community in the heartland
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(Briefing to Grassroots, Jul 2002)

NEWater demonstration plant, 2000

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Continued Public Education/ Acceptance

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NEWater Visitor Centre

NEWater VC is the focal point of our continuing education on:
The importance of water Role of NEWater as one of the 4 national taps The technology behind NEWater
Officially opened on 21 Feb 2003

Targets mainly our younger generation (eg students) Visitor friendly with multi-media computer interactives (games) and videos Provides first hand experience of the NEWater plant operations
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Marina Barrage, Singapore

Thank you

Thank you

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