PUB, Singapore's National Water Agency

Shaping a sustainable future for the aerospace industry! Last Thursday, over 50 business and sustainability leads from aerospace companies gathered for a knowledge-sharing session by PUB on water management best practices and support measures, as part of JTC Corporation's Sustainability Community of Practice (COP) Day 2024. Attendees gained valuable insights on innovative systems for potential water recycling, leveraging the enhanced Water Efficiency Fund (WEF), and understanding the industrial applications of NEWater. There were productive discussions with JTC and the Association of Aerospace Industries (Singapore) focusing on sustainability at the Seletar Aerospace Park, NEWater use, and rainwater harvesting systems. As water demand grows, PUB is committed to partnering with industries to achieve sustainable water practices, with the non-domestic sector accounting for two-thirds of this demand. Embracing industrial water recycling not only contributes to Singapore’s long-term water sustainability, but also enhances resource resilience and brings about cost savings through reduced water consumption. Let's #MakeEveryDropCount! For more information on water conservation for businesses, visit our website. #Sustainability #WaterManagement #AerospaceIndustry #SingaporeSustainability

🧪 Leveraging technology to automate processes 🦾 PUB’s Water Quality Department (WQD) carries out over 500,000 water sample tests annually. To preserve the samples during transportation and storage for accurate analysis, preservatives are dispensed to 300 sampling bottles daily—previously done manually. A WQD team streamlined this laborious process by customising an Automated Preservative Dispensing System in collaboration with a vendor. This system greatly shortens the preparation process to mere minutes without manual intervention, improving the accuracy of preservative additions and allowing analysts to focus on more value-added work. Despite not having prior expertise in developing such automated systems and without any off-the-shelf solutions as reference, the team was able to guide the vendor by sharing their collective laboratory operational needs to build the system. Congratulations to the WQD team (Wendy Zhang, Francis Lim, Guo Zhongxian and Raymond Ong) for receiving the Dare to Do Award at Public Service Week 2024!

🎉🇸🇬 Happy 59th National Day! This year, the PUB water wagons are rolling into the National Day Parade for the first time ever, showcasing the provision of temporary water supply during disruptions and highlighting the resilience of our water supply system! 🚚💦 With their massive 1,000L water tanks, these water wagons are deployed onsite to supply clean drinking water.   Be sure to catch a glimpse of our water wagons in action at the parade! 🎇 Photo credits: MINDEF (for Photo 1 and Photo 2) #NDP2024 #SG59

As an integral part of PUB's engineering team at the water reclamation plant, the opportunity to work with diverse teams, including contractors, plant operators, and other stakeholders is extremely rewarding. This collaboration fosters a sense of community and shared purpose. My job offers a variety of challenges, from project management to technical problem-solving. Most importantly, I find meaning in being part of the team delivering essential water services to Singapore. As I continue to find fulfillment in my work, I was encouraged by PUB to build on my competencies and progress in my career, Hence I embarked on the journey towards professional certification five years ago and successfully obtained my PE certification last year. I was able to achieve this through the practical experience gained from my daily work and through the commitment and emphasis PUB has in fostering engineering excellence and building engineering competencies. This ongoing commitment to professional development not only nurtures my individual growth but also contributes to the collective expertise of PUB's engineering team, ultimately serving the purpose of delivering impactful and sustainable engineering solutions for the community - a cause that resonates deeply with me. #MSEFamily #OurSustainabilityOurResilienceOurEveryday

It was a busy July as PUB officers conducted outreach sessions with over 200 business professionals to share best practices to dispose used water properly and keep our waterways clean. At the EHS Campaign organised by The Singapore Contractors Association Ltd (SCAL), our Catchment and Waterways Department officers presented on implementing adequate earth control measures to prevent polluting our waterways. Our officers from Water Reclamation Network (WRN) Department shared guidelines on the proper discharge of used water and trade effluent into public sewers at the Semiconductor Business Connect 2024, organised by the Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association (SSIA). An advisory clinic was set up during the event to answer questions from trade visitors related to proper effluent management. WRN officers also hosted a dialogue session with F&B-related stakeholders such as trade associations and facility maintenance agents to discuss the proper management of grease traps. In this #YearofPublicHygiene, we will continue to work with our key businesses partners to keep our waterways clean and dispose used water responsibly.

Minister Grace Fu presented six PUB talents with the Singapore Sustainability Scholarship at the award ceremony on Monday. They will embark on studies in engineering in local and overseas universities, and upon graduation will contribute to advancing PUB’s mission of ensuring a sustainable water future for Singapore. PUB also awarded two staff with in-service scholarships as part of efforts to foster a skilled and future-forward workforce that possess the relevant expertise to tackle the demands of sustainable development. Congratulations to all PUB scholars! 💧 Read more at: go.gov.sg/sss-24

I am Xie Nanzheng from PUB’s InfoTech & Digital Transformation Department. I graduated from NUS with a Bachelor of Engineering in Industrial and Systems Engineering and started off as an Engineer with Changi Water Reclamation Plant. My work with Changi Water Reclamation Plant afforded me a glimpse into how PUB runs the entire water loop and the pivotal role we play in securing Singapore's future by ensuring a sustainable and resilient water supply. I was later posted to the Infotech & Digital Transformation Department as a Cybersecurity Analyst. PUB places emphasis on operational resilience and encourages staff to cultivate an innovative, agile and creative mindset. To ensure that I am at the top of my game, I improved myself by attaining professional certifications such as NUS’ Professional Certificate in Cybersecurity Fundamentals and Ethical Hacking. PUB also provides avenues for staff to explore further learning opportunities and encourages continuous learning and development. Moving forward, I plan to enrol for the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) to further my professional development. As my job scope involves overseeing PUB’s overall cybersecurity strategy and ensuring cyber compliance in accordance with best practices and regulatory requirements, I believe this certification will enhance my domain proficiency and broaden my knowledge base for better productivity, while ensuring my relevance in the rapidly changing cybersecurity field. More importantly, I will be able to integrate my experience working in operational technology plants with cybersecurity domain knowledge, and better strengthen PUB’s operational resiliency. #MSEFamily #OurSustainabilityOurResilienceOurEveryday

"At PUB, we want to further enhance our processes using technology and possibly leverage on AI to build up efficiency, productivity, and effectiveness. Without technology it will be hard for us to continue to meet rising water demand." Speaking to GWI, our Chief Executive Ong Tze-Ch’in outlined his leadership focus as he steers PUB through challenges such as protecting our coasts against sea level rise and flooding while continuing to ensure Singapore's water security. In our pursuit to be a smart utility, PUB has been digitalising its operations over the last five years. For instance, thousands of sensors are deployed in Singapore's water network to optimise operations. PUB will continue to explore new technologies and upskill staff, to improve productivity and be future-ready.

With projections indicating a potential rise of up to 1.15 meters in mean sea levels around Singapore by 2100, along with a significant increase in extreme rainfall, the inevitability of floods is not a matter of "if" but rather "when". In the latest episode of The Business Times' "Lens On" podcast, Director of PUB's Coastal Protection Department Hazel Khoo discussed Singapore's vulnerability to the effects of climate change. She also emphasised that while PUB has reduced flood-prone areas in Singapore from 3,200 hectares in the 1970s to less than 30 hectares today, expanding drains to accommodate every extreme rainfall scenario is not feasible due to land constraints. Flooding could become a part of our daily lives, and members of the public need to do their part to ensure they are prepared for flash floods, kept informed of which areas to avoid and what to do during such incidents. Tune in to the podcast to discover some of the insights we gleaned from other countries and the innovative solutions that are currently being explored! https://lnkd.in/grgQ5yHS

PUB supported Science Centre’s Youth STEM Empowerment Programme by hosting participating secondary school students at the Marina Barrage Sustainable Singapore Gallery last month. Besides learning about Singapore's Water Story, the youths also deepened their understanding on water conservation and the need to combat climate change. They then applied what they learnt by working on creative water projects to solve community problems. Kudos to the young sustainability warriors for showing us that everyone has a part to play in taking climate action!