Singapore's Valve Market
Singapore's national water agency PUB and the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be working together on a series of water management issues, including safe drinking water research, watershed management, research and development of innovative water and wastewater treatment and water reuse.
The two parties have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on collaboration in sustainable management of water resources, PUB and the EPA announced in a joint statement. The document was signed by the chief executive of PUB, Chew Men Leong, and the U.S. Ambassador to Singapore, David Adelman, at the NEWater Visitor Centre in Singapore. The agreement was formally signed at an official event, in the presence of Singapore's permanent secretary for the environment and water resources, Choi Shing Kwok, and guests from the Singapore and the U.S. water industry, several institutes of higher learning and a number research organizations.
The two sides claimed that the MOU highlighted a number of areas of mutual interest for Singapore and the United States in sustainable water management and stated that they would be looking to complement each other's expertise and resources.
These areas of interest include ensuring that safe and sustainable water is provided to both countries' populations and working to promote strong growth for industry water clusters, as well as providing innovative water solutions, jobs and economic growth, the statement said. In addition, the two sides would cooperate in improving and protecting human health and the environment through high water quality and safe and sustainable water infrastructure.
Ambassador Adelman commented that the United States, through the EPA, was proud to work with Singapore's national water agency in an effort to achieve more advanced and sophisticated water management systems. The partnership will not only ensure that both countries have better water resource management but will also lead to improved access to high-quality drinking water, he added.
In turn, the chief executive of PUB explained that Singapore was set to benefit from collaborating with EPA, which is a globally renowned policy leader in water management and research, particularly in the field of safe drinking water. PUB would continue to work together with other international agencies and the global water industry as a whole to create innovative solutions to meet the global water resources challenges, Chew stated.
The partnership between the EPA and PUB confirms both sides' commitment to providing effective water management. The MOU builds on PUB's joint R&D efforts with a number of U.S. water industry organizations, including the the American Water Works Association and Sandia National Laboratories, Chew said. Moreover, the agreement will facilitate the access of American water solution providers, such as AECOM, Black and Veatch, CDM Smith, CH2M Hill, Hach, Trojan UV and Xylem, to the Asian market, creating a window of business opportunities.