Singapore And Netherlands Water House To Promote Water Sector Collaboration
The Netherlands Water Partnership (NWP) and PUB, the national water agency of Singapore signed a letter of intent today to boost collaborations undertaken by businesses and research institutions in the fields of science, technology and innovations in Singapore’s water sector.
The Netherlands Water House will enhance cooperation and strengthen ties between Singaporean and Dutch businesses and research institutes in the water sector.Representatives of the NWH will organise and participate in meetings, conferences, symposia workshops, courses and exhibitions. The NWH will also promote the Dutch knowledge and expertise in water technology and water management in Singapore and other countries in the region.
Through this agreement, PUB and NWP acknowledge the strong business ties between Singapore and Netherlands and in particular, the many opportunities that Singapore presents as a hub for the sizeable community of Dutch companies and businesses involved in the city-state’s water sector.
“The Netherlands is eager to expand its well established water-related expertise and business to Asia. This provides excellent synergies with Singapore’s research and development activities and impressive efforts to establish itself as a hub for the water market. The ambitions of Singapore and The Netherlands are strongly mutually reinforcing and we are very excited about further strengthening the ties with PUB and Singapore,” said Dr Tjibbe Bouma, the driving force behind the Netherlands Water House in Singapore on behalf of NWP.
Water has been identified as a key engine of growth for the Singapore economy, with an investment of S$330 million to be committed over 5 years to grow and develop the local water sector into a hotbed of water technologies. The city is actively wooing R&D investments from leading international water players and encouraging local companies to make inroads overseas.
“Today, there are more than 50 local and international companies in Singapore and we aim to grow this further. The collaboration with Netherlands Water Partnership marks an important step towards advancing Singapore’s global hydrohub aspirations. This alliance will lead to a more vibrant and active Dutch water business community here,” said Mr Khoo Teng Chye, PUB Chief Executive and concurrently, the Executive Director of the Environment and Water Industry Development Council, which oversees the growth of the water industry in Singapore.
Known for their outstanding knowledge in the fields of water technology, water management and flood protection, the Dutch are no newcomers to Singapore’s water sector. PUB has inked several research collaborations with KWR Watercycle Research Institute, a leading water research institute in the Netherlands and the Singapore-Delft Water Alliance, a multinational, inter-disciplinary research centre formed by Deltares, PUB and the National University of Singapore.
Over the last two years, the Dutch have also been strong supporters of the annual Singapore International Water Week, a global platform for water solutions that brings together the who’s who of the water industry to address challenges, showcase technologies, discover opportunities and celebrate achievements in the water world.
The highlight of the event, the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize, an international water prize for outstanding contributions in solving global water problems, was awarded to Dutch scientist Professor Gatze Lettinga this year for his environmentally sustainable solution using oxygen-free anaerobic technology to treat used water.
Topics: conservation, cooperation, economic development, Economy, environment, Governance, innovation, National Water Agency of Singapore, Netherlands, Netherlands Water Parnership, research, Singapore, Singapore Water Sector, technology, water management, water technology
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