Dec 6, 2008
Asia can tap S'pore's water expertise Its effective sanitation, water strategies offer viable growth models, says sector specialist By K।E। Seetharam
A NEW consensus is emerging that countries which prioritise their water policies have made significant progress in terms of the human development index, as well as key economic indicators। In this regard, Singapore is emerging as a compelling example worth emulating by several countries in Asia and other parts of the world. Estimates by the World Health Organisation and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) show that every dollar invested in water and sanitation brings about $7 to $10 in terms of tangible economic benefits. Nearly half the population in Asia still does not have a decent toilet, and one in every five persons does not have access to safe drinking water. Hoping to reverse this silent humanitarian crisis, the United Nations Millennium Development Goals campaign aims to cut this figure by half by 2015. The simple message to leaders and policymakers is that 'inaction' is no option, particularly in developing Asian countries, which account for more than 70 per cent of the global population that remain without this basic humanitarian need. Thirty years ago, Singapore also experienced the same sort of water problems that many Asian developing countries still face. Nevertheless, Singapore has been able to march towards achieving water security through a combination of innovation, technology and management, supported by leadership with commitment and an enabling government policy on water. In 1985, the Human Development Index (HDI) for Singapore was 0.79. Today, with an HDI of 0.922 for last year, Singapore ranks 25th among 177 countries. Policymakers and leaders are beginning to appreciate that 24-hour piped supply of safe drinking water is not a luxury but a necessity. The costs to the water utility and to consumers are less with 24-hour supply. Intermittent water supply also poses health risks. Hydraulics dictates that delivering 100 litres per capita per day over one hour will require larger pipes compared to providing it over 24 hours. For example, in most cities in India, municipal water supply is still available, on average, for less than four hours a day. To get 24-hour supply in the home, a typical household often spends four to 10 times the amount that the utility will invest. In one to two decades, Asian developing countries are likely to face a crisis in sanitation and wastewater management unprecedented in human history. To avert this situation, these countries will need to treat at least 50 to 60 per cent of their sewage and wastewater in the next 10 years. This is about four times the present coverage. Several cities in Asia are not fully equipped with sewers. For example, Metropolitan Manila's sewerage coverage is less than 10 per cent; a small portion of the population uses septic tanks while the majority just dumps waste in the rivers. Rivers, lakes and oceans in and around urban areas are now becoming global garbage cans. Wastewater treatment is not merely for cleaning up the environment. Treated wastewater can also complement the water supply needs of the population. With the new generation of membranes and affordable technologies, Singapore has shown that it is now possible to treat wastewater at 25 US cents (38 Singapore cents) per cu m. Desalination costs of seawater have also come down from US$1.50 to about 50 US cents per cu m during the past decade. Singapore's reclaimed water, known as Newater, meets 15 per cent of the country's water needs; this is expected to increase to 30 per cent by 2010. This proves that for people living within 100km of a coast, provision of clean water for domestic, commercial and industrial needs is no longer a physical constraint. The ADB's assessment shows that the region has built up more than US$2 trillion in foreign exchange reserves and domestic savings that could be deployed, at least in part, for investment back in the region - especially in essential water infrastructure. Asian countries would need to invest nearly US$3.7 trillion over the next 10 years to sustain the rapid economic growth of the past decade. In fact, the time is now ripe for these countries in that the financial crisis provides a window of opportunity to boost investments in water, sanitation and wastewater treatment. Singapore's national water agency, the Public Utilities Board, expects to award some 120 tenders worth about $1.1 billion before June next year. When China's government announced its massive stimulus package of 4 trillion yuan (S$888 billion) last month, it was widely cheered at home and abroad. The Economist discussed how experts claimed that the package would help even the rich economies that are now facing recession. Funds from the private sector are also available. Currently, it accounts for only about 20 per cent of infrastructure spending, and there is a big opportunity to increase this share dramatically. The newly formed Asia Infrastructure Project Development (AIPD) Company in Singapore aims to boost water investments in China to about US$1 billion in the next five years by building absorptive capacities in local governments to prepare, bid for and manage large water projects. AIPD is an innovative partnership between the ADB, the Singapore Cooperation Enterprise and three Singapore water companies to specifically respond to the problems that private investors often confront, such as the lack of appropriately structured projects and inadequate quality of information. Singapore's policymakers and water companies could actively support Asian developing countries to replicate the Republic's visionary and aggressive water and wastewater management strategies, by sharing their experiences and building strategic partnerships. Through such initiatives, Singapore could catalyse a vibrant trillion-dollar business opportunity for the global water industry to provide solutions to supply billions with safe drinking water and sanitation expeditiously. Asia's success in the changing global order will depend on how fast the region's countries adopt right policies and achieve water security. Our quality of life is directly connected to the quality of water, both within and all around us. A seed cannot grow without water. Once it has contacted water, it has everything it needs. We need to be more conscious of this great gift.
The writer is the founding director of the Institute of Water Policy, and professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore.He is also a board director at AIPD. He is on secondment from the Asian Development Bank, where he was a lead water and sanitation specialist.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In one to two decades, Asian developing countries are likely to face a crisis in sanitation and wastewater management unprecedented in human history. To avert this situation, these countries will need to treat at least 50 to 60 per cent of their sewage and wastewater in the next 10 years. This is about four times the present coverage.
http://app.mfa.gov.sg/pr/read_content.asp?View,11620,
Asia can tap S'pore's water expertise Its effective sanitation, water strategies offer viable growth models, says sector specialist By K।E। Seetharam
A NEW consensus is emerging that countries which prioritise their water policies have made significant progress in terms of the human development index, as well as key economic indicators। In this regard, Singapore is emerging as a compelling example worth emulating by several countries in Asia and other parts of the world. Estimates by the World Health Organisation and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) show that every dollar invested in water and sanitation brings about $7 to $10 in terms of tangible economic benefits. Nearly half the population in Asia still does not have a decent toilet, and one in every five persons does not have access to safe drinking water. Hoping to reverse this silent humanitarian crisis, the United Nations Millennium Development Goals campaign aims to cut this figure by half by 2015. The simple message to leaders and policymakers is that 'inaction' is no option, particularly in developing Asian countries, which account for more than 70 per cent of the global population that remain without this basic humanitarian need. Thirty years ago, Singapore also experienced the same sort of water problems that many Asian developing countries still face. Nevertheless, Singapore has been able to march towards achieving water security through a combination of innovation, technology and management, supported by leadership with commitment and an enabling government policy on water. In 1985, the Human Development Index (HDI) for Singapore was 0.79. Today, with an HDI of 0.922 for last year, Singapore ranks 25th among 177 countries. Policymakers and leaders are beginning to appreciate that 24-hour piped supply of safe drinking water is not a luxury but a necessity. The costs to the water utility and to consumers are less with 24-hour supply. Intermittent water supply also poses health risks. Hydraulics dictates that delivering 100 litres per capita per day over one hour will require larger pipes compared to providing it over 24 hours. For example, in most cities in India, municipal water supply is still available, on average, for less than four hours a day. To get 24-hour supply in the home, a typical household often spends four to 10 times the amount that the utility will invest. In one to two decades, Asian developing countries are likely to face a crisis in sanitation and wastewater management unprecedented in human history. To avert this situation, these countries will need to treat at least 50 to 60 per cent of their sewage and wastewater in the next 10 years. This is about four times the present coverage. Several cities in Asia are not fully equipped with sewers. For example, Metropolitan Manila's sewerage coverage is less than 10 per cent; a small portion of the population uses septic tanks while the majority just dumps waste in the rivers. Rivers, lakes and oceans in and around urban areas are now becoming global garbage cans. Wastewater treatment is not merely for cleaning up the environment. Treated wastewater can also complement the water supply needs of the population. With the new generation of membranes and affordable technologies, Singapore has shown that it is now possible to treat wastewater at 25 US cents (38 Singapore cents) per cu m. Desalination costs of seawater have also come down from US$1.50 to about 50 US cents per cu m during the past decade. Singapore's reclaimed water, known as Newater, meets 15 per cent of the country's water needs; this is expected to increase to 30 per cent by 2010. This proves that for people living within 100km of a coast, provision of clean water for domestic, commercial and industrial needs is no longer a physical constraint. The ADB's assessment shows that the region has built up more than US$2 trillion in foreign exchange reserves and domestic savings that could be deployed, at least in part, for investment back in the region - especially in essential water infrastructure. Asian countries would need to invest nearly US$3.7 trillion over the next 10 years to sustain the rapid economic growth of the past decade. In fact, the time is now ripe for these countries in that the financial crisis provides a window of opportunity to boost investments in water, sanitation and wastewater treatment. Singapore's national water agency, the Public Utilities Board, expects to award some 120 tenders worth about $1.1 billion before June next year. When China's government announced its massive stimulus package of 4 trillion yuan (S$888 billion) last month, it was widely cheered at home and abroad. The Economist discussed how experts claimed that the package would help even the rich economies that are now facing recession. Funds from the private sector are also available. Currently, it accounts for only about 20 per cent of infrastructure spending, and there is a big opportunity to increase this share dramatically. The newly formed Asia Infrastructure Project Development (AIPD) Company in Singapore aims to boost water investments in China to about US$1 billion in the next five years by building absorptive capacities in local governments to prepare, bid for and manage large water projects. AIPD is an innovative partnership between the ADB, the Singapore Cooperation Enterprise and three Singapore water companies to specifically respond to the problems that private investors often confront, such as the lack of appropriately structured projects and inadequate quality of information. Singapore's policymakers and water companies could actively support Asian developing countries to replicate the Republic's visionary and aggressive water and wastewater management strategies, by sharing their experiences and building strategic partnerships. Through such initiatives, Singapore could catalyse a vibrant trillion-dollar business opportunity for the global water industry to provide solutions to supply billions with safe drinking water and sanitation expeditiously. Asia's success in the changing global order will depend on how fast the region's countries adopt right policies and achieve water security. Our quality of life is directly connected to the quality of water, both within and all around us. A seed cannot grow without water. Once it has contacted water, it has everything it needs. We need to be more conscious of this great gift.
The writer is the founding director of the Institute of Water Policy, and professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore.He is also a board director at AIPD. He is on secondment from the Asian Development Bank, where he was a lead water and sanitation specialist.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In one to two decades, Asian developing countries are likely to face a crisis in sanitation and wastewater management unprecedented in human history. To avert this situation, these countries will need to treat at least 50 to 60 per cent of their sewage and wastewater in the next 10 years. This is about four times the present coverage.
http://app.mfa.gov.sg/pr/read_content.asp?View,11620,
Comments
Post a Comment