DJB and SINGAPORE Cooperation Enterprise (SCE) Agreement on sharing expertise on Recycle/Reuse of treated Waste Water Effluent.
By staff reporter
Delhi, 20 June 2012
Delhi Jal Board and Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SCE) and Temasek Foundation, Singapore (TF) signed an Agreement partnering a new programme designed to share Singapore’s experience in the planning and design of recycle and reuse of treated sewage / wastewater; and the delivery of such projects on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) basis for the City of New Delhi, India. The programme will be supported by Temasek Foundation with a grant amount of SGD $463,149 and co-funded by the Delhi Jal Board.
A Grant Agreement was signed by Ms. Debashree Mukherjee, Chief Executive Officer, Delhi Jal Board and Mr. Alphonsus Chia, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Cooperation Enterprise in the presence of Smt. Sheila Dikshit, Hon’ble CM and Chairperson, Delhi Jal Board, Mr. Jonathon Tow, Singapore Acting High Commissioner toIndiaand Mr. Benedict Cheong, Chief Executive Officer, Temasek Foundation.
Speaking on the occasion Smt. Sheila Dikshit, praised the initiatives taken by DJB and Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SCE) and Temasek Foundation, Singapore (TF) in finding a alternate solution to address the challenge of meeting the water need of the capital city. She said that “we have to adopt the mantra of the three “Rs” i.e. Reduce, Recycle and Reuse and we have how to become self sustainable.
Mr. Jonathon Tow, Singapore Acting High Commissioner to India, said that “This not the last step and this is the beginning whereby Singapore shares its experience in the planning and design of recycle and reuse of treated sewage/waste water and development of public-private partnership (PPP) frameworks with the Delhi Jal Board.
Ms. Debashree Mukherji, Chief Executive Officer, Delhi Jal Board said that this collaboration with Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SCE) and Temasek Foundation, Singapore (TF) is the need of the hour. Singapore and Delhi have much in common in the water sector and re-use of water will help meet the growing needs of the city.
The population of New Delhi, the capital of India, has increased from 9.4 million in 1991 to 16.3 million in 2011. There has been an ever-increasing pressure on its existing water resources. With the population projected to grow to 23 million by 2021, the water scarcity scenario remains a real concern.
Singaporehas tackled similar water scarcity issues through its highly successful NEWater programme. It has set a new benchmark in the implementation of recycle and reuse projects for indirect potable and direct non-potable application by integrating advanced technologies, public education and participation, management and quality control systems; and Public-Private Partnership (PPP) investments.
DJB, established under the Delhi Jal Board Act, 1998, is responsible for the production and distribution of drinking water, as well as the collection, treatment and disposal of waste water and sewage for the city of New Delhi, India. Through this programme, DJB is keen to tap into Singapore’s experience to develop efficient water recycle and reuse programmes to augment its water supply to meet the increasing needs of the City of New Delhi.
Under the Grant Agreement, the programme aims to provide advisory and a series of capacity building activities to assist DJB to:
a) Achieve an in-depth understanding on the benefits and challenges for developing an integrated and holistic water management framework. This includes recycle and reuse of treated sewage / wastewater and sharing the experiences and lessons learnt from Singapore with the development of policy frameworks and actions required to implement water recycling strategies; and
b) Build capability of DJB key officials for effective management of development, implementation and operation of sewage / wastewater recycling and reuse related infrastructure projects, including delivering of projects on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) basis.
The Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SCE) is the lead agency that will put together a team of Singapore’s water experts from the Public Utilities Board (PUB) as well as the private sector i.e. M/s CH2M HILL who have been involved in Singapore’s NEWater programme, to develop a sewage / wastewater recycle and reuse concept / strategic plan, feasibility study; and preliminary design including development of a PPP framework for the Coronation Water Reclamation Plant. The programme will also involve a series of workshops to build capacity for government officials from the Delhi Jal Board.
