Aarhus Vand enters collaboration with Singapore
The utility in Singapore works in extreme conditions with little space, scarcity of water and torrential rain. The solutions are corresponding high-tech and worth being inspired by. Therefore, Aarhus Vand has signed a cooperation agreement with PUB Singapore.
On Wednesday 19 June 2024, Aarhus Vand signed a cooperation agreement with PUB Singapore, which is the only utility in the Asian Republic. In connection with International Water Week in Singapore, dialogues between the two utilities became a formalized collaboration.
Wastewater treatment plant in a very small space inspires Aarhus Vand
Singapore is measured in terms of inhabitants the size of Denmark, but in terms of area, much smaller. Water is a very scarce resource and there is little space to deal with. The wastewater treatment plants in Singapore are high-tech covered wastewater treatment plants that take up very little space and are close to residential areas.
When we in Aarhus start building a new wastewater treatment plant – Aarhus ReWater, we can use knowledge from Singapore about eg. covering a plant so that we avoid odour nuisance. In addition, we need knowledge about creating a CO2-neutral plant, and here we are working both in Aarhus and Singapore with exciting solutions that we can be inspired by.
She continues to explain that in Singapore they also have plans to build a new treatment plant. In this connection, they are particularly interested in Aarhus Vand's knowledge of energy production and plans for utilizing the resources in wastewater.
According to Karina Topp, a collaboration can give both parties a push in the right direction towards building the wastewater treatment plant of the future. The Assistant Chief Executive of PUB Singapore shares this observation and states about the new collaboration:
We are pleased to formalize our close partnership with Aarhus Vand through this MOU as we see the many common goals and values between the two organisations, especially in the areas of innovation, energy-efficient used water treatment, resource circularity and climate resiliency.
Wastewater is treated to drinking water quality in Singapore
One difference to Singapore, however, is that they have such a shortage of water that wastewater is treated, stored in lagoons and then prepared for drinking water. In Aarhus we have enough groundwater for drinking water, but utilities that work under more extreme conditions than we do in Denmark are worth looking at to find inspiration for future solutions.
Climate adaptation becomes part of the collaboration
And in terms of rainfall, according to Karina Topp, there is good reason to also look over Singapore's shoulder. In Singapore, rain often falls as cloudburst rain. Therefore, they work to park water in lakes and in green areas, where they also create recreational environments.
“In Aarhus, we also work with climate adaptation, which goes hand in hand with good green areas for the benefit of the people of Aarhus. Therefore, part of our collaboration will also be about finding even better solutions to climate adaptation, biodiversity and recreational environments together,” says Karina Topp, CEO, Aarhus Vand.
She emphasizes that the purpose of a collaboration like this is to ensure the best solutions for the benefit of the people of Aarhus and the aquatic environment of all of us.