Singapore water expo set to surpass itself

Sept. 21, 2010
SINGAPORE, Sept. 21, 2010 -- Following the third successful staging of Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) in June this year, the Water Expo looks set to achieve greater heights in 2011...

SINGAPORE, Sept. 21, 2010 -- Following the third successful staging of Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) in June this year, the Water Expo looks set to achieve greater heights. More than half of the increased exhibition space at Water Expo 2011 has already been taken up in barely three months since preparations for the 2011 event took off.

A key pillar event of the Water Week, the Water Expo is a major water trade show that focuses on innovations, products and services as well as best practices, successful case studies and practical application of water technologies. Japan has also confirmed its national pavilion, returning for a fourth time, after it more than doubled its area for 2010.

More leading companies have shown interest in becoming Founding Sponsors, and amongst them, PWN Technologies will be joining the 17 existing Founding Sponsors, to lend their support for the event. The Water Expo will also be expanding its scope to cover more sectors of the water value chain, and this is slated to attract more newcomers who will find the event even more invaluable as a strategic marketing vehicle.

"Early industry response to Singapore International Water Week 2011 has been very positive, and we are building on the firm foundation established by previous editions of the Water Week to bring participants a more enhanced experience of the event for greater value add. Next year, we will be focusing on efficient and cost-effective solutions for a changing urban environment - an extremely pressing area that is growing in significance, with increasing urbanisation and the scarcity of water resources," said Michael Toh, Managing Director of SIWW.

Launch of SIWW 2010 Blue Paper and Solutions
Key ideas from the Water Leaders Summit 2010 and a recap of the activities at Water Week 2010 have been captured in the latest Water Week 2010 publications, Blue Paper and Solutions. The publications were launched with a message from Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Singapore's Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, at the International Water Association (IWA)'s World Water Congress and Exhibition in Montreal, Canada, today.

"Since 2008, IWA has been a strategic partner of Singapore International Water Week. This year's SIWW was held together with World Cities Summit and attracted more than 14,000 delegates. We hosted exhibitors and friends from 112 countries. SIWW continues to grow, and I am confident our partnership with IWA will continue to strengthen. I am pleased to launch SIWW 2010 Blue Paper and Solutions in Montreal. The documents capture key insights shared by renowned water leaders at the Singapore event," said Dr Yaacob in a message to invited guests at the Singapore Networking Reception held at the IWA World Water Congress.

The Blue Paper serves as a strategic resource for global water leaders in the development of more sustainable solutions in their own cities. Key takeaways to overcome Governance, Technology and Finance challenges for efficient and effective water management include:

Overcoming the Governance Challenge

- Political will at all levels (national, provincial and local) to provide safe drinking water and sanitation to all, including the poor, is imperative
- With clear and transparent policies for pricing water, it does not matter whether water is publicly or privately managed
- Close consultation with people right at the planning stage is critical
- Policies that encourage the holistic planning and coordination across various government agencies are key to sustainable water and sanitation

Overcoming the Technology Challenge

- The dynamics of the water-energy nexus is setting the scene for technological innovations. There are many untapped possibilities such as generating energy out of used water which need to be vigorously pursued
- Society needs a new value proposition which considers the whole of the environment
- Technology complements the role of governments in water management, so companies must be given incentives to innovate in technology

Overcoming the Finance Challenge

- Water utilities should be allowed to be profitable in order to encourage efficiency and proper maintenance of assets
- Multilateral development banks and financial institutions play a significant role in preparing the ground for other players to step in.
- A well-managed public-private partnership can combine the best of both public and private sectors
- Low tariffs do not help the poor, unless they are connected to piped water first

A copy of the Blue Paper and Solutions is available for downloading at http://www.siww.com.sg/.

Singapore International Water Week 2011
The next Singapore International Water Week will be held from 4 to 8 July 2011 at Suntec Singapore and is themed "Sustainable Water Solutions for a Changing Urban Environment, reinforcing the Water Week as a platform for solutions to address the latest and most pertinent water issues amidst a rapidly changing world. It also reflects a broader focus beyond urban solutions and other issues that affect the urban environment, such as climate change and the management of watersheds and river basins.

Nominations for the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2011, the highlight of the SIWW, are now open till 31 Oct 2010. The Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize is an international water award that honours outstanding contributions towards solving global water problems by either applying technologies or implementing policies and programmes which benefit humanity. For nomination guidelines and form, please visit www.siww.com.sg.

As one of the flagship events of the SIWW, the Water Convention serves as a platform for industry experts, regulators, academics and water professionals to share and discuss ideas on a wide range of water challenges and topics through presentations and panel discussions.

SIWW is now calling for papers for Water Convention 2011 in the following themes: Solutions for Water System Efficiency & Effectiveness, Planning for Sustainable Water Solutions, Water Quality & Health, as well as Governance & Finance.

For more information, please visit: www.siww.com.sg/water-convention or email the Water Convention secretariat at [email protected].

About Singapore International Water Week
The Singapore International Water Week is the global platform for water solutions. It brings policymakers, industry leaders, experts and practitioners together to address challenges, showcase technologies, discover opportunities and celebrate achievements in the water world. Comprising the Water Leaders Summit, Water Convention, Water Expo and Business Forums, it culminates in the presentation of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize, a prestigious international award to recognise outstanding contributions in solving global water issues. The fourth Singapore International Water Week will be held from 4 to 8 July 2011. The theme is Sustainable Water Solutions for a Changing Urban Environment. For more information, log onto www.siww.com.sg.

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