It was during the bi-annual Singapore International Water Week that one of the biggest engineering projects was announced, not just for Singapore, but for the whole of Asia.
Utility PUB awarded Phase 2 of its Deep Tunnel Sewerage System (DTSS) to the consultancy joint-venture of Black & Veatch (B&V) and AECOM in what will be a multi-billion dollar project.
The contract is a multi-pronged project, involving not just a continuation of the earlier DTSS Phase 1 but also a new water reclamation plant and an integrated waste management facility.
We’ve put together the key five facts you need to know about the project:
1) There's no such thing as favourite The three shortlisted consultancies bidding to oversee the project included: Arup, CH2M Hill and a joint venture between B&V and AECOM. CH2M Hill could have been seen as favourite, having undertaken Phase 1 of the project and currently overseeing similar projects in Abu Dhabi (STEP) and Qatar (IDRIS). Following open pre-qualification and tender exercises called in March 2013 and August 2013 respectively, the B&V/AECOM joint venture emerged as the victor.
2) Reducing sludge costs in Tuas As part of the tunnel expansion, a new Tuas Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) and integrated NEWater factory will be built, likely on a design-build-own-operate basis (DBOO). PUB said it plans for the WRP to be more energy efficient than existing WRPs and generate less sludge, thereby reducing the cost of sludge disposal.
3) Waste not, want not As part of the project, the National Environment Agency (NEA) is planning to develop the next Private-Public-Partnership (PPP) waste to energy (WtE) plant at Tuas South Avenue 3. Currently there are four WtE plants in Singapore. It would be completed over two phases: the first by 2021 and the second by 2024. Once complete, 50% of Singapore’s waste would go to WtE plants. It will be co-located with the Tuas WRP, which could potentially off-take power generated by waste.
4) Deeper underground DTSS Phase 2 will extend DTSS to the western side of Singapore through a 30km long South Tunnel, 70km of link sewers and a 12km deep sea outfall. There will be three centralised collection and treatment points: Changi WRP in the east, Kranji WRP in the north and the new Tuas WRP in the west.
5) Team effort The B&V/AECOM joint-venture, as lead consultant, will begin feasibility studies and preliminary design on the projects. For Phase 1’s deep tunnel sewer tunnels, link sewers, Changi WRP and outfall, the work was broken down into nearly 50 main consultants and contractors and 300 sub-contractors and suppliers.
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Digging Deep in Singapore: Getting Ready for DTSS Phase II With Phase 1 of Singapore's Deep Tunnel Sewerage System (DTSS) complete, what will Phase 2 mean for the island? How will this project revolutionise wastewater treatment in Singapore and link into the previous tunnel?
