The deep tunnel sewerage system (DTSS), named Water Project of the Year at the Global Water Awards 2009 in Zurich, Switzerland, recently, was selected as the water project with the most significant contribution to water technology and environmental protection. Global Water Intelligence organizes the annual Global Water Awards.
The $3.65 billion DTSS is Singapore's superhighway to meet its used water needs for the next 100 years. Conceptualized and managed by Singapore's national water agency, PUB, it was conceived as a cost-effective and sustainable solution to meet Singapore's long-term used water needs. The mammoth DTSS conveys used water from homes and industries through a 29-mile-long deep tunnel sewer that runs 65 to 180 ft below ground to a centralized water reclamation plant for treatment.
The heart of the DTSS, the Changi Water Reclamation Plant, is a state-of-the-art used water plant capable of treating 176 million gal of used water per day to international standards. The treated used water is then discharged into the sea through deep sea outfalls or channelled to the Changi NEWater factory on the rooftop of the reclamation plant, where it is further purified through advanced membrane technologies into NEWater, Singapore's own brand of reclaimed water.
Attending the awards ceremony, PUB Chief Executive Khoo Teng Chye said, "The DTSS is an integral part of Singapore's water management as it allows every drop of used water to be collected, treated and further purified into NEWater. The Changi Water Reclamation Plant itself is a showcase of an effective water solution for cities, especially those that face water demand and pollution challenges.
Integrating the NEWater plant with the water reclamation plant allows for efficient large-scale water recycling, thus ensuring the sustainability of NEWater.
In clinching the Water Project of the Year award, the DTSS beat competition from Jordan's As Samra Waste Water Treatment Plant, Geneva Water Treatment Facility in Illinois and the Twin Oaks Valley Water Treatment Plant in San Diego. This is the second international award for DTSS. Last year, it emerged as the global winner in the Planning Projects category of the International Water Association Project Innovation Awards.
Source: ACN Newswire
