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The winners of the Sembcorp Water Technology Prize 2010/2011, an inaugural national competition sponsored by Sembcorp Industries and co-organised by PUB – Singapore’s national water agency, Nanyang Technological University (NTU)’s Singapore Membrane Technology Centre (SMTC) and Singapore Polytechnic (SP), were announced today at the Young Water Professionals Networking Reception cum Award Presentation held as part of the Singapore International Water Week (SIWW).

The winning team, comprising three secondary school students from Hwa Chong Institution impressed the judges with their presentation, showcase and poster design of their hollow fibre filtration system. The first and second runner-up teams are from Nan Hua High School and Anderson Junior College respectively.

40 teams of students from secondary two to year two of junior college took part in the competition, which gave them the chance to build their very own multi-thousand-dollar hollow fibre filtration system similar to actual systems used for water reclamation. The goal was to design and build a fibre membrane system that optimises the amount of energy required to efficiently treat used water. The teams built their prototypes over a period of five months and the process was monitored by lecturers from SP and researchers from NTU.

Commenting on the Sembcorp Water Technology Prize, Mr Tang Kin Fei, Group President & CEO of Sembcorp Industries, said, “As a home-grown global water service provider, Sembcorp is a proud supporter of the Sembcorp Water Technology Prize. We are very pleased that the competition has been so well-received in its first year. Developing the young generation is key to supporting the growth of the industry and we hope that the competition has kindled in the youths a deep-seated interest in water technology, and will encourage them to be the future generation of talents for the water industry.”

“It is very exciting to see young students experimenting, exploring and constructing their own hollow fibre membrane filtration system. The competition has given students the rare chance to understand real-world application of membrane technology in producing clean water. The researchers and lecturers from Singapore Membrane Technology Centre and Singapore Polytechnic have generously given their time to mentor and guide the students. We reckon that through this competition, we have inspired interest in water technology and given them the foundation to make a difference in the local and even international water scene. We have seen wonderful entries this year and look forward to more intriguing projects in 2012,” said Linda Dorothy De Mello, Deputy Director of 3P Network, PUB, Singapore’s national water agency.

A student participant, Lee Choon Kiat from Hwa Chong Institution commented, “We learnt a lot about sustainable water solutions and were able to see our ideas come to life with the help and guidance of the lecturers and researchers. We are very happy that our hard work has paid off and we hope that we have managed to contribute to the water industry with our creativity and innovation."

Dr Adrian Yeo, the creator of the Sembcorp Water Technology Prize, commented, “The potential of young seedlings can be tapped for creative ideas or solutions to manage Singapore’s water resources. This competition will inspire the younger generation to think and play their part in ensuring sustainable water solutions for the changing urban environment. Hopefully, more students will pursue water related courses in their studies and career, increasing the wealth of talent in the industry.”

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For media enquiries, please contact:

Jody Phang (Ms)
Manager, Group Corporate Relations
Sembcorp Industries
DID: +65 6723 3180
Email: [email protected]

Crystal Low (Ms)
Executive, Group Corporate Relations
Sembcorp Industries
DID: +65 6723 3165
Email: [email protected]

Sharon Chang (Ms)
Senior Officer (Communications)
PUB, Singapore’s national water agency
Mobile: +65 9677 4659
E-mail: [email protected]

About Sembcorp Water Technology Prize

The Sembcorp Water Technology Prize is a national competition which was launched during the Singapore International Water Week in 2010. Targeted at secondary school and junior college students, the competition’s objectives are to create a seeding programme to stimulate students’ interest in a career in the water industry, provide a platform for students to create innovative solutions to solve water and environmental issues, and to grow affinity towards water and a greater appreciation of Singapore’s water management.

The Prize is sponsored by Sembcorp Industries Ltd and co-organised by PUB, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Membrane Technology Centre and Singapore Polytechnic.

About Sembcorp Industries

Sembcorp Industries is a leading energy, water and marine group operating across six continents worldwide. With facilities with 5,600 megawatts of gross power capacity and over six million cubic metres of water per day in operation and under development, Sembcorp is a trusted provider of essential energy and water solutions to both industrial and municipal customers.d technology,

Sembcorp pioneered the commercial reclamation of municipal and industrial wastewater effluent into high purity reclaimed water in Singapore using advanced membrane systems such as microfiltration and reverse osmosis. In addition, it developed, own and operate the Sembcorp NEWater Plant, the largest NEWater plant in Singapore and one of the world’s largest membrane-based water reclamation plants.

Focusing on process and technology, Sembcorp’s facilities worldwide comprise diverse models of water and wastewater treatment plants. Together with its pilot plants, these provide important test-beds to conduct research, improve and develop technologies and applications in total water and wastewater management.

Supported by in-house analytical and laboratory capabilities and leveraging on expertise from local tertiary research institutes and water technology companies like NTU-NEWRI, United Envirotech and Memstar, Sembcorp is committed to applying best available technology to meet our customers’ water and wastewater treatment.

Aside from its energy and water business, the Sembcorp Industries Group is also a world leader in marine and offshore engineering, as well as an established developer of integrated townships and industrial parks. The Group has total assets of over S$11 billion and employs over 9,000 employees. Listed on the main board of the Singapore Exchange, it is a component stock of the Straits Times Index and several MSCI indices.

About PUB

PUB is a statutory board under the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources. It is the national water agency, managing Singapore’s water supply, water catchment and used water in an integrated way.

About PUB’s tagline: Water for All: Conserve, Value, Enjoy

PUB has ensured a diversified and sustainable supply of water for Singapore with the Four National Taps (local catchment water, imported water, NEWater, desalinated water).
 
To provide water for all, PUB calls on all to play our part to conserve water, keep our water catchments and waterways clean and build a relationship with water so we can enjoy our water resources. If we all play our part, we can have enough water – for industry, for living, for life.