Water security is an essential part of sustainable growth for any country or region, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 6 of access to clean water and sanitation for all. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Southeast Asia (SEA) is home to around 27 per cent of the world’s freshwater resources. However, as per the World Bank, there is a scarcity of clean water in the region as a major proportion of untreated wastewater is being directly discharged into rivers, lakes or oceans instead of being treated and reused. This has necessitated the transition towards a circular economy in the water sector, which consolidates efforts to recycle, reuse and repurpose water and minimise its wastage. To this end, many SEA countries are promoting the concept with the participation of public and private players. They have undertaken diverse initiatives that exemplify the important role of both players in successful project implementation.
Singapore
The Public Utilities Board (PUB) of Singapore plays a pivotal role within the public sector in the development of a circular water economy. It has implemented innovative technology-related solutions and introduced high-grade recycled NEWater, produced from treated wastewater using advanced membrane technologies and ultraviolet (UV) disinfection. This water is ultra-clean, safe to drink and adheres to all the microbiological parameters prescribed by the World Health Organization. Moreover, in order to reduce energy requirements in the water desalination process, PUB is adopting advanced technologies like ultra-permeable membranes, pressure retarded osmosis, etc. This central public body has also mandated water recycling for new projects in water-intensive industries.
In the case of the private sector, many companies are involved in project execution related to stormwater management. An important example is of CPG Consultants, which is involved in creating innovative solutions, and in designing and constructing major drainage projects like Stamford Detention Tank and Stamford Diversion Canal. These have improved stormwater flow and reduced flood risk for Singapore’s Orchard Road area. Another example is Keppel Infrastructure Holdings that has undertaken the Marina East desalination plant, under public-private partnership (PPP) mode. This plant is the first dual-mode desalination plant in Singapore capable of treating both reservoir water and seawater.
Malaysia
Malaysia has been working on numerous initiatives to transform its water sector and emerge as a regional water hub by 2040. Government bodies are instrumental in executing a multipronged approach to implement a circular economy. A recent example is the introduction of the “Water Sector Transformation 2040 Agenda” in Malaysia’s Twelfth Plan (2021-25).
A national water balance system has been established for comprehensive river basin management and
to help tackle water security. In addition to this, there are plans to develop a Centralised Water Data and Information Centre in the country that will serve as a reliable data source.
Besides, advanced technologies like membrane filtration, UV disinfection, and ozone treatment are being used by private players to improve the treatment of wastewater in Malaysia. This high quality treated wastewater can be reused for alternative purposes. The adoption of smart water management facilitates the detection of leakages in utilities and industries and improve the operational efficiency of the water distribution network. The key public players in this initiative include government-owned utilities like Pengurusan Air Selangor. Private sector companies specialising in water technology, engineering and consulting services are also involved. Malaysia is also increasingly exploring nature-based solutions such as constructed wetlands, rainwater harvesting and green roofs to complement traditional water treatment methods and enhance water reuse opportunities.
The Philippines
The Philippines has several public sector and private sector projects that reflect the development of a circular economy. Its government has invited private sector collaborations to invest in projects to optimise the use of surface water resources. A flagship government programme called “Build Better More” has around 44 projects, costing around PhP 839.2 million, that are focused on setting up water infrastructure. Of these, the biggest one is the Central Luzon-Pampanga River Floodway Control Project, covering the construction of a 56 km floodway channel. Its cost, estimated at around PhP 115.05 billion, is being funded through an official development assistance loan. The next largest project is Parañaque Spillway Tunnel Project costing around PhP 102.21 billion. It will drain excess lake water from Laguna de Bay into Manila Bay through an underground drainage channel.
An important initiative in the private sector is the 2030 Water Security Strategy by the Coca-Cola Company. It aims to achieve 100 per cent water reuse across 175 facilities globally. Additionally, the company plans partnerships to enhance the health of 60 critical watersheds and return a cumulative total of 2 trillion litres of water to nature and communities from 2021 to 2030.
Thailand
Thailand is introducing many initiatives to develop a circular water economy. The public and private sectors are working together through PPP for this purpose. According to industry sources, Thailand has a project pipeline consisting of around 100 PPP projects with an estimated investment of over $30 billion. The International Finance Corporation has agreed to collaborate with the Metropolitan Water Authority, Wastewater Management Authority and Provincial Waterworks Authority to conduct studies and research, and develop these projects. They will also expand the capacity and scope of water supply and wastewater treatment service in various municipalities.
Vietnam
Vietnam is also implementing a plethora of strategies and action plans to facilitate a smooth transition to a circular water economy. A National Action Plan targeting the implementation of a circular economy by 2030 is expected to be out soon. Some important projects highlighting the effective role of the public
and private sectors include the development of Bình Hưng Hòa wastewater treatment plant in Ho Chi Minh City. It cleans around 80 per cent of wastewater from a heavily polluted Kênh Đen (Black Canal) using biological processes. The consultants and other stakeholders in the private sector encourage revenue generation through reuse of treated wastewater for irrigating green spaces in the city, and for cleaning road surface and market grounds.
Challenges and future outlook
With water stress and scarcity intensifying across the SEA region, there are some major challenges that hinder the growth of the water sector and require urgent remedial measures. For instance, public utilities across the region face massive losses in their water distribution systems with rising non-revenue water. The unavailability of data is a major challenge faced by the public sector in these countries. Besides, many of the SEA countries have ageing and outdated water infrastructure. This is likely to pose an even bigger challenge in the future with water demand, water usage and wastewater generation likely to increase substantially. An efficient transition towards a circular water economy, therefore, will require close collaboration between the public and private sectors in these countries.