World's largest seawater desalination plant opens tomorrow in Tuas, Singapore

SINGAPORE'S COME A LONG WAY.

SINGAPORE'S growing clout as a water technology centre is reflected in two milestones this week: the opening of a large international conference on water technologies today, and the official opening of the world's largest seawater desalination plant at Tuas tomorrow.

Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Yaacob Ibrahim is due to open the prestigious International Desalination Association World Congress this morning. More than 600 delegates are in town for the event, which is being held in Singapore for the first time in its 20-year history.

An exhibition of new desalination technologies and projects, being held in conjunction with the conference, was opened by the Senior Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources Koo Tsai Kee last night. Fifty-eight foreign and local companies are taking part.

The Tuas desalination plant will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong tomorrow.

Radha Basu
radhab@sph.com.sg
The Straits Times Interactive, 12 September 2005