As a country experiencing water stress, Singapore considers water as an endlessly reusable resource. PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency, stands firm in its belief that every drop of water can be reclaimed and recycled to secure the nation’s water future.
To advance its water sustainability goals, PUB is adopting a centralized approach to used water management, where used water around Singapore will eventually be channeled via the Deep Tunnel Sewerage System (DTSS) to the upcoming Tuas Water Reclamation Plant (TWRP) in the west, Changi Water Reclamation Plant in the east and Kranji Water Reclamation Plant in the north, where it's treated and further purified to produce PUB's ultra-clean, high-grade reclaimed water called NEWater.
The highly advanced Tuas Water Reclamation Plant (TWRP) plays a critical role in supporting PUB’s NEWater production and ensuring a sustainable water supply for Singapore.
m3 per day - initial treatment capacity of TWRP
Up to 85% - NEWater recovered from domestic used water at TWRP
More than double energy recovery expected at TWRP
TWRP is a key component of the DTSS Phase 2 project, which extends the existing deep sewer network to serve the western part of Singapore. The mega facility will house one of the world’s largest membrane bioreactor (MBR) facilities, and incorporate advanced physical, biological and chemical treatment processes.
Jacobs is supporting the detailed design and construction supervision of the TWRP project. The plant will have an initial treatment capacity of 800,000 cubic meters per day (m3/day) — equivalent to 320 Olympic-sized swimming pools. This includes treating 650,000 m3/day domestic used water and 150,000 m3/day industrial used water separately.
The domestic used water treatment modules are integrated with two NEWater factories with a total treatment capacity of 340,950 m3/day, significantly boosting NEWater production. Excess used water will be treated to international water quality standards before being discharged into the sea.
To further maximize both energy and resource recovery in solid waste and used water treatment processes, TWRP will be co-located with the National Environment Agency (NEA)'s Integrated Waste Management Facility (IWMF) — collectively known as the "Tuas Nexus." This will be Singapore’s first fully energy self-sufficient used water and solid waste treatment facility and the first of its kind globally to be planned and developed from the ground up.
TWRP will house one of the world's largest membrane bioreactor (MBR) system, designed to treat used water with a capacity of 800,000 m3/day. The MBR process includes biological wastewater treatment to break down organic matter, followed by membrane filtration to remove suspended solids and microorganisms.
MBR technology simplifies traditional wastewater treatment steps, making the process more streamlined and energy-efficient. With MBR, TWRP will have a 30% more compact land footprint compared to conventional treatment plants, reducing land use and environmental impact.
Managing a project of this scale and complexity required integrating vast amounts of information across more than 20 contract packages.
Jacobs built a connected data environment to democratize project information and facilitate collaboration among multiple stakeholders.
We needed to integrate and interface six major treatment process facilities with over 2,400 native Building Information Modelling (BIM) models during design, and 20 contractors during construction with over 3,500 native BIM models and 150 federated models.
A digital twin was established using the Bentley iTwin Platform, a user-friendly, cloud-based digital platform designed for collaborative, federated modelling. This provided real-time access to TWRP’s data, improving coordination, streamlining workflows and supporting digital asset management.
We implemented advanced technology, including, ProjectWise and Bentley’s open modeling applications to create the preliminary and detailed design model. By integrating LumenRT, we empowered stakeholders with real-time visualization of the project model and an immersive experience facilitating well-informed and timely decision making. By providing contractors, stakeholders and the client, real-time access to TWRP’s digital twin, the platform democratized BIM and digital transformation across multiple stakeholders.
PUB, via TWRP, aims to establish a digital ecosystem encompassing the entire lifecycle of the plant. The facility will ensure optimal performance, efficient maintenance, resource utilization, effective decision-making and a safe working environment.
We’re working with PUB to realize this vision of world-class digital delivery for integrated planning and design, construction and project management, and ultimately, deliver 6D data for operations and maintenance of this project.
As part of this, TWRP will have intelligent systems to prioritize personnel safety, streamline control and optimization processes and provide an advanced user interface dashboards and asset data. This enables easy access to key performance indicators (KPIs), plant performance metrics and design information.
Jacobs and PUB have partnered for more than 30 years to shape Singapore’s water future.
Jacobs has supported PUB to deliver major cross-sector infrastructure projects in water facilities, which are critical to the country’s water strategy.
Featured images are artist impressions of PUB, Singapore's National Water Agency's Tuas Water Reclamation Plant
