Singapore PUB calls tender to build fourth desalination plant in Marina East

PUB, Singapore's national water agency, will be calling a tender on Friday (April 15, 2016) for the construction of Singapore's fourth desalination plant to be built at Marina East.

Slated for completion by 2019, Singapore's latest desalination plant will add another 137,000 cubic metres, or about 30 million imperial gallons of desalinated water (mgd) a day to the Singapore's water supply.

"Increasing desalination capacity will further strengthen our water security and boost the drought resilience of Singapore's water supply. Like NEWater, desalinated water is independent of rainfall and can be used to supplement our other water sources during dry weather," said William Yeo, PUB's Director of Policy and Planning.

Mr Yeo added that PUB is progressively expanding its desalination and NEWater capacities to meet up to 85 per cent of the country's water needs by 2060.

Located near water demand zones in the city and eastern part of Singapore, the new plant will also have the capability to treat freshwater from Marina Reservoir. Like the first two desalination plants at Tuas, the Marina East Desalination Plant will be constructed under a Design, Build, Own and Operate (DBOO) arrangement.

The successful bidder will enter into a 25-year water purchase agreement to supply desalinated water to PUB. The water purchase agreement will set out the tariff structure, terms and conditions for the supply and purchase of desalinated water.

Singapore currently has two desalination plants with a total combined capacity of 100 mgd. This can meet almost 25 per cent of the current water demand. A third desalination plant at Tuas is expected to complete by 2017.