Jurong Water Reclamation Plant Will Have First and Largest Full-Scale Membrane Bioreactor Facility in Singapore

Singapore’s PUB selected Black & Veatch to study, design and supervise construction of the 15 million imperial gallon per day (migd) (68,000 m3/d) Jurong Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) Plant in Singapore. The new facility will be located at the Jurong Water Reclamation Plant (JWRP), a 205 million litre daily (Mld) conventional, activated sludge wastewater treatment plant located in the west of Singapore.

JWRP is strategically located near major industry sites on Jurong Island – a petrochemical and industrial hub. Most industries require water for cooling and other purposes. The “industrial water” produced by the MBR process will be ideal for this use.

Complex Challenges

PUB faced a number of complex challenges. There were highly industrial compounds in the incoming wastewater, which could impact oxygen transfer, membrane and diffuser life, as well as effluent quality. There was limited land area. An added layer of complexity was that retrofitting work had to be carried out in an operational plant, and the disruption to the plant’s normal operation had to be avoided or minimized. Finally, the fast-track project had an 18-month construction and commissioning period.

To provide solutions to these complex challenges, Black & Veatch* met regularly with PUB throughout the design process to understand its needs and requirements from different levels. Black & Veatch had a clear appreciation of PUB’s project objectives, and leveraged global expertise to explore alternative solutions. Black & Veatch also liaised closely with the client and the contractor at the site to ensure that no existing facilities would be damaged or interfered with during the construction stage.

*A project undertaken in Singapore when Black & Veatch owned that business.