Water. Desalination + reuse
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/867173
14 On Site September 2017 Water.desalination+reuse A unique design blends plant with the city DESIGN CONCEPT PLANT HAS SPACE-SAVING, SUBTERRANEAN PLAN • Keppel won the contract based on an unconventional design • "Duality of purpose" was the key design concept • Desalination facilities double as parkland and playground Keppel Infrastructure unveiled a highly original design for its Keppel Marina East Desalination Plant in Singapore at the ground-breaking ceremony for the project in June. This large-scale desalination plant of 137,000 m3/d will be capable of operating in two diƒ erent modes, treating either seawater or fresh water, and is the „ rst of its kind in Singapore. The feed water will be channeled from either Marina Reservoir or from the sea, depending on the level of rainfall, and will therefore contribute to the water resilience of the city. The design concept is "duality of purpose." Keppel's innovation was to propose locating all the water treatment equipment underground in a space that will extend to about 13 metres in depth; while the rooŒ op, which is at ground level, is designed as a park with a lawn covering a gently sloping roof, a viewing gallery, and water features. The desalination plant will be built within a three hectares plot, and is the „ rst plant to be located in the heart of the city of Singapore. "Development does not have to come at a steep social or environmental cost. When the site for Singapore's fourth desalination plant was identi„ ed at Marina East, adjacent to the city's iconic skyline, we saw the potential for this utilitarian facility to be woven into the urban landscape," says chairman of Keppel Infrastructure Dr Lee Boon Yang. The landscape design includes 20,000 square metres of parkland that blends into the surrounding Eastern Coastal Park Connector Network, bridging East Coast Park and Gardens by the Bay East, and joining all the major parks around the island of Singapore, for joggers, cyclists, and other recreation-seekers. There are further environmentally friendly design elements at the plant, including a natural ventilation to cool the facility, and a rainwater harvesting system to irrigate the green roof and support the water features. The design concept is again echoed in the unique dual ˜ ow chamber, which enables the switchover between treating seawater or freshwater, and doubles as a children's playground. Meanwhile the system design utilises an innovative passive intake system, followed by pre- treatment using ˜ occulation, dissolved air ˜ otation, a micro strainer and ultra„ ltration; then an energy e™ cient, two-pass reverse osmosis process; and „ nally ultraviolet disinfection as a post-treatment step. "By challenging conventional ideas of a desalination plant and re-imagining how an infrastructure facility should look and function, Keppel Infrastructure aims to demonstrate that engineering and design excellence can go hand-in-hand, as we push for sustainable urbanisation," said chief executive of Keppel Infrastructure Dr Ong Tiong Guan. Special purpose company Marina East Water, a wholly owned subsidiary of Keppel Infrastructure, signed a design, build, own, operate deal with PUB, Singapore's water agency, in January 2017. The water purchase agreement runs for 25 years from 2020 to 2045, with a price in the „ rst year of $1.07867 a cubic metre. Singapore has two desalination plants in operation, and a further three at various stages of development. Keppel Marina East Desalination Plant will supply water demand zones in the city and eastern Singapore. Development does not have to come at a steep social or environmental cost. Lee Boon Yang Keppel Infrastructure chairman Project partners Keppel Infrastructure, parent company of Keppel Seghers and Keppel Infrastructure Services, is managing the plant design, build and operations through special purpose company Marina East Water AECOM Singapore Process and mechanical consultant PO Design Architectural consultant Koh Brothers Civil and structural contractor Keppel Seghers Turnkey construction and commissioning Keppel Infrastructure Services Plant operations The desalination plant is designed as a piece of water infrastructure that also has a positive social impact