Densely populated cities across Asia are facing a common threat — rising sea levels and storm surges caused by more frequent and more intense rainfalls. Robert Chan, vice president and AECOM’s lead for our Water team in Asia, expands on this topic and the evolving trends in water infrastructure in an interview with Water & Wastewater Asia.
Robert emphasizes water as an important element in developed cities across Asia, many of which are located near coastal areas. As storms and heavy rains become more frequent, these cities face heightened risks from nearby bodies of water. Meanwhile, governments are tasked with securing clean water for daily needs. This is why reliable and robust water infrastructure is becoming a priority to mitigate the effects of climate change and ensure water security. Among the emerging sustainable solutions are energy-efficient infrastructure and net-zero development.
AECOM has worked on projects such as the Keppel Marina East Desalination Plant (KMEDP) in Singapore and the Yuen Long Effluent Polishing Plant (YLEPP) in Hong Kong to enhance water security. The KMEDP has the capacity to treat freshwater and desalinate seawater to help meet the city’s demand. The YLEPP, redesigned with energy recovery facilities, converts by-products from its treatment process into energy, making it one of the first overall energy-neutral wastewater treatment facility in the world. Both projects demonstrate innovative water solutions and what advanced technology and thinking outside the box can achieve.