Re-designation reinforces PUB’s partnership with WHO to promote the safe management of drinking water and integrated urban water management, and strengthens PUB’s reputation as one of the world’s leading water utilities.
Singapore’s national water agency PUB’s Water Quality Office (WQO) has been re-designated as a World Health Organisation (WHO) Collaborating Centre for safe drinking-water management and integrated urban water management. One of 15 WHO Collaborating Centres on water and sanitation worldwide, and one of two such centres in the Western Pacific Region, the WQO was earlier designated as a Collaborating Centre for a four-year term in 2012.
As a WHO Collaborating Centre, PUB works closely with WHO in the following areas:
a. Serve as a regional knowledge and technical resource centre for water authorities, utilities, and research and professional institutions of WHO Member States, sharing best practices, expertise and experience;
b. Collaborate with WHO in conducting capacity building activities and training courses for WHO Member States, with special reference to the South East Asia and Western Pacific regions of WHO;
c. Function as an active partner in supporting WHO global and regional networks related to safe management of drinking-water and urban water management;
d. Collaborate with WHO in research on conventional and advanced water and wastewater treatment applications and their cost-effectiveness, and collaborate with WHO on research and knowledge gaps on emerging issues related to water quality; and
e. Provide the facilities/resources in Singapore to assist WHO’s effort in drinking-water safety during emergency response and disasters.
“The re-designation of PUB’s WQO as a WHO Collaborating Centre for another four-year term is testimony to the water management capabilities that we have built up over the last 50 years and underscores PUB’s role as one of the leading water utilities in the world,” said Lim Mong Hoo, PUB Chief Specialist (Water Quality).
During its term as a WHO Collaborating Centre from 2012-2016, PUB hosted and contributed technical expertise to WHO’s global and regional water activities. These include meetings for the WHO Drinking Water Quality Global Expert Committee to address emerging issues of concern in drinking water, capacity building efforts such as Water Safety Plan workshops for the region, and publications such as the Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality (4th Edition), Water Safety Planning for Small Community Water Supplies, and Water Safety in Distributions.
“We believe that by sharing our knowledge and experience in safe drinking water management, we can contribute to helping the global water community address challenges posed by climate change, population growth and rapid urbanisation. We hope to work even more closely with WHO and its partners to drive the implementation of sustainable water solutions worldwide,” he added.
“WHO is pleased to continue its partnership with PUB,” said Dr Maria Neira, WHO Director for Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health, “As a member of the global network of WHO collaborating centres with strengths in integrated management of urban drinking water quality and effective water recycling, PUB has enhanced the promotion of water-related public health strategies in the WHO Western Pacific Region and other regions in the world, and we look forward to greater collaboration between both organisations.”
