NRF to allocate additional $140m to promote R&D in the water sector

Total budget is now up to $470 million.

In a speech during the opening of the Singapore International Water Week, DPM Tharman Shanmugaratnam said, “We are hopeful that with these investments, we will achieve our goal of growing the value-added contribution from this sector from $0.5 billion in 2003 to $1.7 billion by 2015, and doubling jobs in the sector to 11,000 by then.”

He said the projects funded under this initiative include those looking into domains like advanced membrane processes, bio-mimicry and low-energy seawater desalination.

In support of the National Research Foundation’s efforts, the Environment and Water Industry Programme Office was set up to translate breakthrough research ideas into sustainable water solutions.