SINGAPORE: A Canadian water technology expert has been selected as the inaugural winner of the prestigious Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize.

Dr Andrew Benedek has helped to solve the world's water woes by pioneering a low-pressure membrane technology to produce drinking water from just about any water source.

This has opened up new possibilities, especially in areas that do not have access to clean water.

For his various contributions in solving the world's water problems, Dr Benedek is awarded the S$300,000 inaugural Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize.

The Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize is an international award recognising an individual or organisation for outstanding contributions in water management.

Speaking via video conference, Dr Benedek said he hopes his membrane technology can benefit remote parts of the world.

"I'm hoping that in the next decade, we'll be able to have what Singapore has done on the large scale – to recycle water in small Asian villages and in areas which are short of water," he said.

According to the UN Population Fund, more than 3.3 billion people will live in an urban environment by 2008. This is likely to rise to five billion by 2030.

In Asia alone, the urban population will double to 2.6 billion between 2000 and 2030. This trend will put great pressure on the need for drinking water and Dr Benedek's discovery is expected to benefit future generations.

The panel of judges for the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize said that Dr Benedek was chosen because his revolutionary water treatment method stood out among 39 international nominations from 15 countries. His technology was also instrumental in helping Singapore in its development of NEWater.

His low-pressure membrane technology is used in the pre-treatment stage of churning out recycled water in the ultra-filtration process.

Its use is also preferred over conventional water purification technologies as it is cost effective, resulting in lower operating costs and greater ease of operation.

Moreover, widespread use of low-pressure membranes has made the technology even more affordable – a boon to small towns and villages in dire need of clean potable water.

Besides Singapore, utility providers in the US, Europe, China, India, the Middle East, South America, Japan and Australia have also incorporated Dr Benedek's membranes into their water treatment processes.

Khoo Teng Chye, Chief Executive of PUB, said: "It has been critical in solving our water problem... and I believe this is something that will be increasingly important throughout the cities of the world, throughout the cities of Asia and even in small villages."

Dr Benedek, who is based in the US, will receive his prize as well as a gold medallion and award certificate during the Singapore International Water Week in June.


- CNA/so