WHO selects PUB’s water quality office in Singapore as collaboration centre

Under Singapore’s national water agency Public Utilities Board (PUB), the Water Quality Office (WQO) has been re-designated to function as a World Health Organisation (WHO) Collaborating Centre for safe management of drinking-water and integrated urban water management.

The initiative underlines PUB’s partnership with the international body, and strengthens its portfolio as a global water utility.

The PUB Water Quality Office (WQO) is now one of 15 WHO centres for water and sanitation worldwide.

PUB Water Quality chief specialist Lim Mong Hoo said: "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."

The office had been serving as a WHO centre since 2012 under a four-year term.

WHO Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health director Maria Neira said: "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."

The WQO is expected to function as a regional knowledge and technical resource centre for water authorities, utilities, and research and professional institutions of WHO member states, PUB said.

PUB will work as an active partner to support the global and regional networks under WHO in issues related to safe management of potable water and urban water management.

The utility will also take part in research works with WHO for water and wastewater treatment applications, as well as for emerging water quality issues.