Global Water Crisis: Surge In APAC Engineering Jobs

Why APAC water sustainability career opportunities are growing

Climate change, population growth, and poor management of water resources have pushed the global water crisis to a tipping point. The Asia-Pacific region will be hard hit unless the crisis is averted with better management and new technologies.

The United Nations World Water Development Report 2019 notes that 1.9 billion people—or one-quarter of all humanity—live in Asia, where water is potentially severely scarce.

Singapore leads water preservation solutions

The imminent threat of water scarcity is being addressed. Some Asian countries - Singapore in particular - are centers of research and development (R&D) excellence when it comes to environmentally sustainable water and wastewater solutions. For example, Singaporeans drink NEWater— the reclaimed wastewater treated with advanced membrane technologies and ultra-violet disinfection that is produced by The Public Utilities Board (PUB). They also opened their third desalination plant in June 2018.

Preserving water resources is deeply entrenched in Singapore. The PUB recently launched an awareness campaign called “Make Every Drop Count.” The awareness campaign coincides with PUB’s awarding of a major contract for the Tuas Water Reclamation Plant. According to the PUB, the advanced Tuas WRP will receive used water flows from the western part of Singapore by gravity through two separate deep tunnels: a tunnel to convey domestic (municipal) used water and another to convey high-strength industrial used water. The two sources of wastewater will be treated separately.

Crisis drives demand for APAC water solutions professionals

Not surprisingly, LVI Associates’ consultants have observed a major uptake in demand for chartered or professional engineers with experience with wastewater treatment plants or water reclamation plants.

Research and Markets reported that the Southeast Asian industrial water solutions market, which includes water and wastewater treatment solutions for industries such as design & engineering, operations and maintenance, and spare parts, will experience a steady compound annual growth rate of 8.8 percent. Singapore and Malaysia are currently the hotspots, but activity is expected to increase in Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, as both the government sector and industrial sectors in these countries are realizing the immediate need for better water and wastewater management.

With increasingly strict environmental regulations in place, consultants at LVI Associates have observed a trend among international companies entering the water sector, finding a niche market in treating wastewater from power and chemical plants before it is released back into water systems.

Innovation in water-treatment technologies

Water companies continually strive to invent innovative, efficient water-treatment technologies, and improve on existing ones. There’s an increase collaborative work in R&D labs and on water treatment plants, and breakthroughs in patented water-treatment products are purchased as soon as they hit the market.

There are also myriad opportunities in research and development in the areas of plant upgrades to realize more efficiency, decentralized water treatment, river application, and water treatment along highways.

If you're searching for your next water technology role, browse exclusive roles across the sector today.