Growing Singapore's Water Industry: From Water Scarcity to Global Hydrohub

The Singapore government placed a very high priority on making the transition from water scarcity to water self-sufficiency. Ultimately, they developed an internationally competitive water industry by harnessing the resources, initiative, and creativity of the private sector. The case traces the challenges encountered by government officials as they assessed alternative strategies for achieving this ambitious objective, and the specific actions they took to strengthen the capacity of local water companies to compete internationally. The case highlights the strong and effective public-private cooperation that was designed to increase the export of Singapore’s technological know-how and water management expertise.

Case studies are integral teaching tools for the Leadership Academy for Development workshops conducted around the world.