SINGAPORE was abuzz last week as policymakers, utility providers and companies from the water sector gathered here for the Singapore International Water Week (SIWW).

More than $2.2 billion worth of deals were inked at the week-long event - six times the value of agreements worth ($367 million) clinched in the inaugural conference held last year.

Describing the figure as a 'pleasant suprise', SIWW managing director Mr Michael Toh said on Monday: 'We expected companies doing business this year to match last year's $367 million, but this has surpassed our expectation.'

Among the deals struck was one between water treatment company Hyflux and General Desalination Company, the investment arm of the Libyan governments, to build two desalination plants in the cities of Tripoli and Benghazi.

With a combined capacity of more than 900,000 cubic metres per day, the deal worth close to $1.2 billion according to analyst estimates, was the biggest.

Local companies also got a piece of the cake. Home grown environmental specialists, Dayen Environmnet signed two memorendum of understandings - worth $10 million with two European partners - ConSideR Group and Colsen International - to set up a joint venture to provide, among other things, expertise in advanced waste water treatment methods.

The 22 agreements signed to build water treatment plants and new R&D centres will 'chart the direction for research into the next generation of water technologies', said Mr Toh.

More than 10,000 people attended SIWW and three concurrent events - the Water Leaders' Summit, Water Convention and the Water Expo.

This also surpassed last year attendance of 8,500.