SINGAPORE - Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that are keen on developing water treatment solutions can tap on a grant offered by Spring Singapore and national water agency PUB.

The two government agencies are launching their second grant call for SMEs to come up with innovative water technologies that can be applied in Singapore and abroad, they said in a joint press release on Sunday.

This comes after their first grant call, launched in 2012 and awarded last year, resulted in $2.5 million being give out to develop used water treatment technologies.

"This grant call builds on the success of the first grant call, and extends the scope beyond used water treatment technologies to encompass all areas of the water loop," the agencies said.

Grant recipients will get the opportunity to test-bed their technologies alongside existing processes in PUB's facilities, allowing companies to work with actual water streams.

They will thus be able to establish their track record and increase the marketability of their products. Projects that lead to the development of water technologies will be funded by Spring Singapore.

"PUB is always on the lookout for innovative, high performing technological solutions that will improve the efficiency of water treatment in Singapore," said PUB's chief technology officer Harry Seah.

"We are focused on developing technologies that will ensure an affordable and sustainable supply of water. These could be related to various aspects of the water loop, such as reducing energy or chemical consumption, minimisation of waste, protecting water quality or improving water security."