Basuki Calls SPAM Services To Improve Community Health Improvements

PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono. Photo: Theresia Agatha/VOI

JAKARTA - The Regional Drinking Water Supply System (SPAM) Medan Field Phase I which serves the Medan, Binjai, and Deli Serdang areas in North Sumatra with a capacity of 1,100 liters per second, has been inaugurated.

PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said the Drinking Water Processing Installation (IPA) along with the Main Distribution Network (JDU) was carried out in stages by the Directorate General of Human Settlements through the North Sumatra BPPW from 2018 to 2023.

"SPAM services are prioritized to meet domestic needs so that people enjoy quality drinking water at affordable, sustainable prices for 24 hours, and improve public health improvements related to clean water," Minister Basuki said in a written statement, quoted Tuesday, August 29.

Prior to the construction of the IPA, the Intake Air Baku field was carried out by the Directorate General of Water Resources through the Sumatra II River Basin Center (BWS) with a debit-intake capacity of 2,400 liters per second.

Meanwhile, the need for water to fulfill the total SPAM in Phase I and Phase II is 2,200 liters per second.

Head of BWS Sumatra II Mohammad Firman said his party had carried out construction work for Intake Air Baku Medan.

"The work includes the construction of river dams, construction of intake and raw water networks, raw water transmission pipes with a diameter of 1,000 mm, and 6 pump units with a capacity of 275 liters per second," he said.

A total of 6 units of pumps with a capacity of 275 per second to meet the needs of the Phase I Regional SPAM. The construction of this Standard Air Intake was carried out in 2018, rehabilitation in 2019, and improvement in 2022 with a total budget of IDR 72.6 billion.

"The goal is to supply raw water sources from the Bingai River for Medangan SPAM needs. Later, there will be follow-up through maintenance, so we hope that the Medangan SPAM can operate optimally in providing drinking water services to the community," said Firman.

In the future, to fulfill the planned development of the Phase II Regional SPAM with a capacity of 1,100 liters per second, BWS Sumatra II will also support the addition of pumps in the Intake Air Baku Medangan so that it can optimize SPAM operations.