Aqua Strengthens Sustainable Water Supply Chain from Upstream to Downstream

SOLO - PT Tirta Investama Klaten (Aqua) stated that Indonesia is currently facing a major challenge related to water.

Responding to this, Aqua Senior Manager of Public Affairs & Sustainability Jeffri Ricardo explained that Aqua focuses on strengthening water conservation efforts to maintain environmental sustainability.

According to him, this condition is expected to have a significant impact on the sustainability of water availability, especially for the national economic sector.

Jeffri explained that Aqua is committed to restoring the water supply chain from upstream to downstream and even, the company targets that the amount of water returned to nature exceeds the volume of water used in operations.

"We are committed to returning water to nature, more than the water used," said Jeffri during a media visit event in Klaten, quoted Wednesday, May 6.

Jeffri added that these efforts were carried out through collaboration with various stakeholders and supported by scientific approaches such as working with academics in various studies, ranging from hydrology, mapping and groundwater modeling, to hydroisotopic analysis that allows the identification of water characteristics.

He also explained that water is divided into two main types, namely shallow groundwater and deep groundwater, so that to strengthen conservation, Aqua focuses on managing the Sub-DAS (River Basin) area around the Klaten factory.

"So there are many examples of projects that we are implementing here whose purpose is all of these have interventions to recharge water both upstream, in the middle, or downstream," he said.

According to him, with the strengthening of conservation, the quality and freshness of water used for Aqua products are expected to be maintained.

"That's why it's important to be able to how this conservation process can be implemented again like that," he said.

Jeffri emphasized the importance of maintaining the river ecosystem as part of efforts to sustainably manage water resources as a whole.

According to him, healthy river conditions play a major role in maintaining environmental quality, including supporting the existence of deep groundwater which is the main source of Aqua production.

"A well-maintained river ecosystem plays an important role in supporting overall environmental health, including groundwater sources that are the source of Aqua water. Therefore, collaboration with the community is the key to ensuring that the environment is maintained and water quality can be maintained," he explained.

In addition, he said the company applied an integrated conservation approach from upstream to downstream by considering the characteristics of each water source.

As part of the strategy, Jeffri said Aqua is also developing a payment scheme for environmental services (PJL) that provides incentives to farmers and communities who play a role in maintaining water resources, including encouraging a shift from conventional agriculture to organic systems.

"So this money in the form of environmental service payments will be transferred to environmental conservationists," he explained.