Support KSPN Belitung, SPAM Batu Mentas Aliri Drinking Water To 2,534 Houses

Drinking water (photo: KPUPR)

JAKARTA - The Batu Mentas Drinking Water Processing System (SPAM) flows water ready to drink for 2,534 houses in Tanjung Pandan, Belitung. This is to improve the quality of life of the people in the area as well as support the Belitung National Tourism Strategy Area (KSPN).

"This Batu Mentas SPAM serves to support the National Tourism Strategic Area (KSPN). So, because Belitung is designated as a strategic tourism area, this is very supportive," said Head of Region II Section (Kasi) of the Regional Settlement Infrastructure Center (BPPW) of the Bangka Belitung Islands, Khoirul Hakim, quoting Antara.

According to him, SPAM Batu Mentas plays an important role in supporting KSPN because Belitung has been designated as a strategic tourism area. This facility strongly supports clean water needs in the area, especially for industry and tourism.

Khoirul said that SPAM Batu Mentas has a capacity of 2x50 liters per second. Currently, 2,534 house connections (SR) have been connected from a maximum capacity of 8,000 SR.

Furthermore, he said that the Batu Mentas SPAM also functions to support various industrial sectors, including the need for clean water in hotels and Fisheries Ports in Belitung. In addition, the water needs for the fishery industry such as ships and ice factories are also met from this SPAM.

The fishing industry in Belitung requires ice in its production process, and this ice comes from the Batu Mentas SPAM. With this facility, the local industrial needs can be met properly.

"So fisheries needs a ship, needs clean water and one ice factory. So because there are many fishing industries here, fisheries industry needs ice, now this comes from the Batu Mentas SPAM," he said.

Dia mengungkapkan bahwa pembangunan SPAM Batu Mentas dimulai pada tahun 2020 dan dilanjutkan pada tahun 2021 dengan skema multi-year senilai Rp75 miliar.Proyek itu menjadi bagian penting dalam pengembangan infrastruktur di Belitung.

He admitted that in the future, the government plans to expand its home connections through Presidential Instruction (Inpres) Number 1 of 2024 concerning the Acceleration of Drinking Water Supply and Domestic Waste Management Services.

"And in the future we will also expand SR with the SR Inpres SR Drinking Water Program," added Hakim.

Meanwhile, the Head of the General and Finance Section of Perumda Tirta Batu, Mentas, Belitung Regency, Indra Gunawan, said that the presence of the SPAM was very useful because it supplied water needs for residents, especially in Tanjung Pandan District.

"So with this, we are greatly helped, in the past, in terms of quality and quantity we were very minimal. Now with the quality and quantity that has been built, we have received enormous benefits," said Indra.