Only 22 Percent of Sepaku Residents Enjoy Clean Water, the Regency Government is Pursuing a 100 Percent Target in the IKN Area

North Penajam Paser Regent, East Kalimantan Mudyat Noor with Deputy Regent Abdul Waris Muin (ANTARA/Nyaman Bagus Purwaniawan)

PENAJAM PASER UTARA - The North Penajam Paser Regency Government, East Kalimantan, targets clean water services in Sepaku District, which is part of the Nusantara Capital City (IKN), to reach 100 percent through the operation of three water treatment plants or Water Treatment Plants (WTP).

The Regent of North Penajam Paser, Mudyat Noor, said that until now the coverage of clean water services in Sepaku District is still relatively low.

"Residents of Sepaku District who have just been served clean water are around 22 percent," said Mudyat Noor, Antara, Monday, February 2.

Of the total 15 villages and sub-districts in Sepaku District, only four villages have received clean water services. Meanwhile, 11 other villages and sub-districts have not been served due to limited distribution pipe networks.

According to Mudyat, the support of the central government is very needed, especially in the construction of the distribution pipeline infrastructure for clean water in the Sepaku District which has been designated as part of the IKN area.

The district government, he said, has applied for assistance for the construction of a clean water distribution pipeline network to the IKN Authority and hopes that the proposal can be realized this year.

"So that the three WTPs in the Sepaku District area can currently distribute clean water to all residents in the area," he added.

Currently, there are three water treatment plants in Sepaku District. One of them is the Sepaku Unit WTP with a capacity of 30 liters per second located in Tengin Baru Village and managed by the Penajam Paser Utara District Water and Drinking Water Regional Public Company.

In addition, the Ministry of Public Works is building a water treatment plant with a capacity of 50 liters per second in 2024 in the water intake area of the Sepaku River.

"WTP has been donated to the district government to be managed by Perumda Air Minum Danum Taka," explained Mudyat.

The Ministry of Public Works is also building another water treatment facility with a capacity of 300 liters per second at the same location, namely the Telake Sepaku River intake area, which until now is still managed by the central government.

With the existence of these three WTPs, Mudyat is optimistic that the coverage of clean water services in Sepaku District can increase significantly this year, including to meet the clean water needs of office buildings in the IKN area.