Balikpapan Residents Still Lack Drinking Water, Reservoir Construction Is Still Constrained By Land Disputes

Manggar Reservoir whose water is not sufficient for the production debit of drinking water for Balikpapan (Photo: ANTARA)

BALIKPAPAN - The need for raw water for drinking water in Balikpapan City until 2039 is projected to be around 3.3 cubic meters per second. However, currently only 1.3 cubic meters per second are met.

This was conveyed by the Head of the Kalimantan IV Samarinda River Basin Office, Harya Muldianto in Balikpapan, Tuesday, June 15, as quoted from Antara.

He said the current shortage of raw water supply could be seen from not all residents of this oil city enjoying clean water services from PDAM.

To cover this shortfall, the Balikpapan City Government has built the Teritip Reservoir and the Aji Raden Reservoir, including a collaboration with the PPU Regency Government to build the Semoi-Sepaku Reservoir.

"However, from our calculations, if all three have started operating in 2024, the addition will only be 820 liters per second," said Muldianta.

Shortage of 1,200 liters per second is still looking for a way out. "It is indeed still our homework to look for potentials that we can rely on to meet Balikpapan's raw water needs," said Muldianta.

On the other hand, Muldianta said that the construction of the Aji Raden Embung next year is targeted to be completed and can be used.

The year 2021 is still the completion of land acquisition which previously had stalled. Likewise, the construction of the Semoi-Sepaku Reservoir is constrained by land acquisition.

As for the Barnacle Dam, which currently has not reached the limit of its capacity, which will reach 250 liters per second. However, it can still be used for a capacity of 80 liters per second from a total of 250 liters per second.

As a rain-fed reservoir, it is calculated that it will still take some time until the reservoir is full and can have a maximum capacity.

Currently, PDAM Balikpapan relies on raw water from the Manggar Reservoir and several deep wells to meet the water needs of the residents of the City of Oil.

Over the past few years, various ideas and offers have come to City Hall regarding the supply of raw water for drinking.

In 2016, for example, Mayor Rizal Effendi was offered by entrepreneur Hashim Djojohadikusumo a raw water supply of up to 3,000 liters per second piped from Semoi-Sepaku. On several occasions, the idea of desalination or offering sea water has also emerged. However, nothing has materialized from these offers or ideas.