RI-Australia Build IPAL In Palembang, Minister Basuki: This Is A Good Collaboration

JAKARTA - Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono together with Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Penny Williams PSM visited the Wastewater Development Installation (IPAL) in the Sei Selayur area, Palembang City, on Thursday, August 10.

On this occasion, Minister Basuki thanked the Australian Government and hoped that cooperation in infrastructure development could continue.

"This kind of cooperation is important to strengthen good relations between the two countries," said Basuki through an official statement received by VOI, Friday, August 11.

The construction of the Palembang City SPALD-T is part of the Palembang City Sewerage Project (PCSP) program which is carried out through funding collaboration between the Australian Government, the Ministry of PUPR, the South Sumatra Provincial Government, and the Palembang City Government.

"This is an example of a good collaboration, a grant from the Australian Government of around Rp600 billion was used to build Wastewater Management Installation (IPAL) with a capacity of up to 100 thousand Home Connections (SR)," said Basuki.

Meanwhile, the Central Government through the APBN builds pipeline networks to tertiary networks. Then, the Provincial and City Governments built a SR network, including land supply.

Basuki said that the construction of IPAL like this is one of the efforts to modernize wastewater management which is also carried out in other cities, such as Makassar, Palembang, Jambi, and Pekanbaru.

"This is a project for environmental improvement, there are many benefits. Waste water is not directly dumped into the river, so the water is processed here first. So, it has a good quality standard, the water is clear, I checked the results of PH 6.9, this can only be channeled into the river," said Basuki.

"Sanitation and clean water are a must that must be provided, one of which is to deal with stunting," he added.

Meanwhile, Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Penny Williams said the IPAL construction was a concrete example of cooperation between the Government of Australia and Indonesia in infrastructure development partnerships.

"Especially, in helping health and the environment in Palembang City," he said.

As for the details, Indonesia allocated Rp1.16 trillion from the central government budget (APBN), provinces and cities. Meanwhile, Australia allocated Rp450 billion and also provided technical support through the Australian Indonesian Partnership for Infrastructure (KIAT) worth Rp230 billion.

For your information, the domestic wastewater treatment installation (IPALD) built through this PCSP activity is located in Sei Selayur, Kalidoni District, with a land area of 5.9 hectares (ha). The IPALD is built in stages with a total capacity of 20,300 cubic meters per day.

This system is expected to provide benefits for 21,700 Home Connections (SR) and will continue to be developed by the Palembang City Government, South Sumatra Provincial Government, and the Directorate General of Human Settlements of the Ministry of PUPR.