Kutai Kartanegara Can Be An Alternative For IKN's Baku Water Source

IKN (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Research results from the Regional Research and Development Agency of East Kalimantan Province, Kutai Kartanegara Regency are recommended as an alternative to fulfilling raw water to support the clean water needs of IKN and its surroundings because the availability of raw water is abundant.

"From the research conducted by the team entitled 'Research on Analysis of the Availability of Clean Water to Support the State Capital (IKN)' in June-December 2022, the availability of raw water in Kutai Kartanegara is very abundant," said Head of Balitbangda East Kalimantan Province Fitiriansyah in Samarinda, quoted from ANTARA, Sunday, December 25.

The results of the study also stated that Balikpapan is one of the IKN partner areas as the city with the most complete and closest facilities to IKN, then Balikpapan will be the city that will bear the greatest burden in the early stages of IKN development, one of which is the burden of clean water.

On the other hand, the ability to provide clean water and raw water in Balikpapan is the smallest compared to other partner areas that are directly adjacent to IKN, namely North Penajam Paser and Kutai Kartanegara Regencies, so Balikpapan must be supported to meet its water needs.

Regarding the construction of the Semoi Sepaku Dam and the Sepaku River Intake which are included in the IKN area, he continued, Balikpapan needs attention to be one of the areas that gets raw water supplies to meet clean water needs.

Meanwhile, Yuli Fitrianto, one of the researchers from Balitbangda East Kalimantan, said that the total production capacity of clean water for Perumda Tirta Manuntung in Balikpapan City in 2021 was 1,426.05 liters per second, insufficient for projected needs in 2022 which was 1,470.51 liters per second.

Then the production capacity of clean water at Perumda Air Drinking Danum Taka in Penajam Paser Utara in 2021 is 340 liters per second, it can meet projected needs in 2023 which is 332.06 liters per second.

However, this production is not sufficient for projected needs in 2024 which is 346.41 liters per second, so the production needs to be increased.

The total production of clean water at Perumda Tirta Mahakam in Kutai Kartanegara 2021 is 1,688.6 liters per second, insufficient for projected needs in 2022 which is 1,734.06 liters per second.

However, he said, production at Perumda Tirta Mahakam could still meet projected needs until 2025 which was 1,840.20 liters per second, if maximizing the installed production capacity of 1,856.5 liters per second.

"Kutai Kartanegara Regency has very abundant raw water sources, so Perumda Tirta Mahakam will not have difficulty fulfilling raw water to meet the needs of IKN and its surroundings, including up to Balikpapan City," said Yuli.