SPAM Penanggat Island In Riau Islands Completed, Sea Water Processed Into Drinks

The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) has completed the optimization project of the Drinking Water Supply System (SPAM) on Penangkat Island, Tanjungpinang City, Riau Islands Province (Kepri).

The construction of SPAM Pulau Penanggat is carried out using Sea Water Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) technology, which is to process seawater into fresh water with the quality of meeting drinking water quality standards.

PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said that infrastructure and drinking water facilities are basic infrastructure that has a vital influence on health and the environment.

Fulfillment of drinking water is one of the priorities in addition to the sanitation program, especially for dealing with stunting or growth disorders in toddlers due to lack of clean water and sanitation.

"Currently, the Ministry of PUPR is building many SPAMs in various regions," Minister Basuki said in a written statement, Thursday, May 25.

The use of SWRO's latest technology is considered necessary, considering that the Pulau Penanggat area has limited raw water sources, where there is no surface water source that can be processed.

Sea water is processed using nano filter membranes that produce freshwater with quality to meet the quality of drinking water standards.

To maintain the quality of the raw water used, sea water is taken at a distance of approximately 200 meters from the coastline using an underwater pipe.

Water is then distributed using the High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) pipe which uses a gravity system, so that the flow can run 24 hours continuously with a capacity of 2.5 liters per second.

Currently, SPAM SWRO Pulau Penanggat has operated by serving drinking water for 438 Home Connections or the equivalent of 1,752 people on the Riau Islands Stung Island.

SPAM (SWRO) Pulau Penanggat began construction in 2015 with a capacity of 1.5 liters per second to support the fulfillment of drinking water needs that have been managed by the Tanjung Pinang City clean water BLUD UPT.

Furthermore, in 2022, the Riau Islands Regional Settlement Infrastructure Center (BPPW) of the Directorate General of Human Settlements will carry out optimization to 2.5 liters per second as well as the improvement of the SWRO technology production system.

Meanwhile, Head of the Riau Islands BPPW Fasri Bachmid said, the construction of the Stung Island SPAM aims to provide adequate drinking water facilities and infrastructure for the people in Tanjungpinang.

"With the availability of proper drinking water facilities, it is hoped that it will increase understanding of clean life and reduce the risk of diseases that have an impact on health," he added.

For your information, the work to optimize SPAM SWRO of Penanggat Island will be completed in 2022, costing around Rp9.49 billion.

The scope of work includes installing one raw water unit, one production unit (two filter media units, one SWRO unit), one instrumentation work, as well as distribution unit work consisting of distribution pipeline networks (pipe HDPE) and Home Connection (SR).