Beijing - The Indonesian government is committed to preserving the resilience of global water resources. This was stated by the Minister of Public Works and Asia International Water Week (AIWW) in Beijing on Tuesday (24/09/2024).
The meeting was held under the theme "Enhancing Our Future Water Security" and was organized by the Chinese government via the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources. The meeting was also attended by the Chinese Minister of Water Resources Li Guoying, the President of the Chinese Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research (IWHR) Peng Jing, the President of the Asia Water Council (AWC) Seogdae Yun and the President of the World Water Council (WWC) Loïc Fauchon.
"This meeting symbolizes the common commitment of Asian countries to take joint steps to conserve the most important resource in our region, namely water. This 3rd AIWW also shows the continuity of cooperation since the 2nd AIWW in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia in 2022," said Minister Hadimuljono.
He added that this year, Indonesia is showing the same commitment to the global water agenda that was successfully implemented by hosting the 10th World Water Forum in Bali from May 18-25, 2024. With the support of all communities in the Asian region, the 10th World Water Forum was attended by more than 20,000 registered participants, 75,000 visitors from 160 countries and 7,000 participants from the young generation.
"At the opening ceremony, President Jokowi stated that water for shared prosperity can only be achieved through the cooperation of all stakeholders, as this is the key to our current water conservation and our shared prosperity in the future. Indonesia continues to believe that every initiative must send a positive message of collective commitment to shared progress," said Minister Hadimuljono.
The Minister also briefed on the latest developments in the water sector in the capital city of Nusantara (IKN). In maintaining water security, IKN is pursuing the smart forest city concept, which ensures that infrastructure is built to maintain a balance between water supply, demand and the uncertainty caused by climate-related disasters.
IKN also has a unique geography characterized by hilly topographical conditions and small rills that are highly dependent on seasonal rainfall. This raises the question of how to ensure the availability of water reserves. IKN is also close to the equator, which makes microclimate management a challenge.
"To overcome this, we have managed to build 15 small natural reservoirs integrated into the downstream hills and 4 dammed up. Embung is a water conservation structure that provides non-potable raw water, landscape esthetics, recreational space for the community and blue open spaces to generate humidity and lower the ambient temperature. This river basin (DAS) is managed by a smart operation and maintenance system," the minister said.
To meet the water needs of the archipelago and surrounding cities, Basuki added, a watershed-wide transfer from the Mahakam catchment is also planned. "To close the gap in the drinking water supply in Indonesia, we have also succeeded in building a SPAM plant in IKN. This plant provides water that exceeds the minimum quality standard and is of higher quality than bottled water," he said.
The Indonesian government remains committed to working in close partnership with neighboring countries in Asia and the global community to close the water gap and ensure a sustainable water future for all.
"We hope that the 3rd AIWW will inspire closer collaboration and cooperation between countries and global institutions," he concluded.