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The Improvement Strategy for Piped-Water Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic (Case Study: Depok City, West Java, Indonesia)
29 Pages Posted: 26 Aug 2022 Publication Status: Preprint
Abstract
To anticipate a water crisis that is getting wider and to balance the capacity of clean water supply that cannot be changed immediately, a study of the fulfillment of clean water needs through Regional Drinking Water Company (PDAM) piped-water service in Depok City was carried out during Covid-19 pandemic. Depok City is currently facing a water crisis and has experienced an increase usage of clean water during the pandemic. This study used qualitative and quantitative approach to analyze piped-water service in Depok City before and during the pandemic, and analyze the target of 35% piped-water service coverage in 2021 to see the capacity of PDAM in fulfilling clean water needs, especially during the pandemic. It was found that there was an increase in customer water consumption during the pandemic by 5% from normal condition, which was to 147 L/person/day. PDAM production efficiency was obtained by 80% and the amount of water distribution was around 90% of the production water. From these results with using the 25% non-revenue water (NRW) level based on the national target, PDAM needs to uprate its overall water treatment plants (WTPs) capacity by 2.13 times, from 1,080 L/s to 2,300 L/s, in order to achieve the target of 35% service coverage during the 2021 pandemic. Efforts are being made by PDAM, such as uprating the Legong WTP and the plan to build new WTPs in Cimanggis and Cinere Districts. Others that need to be improved by PDAM include socialization to the public regarding the urgency of using piped water; optimization of real production volume by repairing leaks or overflows in the WTP so that water distribution can be far above 90%; utilization of backup unit system at the WTP so that water distribution to the customers is not disturbed for 24 hours; and controlling the existing 35% NRW level which is still high by repairing and maintaining the distribution network system. This study is expected to provide recommendations for stakeholders, especially PDAM Tirta Asasta Depok, in fulfilling the clean water needs for public both during the pandemic and in the future.
Keywords: Clean water supply, Drinking water distribution, Piped-water service, Covid-19 pandemic, Water crisis
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