Indonesia's Desalination Initiatives: Tackling Water Scarcity with Innovative Solutions

Indonesia is embarking on a series of seawater desalination projects to combat the growing challenges of water scarcity across its regions. With a population exceeding 270 million, the country is grappling with issues related to clean water access, especially in coastal areas where saline intrusion has contaminated freshwater sources.

“Indonesia is an important growth market for Acwa, and this agreement represents another step in our commitment to supporting the country’s long-term water and industrial needs.”Dr. Samir J. Serhan, CEO of Acwa Power

In a significant development, Saudi-listed Acwa Power has signed a Joint Development Agreement with PT GARAM, Indonesia's state-owned salt enterprise, to establish a utility-scale integrated seawater desalination facility in Manyar, Gresik, East Java. The project, valued at approximately USD 400 million, aims to produce around 62,500 cubic meters of desalinated water daily and 500,000 tons of high-purity industrial salt annually. This facility is expected to address both water security and the domestic salt supply, as Indonesia currently imports over 4 million tons of industrial salt each year, with demand projected to rise to more than 7.7 million tons by 2028, according to Acwa Power.

In Cirebon, local authorities are also pursuing desalination solutions. The Cirebon regent, Imron, announced that PT Mahardika plans to invest in seawater desalination facilities in the eastern and northern regions of the city. Imron emphasized the importance of keeping the cost of desalinated water affordable for residents. The project is intended to supply water for both household and industrial needs, with discussions about the local water utility (PDAM) distributing the water.

“Imron, Cirebon Regent, emphasized the importance of keeping the price of desalinated water affordable and not more expensive than current alternatives.”Imron, Cirebon Regent

Additionally, the Central Java provincial government has initiated its own desalination program, deploying six desalination units across various northern coastal areas. This initiative, which includes collaboration with local universities and state-owned enterprises, is designed to convert brackish water into potable water. Each unit can produce around 4,000 liters of clean water daily, which is sufficient to meet the needs of approximately 400 households per month. Governor Ahmad Luthfi highlighted the program's role in addressing the complex water issues faced by coastal communities.

“Hanung Triyono, Head of DPU BMCK Central Java, said that desalination is a simple answer to the complex problems of coastal areas.”Hanung Triyono, Head of DPU BMCK Central Java

The collaborative efforts between government, private investors, and local enterprises underscore the importance of communal cooperation in tackling these pressing environmental challenges.