Sentani – Drinking water quality in Papua is still a major concern as many households still consume water from inappropriate sources, such as unprotected springs. Based on data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), in 2020, 24.62% of households in Papua consumed water from unprotected springs, which can be harmful to health. The quality of water that is suitable for consumption is very important for health and daily life and can affect the level of public health. To improve the quality of drinking water, the government of Papua Barat Daya Province is identifying drinking water needs to realize a better drinking water supply system.
Papua has six Regional Drinking Water Companies (PDAMs) spread across several districts/cities in the province. Some examples of PDAMs in Papua include:
- PDAM Jayapura District which is located in Jayapura District.
- Yapen Islands District PDAM is located in Yapen Islands District.
- PT War Besrendi is located in Biak Numfor Regency.
- PDAM Tirta Adrian is located in Nabire Regency.
- PT Wedu Merauke which is located in Merauke Regency.
- Jayawijaya District PDAM located in Jayawijaya District.
Factors affecting the quality of drinking water in Papua include:
- Drinking Water Source: Papua has unprotected sources of drinking water, such as unprotected springs, which can be hazardous to health.
- Surface Water Use: Surface water such as rivers is used for domestic waste disposal, which can affect water quality.
- Suspended Particle Content: Some rivers in Papua have turbid physical conditions due to the large amount of suspended particles in the water body, which can affect water quality.
- Microbial Activity: Microbial activity in water bodies can reduce water quality by consuming dissolved oxygen for the oxidation of organic waste.
- Oil and Fat Content: The high content of oil and fat in water can reduce water quality by interfering with oxygen infiltration into water bodies.
- Suspended Particles: The suspended particle factor can also affect water quality by reducing dissolved oxygen levels in water.Thus, the quality of drinking water in Papua is affected by various factors that can affect health and daily life.
The government of Jayapura Regency, Papua, has asked PT Air Minum Robongholo Nanwani to fulfill the clean water needs of residents in the local area as much as possible. Jayapura Regency Regional Secretary Hana S Hikoyabi in Sentani, said that PT Air Minum Robongholo Nanwani must maximise services to residents’ homes through the installation of good water installations. Because with so many buildings in Jayapura Regency, the need for clean water needs to be optimized by the drinking water company.
According to Hana, housing has been built in almost all areas in East Sentani, Sentani, and Waibu districts, so extra services will be needed from the water company. The community needs water services because many housing estates are in the process of being built, until now, some people still buy drinking water from water depots. Residents who already have clean water installations should not forget their obligations every month to pay the water bill so that the resulting service will also be stable and optimal.
