By Tessa Febiani
According to water.org, about 192 million Indonesian lack access to safe water and 14 million lack access to safe sanitation facilities. This challenge is especially severe in regions like East Nusa Tenggara, the southernmost province of Indonesia that is known for its breathtaking landscapes. However, beneath this picturesque scenery lies a crucial issue, as the water crisis negatively impacts the social wellbeing, public health, and economic productivity of its local residents.
Based on BPS data, 25% of households in East Nusa Tenggara live without access to adequate and sustainable drinking water sources. Prolonged drought and unpredictable weather caused by the region's tropical climate have reduced spring water discharge and led to water scarcity. Residents, including children, have to walk for hours to collect water for their families. Even people who live on small islands use seawater to meet their daily water needs.
Komodo Water is a social enterprise providing clean water access and sustainable water management. The startup has been providing affordable clean and drinking water for villagers in the remote area of Komodo National Park and West Manggarai District, Flores, East Nusa Tenggara since 2012. Together with the villagers, Komodo Water designed a water solution for the area with limited water resources by optimizing and managing existing water supplies through an environmentally sustainable approach.
Solar Technology and Expanded Access to Clean Water
Established in 2010, Komodo Water has been playing a crucial role in expanding access to sustainable and clean water even in the remote area of East Nusa Tenggara. Faced with limited access to electricity due to high costs of fossil fuels in 2018, Komodo Water saw an opportunity to redirect a more sustainable energy solution and transitioned to using solar technology. The local community also adapted to the new, sustainable energy source, with support from Komodo Water.
Komodo Water manages to provide water supply from various raw water conditions into drinking water, using suitable and reliable technology. By implementing solar water pumps, Komodo Water provides water supply services, safe drinking water, and offers water products, such as gallon water and ice blocks to the local community.
Komodo Water operates on a sustainable approach, to ensure that their work aligns with the triangle of Sustainability, balancing environmental, economic, and social components. Sustainability, in this context, can be defined as “meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. Komodo Water’s vision is that everyone can drink and benefit from clean water, and their mission reflects this commitment. The mission is to provide water solutions from clean technology, empower local communities, contribute to the development of the local area potential, and be friendly to the environment and uphold sustainability.
Improving Health and Economy of Women and Families
Komodo Water has made an impact on the local communities, especially women and children. Previously, they had to spend hours every day queuing to gain clean water for sanitation and household needs. Now, they can afford to have clean water for sanitation and household needs directly from hoses in their homes. This advancement contributes to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 on access to clean water and SDG 7 on affordable and clean energy.
The effect of Komodo Water’s initiatives has extended beyond just providing clean water, but also creating a positive impact on the livelihoods of the local communities. In the villages of Maghilewa and Kawa, Komodo Water also empowers housewives to utilize water for agricultural activities that lead to improving food securities. Additionally, Komodo Water also supports local women by inviting them to become resellers of ice blocks and gallon water and helps them to become financially independent, breaking their reliance on their husbands’ income from fishing. Each reseller gains profit of IDR5,000 per ice block and IDR2,000 per gallon of water sold. They can earn more income and contribute to SDG 5, which promotes gender equality and SDG 8 on decent work and economic growth.
Komodo Water’s journey from providing clean water access and empowering local communities has made a positive impact in the remote area of East Nusa Tenggara. Their innovative and sustainable approach has not only given solutions to water scarcity, but also created new economic opportunities and eventually improved the quality of life of local families.
Source:
https://www.komodowater.org/
https://www.undp.org/indonesia/stories/komodo-water-expands-access-clean-water-empower-local-communities