Managing Water for the Sustainability of Life

KOMPAS/HENDRA A SETYAWAN

Residents are fishing in Situ Sasak, Bambu Apus, South Tangerang, Banten, on Saturday (11/5/2024). Tilapia fish are often found in Situ Sasak, which also serves as a water reservoir as well as a flood controller and a reserve of clean water sources in the Ciputat and Pamulang areas.

The World Water Forum or World Water Forum 2024 reminds us how important the benefits of water are for all humans and living creatures throughout the universe. Water is a vital component that must be preserved in order to support the continuity of life. Therefore, water conservation and management is a necessity that must be carried out by all parties.

President Joko Widodo, when opening the forum, stated that without water, there would be no peace, life, or food. Only 1 percent of the earth's 72 percent water surface can be accessed and utilized for drinking water and sanitation. Water must be managed well because every drop is precious (Kompas.id, 20/5/2024).

The statement made by President Joko Widodo in front of a number of international delegates in Bali emphasizes the importance of real, inclusive, and sustainable actions that must be taken by all countries without exception.

At least there are three principles expressed by President Joko Widodo in the forum held on May 18-25. Those three principles are to avoid competition and encourage equality; prioritize inclusive cooperation, including the use of technology and innovative financing; and support shared peace and prosperity. All three can be achieved through collaboration.

Also read: Managing Water as a Source of Life

BPMI SEKRETARIAT PRESIDEN

President Joko Widodo met with SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk on the sidelines of the 10th World Water Forum High-Level Conference in Bali on Monday (20/5/2024).

Equity and cooperation are very important because in fact throughout the world there are differences water governance so that assistance from more developed countries is needed. In this way, water can be used optimally for various economic purposes, but is also safe for health and supports cleanliness.

Suboptimal management of water utilization can have negative impacts on health and even cause deaths. According to a report from the World Bank, the lower the economic level of a country, the higher the risk of death due to the use of unsafe water, poor sanitation, and lack of hygiene. In 2019, the average number of deaths worldwide due to these factors reached 18 per 100,000 people.

If categorized by a country's economic status, high-income countries have the lowest risk of death, which is less than four people per 100,000 population. There is a significant difference with middle-income countries at around 19 people and a much wider gap with low-income countries reaching 41 people per 100,000 population.

The high death rates in low-income countries are caused by several factors. One of them is that the number of people who use safe drinking water services is still very minimal, only 28 percent of the total population in the concerned country in 2023. This figure is far below the global average, which has reached 72 percent of the world's total population.

In addition, the use of water for domestic household purposes in low-income countries is still low. In 2020, water consumption accounted for only 7 percent of all water taken for various purposes. This amount is almost twice as low as the world average, which is 13 percent. The lower the water consumption for domestic purposes, the lower the level of cleanliness in each household. The population in poor countries that have access to sanitation facilities and soap on hand average only 21 percent of the total population. Consequently, the local population is more susceptible to various types of diseases and bacteria.

Another factor that poses a health threat to the community in low-income countries is pollution in the agriculture sector. In 2020, the amount of water used for agricultural purposes reached 90% of all managed water. Apart from reducing the amount for domestic household purposes, the massive use of this water also has the potential to pollute the environment. The use of fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture can contaminate water with harmful chemicals that dissolve and settle in the soil.

Also read: World Water Forum and Lake Saving

KOMPAS/M PASCHALIA JUDITH J

The screen in the media center shows the President of the World Water Council, Loic Fauchon, giving a speech at the opening of the World Water Forum in Nusa Dua, Bali on Monday (20/5/2024).

With various things that are relatively very limited, ranging from the community's limited understanding of health, poor governance, and the lack of government budget to improve infrastructure, the health risks that threaten people's lives are very high.

Therefore, the President of the World Water Council, Loic Fauchon, has requested all delegations to adhere to seven commitments. Among them, it urges delegates to join the "Money for Water" coalition, which will be presented at the upcoming United Nations conference and includes the cancellation of water debt for the poorest countries. This way, low-income countries can improve safe water services for all of its citizens. Additionally, with a lighter burden, these low-income countries can also accelerate efforts to mitigate climate change and manage wastewater.

Water use in Indonesia

Based on data from the World Bank, the death rate due to the use of unsafe water and unsanitary sanitation in Indonesia reached 19 people per 100,000 population. This figure is relatively similar to the global average death rate.

The relatively high rate of mortality risks is caused by the differences in characteristics between rural and urban areas. Rural areas tend to have minimal access to safe drinking water services. Only 34 percent of the rural population consumes water that is considered safe. On the other hand, urban areas usually have access to hygienic drinking water. Up to 88 percent of urban residents are accustomed to consuming clean water.

Also read: Open World Water Forum, Jokowi Reveals Threat of Water Crisis

KOMPAS/FRANSISKUS PATI HERIN

A technician finished repairing the water network in Randoria Village, Detusoko District, Ende Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, on Thursday (21/3/2024). This technician was given an incentive of IDR 40,000 per month.

In terms of sanitation facilities and cleanliness needs, the awareness level between rural and urban communities is relatively high. This is indicated by the number of community members who have sanitation facilities equipped with water and soap, which is more than 75 percent of their respective total populations.

From these two points, it is clear that the risk factors threatening the health and lives of the community tend to be related to the use of water for consumption in rural areas, some of which are still unsafe. This is partly caused by the use of water for agricultural purposes, which accounts for 85 percent of total water consumption. The massive consumption of water for agrarian purposes has an impact on the environment because the chemicals used for fertilization are dissolved into the river and also accumulate in the soil, affecting the water quality in the area.

However, as time goes by, many changes in land use, industrialization, settlements, and agriculture which increasingly uses chemicals intensively cause environmental degradation which has an impact on reducing water quality.

Based on a report from the Directorate for Control of Water Pollution, the Directorate General for Control of Pollution and Environmental Damage, KLHK, shows that water quality in Indonesia is in the mild to moderately polluted range. Not a single province in Indonesia meets quality standards with a water quality index (IKA) value of more than 70. The average is below an index score of 65. The provinces with the lowest IKA scores in 2023 are Jakarta and Yogyakarta. In these two provinces, the respective IKA values ​​are in the 40s, which indicates that they are in the mild-moderate category.

The water quality index is a value that describes water quality which is a composite value of water quality parameters in an area at a certain time. In the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), IKA values ​​can support goal number 6, namely "Clean Water and Decent Sanitation". IKA is calculated based on calculating water quality status using the pollution index method in accordance with Minister of Environment and Forestry Regulation Number 27 of 2021 concerning Environmental Quality Index. The water quality standard used is class 2 water quality standard (Government Regulation Number 22 of 2021 Appendix VI) with eight parameters for river water quality calculated, namely BOD, COD, TSS, DO, T-phosphate, Fecal coli< /i>, pH, and nitrate. Meanwhile, there are 10 parameters for lake water quality, namely BOD, COD, TSS, DO, T-phosphate, Fecal coli, pH, brightness, chlorophyll-a, and total nitrogen.

Also read: Democracy Crisis Makes Water Crisis Worse

KOMPAS/NINO CITRA ANUGRAHANTO

The flow of the river appears murky, suspected to be due to waste pollution in the Bengawan Solo River, located on the border between Sukoharjo District and Surakarta City, Central Java, on Tuesday (21/5/2024). The pollution is suspected to come from textile and ethanol waste. This condition has caused the Semanggi Water Treatment Plant to temporarily cease operations.

The relatively low index score that does not meet the standard is in line with the status of river water quality in Indonesia, which is on average polluted. By 2023, only 21 percent of rivers will meet the standard. The rest, 78 percent, experience mild to moderate pollution, while the remaining 1 percent is heavily polluted.

This needs to be a joint concern, particularly for policymakers to provide technology that can optimize the utilization of surface water while reducing pollution. On the other hand, polluting parties such as households, industries, services, and agriculture need to take mitigation steps to reduce waste, waste, or other pollutants that harm the environment. If necessary, provide communal waste treatment facilities and process them beforehand so that the environmental pollution burden borne by the river becomes lighter.

Improving the quality of surface water sourced from rivers and groundwater is expected to improve the quality of life. Water can be optimized to meet the needs of humans, support agriculture, and drive the national economy. (KOMPAS RESEARCH)