To support the district government’s efforts in increasing access to water supply for urban poor, PDAM Tirta Makmur of Sukoharjo district starts a special program on urban water supply grants to be implemented in 2019. This program needs to be introduced to the community in the district, and PDAM Tirta Makmur works with USAID IUWASH PLUS to disseminate this program and raise the community awareness on the importance of safely-managed water supply and community participation in maintaining the sustainable access to water supply for them.
“From our collaborative experience, we know exactly how USAID IUWASH PLUS qualifies in working with the community as part of the program preparation,” said Bambang, the head of Customer Relations division of PDAM Tirta Makmur.
The dissemination activities starts from March–December 2018. As of April 2018, USAID IUWASH PLUS and PDAM Tirta Makmur already conducted three dissemination activities in Sukoharjo urban village, one of which was held in Kampung Jogodayoh RT 3 RW 8. This kampung becomes one of the prioritized areas for the program because all this time the community has consumed water from dug wells which is salty, yellowish, and rancid. To get clean water, households who can afford it buy jerry-can water for about 150,000 rupiah every month.
The urban water supply grants program offers some conveniences to the prospective customers, namely much cheaper installation cost for only 500,000 rupiah and it can be paid through installment system. To get the access to PDAM water, the prospective customers only need to pay a down payment of Rp100,000 and pay the rest through 10 times installment for 10 month without interest. This program is only applicable for the low income community in Sukoharjo district.
During the dissemination activity, the community learned about safely managed water supply, how they can participate in maintaining the sustainable access to water supply, and the urban water supply grants program policy. “This activity is very important for us. Not only did it make us realize that the water we have consumed is not safe, but also encouraged us to change and use the PDAM water because of the conveniences the PDAM offers,” said Sasmoyo (52), a community member of Kampung Jogodayoh, whose house was used as the venue for this dissemination activity.
From these three dissemination activities, 50 household heads expressed their interest to sign up as the prospective customers of PDAM Tirta Makmur Sukoharjo through this urban water supply grant program.
