The Indonesian government strives to provide its citizens better access to safely managed drinking water in compliance with the minimum service standards, particularly among low-income households through the Urban Drinking Water Grant or Hibah Air Minum Perkotaan (HAMP) program.
Pematang Siantar is home to more than 274,000 inhabitants (2022 ). The water utility (PDAM) at Pemantang Siantar, North Sumatra, provides piped water service to 96 percent of the population. Due to various socioeconomic factors, the remaining 4 percent of the unserved population includes low-income households.
As one of USAID IUWASH Tangguh’s five focus areas in the province, the project works with key public sector stakeholders and communities to expand water supply coverage and increase access to safely managed drinking water.
The central government-endorsed HAMP program allows individual PDAMs to expand their service coverage to low-income urban households through new meter connections. The grant provides a reimbursement facility where cities and districts, who manage the PDAMs, will be compensated by the Ministry of Public Works and Housing for the actual cost of construction.
Taking advantage of the facility, Pematang Siantar conducted a baseline study to determine households that are eligible for the assistance program. From a group of 500 candidates, the study identified 410 potential households. However due to technical and legal issues, the city was able to connect 302 households, after further selection.
The PDAM connected new meters to all selected households by the end of August. USAID IUWASH Tangguh and PDAM enumerators conducted pre-verification to inspect individual sites, performed interviews, and tested the meters.
In November, the local government conducted a final verification and found that 298 of the 302 households were qualified for HAMP program. The final outcome allows PDAM to claim reimbursement for the meter connection construction under the HAMP program.
Ms. Atika Nurabiah Tobing, who lives with her three children in the city’s suburbs, benefited from the program. “I no longer have to ask my neighbors for water, and I can save money in the long run,” when asked how the new connection affected her productivity. Comparing the convenience of having piped water and how it changed her life, another resident, Mr. Saiful Efendi said, “Fetching water is closer now. I don’t need to walk to a well.”
USAID IUWASH Tangguh worked with the PDAM to verify all connections were constructed in accordance with the national building codes. For Pemantang Siantar, who provided the capital, the verification process is critical to having their investment fully reimbursed. Experts from USAID IUWASH Tangguh trained PDAM enumerators on how to properly conduct field verification using the mWater Surveyor app, formulate questions, and set observation points.
Pematang Siantar and USAID IUWASH Tangguh will continue to look for opportunities to collaborate on mutual issues—in e-procurement system and safe water coverage survey—related to improving access to safe drinking water and safely managed sanitation.
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