To accelerate the process of institutional formation and to advocate the executive and legislative members, USAID IUWASH PLUS facilitated two horizontal learning activities on domestic wastewater management for Lumajang and Sidoarjo District Governments and Legislatures.
The first activity was the visit of the Lumajang District Government and Legislature to Makassar city from August 14 – 16, 2017. The participants of this visit included the Head of Commission B and C DPRD of Lumajang District; Division Heads of Legal, Organization, Retribution and Tax, Division Head of Bappeda, and representatives from the Offices of Public Works and Spatial Planning (PUTR), Health, Housing and Settlement Areas (PKP), and Environment. During the visit, the participants learned about various issues, included the L2T2 marketing and promotion strategy, Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) management, and field visits to Septage Treatment Plant (STP) in Nipa Nipa and Office of Regional Technical Implementing Unit of Wastewater Management (UPTD PAL) in Makassar.
This visit gave insights for the non-technical OPDs (organizations of the local government) and legislature on the importance of the support for sanitation sector, particularly in supporting the budgeting and regulation, as well a s the establishment of domestic wastewater management institution. As the result of this visit, the Lumajang Regent will immediately process the establishment of UPT PAL under the PUTR Office as the operator of domestic wastewater management.
Following the successful horizontal learning visit to Makassar, the second activity was held for Sidoarjo district to visit Bekasi city. Sidoarjo district is currently developing a district regulation on domestic wastewater and separating the operator of domestic wastewater management from the Regional Technical Implementing Unit of Waste and Wastewater Management (UPTD PSAL).
From September 13 – 15, 2017, the representatives from Sidoarjo DPRD, Offices of PKP, Health, and Environment, District Personnel Agency, Organization and Legal divisions, Bappeda, and UPTD PSAL participated in the horizontal learning visit to Bekasi city that already has an STP with mechanical system. During the visit, the participants learned about the financial aspects such as payment system with E-Money, and technical aspects in utilizing the mechanical and electricity system, and the use of Management Information System for customer service. The participants also visited Sumur Batu STP and UPTD PAL office in Bekasi.
Sidoarjo district has the similarity with Bekasi city, because both serve as the buffer city for Surabaya and DKI Jakarta respectively. This helped both district and city in sharing their lessons and experiences to improve the sanitation sector. “In the future, Sidoarjo District will also divide the STP development area into 5 zones, so it is expected that all Sidoarjo people will have access to safely managed sanitation,” said Ibu Eni Rustianingsih, the Head of Settlement and Infrastructure Division of Sidoarjo Bappeda.