article · Water Science & Technology Water Supply
Indonesia faces severe water security challenges driven by climate change and environmental degradation. A baseline review of one hundred studies published between 2000 and 2023 demonstrates that only 10 percent of rainfall infiltrates into groundwater, while 70 percent of rivers are heavily polluted by domestic waste. Annual water availability fell to 1,200 cubic metres in 2020, with just 35 percent of resources considered economically feasible for reuse. In 2021, the national water supply deficit reached 5.5 cubic hectometres annually, leaving around one third of population demand unmet. Although private vendors currently help mitigate shortages, projections for 2030 indicate that merely expanding water supply will not close the widening gap.
Widespread river pollution and declining groundwater replenishment threaten public health and drinking water safety. With climate change exacerbating droughts and floods, regions facing critical deficits cannot rely solely on finding new freshwater sources. This assessment highlights an urgent need for sustainable water management, pollution mitigation, and economically viable reuse practices to safeguard community water security.
The findings point to potential market opportunities for private water vendors and water treatment developers, particularly around wastewater recycling where only 35 percent of resources are currently viable for reuse. However, as this work is a literature-based baseline assessment and forecasting study, it presents macro-level market data rather than a tested product, placing it at an early analytical stage for technology developers and water utilities.
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Abstract Southeast Asia is vulnerable to climate change with over half of its population already being impacted by drought, flooding, and rise in sea levels recently. This work reviews the current water resource challenges in Indonesia, prone to the rising impacts of climate change. A baseline assessment of Indonesia's water and drinking water resources related to its original sources is presented. In response to a growing concern over chronic challenges that undermine water supply nationwide, this study analyses drinking water safety supervision. To accomplish this, a literature survey (100 studies published during the 2000–2023 period) was performed to identify regional groundwater resources sustainability and water security issues. Among the main findings of this study, only 10% of rainfall infiltrates to the groundwater, while 70% of its rivers are heavily polluted by domestic waste. During the study period, water availability decreased to 1,200 m3/year in 2020, with only 35% of the resources being economically feasible for reuse. The water supply deficit in Indonesia was estimated to be 5.5 hm3/year with roughly 67% of the population's water demand satisfied in 2021. Although this deficit might be fulfilled with private vendors, water supply/demand forecasts in 2030 suggest that the gap could not be closed by increasing water supply.
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DOI: 10.2166/ws.2024.008
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