Building Water Treatment Facility, IWIP and WBN Provide Clean Water Access in Central Halmahera

PT Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park (IWIP) and PT Weda Bay Nickel (WBN) have begun construction of the Lelilef Water Treatment Plant (WTP) to provide access to clean water for communities in Lelilef Sawai and Lelilef Waibulan villages, Central Halmahera, North Maluku. General Manager for Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) at IWIP, Iwan Kurniawan, explained that the WTP is expected to meet the basic needs of the community for clean and proper water, support daily activities, and sustainably improve quality of life. “This programme also aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly goal 6 on clean water and sanitation, and goal 3 on good health and well-being,” Iwan stated in his remarks on Wednesday, 6 May 2026. The construction of the Lelilef Water Treatment Plant facility was marked by the start of distribution pipe installation on Thursday, 23 April 2026. The WTP facility is equipped with two reservoirs with a total capacity of 5,200 cubic metres per day, as well as three treatment units at each reservoir with a capacity of 210 cubic metres per unit. He conveyed that access to clean water is a fundamental need that impacts community life. “The start of the clean water pipe installation work marks the beginning of a change in quality of life. Access to clean water is often considered simple, but it has a significant impact on health, economy, and community education,” Iwan said. He added that the success of this programme is not only determined by infrastructure development but also by the active role of the community in maintaining and managing the Lelilef WTP. “This programme is not only owned by IWIP, WBN, or the government, but by the community. Therefore, it is important for all of us to maintain the built network, use water wisely, and manage its utilisation fairly at the village level,” he stated. The Head of Weda Tengah Subdistrict, Antonius, stated that the construction of the clean water network is a great hope for the community, which has previously faced limitations in clean water access. He called on all parties to support the smooth implementation of the project. “Clean water is a shared need and a broad community interest. Therefore, we urge the entire community to support the construction process, maintain conducive conditions, and ensure that this programme runs well until completion,” he said.