KAI Installs 124 Water Stations at 58 Stations, Potentially Cutting 2.99 Million Plastic Bottles in Six Months
Jakarta - PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) is expanding public convenience through the provision of free drinking water facilities at stations. By June 2026, a total of 124 Water Station units had been made available at 58 stations, placed across 70 customer service areas.
The facility arrives amid rising public mobility using trains. During the six months of the first half of 2026, KAI’s Long-Distance and Local Train services catered to 29,858,267 customers, an increase of 8.72% compared to the 27,463,555 customers in the first half of 2025.
Vice President of Corporate Communication at KAI, Anne Purba, stated that the increase in customer numbers must be accompanied by the provision of facilities that are close to daily needs during travel. “A total of 29.86 million customers used KAI’s Long-Distance and Local Train services during the first six months of 2026. Amidst this high mobility, access to drinking water is a simple yet very useful facility. Customers can refill their tumblers or drinking bottles before boarding the train or continuing their journey,” Anne said.
The Water Station can be used free of charge by bringing one’s own tumbler or drinking bottle. The facility provides customers with an option to obtain drinking water without always having to buy water in new plastic bottles.
Based on a conservative estimate, if one in ten, or 10%, of KAI’s Long-Distance and Local Train customers in the first half of 2026 utilised the Water Station once, the potential reduction in single-use plastic bottles could reach approximately 2.99 million bottles over six months. This estimate uses the assumption that one refill replaces one 600-millilitre packaged drinking water bottle. With this calculation, the volume of water that could potentially be refilled reaches around 1.79 million litres.
Anne emphasised that the figure of 2.99 million bottles is a potential estimate based on the number of customers and a 10% utilisation rate assumption, not a recorded realisation of Water Station usage. “This calculation provides an illustration of the benefits that can be created if the habit of bringing a tumbler is practised together. A single refill may seem simple, but when done by millions of customers, the potential reduction in plastic bottles becomes increasingly significant,” Anne said.
The 124 Water Stations that have been installed are spread across 70 service areas. The difference between the number of stations, areas, and units occurs because several stations have more than one service point and multiple Water Station units. Gambir and Pasarsenen stations, for example, each have eight units placed in four areas. Malang Station has six units in three areas. Surabaya Gubeng and Surabaya Pasarturi stations are each equipped with five units.
The facility is also available at a number of other stations, including Bekasi, Jatinegara, Cikampek, Sukabumi, Bandung, Kiaracondong, Cirebon, Semarang Tawang Bank Jateng, Semarang Poncol, Purwokerto, Yogyakarta, Solo Balapan, Madiun, Kediri, Jember, Medan, Kertapati, and Tanjungkarang.
“The placement of Water Stations considers the characteristics of the station and customer service needs. At stations with high activity, facilities are available in several areas to make them easier to find and use,” Anne said.
KAI ensures that the water in the Water Station facilities is safe and suitable for consumption. The water quality has been tested at the Water Quality Laboratory managed by Coway International Indonesia in collaboration with the Bandung Institute of Technology, and refers to drinking water quality standard provisions. Based on tests previously published by KAI, the water quality from the Water Stations meets 20 out of 20 standard quality parameters. The testing covers microbiological parameters such as E. coli and total coliform bacteria; physical parameters such as temperature, total dissolved solids, turbidity, colour, and odour; as well as a number of chemical parameters.
“The water provided has undergone quality testing so customers can use it with peace of mind. Testing and facility maintenance are carried out regularly to maintain water quality and hygiene,” Anne said.
Every customer has different travel needs. There are people who depart in the morning, families travelling with children, elderly customers, students, workers, and customers who travel for several hours. The ease of obtaining drinking water can help customers maintain their well-being, fill children’s drinking bottles, and meet drinking needs before continuing their journey.
“Attention to customers can be present through things that are very close to daily life. Parents can fill their children’s bottles, elderly customers can take their medication, and people on long journeys can maintain their body fluid needs,” Anne said.
KAI invites customers to bring their own tumblers, take water as needed, maintain the cleanliness of the area, and use the facilities in an orderly manner so that everyone can enjoy them. “A sip of water before departure can make the journey feel more comfortable. Through the habit of bringing your own drinking bottle, customers also help reduce the use of single-use plastic packaging during the journey,” Anne concluded.