Public Works Minister Confirms Aceh Disaster Recovery SPAM Project Completion by August 2026
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com — Minister of Public Works Dody Hanggodo has confirmed that the construction of the Steel Water Treatment Plant (WTP) for the Karang Baru Drinking Water Supply System (SPAM) in Aceh Tamiang Regency, Aceh Province, is targeted for completion on 10 August 2026.
The assurance was given by Dody during an inspection of the ongoing construction of the 2x50 litres per second (Lps) Steel WTP in Aceh Tamiang on Sunday (24/5/2026), to ensure the accelerated permanent disaster recovery efforts are on schedule.
Currently, the construction progress of the Karang Baru SPAM Steel WTP has reached 30 per cent.
According to Dody, the most critical aspect to ensure in the project is the sustainability of the raw water source or intake to maintain optimal system functionality, especially during the dry season when river discharge decreases.
‘The construction of the 2x50 Lps Steel WTP is already underway. However, we must ensure the source or intake is properly maintained. Currently, the river level is high, but it must be checked during the dry season to see if the flow remains sufficient,’ Dody said.
‘With a wider river channel, water discharge typically decreases. Therefore, preparations are ongoing to ensure water flow continues into the treatment plant, both for the existing concrete WTP and this new Steel WTP,’ he added.
The Steel WTP construction is part of a disaster recovery SPAM package covering North Aceh, Aceh Tamiang, Central Aceh, and Gayo Lues with a contract value of Rp277.97 billion.
The work is being carried out by the Aceh Building, Infrastructure, and Zone Management Bureau, Directorate General of Public Works, Ministry of Public Works, with contractor PT Adhi Karya.
The scope of the Karang Baru SPAM construction includes building a 2x50 Lps Steel WTP, a 1,000 cubic metre GFS reservoir, intake structures, compact supporting buildings, regional infrastructure, and supporting systems such as SCADA and distribution piping networks.
In the development site plan, the SPAM area will also be equipped with support facilities like sludge screw press, communal space, parking area, and integration with existing facilities including a 100 Lps concrete WTP, existing 2x50 Lps Steel WTP, and a 500 cubic metre concrete reservoir.
Dody assessed that current progress remains on track despite some technical refinements needed.
‘The progress is good and on schedule. We just need to finalise some technical aspects, including the upcoming construction of water gates. The challenge now is determining the lowest points given the river morphology has changed significantly,’ Dody said.
The Karang Baru SPAM construction is expected to strengthen Aceh Tamiang’s drinking water service resilience post-disaster, including ensuring continuous water supply for public facilities and communities.