Water leakage

Water leakage

Water leakage is the most serious problem faced by all water
companies in Indonesia.

Since the capacity of production is limited and to set up a
new installation inflicts high cost, leakage needs to be
prevented and reduced to the lowest level. And to overcome the
problem, PDAM (the state-owned local water company) in Ciamis,
West Java, has implemented two methods of dealing with the
problem.

1. Low cost and easily done--provide the bulk water meter to
detect the first leakage; react immediately if there is a leak;
control the installation and the equipment; control the daily
distribution; cooperate with other agencies (state electricity
company, telecommunications and public works) in controlling the
excavation near the pipe network; record the meters of consumers
accurately; train the bill maker; control the active consumers;
recheck inactive consumers; control the illegal use of water; no
special treatment for certain consumers; improve the quality of
the water pipe construction.

2. High cost and difficult to do--the water meter; replace the
valves; rehabilitate/reconstruct the pipe network; provide an
apparatus for detecting the leakage.

By employing the first method we can reduce the leakage from
58.43 percent to 27.07 percent at the Ciamis branch, and from
40.91 percent to 12.59 percent at the Banjar branch.

IWAN SUPRIADI

PDAM

Ciamis, West Java