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