Rethinking industrial wastewater treatments to boost Indonesia’s water security
Rethinking industrial wastewater treatments to boost Indonesia’s water security - The Jakarta Post The Jakarta Post
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Indonesia’s Water Challenges and the Path to Sustainable Development
By Mohammad Sherafatmand | Sat, September 16, 2023
- Introduction
- Water Demand and Availability
- Water Challenges and Vision 2025
- Pollution and Wastewater Treatment
- Water Management in Industries
- The Role of Electrochemical Technologies
- Advancing Towards Water Security
- Conclusion
- About the Author
Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy, has been on an upward trajectory and shall attract significant manufacturing and technology investments over the next few years. With this industrial boom, one can only anticipate the massive volumes of water consumption that the country will soon face.
Water demand is continuing to rise quickly as a result of demographic and economic growth and is expected to increase by 31 percent between 2015 and 2045. In contrast, water availability largely lags behind the total water demand. The total water availability in Indonesia is 690 × 10^9 cubic meters (m^3) per year, which is a lot more than the demand of 175 × 10^9 m^3/year. Water stress is a rising concern for many islands, especially the high-density areas like Java.
Experts have suggested how water security underpins Indonesia’s Vision 2025. So what are the water challenges as the nation chases this vision? Overuse, wastage, pollution, to name a few.
Indonesia’s water resources accounts for 6 percent of the world’s and 21 percent of Asia-Pacific’s. But more than half of Indonesia’s rivers are heavily polluted. Of those, 70 percent are polluted by domestic waste, according to the Indonesian National Planning Agency.
A report, Indonesia Vision 2045: Towards Water Security, by Indonesia’s National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) and the World Bank, reveals that with the lack of dedicated action on water security, the country will lag behind its Vision 2045 GDP target by up to 7.3 percent. This is quite alarming.
The archipelago nation, though, is distinctive on the map and enriched with abundant natural resources. As the world’s largest producer of palm oil and nickel and a leading source of copper, bauxite, tin and other commodities, building these local industries further will play critical roles in helping Indonesia realize its economic potential over the next decade and beyond. One important aspect that must be spotlighted amongst all of this, is managing water and water resources in these industries.
Prominent figures such as Bruno Carrasco, director general of the Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department at the Asian Development Bank, have too emphasized the urgency of water management in combating water scarcity. Given that contamination often stems from improper treatment, enhancing water processing methods is crucial to improving regional water quality.
Among the fast-growing industries requiring substantial water resources is the palm oil industry in Indonesia. Indonesia produces 57 percent of the world’s palm oil and exports are on the rise. Providing the industry with a solution to manage wastewater and recycle it is imperative.
Data centers are also well-known for their intensive resource demands, including electricity and water, with even a small 1 Megawatt data center consuming 26 million liters of water annually, and on the lookout for sustainable water solutions.
With the demand, it is clear that the wastewater industry needs a disruption through next generation treatments. It is time to move away from traditional chemical and energy-intensive wastewater treatment practices to, instead utilizing advanced electrochemical technologies to enhance purification performance and water quality. The two central aspects of electrochemical technologies are electrocoagulation (Hl-EC) and electrooxidation (HL-EO). These technologies effectively reduce up to 95 percent of pollutants found in wastewater, thereby facilitating water upcycling across numerous industries.
The increasing application of automation and less energy consuming electrochemical innovations along with emphasis on water management best practices, have a huge potential to speed up Indonesia’s journey towards water security. By adopting advanced technologies, investing in infrastructure, strengthening regulations, raising public awareness, and collaborating internally and externally, Indonesia can work toward a future with clean and safe water for all.
Addressing the wastewater crisis for any country is not just a matter of environmental stewardship, it is an investment in the health and prosperity of the nation.
The writer is CEO and founder of Hydroleap, a Singapore-headquartered water treatment start-up.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Identified in the Article
1. SDGs Addressed in the Article:
- SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
- SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
- SDG 13: Climate Action
2. Specific Targets Based on the Article’s Content:
- Target 6.3: Improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping, and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials.
- Target 9.4: Upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies.
- Target 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water, and soil to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment.
- Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied in the Article:
- Water availability and demand: The article mentions the total water availability in Indonesia and the expected increase in water demand by 2045.
- Water stress: The article highlights water stress as a rising concern in high-density areas like Java.
- Water pollution: The article states that more than half of Indonesia’s rivers are heavily polluted, with 70 percent of pollution caused by domestic waste.
- Wastewater treatment: The article mentions that only 1 percent of wastewater in Indonesia is currently being treated.
- Water consumption in industries: The article mentions the water consumption of the palm oil industry and data centers.
- Water quality improvement: The article discusses the need for advanced electrochemical technologies to enhance purification performance and water quality.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation | Target 6.3: Improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping, and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials. | – Water pollution: More than half of Indonesia’s rivers are heavily polluted, with 70 percent of pollution caused by domestic waste. – Wastewater treatment: Only 1 percent of wastewater in Indonesia is currently being treated. |
| SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure | Target 9.4: Upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies. | – Water consumption in industries: The palm oil industry and data centers have intensive water resource demands. – Advanced electrochemical technologies for water treatment: Electrocoagulation (Hl-EC) and electrooxidation (HL-EO) can enhance purification performance and water quality. |
| SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production | Target 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water, and soil to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment. | – Water pollution from chemical use: Chemical-intensive processes in wastewater treatment generate toxic sludge and cause secondary pollution in wastewater, preventing companies from reusing industrial water and relying on freshwater supplies. |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. | – Water stress: Water stress is a rising concern in high-density areas like Java, highlighting the need for resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards. |
Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.
Source: thejakartapost.com
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