Water flows 24 hours a day as part of daily life for residents of Kawasi Village's New Settlement. From basic needs like bathing and washing to cooking, a clean water supply is available whenever it is needed.
"Water is always there for bathing, washing, and cooking. Even if I want to bathe five times a day, there is still enough," said Yunince, a resident of Kawasi Village's New Settlement.
For Tina Nomor, a small business owner in the settlement, stable access to water and electricity supports her daily activities and her business. Even though both are available around the clock, she understands the importance of using them wisely.
"Reliable water and electricity help our business a lot. Everything is provided, so it eases our daily needs. Even so, we still use only what we need," she said.
Behind this supply is a series of steps that ensure water from the Akelamo River is treated before it reaches residents' homes. Raw water is pumped through a water intake facility to the Water Purification Plant (WPP), which is operated by Harita Nickel.
At the WPP, water first goes through a clarification process in a Rectangular Clarifier. Coagulants and flocculants help settle particles out of the water. The clarified water is then held in a Reservoir Pond before undergoing disinfection with Sodium Hypochlorite (NaOCl) to control microorganisms.
Amiruddin, Head of Technical Support at PT Obi Sinar Timur, explained that each stage is part of the water treatment process before distribution to the community and the industrial area.
"Raw water first goes through treatment and clarification before it is distributed. Its quality is also monitored regularly," he explained.
Quality is monitored from the water source, through the treatment process, to the point of distribution. Testing is carried out by an internal team and verified periodically through an accredited external laboratory.
To meet the needs of residents in Kawasi Village's New Settlement, the WPP supplies about 42,000 cubic meters of clean water each month. The same facility also supports the industrial area's water needs, with average use of about 1.75 million cubic meters per month.
Water management does not stop at treatment and distribution. Resource efficiency is also part of the system, through the reuse of process water in operational activities.
Clean water service is also provided to residents who still live in Kawasi Village's Old Settlement. Water quality in that distribution network is monitored regularly through internal testing and verified periodically by an accredited external laboratory.
For residents, the benefit feels simple: water is available when needed. Behind that flow, however, is a treatment and monitoring process that runs every day. From the Akelamo River, water passes through a series of stages before it finally flows into the homes of Kawasi residents.
This effort is part of Harita Nickel's support for expanding community access to adequate drinking water and sanitation. It also encourages the efficient and sustainable management of water resources on Obi Island.