Water is the literal source of life, and the lack of it can sow discord and division.

Since the 2018 earthquake, residents in Sambik Elen village in Indonesia’s North Lombok province had been struggling to gain access of clean water. Not only did the quake destroy the water pipelines, but it almost destroyed the fabric of the community who had been jostling to get their share of clean water.

“I was often woken up at night by communities who were fighting over the lack of clean water,” village leader Pak Sahnun said, noting that it became especially difficult for the community of over 850 families after the earthquake.

Following the recent installation of a new water pipeline, the farming community has regained their peace and normalcy in improving their livelihoods and social relations.

After the quake, residents had been forced to line up every morning for basic supplies—including water—which was distributed by the government or humanitarian agencies. With demand exceeding supply, some residents fought with their neighbors over access. Some of them had to walk over two kilometers to the nearby river to wash clothes and collect water for household use.

In December 2020, UNDP via its PETRA project, in partnership with local civil society organization (CSO), PALUMA, began construction on this vital piece of infrastructure. Local residents were encouraged to participate, which helped contribute to their livelihoods. From assisting with checking locations for installation to monitoring of the facility, residents noted a heightened sense of community ownership.

 “I was happy to be involved in the work. I realized the complexity of the construction process and the challenges in the wake of the damage caused by the earthquake. But our efforts have paid off,” said local resident, home maker Wiliana Fajriah.

After six months of construction, the water pipeline was completed in December 2020. The two kilometer clean water facility has benefitted the entire community, supporting them in their farming and household needs.

The reconstructed water facility has also bolstered economic activity in the village. A community group, Al-Hidayah, a largely women’s farming co-operative developed a nursery business, planting vegetables for daily use to help minimize household expenses while also supplementing income. The now-reliable water supply has also encouraged the Tunas Timur youth group to open a small coffee shop in the village.   

Communal ownership of the clean water facility is critical for sustainable water management in the future. The village government has installed 300 water meters to ensure sustainable water governance and will be overseen and managed by village-owned enterprises.

UNDP has helped bridge communications with local government stakeholders at provincial and district levels to  scale up the benefit and impact of the water installation project. As a result, the development planning board of North Lombok has allocated IDR 671 million (around USD 47,000) to replicate the clean water system aiming to benefit other communities in the village. The West Nusa Tenggara province disaster management agency, through the public affairs agency, has allocated IDR 200 million to build ground wells and water pumps. These ongoing collaborative efforts are currently in the technical planning and design phase.

UNDP’s Programme for Earthquake and Tsunami Infrastructure Reconstruction Assistance (PETRA) project contributes to the rehabilitation and reconstruction of key infrastructure to support the resilient recovery of disaster-affected communities in Central Sulawesi and West Nusa Tenggara. The PETRA project is implemented with funds from the Government of Germany through its development bank, KfW.

“UNDP, through the PETRA project, has developed a good model of community-based project planning and implementation. We will adopt it to reconstruct clean water management system in the village,” said Mr. Heriyanto, Head of Bappeda North Lombok.

###

Text by Zaenudin Zein and Wigatiningsih

Edited by Tomi Soetjipto and Ranjit Jose