JAYAPURA – Jayapura Regional Drinking Water Company (PDAM) encourages the use of Sentani Lake to become a new long-term source of clean water for the people of Port Numbay and surrounding areas.

This is because the capacity of water sources managed by PDAM Jayapura since the last 25 years, has not increased and often decreased in supply and capacity when entering drought.

"Therefore, we assess the use of Sentani Lake as a concrete solution to anticipate the shortage of clean water in Jayapura and surrounding areas. And it can be used as an alternative when there is a long drought, because of its great potential and capacity," explained Director of PDAM Jayapura, Entis Sutisna, Tuesday, in Jayapura.

He said, the population growth in the Jayapura area is currently getting higher. Thus, the need for clean water is higher as well, it can be seen from the high number of demand of the community and private parties engaged in housing development for clean water supply.

"Imagine, the potential of Sentani Lake according to the study of the Papua River Regional Hall, there is about a potential of 1,100 liters of water per second, while PDAM Jayapura currently manages water as much as 895 liters per second".

"We can imagine if Sentani Lake has become a new source of water, I believe the residents of Jayapura City and Jayapura Regency will not have difficulty with clean water," he explained.

In this regard, Entis encouraged the Papua Provincial Government and the Jayapura City and Regency Government to be able to collaborate to make it happen. "To build clean water facilities in Sentani Lake will spend a development budget worth tens of billions rupiahs. Including for the land acquisition," said Entis. ***