A Water Coalition to Drive Impacts at Watershed Level For Resilient Businesses, People and Environment in West-Java, Indonesia

Project OwnersYayasan Aliansi Wali Sumber Daya Air Indonesia (AWS Indonesia)
Project PartnersYayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN)
Contactwaterstewardship.indonesia@gmail.com
Action ScaleCountry
Themes & Indicators Cross Cutting
  • A collaboration mechanism for public, community and multi-stakeholder participation in water resources development, management and decision making that addresses inequalities is established.
LocationIndonesia
Action Duration2020 - 2021
Progress StatusCompleted
Funding Source*Australian Water Partnership (AWP) and Water Stewardship Australia
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Description Indonesia, although being a water rich country, is seeing increasing water stress. Rapid economic development, population growth and the impacts of climate change have put water resources under immense pressure, resulting in water stress and increasing competition over water. The 2019-2024 Midterm Development Plan of Indonesia projected that water scarcity and deterioration of water quality will worsen even more in the next 10 years without proper intervention.

In 2012, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry stated that a total of 108 watersheds (called DAS in Bahasa Indonesia) in Indonesia are in critical condition and defined 15 priority watersheds for targeted actions. Out of these 15 watersheds, 3 are located in West-Java Province and the Greater Jakarta Area. These 3 watersheds are DAS Citarum, DAS Ciliwung and DAS Cisadane which hold significant functions in water provision for both domestic and industrial water supply in one of the most densely populated areas of Indonesia. The nation’s capital, Jakarta, is located at the outlet of DAS Ciliwung and experiences yearly flooding due to overflow of rivers and drainage and sewage systems from these watersheds. The Jakarta 2020 flood resulted in the loss of almost 7 trillion rupiah and displaced over 300 thousand people from their homes1. Although the Government of Indonesia has put in place laws and legislation related to water resources management and has been focusing on establishing River Basin Agencies (called Balai Wilayah Sungai in Bahasa Indonesia) and Catchment Coalitions (called Forum DAS), there is a need of coordinated action on water resources management between all stakeholders at watershed scale.

In heavily industrialised and densely populated watersheds like these three watersheds, larger industries, like manufacturing sites, are among the larger water users and their dependency and impact on safe and sufficient water can be significant. Businesses are therefore more and more taking action to reduce water-related risks and increase their reputation as good water users. However, impacts at scale seem to be lacking as joint actions require effective frameworks to facilitate collaboration between government and private sector, and collaboration among different private sector actors in the watershed. Especially under COVID-19, it is more important than ever to ensure continuation of good actions between different stakeholders at catchment level.

The Water Coalition is intended to become a multi-stakeholder platform in which private sector stakeholders are in the drivers’ seat towards good water management at watershed scale. Under COVID-19, the momentum is here to continue this momentum created and support and strengthened the Water Coalition of the topic of good water stewardship.

Functioning as a growing community of practice and platform for responsible water resources management and good water stewardship, the Water Coalition will:
  • Create access to water data and information for more informed decision-making on water through (joint) data collection and studies;
  • Promote knowledge sharing on best practices related to water management;
  • Support government actions and create opportunities for collaboration between public, private and non-government sector;
  • Work towards a watershed water management plan for the selected watershed.
The main goal of the coalition is to create a platform that drives actions on good water management practices among its members which will ultimately lead to safe and sufficient water for people, industries and the environment. 

Yayasan AWS Indonesia is the active promoter of good water stewardship as defined by the International Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) Standard in Indonesia. As the majority of the Indonesia Water Coalition consists of members of the Alliance for Water Stewardship, Yayasan AWS Indonesia aims to support opportunities for joint and credible action by AWS members. A so-called first mover on water can be a challenging task. Implementation of the AWS Standard around the world shows that first movers can use the AWS Standard as a practical framework to start understanding and planning for water-related risks and opportunities, both at site and catchment level.

Outcome(s):
  1. Good Practices Booklet-Tackling Wicked Water Problems in Java 
  2. Report - Embarking upon joint action on water stewardship at basin level in western Java

For more information, visit Yayasan AWS Indonesia.