SPAM Banjar Bakula fully operational by September

Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan 21/5 (AntaranewsKalsel) - Banjar Bakula Regional Water Treatment System (SPAM) in South Kalimantan is estimated to be fully operational across five districts and cities in the province by September 2017.

Head of the Banjar Bakula Water Management Hall Sugeng Waryanto in Banjarbaru on Sunday said obstacles to be fully operational is electricity not yet installed.

"The power required to power the pump is not installed, so the SPAM operation can not be maximized as it only uses generator set," he said.

SPAM Banjar Bakula is prepared to serve raw water for five districts and cities in South Kalimantan, namely Banjarbaru, Banjar District, Banjarmasin, Tanah Laut and Barito Kuala. If fully operational, SPAM able to supply raw water taken from Mandi Kapau dam in Karang Intan Sub-district of Banjar Regency for 1,500 liters per second.

"Currently, only SPAM area 1 that operates namely Banjarbaru and Banjar. Three other districts and cities will follow if electricity is installed," he said.

He said the management is also still waiting for the installation of electricity from PT PLN that must get approval from the minister of energy and mineral resources (ESDM), because the electricity used is quite large. To turn on four pump units, SPAM needs 1.3 mega watt power with a purchase value of Rp4 billion per year.

"The electricity installation process is still waiting for the approval of ESDM minister and it is estimated to be approved in September 2017, so SPAM can be fully operational," he said.

According to him, the entire infrastructure of SPAM Banjar Bakula has been installed since April 2017. Infrastructure operations, especially the 17 kilometer pipeline from Mandi Kapau to the Water Treatment Plant (IPA) 2 Pinus owned by PDAM Intan Banjar is a trial.

"During the trial there was no problem with the existing pipeline network, so the raw water supply from Mandi Kapau to IPA 2 Pinus was smooth," he said.