Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) officially inaugurated the installation of the Drinking Water Supply System (SPAM) of Banjarbakula in Banjarbaru City, South Kalimantan, on Friday.
A budget of Rp787 billion was spent for the second phase of SPAM construction.
"This drinking water supply system is entering the second phase for which a budget of Rp787 billion was spent. It is quite a lot of money, but it can accommodate the drinking water needs of 60 thousand households," Jokowi noted during the inauguration broadcast live on the official YouTube channel of the Presidential Secretariat.
According to Jokowi, the Banjarbakula SPAM will support clean water supply for five areas in South Kalimantan: Banjarmasin City, Banjarbaru City, Banjar District, Barito Kuala District, and Tanah Laut District.
"The water is taken from the Riam Kanan River, brought about 20 kilometers here. The water will go through a cleaning treatment first, and it will then be supplied to around 60 thousand households," Jokowi explained.
On the sidelines of the inauguration procession, the president also held an impromptu quiz for the children that attended the event.
The president awarded bicycles to the three children that answered his questions in the quiz.
The Banjarbaru SPAM construction has an intake capacity amounting to 1,200 liters per second that will be used as a source of raw water for the Banjarbakula Water Treatment Plant (IPA) of 750 liters per second; PT Intan Banjar Drinking Water Treatment Plant, with 170 liters per second; and PT Bandarmasih Drinking Water Treatment Plant, with 280 liters per second.
Overall, the water from Banjarbaru SPAM will accommodate the needs of 60,353 households, or 301,765 people.
Accompanying the president at the inauguration were Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Director General of Human Settlement of the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing Diana Kusumastuti, and South Kalimantan Governor Sahbirin Noor.
Other attendees at the event were Banjarbaru Mayor M. Aditya Mufti Arifin, Banjarmasin Mayor Ibu Sina, Banjar District Head Saidi Mansyur, Acting Head of Barito Kuala District Mujiyat, and Head of Tanah Laut District Sukamta.
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