KUBU RAYA, thekabarnews.com—The Kubu Raya administration is restoring a reservoir near the Dharma Patria Jaya Heroes Cemetery to create an additional raw-water source for residents affected by the prolonged dry season.

Kubu Raya Regent Sujiwo inspected the project on Saturday, September 12. The reservoir is located along Adisucipto Road in Arang Limbung village, Sungai Raya district, West Kalimantan.

The district administration is undertaking the project with the Kalimantan I River Basin Agency (BWS Kalimantan I).

The agency operates under the Public Works Ministry and manages water resources across the Kapuas River basin, according to the ministry’s water resources director general.

The work aims to restore the reservoir’s capacity so it can store water during dry periods. Sujiwo said the government planned to use the stored water as a raw supply rather than distribute it directly for household consumption.

Authorities would first process the water through a treatment system before sending it to communities.

Treatment would remove contaminants and improve its quality, while laboratory testing would determine whether the processed water met drinking-water requirements.

The Health Ministry Regulation No. 2/2023 requires drinking-water providers to meet physical, microbiological, chemical and radiological standards.

The regulation also requires providers to protect water from contamination and apply proper hygiene throughout treatment, storage and distribution.

The national standard requires authorities to treat and test the reservoir water before declaring it potable.

The reservoir project forms part of Kubu Raya’s broader response to water shortages. Residents in several areas have depended on emergency deliveries as drought conditions reduced the availability of suitable surface water.

Earlier in September, Regent Sujiwo inspected a separate treatment operation at PT Alas Kusuma. The facility used filtration equipment to prepare water for public distribution.

“Water is ready and safe to drink. Because it is for the people, we must ensure it is genuinely clean and fit for consumption,” Sujiwo said during that inspection.

Kubu Raya is also developing a larger drinking-water treatment plant in Arang Limbung. Construction began in August 2026 with a planned capacity of two units producing 50 liters per second each.

District officials expect the Rp89 billion project to expand Kubu Raya’s drinking-water supply system.

It targets about 7,000 household connections across Arang Limbung, Limbung, Teluk Kapuas, Parit Baru and Sungai Raya Dalam. Many residents in the district still rely on rivers and drainage canals for daily water needs.

By restoring the cemetery reservoir, local authorities can create a short-term raw-water reserve while they develop the permanent treatment and distribution network.

Its effectiveness will depend on storage capacity, treatment performance and monitoring of water quality before distribution.