Edu Asia New,BANDUNG, itb.ac.id,Limited access to clean water and sanitation facilities (bathing, washing, and toilets) has become one of the main challenges faced by residents in the affected areas. A number of community members have been forced to stay in evacuation shelters and must travel considerable distances to obtain clean water.
The Mobile Water Treatment Plant deployed by ITB has a production capacity of 2 liters per second, or approximately 7,000 liters per hour. Under normal conditions, the facility is capable of meeting drinking water and sanitation needs for around 200 households, equivalent to approximately 800 people. In emergency situations, its service capacity can be increased to accommodate the needs of approximately 1,200 to 1,600 people.
The Team Leader, Prof. Dr. Ir. Bagus Budiwantoro from the Engineering Design and Production Expertise Group, Faculty of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (FTMD), ITB, explained that the Mobile Water Treatment Plant was designed to assist communities that do not yet have access to clean water services. The system is able to utilize various raw water sources, including rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and retention ponds.
The deployment of the Mobile Water Treatment Plant was the result of a collaboration between the Directorate of Community Service and Professional Expertise (DPMK ITB), under the coordination of the Vice Rector for Research and Innovation of ITB, together with the Faculty of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering ITB, the ITB Alumni Association (IA ITB), Rumah Amal Salman (RAS), the Salman ITB Mosque Foundation, and the LAPI ITB Foundation. The equipment was dispatched on Friday (19 December 2025) via land transportation to Tanjung Priok Port and subsequently shipped by sea to Lhokseumawe, Aceh. The Mobile Water Treatment Plant is scheduled to arrive on Wednesday (24 December 2025).
Upon arrival in Aceh, the Mobile Water Treatment Plant will be installed in the Taman Krueng Langsa area, utilizing raw water sourced from the Krueng Langsa River. The placement of the unit has been coordinated with the local disaster management task force. The treated water will then be distributed to evacuation posts using water tanker trucks.
The Mobile Water Treatment Plant is capable of processing various types of raw water sources in accordance with Government Regulation of the Republic of Indonesia Number 82 of 2001 concerning Water Quality Management and Water Pollution Control. The treated water also meets drinking water quality standards based on the Regulation of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia Number 492/Menkes/SK/IV/2010. Nevertheless, the public is still advised to boil the water before consumption, considering that the cleanliness of distribution containers cannot be fully guaranteed.
“This Mobile Water Treatment Plant is portable and designed for use in areas with limited access to clean water as well as in emergency conditions. The system was developed collaboratively by a multidisciplinary team at ITB,” said Prof. Bagus.
The Mobile Water Treatment Plant is planned to operate in Aceh for the next two to three months. ITB hopes that this facility can be utilized optimally to help meet the clean water needs of disaster-affected communities and to support the recovery process in the region.
