REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SAMARINDA -- The district of Penajam Paser Utara of East Kalimantan, will have a new dam to guarantee supply of drinking water for the district.

Head of the highway division of the district public works office Supardi said here on Monday, construction of the 220 hectare dam in Lawe Lawe will cost around Rp170 billion to be completed in 2017.

"If construction of the the Lawe-Lawe dam has been completed it will supply water to the district Drinking Water Supply company (PDAM)," Supardi.

He said the dam will have the capacity to hold up to 11 million cubic meters of water, adding the tender for the project will be held soon.

"With that capacity the dam is expected to be able to produce up to 500 liters of clean water per second. Part of the drinking water could be supplied to Balikpapan," he said.

Pipes could be built under the sea to supply water to Balikpapan via the Buluminung Industrial Estate(KIB) to Kariangau, but"it is yet to be discussed with the Balikpapan city administration," he said.

"Based on our estimate that Penajam's drinking water requirement is around 300 liters per second until 2015. Therefore, there would be a surplus of 200 liters p[er second," he said.

The surplus would be offered to Balikpapan to be processed into drinking water as Balikpapan always faces shortage in drinking water supply in dry season, he said.

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika