Klungkung Pushes SWRO Desalination Plant to Ease Nusa Penida Water Strains

Nusa Penida — Klungkung regency is working with local water utility Perumda Air Minum Panca Mahottama and private partner PT Tiara Cipta Nirwana to develop a seawater reverse-osmosis installation in Jungutbatu, aiming to turn seawater into clean, potable water for residents and tourism businesses on Nusa Penida.

Local media report that the project responds to long-standing clean water shortages on the island, where rapid tourism growth has increased demand on limited freshwater sources and many households still rely on delivered tanker water at relatively high monthly costs.

According to coverage of the plan, the Jungutbatu facility will use Sea Water Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) technology to desalinate seawater and is being framed as a way to support both local communities and the tourism sector. The installation is planned in Jungutbatu village, part of the Nusa Penida subdistrict in Klungkung.

Project partners and technology

Perumda Air Minum Panca Mahottama has entered into a cooperation agreement with PT Tiara Cipta Nirwana for the provision of clean drinking water using SWRO technology in Jungutbatu. Under this arrangement, the private partner is responsible for producing treated water, building main pipelines and distributing water to customers, with commitments on water quality, quantity and continuity.

Klungkung officials describe SWRO as a system that processes seawater through membrane filtration to produce water that can be consumed directly, after meeting drinking-water quality tests. Existing SWRO systems on nearby Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan are already in operation, primarily serving hotel and restaurant businesses while also supplying local communities.

Local reporting indicates that the Jungutbatu installation is being designed to significantly expand desalinated water output compared with earlier systems. Figures cited for similar or related SWRO infrastructure in the area range from around 110 to 120 litres per second of treated water, though the precise final capacity for Jungutbatu has not been consistently stated across reports.

Status and expected timeline

Officials have said that SWRO construction in Jungutbatu is in progress, with monitoring visits by Klungkung leaders to the project site. The Jungutbatu SWRO installation has been targeted to start operating around September 2024, following completion of physical works and connection of customer pipelines.

In parallel, an environmental impact assessment process for SWRO activities by PT Tiara Cipta Nirwana in Nusa Lembongan and Jungutbatu has included public consultation in Jungutbatu, discussing seawater treatment, waste management and return of effluent to the sea in line with technical and environmental standards.

Water scarcity and tourism pressure

Nusa Penida’s water constraints have drawn national attention, with residents in elevated areas reporting that they do not receive piped supplies from the local water utility and must purchase tanker water at significant cost. Klungkung’s administration has publicly linked seawater treatment efforts, including the Jungutbatu plant, to addressing these shortages while sustaining tourism growth.

Regional studies of water quality in Nusa Penida’s tourism zones have found light pollution in some groundwater and seawater samples, including around Jungutbatu, underscoring the need for careful management of both freshwater and marine environments as new desalination activities proceed.

As work continues on the Jungutbatu SWRO facility, key questions for local communities and businesses include how much water the plant will ultimately produce, how supplies will be allocated between residents and tourism operators, what tariffs will apply, and how brine and other waste streams will be managed to protect coastal ecosystems. These details have been discussed in general terms in public forums but have not yet been fully set out in publicly available policy documents or detailed technical disclosures.

Sources

• JPNN Bali
• NusaBali – "SWRO Jungutbatu Ditarget Beroperasi September 2024"
• Detik Bali – coverage of Nusa Penida water and SWRO
• IDN Times Bali – "Sulit Air Bersih, Warga Nusa Penida Beli Air Tangki Rp1 Juta"
• DPMPTSP Klungkung – AMDAL public consultation notice for SWRO PT Tiara Cipta Nirwana
• Ecotrophic journal article – "Status Kualitas Air di Kawasan Pariwisata Nusa Penida" (PDF via Neliti)