Jakarta. Water pump and valve company KSB Indonesia has revitalized the communal bathing facilities in Jakarta slums, helping their residents to have access to clean water and handwashing facilities, critical for containing the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in the area.

The government relentlessly reminded people of how effective water-and-soap duo was against Covid-19, which already infected 1,155 people in Indonesia on Saturday.

In slum areas, the problem goes beyond people forgetting to keep their hands clean as clean water was hard to come by. 

The urban poor rely on a communal all-in-one facility for bathing, washing, and toilet use. Shared with other households in the community, its water supply, and wastewater management are often in dire conditions.

To keep clean water running, KSB launched its CSR program of revitalizing the facility's pumping and distribution system.

"We hope that our revitalization can provide a clean water supply and proper sanitation in these areas. It aligns with the sustainable development goal of giving universal access for clean water," KSB Indonesia president director Philippe Olivier said in Jakarta last Sunday.

The revitalization focused on two urban hamlets (RW) at the highly concentrated Karet Tengsin area in Jakarta.

The first in line was a communal bathroom located near the extremely polluted Krukut river. An estimate of 50 people also frequented the premise daily.

The second was a bathing facility used by 38 households of 100 people per day.

Also coinciding with the climate-change themed World Water Day, eco-friendly septic tanks were installed to minimize the negative impact of wastewater. 

Formerly, feces disposal from the bathing facility went directly into the Krukut river without passing through a septic tank.

The company also worked alongside water associations Perpamsi and Forkalim to educate the public on the importance of sanitation.

The community will hopefully be fully aware and reflective of their health by washing their hands more frequently to curb the pandemic, Philippe said.

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