BP Batam studies seawater desalination project with $176 mln investment estimate

BP Batam is studying the development of a seawater desalination facility as a long-term solution to address water supply constraints, with estimated investment of around Rp3 trillion (about $176 million).

BP Batam is a government agency responsible for managing land, infrastructure and investment in the Batam free trade zone, including the provision of utilities such as water supply.

Deputy for Public Services Ariastuty Sirait said the project is being evaluated as an alternative source of clean water amid growing demand from population and industrial activity.

The proposed facility is expected to produce up to 2,600 liters per second of clean water.

Ariastuty said water supply in Batam currently relies heavily on reservoirs that collect rainwater, making availability dependent on weather conditions and environmental factors.

 “Dependence on reservoirs means water availability is highly influenced by rainfall. We are studying desalination as a long-term solution,” she said last month.

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She added that desalination could provide an additional water source to support both households and industrial users.

However, the technology comes with relatively high production costs, estimated at between Rp28,000 and Rp30,000 per cubic meter (about $1.65 to $1.76), significantly higher than water sourced from reservoirs.

BP Batam is exploring potential investment schemes, including partnerships with private sector players, to develop the project.

Desalination technology has been widely adopted in countries with limited freshwater resources such as Singapore, United Arab Emirates and Turkey.

Batam currently relies entirely on rain-fed reservoirs for its water supply and lacks major natural freshwater sources such as large rivers or springs.

Editing by Alexander Ginting