From scarcity to self-sufficiency: Solutions for Sawahan village’s water supply

We believe access to clean water is vital to improving quality of life. In Sawahan Village in Indonesia, we’re supporting efforts that make that possible. The villagers of Sawahan in the water scarce, limestone-heavy area of East Java, Indonesia had inconsistent access to water.

With limited access to running water, villagers attempted to drill their own wells. However, with costs reaching USD $1,000 per well, the effort strained their financial resources.

Most homes instead had to rely on visiting water trucks that passed through the village, and still barely had enough to fill a tub on most days.

This wasn’t just a problem for drinking and bathing. For devout Muslims in Sawahan, water is essential for ablutions, or wudu, performed before the five daily prayers. The lack of water affected the villagers’ ability to observe their faith. Their whole quality of life was impacted.

Addressing water scarcity

In 2016, ExxonMobil worked with Tirto Wening, a local community-run water provision program to help give the people in the village the direct water access they needed.

With a focus on respecting local traditions and beliefs, we worked with the local community to carry out a sedekah bumi ceremony – a traditional Javanese custom that expresses gratitude to the Earth and seeks blessings for safety and harmony– before beginning work on drilling operations near an existing water tower.

Since then, we’ve handed management of the network to Tirto Wening, giving local communities autonomy over their water infrastructure.

The revenue created not only helps pay for the network’s continued clean water operation but is also used for local improvements and social programs.

These villages are now holding their own, locally sourced water, and their own futures, in their hands.