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Pontianak raw water salinity hits 2,903 mg/L at PDAM plant

PONTIANAK, thekabarnews.com—Pontianak Mayor Edi Rusdi Kamtono has urged residents to conserve clean water. He did so after salt levels in raw water supplying the city’s public utility surged far...

Rathu Ghaitsaa

August 11, 2026 2 Min Read

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PONTIANAK, thekabarnews.com —Pontianak Mayor Edi Rusdi Kamtono has urged residents to conserve clean water. He did so after salt levels in raw water supplying the city’s public utility surged far above the locally cited operating threshold.

The highest reading reached 2,903 milligrams per liter at the water treatment plant in Nipah Kuning, Edi said on Monday, August 10.

Other facilities also reported elevated levels as tidal water pushed salt farther upstream into the Kapuas River system.

“Nipah Kuning recorded the highest salt level at 2,903 milligrams per liter, while Imam Bonjol was already above 700 milligrams per liter and Selat Panjang reached 1,100 milligrams per liter,” Edi said.

The figures refer to salinity in the raw water entering treatment facilities, not necessarily the concentration at every customer’s tap. Levels can vary by treatment plant, distribution area and sampling time.

Edi said salinity generally peaked between night and early morning during high tide. Reduced freshwater flow during the dry season allows seawater to travel farther upstream. This phenomenon affects the river water used by Perumda Air Minum Tirta Khatulistiwa.

The city uses 600 milligrams per liter as its cited maximum salinity threshold for normal PDAM operations. When concentrations approach or exceed that level,



officials limit the water’s recommended use to non-consumption purposes such as bathing and washing.

Residents should follow current utility guidance and avoid using noticeably salty PDAM water for drinking, cooking, preparing infant formula or washing food.

“We therefore ask residents to conserve clean water, particularly water intended for drinking,” Edi said.

Edi expressed hope that rainfall would increase the Kapuas River’s freshwater flow and push saline water downstream.

The city had already warned residents in July to prepare water reserves. Low rainfall between July and September could reduce the availability and quality of raw water.

Salinity has risen repeatedly in Pontianak during dry periods. On July 24, Nipah Kuning recorded readings of 1,126 mg/L in the morning and 1,390 mg/L around midday. Selat Panjang reached 605 mg/L, according to local monitoring data.

The latest Nipah Kuning reading represents a sharp increase from those July levels.

The problem affects a major part of Pontianak’s water system. The Nipah Kuning installation began operating in 2026 with an initial output of approximately 302 liters per second and a designed capacity of 360 liters per second, according to the Pontianak city administration.

Indonesia’s Health Ministry requires drinking water to meet physical, microbiological and chemical standards.



Its 2023 regulation sets a maximum total dissolved solids level below 300 mg/L. Salinity readings and total dissolved solids are not identical measurements.

The World Health Organization says that a chloride level above about 250 mg/L can make the water taste noticeably salty. Boiling can kill many microorganisms, but does not remove dissolved salt. Effective salt removal requires proper treatment, such as reverse osmosis or distillation.

Authorities also urge households to use only verified secure water for consumption. They ask residents to avoid unnecessary use and to monitor updates from Perumda Tirta Khatulistiwa and the Pontianak city administration until conditions improve.

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📌 Pontianak raw water salinity hits 2,903 mg/L at PDAM plant (Kalbar)
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