Analyzing the environmental sustainability of rural water management in community self-help group (CSHG) – a case study of Gunungpati district

Abstract

Economic developments and the increasing population have recently led to a rapid increase in the consumption of clean water. The objectives of this study are to analyze the management of available water and develop a model to support the distribution of rural water services. It was a qualitative study with informants from the manager and users of the Community Self-Help Group (CSHG) in Gunungpati District, Semarang. The data were collected through in-depth interviews and observations, and then processed using the Huberman data analysis technique. Physically, the water supply managed by CSHG was sufficient to fulfill the community needs. Every morning in a month produces more than 1,000 cubic meters of water to distribute to 150 households. Management could meet the water daily needs of the community in the dry and rainy seasons. They also perform intensive maintenance on water pumping machines and checking water capacity to be distributed to the public. The sustainability of the water supply in the CSHG depends on the participation of the community in protecting the environment. Community participation was elaborated from the sociological perspective that the basic elements of social life consisting of structure, culture, and processes in the realm of environmental communities.