Assessing urban water security: case study Jakarta

Abstract

Water security is the availability of freshwater with sufficient quantity and quality at the right time. The water security is a prerequisite for economic security, as well as for socioecology and human security. The concept of water security has received increased attention over the past decade, in both policy and academic cycles. The assessment of water security can be carried out in city, watershed and country scale. The aim of this study is to calculate water security index at the city scale using Jakarta as case study and then to compare the index with another selected city in ASEAN region. When calculated temporally, the water security index can be used to evaluate the improvement of water infrastructure in a city. The assessment was carried using five dimensions and eight indicators, each one assigned with equal weights. The following dimensions were used: a) Domestic water security, b) Economic water security, c) Environmental water security, d) Water-related disaster, e) Governance and management. The selected indicators were water supply access, water quality, economic value of water, extent of water treatment, water quality of natural water bodies, impact of disaster, budget for water management, technological interventions. Based on the assessment, Jakarta is classified as low-medium water security. The dimensions that need strong improvement to increase water security index of Jakarta are environmental water security, water related disaster, and governance and management. The domestic water security was in the medium level but it should be further improved to secure the water, and for economic water security, it was in the very high level in water security. Comparing to Bangkok City, the water security index of Jakarta is slightly lower.