STRATEGI PEMBERDAYAAN EKONOMI MELALUI INOVASI TEKNOLOGI AIR BERSIH: STUDI KASUS PENERAPAN REVERSE OSMOSIS DAN PERINTISAN BISNIS

Abstract

The helplessness of coastal communities in processing salt and brackish water into drinking water is a great irony of modern society, in the midst of technological advances and the industrial era 4.0. The problem in the coastal areas of Sungai Kakap subdistrict, Kubu Raya district, is the lack of availability of clean water and the absence of clean water infrastructure. Peat groundwater in coastal deltas cannot support the use of groundwater sources due to high levels of acid and organic substances. This can trigger problems of poor community sanitation and cause the community's inability to optimize the potential of villages that have abundant natural resources. This activity aims to empower and increase community participation in designing and processing brackish/salt water into drinking water using Reverse Osmosis (RO) technology to meet the need for hygienic ready-to-drink water. Small scale water treatment system design using ultrafiltration (UF) and reverse osmosis (RO) membranes. The raw water used comes from river surface water in coastal areas. The small-scale water treatment design consists of two FRP tubes containing filter media, three filter cartridges, and UF and RO membranes. Two thrust pumps, with a minimum pressure specification of 40 m, are used to provide pressure that exceeds osmosis pressure so that raw water can be filtered through the RO membrane. The results of the activity show that the implementation of the RO system has succeeded in increasing the availability of clean water in Sungai Itik Village, which previously experienced challenges in providing adequate water supply. In addition, the integration of local business startups with RO technology opens up new opportunities for local residents to participate in the local economy and increase family income. Key factors supporting the success of this economic empowerment strategy were identified, including active community involvement in planning and implementation, collaboration between local government and local stakeholders, and adoption of new technologies and skills by local communities. This activity provides an important contribution in understanding the role of clean water technology innovation as a catalyst for local economic transformation in coastal areas. The practical implications of these findings can help decision makers in designing sustainable and effective policies to improve the welfare of coastal communities through sustainable economic empowerment. The use of this technology can help increase the availability of clean water in areas that previously experienced difficulties in this regard.