From Consumptive Aid to Sustainable Infrastructure: Deploying 66 Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Units as a Post-Flood Recovery Strategy in Aceh, Indonesia

Abstract

The catastrophic flooding in Aceh Province, Indonesia, on 26 November 2025 devastated water-supply infrastructure across 18 districts, leaving over 1.9 million without clean water. Municipal utilities operated at only 55% capacity months later, while contaminated sources triggered over 15,000 respiratory infections, 6,800 skin diseases, and 2,800 diarrhea cases in Aceh Tamiang alone. This paper presents a case study of a community-driven clean-water program that deployed 66 commercial-grade Reverse Osmosis (RO) units (2000 GPD each) across 8 districts within four months. Most disaster water responses stop at bottled water or temporary purification; this program prioritized permanent, community-managed infrastructure. Each unit produced drinking water at TDS <=0.001 and a separate supply for sanitation. The IDR 1.66 billion investment (about USD 101,000) was 63.5% of funds mobilized, a deliberate choice to rebuild water systems rather than distribute water. Across 66 RO points, daily capacity reached about 49,962 liters, serving an estimated 13,100-17,500 people per day. The program incorporated community ownership through operator training, placement at mosques and public facilities, and planned transition to village-owned enterprise (BUMDes) management. It analyzes site selection, technical specifications, deployment logistics, health outcomes, and sustainability, offering a model that closes the gap between emergency relief and long-term resilience.