Joining hands to help tsunami affected Sumatra  

The Dutch drinking water sector has joined hands to offer help to the tsunami ravaged areas in Indonesia. The primary goal is to reconstruct drinking water facilities in the devastated region. This is not emergency aid, rather planning aimed for the long term. One of the plan's initiators is the Waterleidingmaatschappij Drenthe (WMD).

Rebuilding the infrastructure
The assistance being offered by the Dutch water sector is consciously being aimed at the long term. There is already plenty of emergency aid being provided in various forms. Moreover, the approach is to do what one is best at. Aid can generally be categorized into three phases. First, emergency aid is given such as medical supplies, food and bottled drinking water. Second is the provisional phase with temporary purification facilities and emergency reservoirs. The third phase is reconstruction, whereby the infrastructure that was wiped out is restored.

Joint proposal
The assistance outlined in the plan ‘Dutch Water Supply Sector: Joint Proposal for Tsunami Affected Sumatra’ focuses on two issues. Rebuilding the infrastructure will take approximately five years. The aid starts with mobile purification installations and public water taps. These can be placed rapidly and without much difficulty and will last for a number of years. In the meantime the water works installations will be reconstructed. The recovery plan of the Dutch water sector has been submitted directly to the central government in Jakarta, via the embassy of the Netherlands in Indonesia.
Forward to proposal (Pdf)

Training new people
Training is absolutely essential to ensure the project's success. After all, in the long run the local drinking water companies will have to function without foreign assistance. Training new people, from technicians to managers is a vital component of the plan. Reconstruction efforts will have to come from the local population, making local demand a key consideration.

Cooperation is a breakthrough
Jointly, a total of 3.5 million euro has been made available by the Dutch water sector. It is the first time that water supply companies, local and provincial authorities and private companies have worked together. It is expected that the Dutch government will see the effect of this joint cooperation, and further facilitate the application of the combined expertise concerning drinking water in foreign countries.

Waterleidingmaatschappij Drenthe (WMD)
The Water Supply Company has already been active in Indonesia, providing drinking water facilities for the past eight years. The infrastructure of the areas that have been hit are similar to regions the WMD has experience with. This enabled WMD from the very beginning to gain a clear understanding of the scope of the disaster. The Water Supply Company immediately decided to apply their know-how concerning drinking water. The standard and quality of Dutch technology in this field is very high.

The Dutch drinking water sector has joined hands to offer help to the tsunami ravaged areas in Indonesia. The primary goal is to reconstruct drinking water facilities in the devastated region. This is not emergency aid, rather planning aimed for the long term. One of the plan's initiators is the Waterleidingmaatschappij Drenthe (WMD).

Rebuilding the infrastructure
The assistance being offered by the Dutch water sector is consciously being aimed at the long term. There is already plenty of emergency aid being provided in various forms. Moreover, the approach is to do what one is best at. Aid can generally be categorized into three phases. First, emergency aid is given such as medical supplies, food and bottled drinking water. Second is the provisional phase with temporary purification facilities and emergency reservoirs. The third phase is reconstruction, whereby the infrastructure that was wiped out is restored.

Joint proposal
The assistance outlined in the plan ‘Dutch Water Supply Sector: Joint Proposal for Tsunami Affected Sumatra’ focuses on two issues. Rebuilding the infrastructure will take approximately five years. The aid starts with mobile purification installations and public water taps. These can be placed rapidly and without much difficulty and will last for a number of years. In the meantime the water works installations will be reconstructed. The recovery plan of the Dutch water sector has been submitted directly to the central government in Jakarta, via the embassy of the Netherlands in Indonesia.
Forward to proposal (Pdf)

Training new people
Training is absolutely essential to ensure the project's success. After all, in the long run the local drinking water companies will have to function without foreign assistance. Training new people, from technicians to managers is a vital component of the plan. Reconstruction efforts will have to come from the local population, making local demand a key consideration.

Cooperation is a breakthrough
Jointly, a total of 3.5 million euro has been made available by the Dutch water sector. It is the first time that water supply companies, local and provincial authorities and private companies have worked together. It is expected that the Dutch government will see the effect of this joint cooperation, and further facilitate the application of the combined expertise concerning drinking water in foreign countries.

Waterleidingmaatschappij Drenthe (WMD)
The Water Supply Company has already been active in Indonesia, providing drinking water facilities for the past eight years. The infrastructure of the areas that have been hit are similar to regions the WMD has experience with. This enabled WMD from the very beginning to gain a clear understanding of the scope of the disaster. The Water Supply Company immediately decided to apply their know-how concerning drinking water. The standard and quality of Dutch technology in this field is very high.