Overview of Indonesia Water System and Policies 1

Abstract

Ir. M. Donny Azdan, MA., MS., Ph.D 2 I. WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT REFORM Water resources management reform which is characterized by the enactment of Law No.7/2004 on Water Resources is intended to anticipate the complexity of water resources development problems and shifting in water resources management paradigm by giving more attention to social functions, environment and economy that is directed to achieve the synergic and harmonic integration of interregional, intersectoral, and intergenerational. Reformation started with the formation of the coordination team of Water Resources Management (TKPSDA) in 2001 in charge of formulating national policies on water resources and various policy tools, as well as encouraging the establishment of the new Water Resources Law. In line with the spirit of democratization, decentralization and openness, fundamental reforms in the Law of No.7/2004 is that the three main pillars of water resource management in the previous Law No.11/1974 which consists of the conservation, utilization and control of destructive force, is supported by three other pillars of community participation, steady institutional and good information systems and data. Principles of water resources management policies, which are contained in the Law of No. 7/2004 are derived into seven government regulations (GR) 3 , namely Water Resources Management, Irrigation, Development of Drinking Supply System (SPAM), Ground Water, Dams, Rivers, and Swamp. Until the year of 2011, the government has published six regulations except for regulation on swamp 4 Principles of water resources reform through Law of No.7/2004 are: . 1. Clarity of water resources management responsibilities between central and regional In accordance with the Law No.7/2004, water resources management is conducted based on river basin. To provide the clarity of the authority and responsibility of water resource management between the central and regional government (provincial, and regency/municipality), the Minister of Public Works 1 Presented at the workshop Sustainable Water Management for Agriculture, organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Jakarta December 13, 2011. 2 Director of Water and Irrigation, Ministry of National development Planning/Bappenas 3 Previous Law No. 11/1974, only mandates five government regulations which are GR 22/