However, in foremost, outermost, and underdeveloped regions (also called 3T regions in Indonesian), geographic and economic challenges pose a major obstruction to achieving the said target. One such region is Fatu Manufui Village, Boking District, South Central Timor Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province. Located at 1,200 meters above sea level and surrounded by dry limestone, the village has difficulty finding proper water sources. Even if it does, the water quality is inadequate for daily use.

According to the Chief of Fatu Manufui Village, Johan M. Nahak, his village experiences a short raining season but a prolonged dry season. As such, the majority of people have to buy water from tanks at prices of IDR 300 thousand to 1 million per tank, depending on the distance and distribution conditions. One family usually needs two tanks per month, while the average monthly income in the village is only IDR 1 to 2 million.

^{Clean water produced by ultrafiltration is ready for Fatu Manufui villagers' consumption. (Documented by the Directorate of Research and Community Service of ITB)}
Led by Putu Billy Suryanata, S.T., M.T., a team from Geophysics Engineering, Faculty of Mining and Petroleum Engineering (FMPE), Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), collaborated with the Ministry of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration to address clean water issues in NTT. This was part of a community service program based on Accurate Use of Technology (TTG). This program covered well drilling in seven villages across South Central Timor Regency and Malaka Regency, including Fatu Manufui Village, which has been dealing with geographic challenges and lack of access to clean water.

Starting with a geoelectrical survey to identify potential water sources, well drilling was conducted near the village's office to a depth of 53 meters. This process took 10 days, and on November 18, a well equipped with a pump of 1 pk (paardenkracht) successfully provided clean water to the villagers.

To guarantee water quality, the team used a total dissolved solids (TDS) meter that measures the amount of dissolved substances present in the water. TDS in the well was obtained to be 324 mg/L, in accordance with the drinking water standards set by the Ministry of Health, which state it should be lower than 500 mg/L.

Additionally, to ensure that the villagers could reliably consume water from the well, ultrafiltration membrane equipment was installed to filter out bacteria and microbes without reducing the content of essential minerals in the water. After filtration, TDS dropped to 289 mg/L, which is classified as "excellent" according to the standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO).

This program improved the quality of life of the Fatu Manufui villagers. Besides reducing their economic burden, it also provided them with much easier access to clean water. Through interdisciplinary approach and collaboration, ITB demonstrated its commitment to supporting people in 3T regions. It was hoped that such initiatives would continue to grow and prosper the Indonesian people.

Reporter: Rayhan Adri Fulvian (Geophysics Engineering '21)
Indonesian Editor: M. Naufal Hafizh
Translator: Ariq Ramadhan Teruna (Chemical Engineering '21)
English Editor: Anggi Nurdiani (Management, 2024)