Consultancy: Sustainability and Resilience in Indonesia’s Sanitation Sector

Primary Expertise: Sustainability and Resilience in Sanitation Sector

TOR Keywords:

Objective and Purpose of the Assignment

Approved in 2014, the Metropolitan Sanitation Management Investment Project (MSMIP) aimed to
improve urban wastewater services in three Indonesian cities (Jambi, Makassar, and Pekanbaru) by
constructing new sewer systems and wastewater treatment plants. With a total project cost of
$248.02 million, it was funded by the ADB, ASEAN Infrastructure Fund, the Government of Australia,
and local governments. The project sought to address environmental pollution and public health
issues caused by inadequate sanitation, supporting Indonesia’s efforts to achieve universal access
to public wastewater service. Key components include infrastructure development, capacity building,
and public awareness campaigns to ensure long-term sustainability and effective management of the
sanitation systems. By constructing flood-protected sanitation infrastructure and decreasing flood-
induced environmental pollution through a piped sewer network, the project enhances climate
resilience both at the system and household level in the three target cities.

Following the closing of MSMIP in 2024 and the preparation of new water and sanitation projects,
the Government of Indonesia, through the Directorate General of Human Settlements (DGHS), is
seeking technical support to enhance the sustainability of its sewer system infrastructure. While
the project has demonstrated success in generating positive impacts on the environment,
infrastructure, economy, and society, further efforts can support improved sustainability of
results. This primarily relates to improving operational cost recovery, which hampers the financing
of future operations and maintenance (O&M) if not addressed. The main issue contributing to this
challenge is the small number of connections among both private and commercial customers. To help
address these issues, ADB plans to recruit a firm that will be responsible for: a) developing a GIS-
based database of the current network and potential new customers; and b) conducting a WASH
campaign and supporting advocacy efforts with Local Governments (LGs) in an attempt to increase
customer connections. The latter will be informed by an assessment of enablers and barriers to
households connecting to the new sewerage system. The proposed WASH interventions aim to support
the government to broaden its service coverage area, benefitting more women and children, and the
poor and vulnerable in the target cities by providing access to safely managed sanitation. This
will not only strengthen environmental health, but also community health particularly for women,
children, and vulnerable groups affected by poor sanitation access.

In 2024, ADB approved the Citywide Inclusion Project (CISP) in Indonesia, which aims to enhance
access to climate-resilient and safely managed sanitation services for approximately 2.5 million
people in Mataram, Pontianak, and Semarang. The project involves constructing wastewater treatment
plants, expanding sewer networks, and improving fecal sludge management facilities. It also aims to
strengthen the operators of the sanitation infrastructure constructed in the three project towns
with a focus on improving disaster resilience capacity. To this end, one of the measures concerns
developing an early warning system (EWS) that is integrated with assets constructed under CISP. The
firm will be responsible for developing this system with a view towards increasing the preparedness
and resilience against disease outbreaks and hydrometeorological events, as well as exploring a new
digital payment system and recommendations for an asset management system.

Expertise or Positions Needed

Team Leadership from International Experts

Team Leadership from National Experts