Drinking Water Quality

Drinking water quality is addressed under Permenkes No. 2/2023, which outlines the Standar Baku Mutu Kesehatan Lingkungan (SBMKL) for various media, including water. The regulation sets specific requirements to ensure that drinking water is safe for consumption, covering physical, chemical, biological, and radioactive parameters.

Topic Explanation

The regulation defines drinking water as water that, after undergoing treatment or even without treatment, meets health standards and is safe for direct consumption. The key aim is to prevent health risks from environmental factors by maintaining stringent quality standards for water that is distributed and consumed by the public.

Relevant Provisions

SBMKL for drinking water is described in Article 5 (Permenkes No. 2/2023), which emphasizes that all drinking water must meet specific physical, chemical, biological, and radioactive criteria to ensure it is safe for human consumption.
Article 4 (Permenkes No. 2/2023) mandates that producers, providers, and organizers of drinking water must ensure their products comply with these standards and undergo routine quality checks to mitigate any potential contamination.

Moreover, Article 50 requires all drinking water providers to comply with this regulation within two years from its enactment, ensuring that water safety measures are up-to-date and systematically applied.

Detailed Parameters

The specific parameters for drinking water quality include:

Physical properties: Clarity, color, and taste of the water.
Chemical properties: Levels of substances such as heavy metals and pesticides.
Biological properties: Absence of harmful microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses.
Radioactive elements: Ensuring radiation levels are within permissible limits.

Providers must use proper treatment methods like filtration, disinfection, and aeration to guarantee the water is free from contaminants that can pose health risks.

Analysis

The focus on drinking water quality under Permenkes No. 2/2023 is part of Indonesia’s broader commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, which aims for universal access to safe drinking water. This regulation serves as a legal framework for enhancing water safety, particularly in urban areas where populations are more susceptible to environmental contamination. The law mandates both internal and external monitoring by governmental health agencies to ensure compliance with these water standards.

Revoked Regulations

The regulation repeals several previous laws related to water quality, such as:

Permenkes No. 492/2010 on drinking water quality standards.
Permenkes No. 736/2010 on drinking water quality surveillance procedures.

The Permenkes No. 2/2023 is closely linked to Permenkes No. 66/2014 on Environmental Health, which sets broader guidelines on the environmental factors impacting public health. Both these regulations together establish a comprehensive framework for managing health risks associated with water, air, and soil quality.

Conclusion

Ensuring drinking water quality is critical for public health, and Permenkes No. 2/2023 offers a structured and legally enforceable mechanism for maintaining these standards across Indonesia. With detailed guidelines on quality control and clear responsibilities for providers, the regulation supports Indonesia’s goal of ensuring safe, clean drinking water for all.