VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Construction of a new waste treatment plant in Palembang worth Rp. 1.2 trillion, co-financed by Australia and Indonesia, will start today.

The project will connect 12,000 households and the business sector with sewerage services and directly benefit about 60,000 people in Palembang City. In the coming years, the planned expansion will connect another 40,000 people and provide them with waste disposal services.

"Australia is proud to work closely with the Indonesian government and the City of Palembang to co-fund and implement this important infrastructure project," said Australian Chargé d'affaires for Indonesia, Alison Duncan at the groundbreaking ceremony.

This project will make a real difference to the quality of life of tens of thousands of families in Palembang, from providing access to clean water and sanitation to helping prevent the spread of disease and having a significant impact on children's health and nutrition.

Australian companies are helping by bringing knowledge and expertise, and capital, to the key sectors of the economy that Indonesia is trying to further develop and make a real contribution to Indonesia's employment, income, and economic recovery.

"This project, a consortium between Australian firm McConnell Dowell and PT Pembangunan Perumahan (Persero) will demonstrate Australia's capabilities and expertise in planning, designing, and implementing large-scale infrastructure," said Ms. Duncan.

This project shows a new and sustainable way of planning, financing, building, managing, and maintaining infrastructure at the city level that can be replicated in cities across Indonesia. (VOI)