The Synergy between Universitas Andalas and Semen Padang Brings Clean Water and Lighting to Mentawai Residents in Support of SDG 6 and SDG 7

Dusun Boriai in Sinaka Village, South Pagai District, Mentawai Islands Regency, is now beginning to enjoy access to clean water and lighting through the Tematik Bina Desa community service program initiated by the Faculty of Engineering of Universitas Andalas in collaboration with the Zakat Collection Unit of Semen Padang. This initiative is closely linked to SDG 6 on Clean Water and Sanitation and SDG 7 on Affordable and Clean Energy, as the program directly addresses the community’s basic needs for clean water and lighting in a remote area.

The program was focused on Dusun Boriai, which is home to 45 households and has long faced serious challenges related to the availability of clean water and lighting, particularly on public roads and at places of worship. Based on an initial survey conducted earlier in the year, the team from the Faculty of Engineering of Universitas Andalas and UPZ Semen Padang identified the community’s main needs and designed solutions tailored to the local environmental conditions.

The community service team, led by Dr. Eng. Dendi Adi Saputra together with Ir. Ridwan, MT, and Dr. Zaini, designed a clean water distribution system as well as solar-powered lighting technology. The system uses a 1.7 kW multistage centrifugal pump supported by 12 solar panels with a capacity of 250 WP, along with membrane filter-based water purification technology capable of processing up to 1,200 gallons of water per day. In addition, the program also included the installation of solar-powered lamps equipped with light and motion sensors.

Implementation in the field came with considerable geographical challenges. The team departed from Padang to Mentawai on August 30, 2024, together with the teams from UPZ and SPI Semen Padang, and then continued with a sea and land journey of up to five hours to reach the location. Upon arriving in Dusun Boriai, the community welcomed the team enthusiastically and actively participated in the construction of the solar power system integrated with the water pump. After more than six days of work, the solar-powered pump was successfully operated with a water discharge capacity of 9 cubic meters per hour.

Before returning to Padang, the team also provided training on the use of the technology to village officials and local community leaders so that the facilities that had been built could be operated and maintained independently. The Head of Dusun Boriai expressed gratitude for the assistance, saying that the technology had relieved residents from worrying about fetching water from distant places and allowed them to focus more on worship at the mosque. This collaboration demonstrates that partnerships between universities and social partners can deliver real solutions that directly improve the quality of life of communities in remote areas.