KOMPAS.com – Throughout their lives, Biim and her mother, Samsiah, have always faced water-related challenges.

Pandan Indah, a village located an hour’s journey from Mataram City, West Nusa Tenggara, where they live, is a dry region.

Water is not entirely absent, but it is stored deep underground, making it difficult to access.

As a result, for drinking, bathing, and meeting other household needs, Biim and Samsiah had to buy water.

The price of water keeps rising. Currently, one bucket costs Rp 5,000. Each family needs at least six buckets per day, so if they had to buy all their water, they would need to spend around Rp 900,000 per month.

“Sometimes, during menstruation, I have to think about how to use water sparingly,” said Biim.

In 2015, the village initiated the installation of a diesel-powered water pump.

Accessing water became easier, but the costs were still high.

One liter of diesel costs Rp 15,000. To fill the tank completely, about six liters of diesel are needed. If the pump operates daily, the monthly cost could reach millions of rupiah.

Families could share the diesel costs, but for the local residents, it was still considered expensive.

That’s not all.

Village women had to walk at least two kilometers to the diesel depot.

Diesel was not always available, and the depot often closed without notice.

This added to the burden on women, especially those with families. Children were often left alone because their mothers had to go back and forth to buy diesel.

The Idea of a Water Pump

Realizing the issues in their village, Biim and other women proposed a change in the water pump system: from diesel-powered to solar-powered.

This proposal did not come out of nowhere.

Biim and her fellow women are part of Sekolah Setara, an initiative by Gema Alam, an organization supporting the village.

They identified the village’s potential and challenges.

In terms of energy, one thing they realized was the abundance of sunlight.

“We often say, this village has ten suns,” said Biim.

The dry season lasts until September. From October to December, there is some rain, but solar energy remains abundant.

The supporting organization connected the villagers with Irwan Aditya, the principal of SMK Negeri 1 Lingsar, who is also an expert in renewable energy.

Irwan confirmed the potential of solar energy in the village and showcased several solar-powered water pump projects he had worked on for hotels in Lombok.

He also estimated the cost of upgrading the system to be around Rp 48 million.

The village head then brought this idea to the district government to seek funding support.

After navigating a complex administrative process, the local government agreed to fund approximately Rp 31 million, with the remainder covered by the supporting organization.

Together with Irwan, the villagers installed solar panels, measured the collected energy, and tested the pump’s ability to draw water.

“The energy is significant. By 10 a.m., we sometimes already have 5,000 watts collected,” said Irwan.

This year, the solar-powered water pump began operating.

Solar-Powered Water Pump in Panggonan Hamlet, Pandan Indah Village, Praya Barat Daya Subdistrict, West Nusa Tenggara

The Liberating Sun

When Kompas.com met Biim and Samsiah on Tuesday (April 29, 2025), they expressed their joy after the solar-powered water pump started operating.

“In the past, I often didn’t bathe. Now, I can bathe five times a day if I want,” said Samsiah in the local language, translated by Biim.

She was also happy because, in her 60s, she could still contribute to the community.

Samsiah, whose house is close to the pump’s location, was appointed as the operator. She is responsible for turning the pump on and off, reporting any issues, and coordinating with the village regarding water distribution.

Biim, who briefly studied in Malang, was delighted that her village was progressing and that she could play a role. She also felt relieved because she no longer had to spend money to buy water.

“Using the sun is free, after all,” she said.

Most importantly, the village women now have more freedom.

“No more walking to buy diesel. Those with families can cook, care for their children, and have time for themselves without the hassle of traveling far,” Biim added.

Muhammad Juaini, an expert panelist at Gema Alam, stated that the success of this solar-powered water pump project proves the capacity of women.

“Women can drive village progress and play a role in development,” he said.

However, if the energy transition in Pandan Indah were a Korean drama, this wouldn’t yet be episode 16, the usual peak of excitement.

There is still much follow-up work to be done.

Moving forward, through Sekolah Setara, Gema Alam plans to retrain village women to better understand renewable energy and operate the water pump.

“Because having just one operator is not enough,” he explained.

The next challenge is building pipeline infrastructure to connect the water storage tank to more homes.

Irwan added that during discussions—which also involved women—the villagers decided to create a solar-powered water pump system without energy storage batteries. The reasons were the high cost of batteries and environmental considerations.

This decision reflects the environmental awareness of the women.

However, Irwan noted that more women need to understand renewable energy. The situation at his vocational school reflects this.

“At the start, the renewable energy department at our vocational school had a number of female students. Now, there are none. Perhaps because many women are not yet aware of its benefits. We still need to increase the number of women interested in learning about this,” he explained.

Source: Kompas