Umbulsari Toilet Project – Indonesia

Location
Umbulsari Village, Jember Regency, East Java Province, Indonesia

Community Description
Jember, located along the Southern coast of Java, is the 3rd largest region in the East Java province of Indonesia. Umbulsari is a rural village in Jember, with a population of approximately 3,000 residents.

Umbulsari village is located 15 km southwest from Jember, the regional capital, and 180 km southeast from the provincial capital, Surabaya.

The major industry in Jember is agriculture, including sugar cane, rice, tobacco, rubber, and fishing.

The major industry in Umbulsari is also agriculture, with most families farming star fruit and oranges.

Problem Addressed
Millions of Indonesia’s citizens lack access toilets and proper plumbing. This leads many to open defecation, which can cause a variety of fecal-borne illnesses, especially during the rainy season.

For some families, the only option to use the restroom is a river, due to its ease of access and the fact that generations before them have also followed this practice. Other families have a small outhouse, but don’t have proper plumbing.

Pak Lukius, of the Jombang puskesmas (a local health clinic), states that generally the most urgent place to improve infrastructure is nearby rivers, because it is currently common practice to defecate in rivers

Working with the Jombang puskesmas, 10 families were identified that currently have no access to a toilet.

Project Description
This project will provide 10 families with 7 toilets and water closets.

The first step will be site preparation. This will include digging and placing the concrete cylinders 1-2 meters below ground. The concrete cylinders will be used for septic tanks and drainage valves.

Then, concrete will be poured and toilets installed. Piping will be installed to connect the toilets to the newly installed septic tank and the drainage systems.

Installation is expected to take 2 days to construct at each site. The total time to finish the project is estimated to be 20 days.

A trained mason will be needed on site for the pouring and setting concrete. Community and family members will provide payment to the skilled laborers and assist with the construction.

Water Charity funds will be used for materials, including cement, a septic tank (using concrete cylinders), sand, and piping.

Project Impact
39 people will benefit from this project.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Blake M. Ingram

Comments
This is a good step to bring the community toward the elimination of open defecation. This will reduce the contamination of the rivers, which play an important part in the lives of the villagers.

Blake previously completed the Pondok Pesantren Durrotut Tholibin Sanitation Project – Indonesia.

Dollar Amount of Project
$555.00

Donations Collected to Date
$25.00

ADOPT THIS PROJECT BY CONTRIBUTING THE DOLLAR AMOUNT NEEDED BELOW

Donations of any amount will be appreciated. The full amount will give you “naming rights”, if that is something you would like.

Any contributions in excess of the Dollar Amount of the Project will be allocated to other projects directed by this PCV and/or projects of other PCVs in this country.

Dollar Amount Needed
$530.00

This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.