Water Loss Analysis at Perumda Air Minum Tirta Lestari Tuban Regency Using the Water Balance Method and Infrastructure Leakage Index

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FORMOSA NEWS

Perumda Tirta Lestari Tuban Suffers IDR 1.93 Billion Annual Loss from Pipeline Water Leaks

TUBAN, Formosa News — Perumda Air Minum Tirta Lestari in Tuban Regency loses 984,739 cubic meters of water annually, representing 22.8 percent of its total system input. This critical finding was revealed in a scientific study conducted by Syahfa Adinda Relyando and Ali Masduqi from the Department of Environmental Engineering at Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS), published in the Indonesian Journal of Contemporary Multidisciplinary Research (MODERN) in 2026. The research highlights an urgent municipal infrastructure challenge, demonstrating how severe pipeline leakages trigger both resource depletion and substantial economic losses for local government utilities.

Non-Revenue Water (NRW)—the difference between the volume of water entering a distribution network and the volume billed to customers—poses a persistent operational hurdle for water utilities across Indonesia. Indonesian national regulations under PUPR Ministerial Regulation No. 27/PRT/M/2016 set the maximum acceptable limit for water losses at 20 percent. However, national industry averages hover around 33.90 percent, costing regional water utilities approximately IDR 9.75 trillion each year. Uncontrolled water loss reduces distribution pressure, increases the risk of pipe contamination, strains public budgets, and severely restricts a utility's capacity to invest in service expansion.

To evaluate physical and commercial water loss across Tuban Regency, researchers from the Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS) applied the International Water Association (IWA) Water Balance framework alongside the Infrastructure Leakage Index (ILI). The research team combined primary field assessments—including pipe network observations, customer meter inspections, and pressure measurements—with secondary utility operational data from January to July 2025. This dual-method analytical approach enabled the researchers to isolate physical pipeline leaks from administrative billing inaccuracies and quantify the utility's true technical efficiency.

The analysis by the Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS) team produced five primary empirical findings regarding Tuban's water infrastructure:

• Physical Leakage Dominates Total Losses: Physical pipe bursts and joint leaks account for 78.6 percent (774,145 cubic meters per year) of all lost water, forming the largest component of Non-Revenue Water in the system.
• Substantial Commercial Losses: Non-physical losses reach 179,259 cubic meters annually, driven primarily by customer meter under-registration (80,744 cubic meters), unauthorized connections (6,205 cubic meters), and administrative data handling errors.
• Severe Network Inefficiency Category: The utility’s Infrastructure Leakage Index (ILI) score reached 13.18, placing Perumda Tirta Lestari in Category D—the lowest performance tier for developing nations, indicating excessive physical loss exceeding 200 liters per connection per day.
• Heavy Financial Burden: Water losses cost the utility an estimated IDR 1.93 billion annually, combining IDR 935.23 million in uncollected revenue and IDR 997.96 million in wasted water production and treatment costs.
• Reactive Operational Practices: Leak repairs remain almost entirely reactive—occurring only after customer complaints—due to the absence of dedicated District Metered Areas (DMA) and active leak detection protocols.

The real-world implications of this study offer direct action plans for municipal leaders, water utility executives, and infrastructure policymakers. Transitioning from reactive repair strategies to proactive loss management—specifically establishing District Metered Areas (DMA), implementing pressure control valves, and replacing aging pipes—can shift utility performance toward international efficiency benchmarks. Infrastructure modernization will safeguard public financial assets, conserve vital regional freshwater supplies, and ensure continuous, clean water delivery to local communities.

Emphasizing the necessity of systemic operational reform, the ITS research team outlined clear steps for utility management. "An Infrastructure Leakage Index of 13.18 highlights severe distribution network inefficiencies that require immediate structural interventions," stated Syahfa Adinda Relyando and Ali Masduqi from Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS). "Implementing District Metered Areas (DMA) alongside active pressure management is essential to curb financial losses and ensure long-term service sustainability."

Author Profiles

1. Syahfa Adinda Relyando, S.T. Affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Planning, and Geosciences, Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS), Surabaya, Indonesia, Field of Expertise: Environmental Engineering, Water Supply Management, and Non-Revenue Water (NRW) Reduction
   
2. Prof. Dr. Ir. Ali Masduqi, S.T., M.T. Affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Planning, and Geosciences, Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS), Surabaya, Indonesia, Field of Expertise: Water Treatment Engineering, Water Distribution System Management, and Environmental Infrastructure

Research Source Information

• Article Title: Water Loss Analysis at Perumda Air Minum Tirta Lestari Tuban Regency Using the Water Balance Method and Infrastructure Leakage Index
• Journal Name: Indonesian Journal of Contemporary Multidisciplinary Research (MODERN)
• Publication Year: 2026 (Vol. 5, No. 4, pp. 601–618)
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/modern.v5i4.54
• URL Jurnal: https://journal.formosapublisher.org/index.php/modern