IKN Authority Head Basuki Hadimuljono said the new facilities will supplement the 30 existing reservoirs, which also provide about 2 million cubic metres of capacity, expanding Nusantara’s water reserves as development accelerates.
He said the reservoirs and retention basins form a core element of the capital’s “Zero Delta Q” or Sponge City concept, designed to capture, store and regulate surface water more effectively during heavy rainfall.
The system aims to reduce runoff, improve groundwater absorption and maintain hydrological stability, a key requirement in a region increasingly vulnerable to climate pressures and unpredictable weather extremes.
Basuki said the expanded network will also strengthen long-term water conservation, enhance the city’s environmental resilience and support sustainable urban planning as government facilities and housing zones take shape.
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He added that retention basins inside the Central Government Core Area, known as KIPP, will improve aesthetics by creating green open spaces aligned with Nusantara’s design as a shaded, nature-oriented capital.
These landscaped areas are expected to serve as social and recreational zones, offering communal spaces that improve livability while blending ecological functions with public amenities.
Basuki said the reservoirs will also provide secondary raw-water reserves for irrigation, emergency purposes such as firefighting, and micro-climate benefits including temperature reduction in dense urban clusters.
He said the structures will support flood control at both local and regional scales, making them a critical component of the city’s strategy to build safe, adaptive and sustainable basic infrastructure from the outset.
The IKN Authority on Thursday signed a cooperation agreement for the construction of the 24 reservoirs at KIPP sites 1B and 1C, marking a major step toward completing key water infrastructure ahead of Nusantara’s phased relocation timeline.
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Translator: M Ghofar, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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