Indonesia explores desalination for quake-hit Palue Island

Labuan Bajo — — The Indonesian government is exploring reverse osmosis desalination to turn seawater into drinking water for residents of Palue Island in Sikka Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, after an earthquake damaged local infrastructure and disrupted clean water supplies, according to the Cabinet Secretariat and other officials.

In an English-language statement on 26 August 2026, the Cabinet Secretariat reported that President Prabowo Subianto had encouraged the use of desalination technology to strengthen water security in quake-affected areas of East Nusa Tenggara, including Palue. The Secretariat said the government is examining reverse osmosis technology to process seawater into freshwater as an alternative source of clean water for the island’s residents.

The initiative responds to a shortage of clean water on Palue reported by Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo during a coordination meeting on earthquake response in Nagekeo Regency on 26 August. Tempo’s English service noted that Palue, a remote volcanic island off Flores, was among the areas affected by the recent magnitude 7.7 earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara and that local communities face limited access to freshwater.

Policy direction on desalination

According to the Cabinet Secretariat, President Prabowo has ordered the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) to work with the Defense University, the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) and engineering faculties to develop domestic desalination technology that can be deployed rapidly to areas with urgent needs. The Secretariat said the government is exploring reverse osmosis as one such technology for Palue.

Indonesian media reporting on the same meeting describe desalination as a long-term solution to water shortages in earthquake-affected parts of East Nusa Tenggara, including island and coastal communities. These accounts quote Prabowo instructing BRIN and other institutions to develop systems that can convert seawater into potable water and be sent quickly to regions facing clean water crises.

However, the available government and media material do not present a detailed engineering plan for Palue. None of the reviewed sources specify the proposed plant’s production capacity, construction schedule, power supply, or the agencies that would own and operate the facility. They also do not state whether the desalination unit would be containerised and mobile or built as a fixed coastal installation.

Situation on Palue after the earthquake

The Cabinet Secretariat states that the 15 August earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara had a magnitude of 7.7 and affected multiple regencies on Flores Island, including Sikka, where Palue is located. It reports that President Prabowo visited evacuation centres in Nagekeo on 26 August to monitor disaster response and support accelerated recovery.

Local media in NTT have since reported a worsening water crisis for displaced residents on Palue. Regional outlets describe shortages of drinking water in evacuation centres and note that some residents have resorted to consuming or purchasing brackish water with high salt content while waiting for clean water deliveries. These reports underline the urgency of any alternative supply, whether through desalination or expanded transport of freshwater from other locations.

The Ministry of Public Works has said it is seeking technology from BRIN to convert seawater into freshwater as an alternative means of providing clean water to Palue after the earthquake. According to a Radio Republik Indonesia report, this search for suitable technology forms part of a broader effort to accelerate the restoration of basic infrastructure in line with presidential instructions.

Key unknowns for investors and residents

While the policy direction toward desalination and reverse osmosis is clear, several implementation details remain publicly unspecified in the reviewed material. Government and media reports do not yet indicate how much water a proposed system for Palue might produce, which communities it would serve, or how treated water would be stored and distributed.

They also do not describe the planned electricity source or backup arrangements, which would be central to operating high-pressure reverse osmosis systems reliably on a small island with damaged infrastructure. Environmental safeguards, waste-brine management and specific water quality monitoring standards for any future facility on Palue are likewise not set out in the statements and articles currently available.

For now, the desalination initiative for Palue is documented as a policy commitment and ongoing technology assessment rather than a fully defined project. The government has publicly linked reverse osmosis to earthquake recovery and water security on the island, but has not yet disclosed the engineering, financing or regulatory framework that would determine how—and how quickly—it could change daily access to safe water for residents.

Sources

• Sekretariat Kabinet Republik Indonesia (Cabinet Secretariat) – President Prabowo Pushes for Desalination Tech to Ensure Water Security in Quake-Affected Regions
• Tempo.co (English) – Prabowo Orders BRIN to Develop Desalination Technology: What Is It For?
• Warisan Budaya Nusantara – Pascagempa Flores: Infrastruktur Rusak, Warga Palue Terpaksa Konsumsi Air Berkadar Garam Tinggi
• Pos-Kupang – Stok Air Minum Untuk Pengungsi Gempa Flores di Pulau Palue Sikka Menipis
• Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI) – Kementerian PU Cari Teknologi Ubah Air Laut Jadi Air Tawar di Palue