Pacar villagers seek audit of Rp2.06 billion drinking‑water project

Labuan Bajo — — Residents of Pacar Village in Manggarai Barat, East Nusa Tenggara, are calling for law‑enforcement authorities to audit a government‑funded drinking‑water project worth more than Rp2 billion, saying the system has not delivered reliable service since its completion in 2023, according to a local report.

The installation, a village‑scale Drinking Water Supply System (SPAM), was financed through the 2022 Special Allocation Fund (DAK) and carried out by contractor CV La Muda Jaya Grup, with a contract value of Rp2,063,530,000.

The work package included a piped distribution network, a protected deep well, a reservoir and household service connections intended to supply Pacar residents with clean water.

Pacar villagers quoted in the August 28 report said water initially flowed after construction, but later became irregular and in some areas stopped altogether.

Some households reported returning to traditional water sources, while others have been buying water delivered by mobile vendors.

One resident said families were paying around Rp75,000 per container for trucked water, a cost described as burdensome for village incomes.

According to the report, villagers asked law‑enforcement agencies — referred to as Aparat Penegak Hukum (APH) — to examine the project’s planning, construction and subsequent management, arguing that state funds had not translated into sustained public benefit.

Disputed operation and management

The Pacar SPAM project received provisional handover documentation in 2023, with the system formally turned over to the Pacar village government to operate, according to project Commitment‑Making Official (PPK) Laurensius Yulius Purnama.

Purnama, who heads the Air Minum and Penyehatan Lingkungan Permukiman division at the Manggarai Barat public works department, said the village administration initially agreed to manage the SPAM and was assisted with personnel, but later asked the technical agency to take the system back because it lacked qualified operators and maintenance staff.

He said that when the system was returned, it was no longer functioning properly, and that officials were still working to identify whether the failure stemmed from the pump, the electrical panel or associated wiring.

Purnama stated that the SPAM was still operating in 2024, although the distribution network did not reach all planned users and some taps remained dry.

The supervising consultant for the project was identified as CV Masterplan Consultant, under a contract referencing SPAM works in the Macang Pacar area.

Infrastructure related to the Pacar SPAM reportedly crosses land belonging to St Nicholas Parish in Pacar, with the main reservoir built near the church complex.

Because of unreliable service from the new system, the parish was said to have drilled its own well to secure water for church activities.

Police corruption unit visits site

Following the initial public calls for an audit, the corruption unit of the Manggarai Barat district police (Unit Tipikor Sat Reskrim Polres Manggarai Barat) conducted an on‑site inspection of the Pacar SPAM installation, according to a subsequent report published on September 5.

The police visit was described as a preliminary inquiry to understand technical conditions and documentation for the project, including planning, budgeting, construction, supervision, payments, provisional handover and post‑construction management.

The report said the unit’s early findings would inform whether a full criminal investigation is warranted, but stressed that no conclusion had yet been reached on potential legal violations or state losses.

In the same coverage, Manggarai Barat public works chief Feri Kurniadi was quoted as saying that technical handling of the Pacar SPAM problems could not be carried out immediately, without detailing a repair timetable or budget.

Ongoing uncertainty over service and accountability

As of early September 2026, available reporting indicates that Pacar residents are still pressing for transparency over the project’s performance and the use of public funds, while the police corruption unit continues its preliminary review.

The situation highlights unresolved questions about the technical condition of key components such as pumps and control panels, the effectiveness of the distribution network, and the division of responsibility between the village administration and the district technical agency for long‑term operation and maintenance.

Local civil society criticism of stalled or underperforming water projects elsewhere in Manggarai has focused on similar issues of procurement, oversight and accountability, underscoring broader concerns about rural water infrastructure management in the district.

Sources

• Okebajo.com – APH Diminta Audit Proyek Air Minum Rp2 Miliar di Desa Pacar, PPK Malah Salahkan Pemdes
• Infomabar (Manggarai Barat government portal) – Lantik Pejabat Administrator dan Pengawas, Wabup Mabar Tegaskan Komitmen Pada Negara
• Katantt.com – GMNI dan GRD Desak Inspektorat Buka Kejelasan Audit Proyek Air Bersih Desa Paralando
• Scribd – BACK UP DATA MC0 Bari (1)