The U.S. Agency for International Development hosted an event to mark the closing of the USAID Indonesia Urban Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (IUWASH). The event was attended by the media and national agencies involved in water supply and sanitation sector development. In 5 years, working in close partnership with the Indonesian government, IUWASH has successfully increased access to safe water and improved sanitation in urban areas and especially for low income communities.

"We are grateful for the support of the USAID IUWASH partners at national level as well as at the 54 cities we work at over the past five years," said Acting Mission Director USAID Indonesia Patrick Wilson. “IUWASH supports the GOI’s initiatives to increase access to safe water supply for approximately 2.4 million people and access to improved sanitation services for 250,000.  Clean water and sanitation are critical to ensuring good health in our everyday lives, including drinking, cooking, bathing, and washing." He added that IUWASH is one of the many USAID projects that help to improve essential human services to better meet the needs of Indonesia’s poor and vulnerable.

“The efforts of USAID IUWASH and its partners represent a major contribution to Indonesia’s achievement of Universal Access to safe water supply and improved sanitation in 2019. This is not an easy target to reach. All parties need to work together to achieve this target. With the continuing efforts of national and local agencies and the support of media, I am confident that we can reach this ambitious yet doable and very necessary goal,” said Nugroho Tri Utomo, the Director of Housing and Settlement of Bappenas.

USAID IUWASH Chief of Party, Louis O’Brien concurred with Mr. Nugroho’s statement in his remarks: “We are proud to have been a close partner of the Government since the beginning of IUWASH and extend our sincere appreciation for their consistent support.” he said. “We are also grateful for the media, which has been instrumental in increasing awareness and understanding of the critical needs facing the sector, and we are certain that all parties will ensure that these issues remain at the forefront and well beyond the completion of USAID IUWASH,” he added.