TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government has brought forward the deadline for Karian Dam construction in Banten from 2020 to 2019.

“Having inspected the situation on the ground, and if the work is accelerated, by mid-2019, it will hopefully be completed,” President Joko Widodo said after inspecting the dam with Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono on October 4.

The construction of Indonesia’s third largest dam—after Jatiluhur and Jatigede—begun in 2015. With an expected capacity of 314.7 million cubic meters, the dam will supply water to 22,000 hectares of agricultural land in Banten.

Minister Basuki added that Karian Dam will also supply water to residential areas, urban areas and industries in seven regions: Serang City, Cilegon City, Tangerang City, Tangerang Regency, Serpong City, Lebak Regency and the western area of Jakarta Province.

“The supply of raw water to Jakarta is currently met from east Jakarta: Jatiluhur Dam. With the construction of Karian Dam, a water balance will be maintained,” Basuki said.

To supply water to the areas, he continued, the government needs to install over 47-kilometer-long pipelines that are expected to discharge 14.6 million cubic meters per second.

Basuki said that the main dam is currently being constructed. “The progress of the construction has reached 47 percent. The works on the ground are carried out 24/7, with a minimum of two shifts a day, in a bid to complete it by June 2019.”

Karian Dam cost Rp1.07 trillion and construction works are performed by Daelim Industrial Co, LTD-PT Wijaya Karya (Persero)-PT Waskita Karya (Persero) Joint Operation.

YOHANES PASKALIS PAE DALE