Creative Collaboration in Urban Polder in Jakarta, in the Framework of Integrated Water Management

The urbanisations in developing countries had happened rapidly since 20th Century. The Coastal Cities were affected due to unplanned and uncontrolled developments which encroaching the rural and lowlands. And because of these unsustainable developments, many environmental issues happened to the cities such as floods. Floods were contributed by insufficient infrastructure for flood prevention and flood mitigation, unmanaged infrastructure and climate change. Understanding these facts, we believe that Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) is actually needed to be implemented to solve these problems. It could be defined as “A process which promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources, in order to maximize the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems.” In this case, IWRM actually comprises the efforts of controlling the land use change and urban surface run-off; drainage planning and management; landscape design; and infrastructure provisions, which conducted simultaneously. We concluded that to conduct successful IWRM, creative collaboration among Urban Planning Authority and Drainage Management Authority is compulsory. In the urban’ low-lying lands like Jakarta, extra flood prevention and mitigation efforts are needed. A polder system is needed as is appropriate and effective for flood control. The polder is required to be managed as integrated drainage system consisting dikes, drains, retention ponds, outfall structures or pumping stations. Further, designed landscape in the polder is required to ensure its effectiveness. Polder dikes also must be planned and designed considering potential of social conflict and accessibility issue. Lastly, maintenance of infrastructures becomes a critical point for successful polder operation. The Polder system also could not be planned separately from macro spatial plan, urban design and water management of the macro (river basin) system. Understanding this, we believed that creative collaboration in the Integrated Water Management especially in Polder System should be joined by Government, the People and the Private sector. This will eventually ensure the sustainable development of urban lowland areas