The consortium of PT Wijaya Karya (Persero) Tbk (WIKA KSO) continues to speed up the construction of the Jenelata Dam in Gowa Regency, South Sulawesi. This national strategic project is not only believed to be the mainstay of the largest water management infrastructure in the South Sulawesi region, but also creates jobs for the local community, encourages the empowerment of MSMEs, and uses technology and sustainable development principles.
Jenelata Dam is designed to have a storage capacity of 223.6 million cubic meters. One of its main functions is to control annual flooding from the Jenelata River, which has often overflowed in the Gowa and Makassar regions. Through this dam, flood discharge will be reduced from 1,037 m³/sec to 686 m³/sec, with long-term control for up to 50 years.
As of April 2025, the physical progress of Jenelata Dam has reached 9.8%. In the process, the project used more than 50% of the local community's labor, thus opening up access to employment while increasing the resource capabilities of the surrounding community. The project has also increased the involvement of MSMEs, especially in supporting the logistics supply chain, consumption, and construction support transportation.
In addition to improving the economy of the surrounding community, the project also carries innovation in work methods, namely through Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology to strengthen design efficiency and coordination across construction disciplines. In line with WIKA's spirit to continuously improve the implementation of ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) principles, the Jenelata Dam construction also uses solar panels and electric vehicles to reduce emissions and support sustainable business processes.
Not only that, the presence of this dam will also increase Indonesia's food security. Jenelata Dam will be one of the irrigation sources for more than 25,000 hectares of agricultural land in the Bili-Bili, Bissua, and Kampili areas. Supported by the Padi-Padi-Palawija cropping pattern, the cropping index in the region is projected to increase by 300%. A total of 6.05 m³/sec of raw water will also be delivered to meet the water needs of Makassar City, Gowa Regency, Maros, and Takalar, including water supply for industries such as the sugar factory in Takalar.
In terms of energy, Jenelata Dam has the potential to generate up to 7 megawatts of hydropower. The area around the dam is also designed to be developed into a water and culinary tourism destination that can encourage local economic growth and strengthen the community-based tourism sector.
"WIKA is not only present as a contractor, but also as a pioneer in the application of ESG in the construction sector. Through the Jenelata Dam project, we believe that infrastructure built with environmental awareness, economic improvement and social benefits will be a long-term investment for the Indonesian people," said Agung Budi Waskito (BW), President Director of WIKA.
The construction of Jenelata Dam is a representation of the collaboration of the government, investors, SOEs, partners, and local communities in realizing sustainable infrastructure that blends with the needs of the region and answers the challenges of the times. This project is expected to be a starting point towards a resilient and independent South Sulawesi.