What Are Indonesia's Wastewater Quality Standards for Buildings?

PERMENLHK 68/2016, promulgated on August 23, 2016, revolutionized Indonesia's approach to domestic wastewater management by establishing uniform national discharge standards applicable to all buildings and facilities generating domestic sewage. Prior to this regulation, wastewater quality requirements varied dramatically across provinces and municipalities, creating compliance confusion for multi-location operators and enabling pollution in jurisdictions with lax standards. The regulation mandates that apartment buildings, hotels, hospitals, schools, offices, shopping centers, restaurants, airports, terminals, prisons, and all other facilities treating domestic wastewater must meet specified quality limits before discharging to water bodies, municipal sewers, or soil infiltration systems. This comprehensive coverage ensures that Indonesia's rapid urbanization and commercial development do not overwhelm receiving waters with untreated sewage.

1.0 The Quality Standard Matrix: Eight Parameters With Maximum Limits

Article 2 establishes the core domestic wastewater quality standards applicable nationwide. The regulation specifies eight parameters with maximum allowable concentrations: (1) pH between 6-9 (neutral range preventing corrosion or aquatic toxicity); (2) BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) maximum 30 mg/L (measuring organic pollution consuming dissolved oxygen in receiving waters); (3) COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) maximum 100 mg/L (measuring total organic and inorganic oxidizable substances); (4) TSS (Total Suspended Solids) maximum 30 mg/L (measuring particulate matter causing turbidity and sedimentation); (5) Oil & Grease maximum 5 mg/L (preventing films impairing oxygen transfer and ecosystem function); (6) Ammonia maximum 10 mg/L (preventing eutrophication and aquatic toxicity); (7) Total Coliform maximum 3,000 number/100mL (bacterial indicator of fecal contamination); and (8) Discharge volume maximum 100 L/person/day (controlling total pollutant loading).

These standards represent a balanced approach between environmental protection and treatment feasibility. BOD 30 mg/L is achievable with conventional activated sludge, aerated lagoon, or constructed wetland treatment systems, requiring approximately 85-90% organic removal from typical domestic wastewater containing 200-300 mg/L BOD. COD 100 mg/L and TSS 30 mg/L are similarly achievable with secondary biological treatment followed by clarification. The Total Coliform limit requires disinfection (chlorination, UV treatment, ozonation) as final treatment step, ensuring pathogen reduction protecting public health in receiving waters used for recreation or downstream water supply. The 100 L/person/day discharge limit prevents water wastage and encourages water conservation measures in building design and operation.

Article 3 specifies facility types subject to these standards: (a) residential high-rises (apartment buildings, condominiums); (b) hospitality facilities (hotels, resorts, guesthouses); (c) healthcare facilities (hospitals, clinics, laboratories); (d) educational institutions (schools, universities, dormitories); (e) office buildings (government offices, commercial towers); (f) commercial facilities (shopping malls, markets, restaurants); (g) recreation facilities (stadiums, parks, entertainment venues); (h) transportation hubs (airports, seaports, railway stations, bus terminals); (i) industrial estates (centralized domestic wastewater from worker facilities); and (j) correctional facilities (prisons, detention centers). This comprehensive enumeration eliminates ambiguity about coverage, ensuring all significant domestic wastewater generators are regulated.

2.0 Treatment Requirements and Technology Options

Article 4 mandates that all covered facilities must treat domestic wastewater before discharge, explicitly prohibiting direct discharge of untreated sewage. Facilities may select treatment technologies appropriate to their scale, budget, and site conditions, provided effluent quality meets Article 2 standards. Approved technologies include: (1) Centralized Municipal Sewerage—connection to government-operated sewer systems conveying wastewater to municipal treatment plants (where available, mandatory for facilities within service areas); (2) On-site Treatment Systems—facility-operated treatment plants using activated sludge, sequencing batch reactors (SBR), membrane bioreactors (MBR), or package treatment units; (3) Communal Treatment—multiple small facilities sharing decentralized treatment infrastructure; and (4) Septic Tank Systems—only for small facilities (less than 20 people) in areas lacking sewer infrastructure, with periodic sludge removal to authorized treatment facilities.

Article 5 establishes design requirements ensuring treatment capacity adequacy. Facilities must design wastewater treatment plants for: (a) peak flow rates (typically 3-4 times average daily flow to handle morning and evening discharge surges); (b) worst-case influent quality (higher concentrations from restaurants, hospitals) ensuring treatment robustness; and (c) 20-year service life with adequate land reservation for future expansion as occupancy increases. Article 6 requires facilities to submit treatment system designs to provincial or municipal environmental authorities for technical review and approval before construction, preventing installation of undersized or technically deficient systems incapable of meeting standards.

Article 7 mandates operating procedures ensuring treatment effectiveness. Facilities must: (a) operate treatment equipment continuously (aerators, pumps, disinfection systems) without unauthorized shutdowns; (b) maintain adequate chemical supplies (chlorine, coagulants, pH adjusters) preventing treatment disruptions; (c) employ trained operators with wastewater treatment certification for systems serving more than 500 people; and (d) establish preventive maintenance schedules (monthly equipment inspection, quarterly cleaning, annual overhauls) preventing deterioration. Article 8 prohibits treatment system bypass—directly discharging untreated wastewater to circumvent treatment during equipment failures or maintenance—requiring facilities to have backup treatment capacity or temporary storage during necessary shutdowns.

3.0 Monitoring and Reporting Obligations

Article 9 establishes self-monitoring requirements. Facilities must conduct regular wastewater quality testing: (a) monthly for facilities serving more than 500 people; (b) quarterly for facilities serving 100-500 people; (c) semi-annually for facilities serving less than 100 people. Monitoring must measure all eight parameters specified in Article 2 standards, using analytical methods from Indonesian National Standards (SNI) or internationally recognized equivalents (APHA Standard Methods, EPA methods). Article 10 requires that samples be collected from final effluent discharge points after all treatment processes, using proper sampling techniques (grab samples for pH and coliform, composite samples for other parameters) and maintaining chain-of-custody documentation ensuring result validity.

Article 11 mandates that monitoring be conducted by accredited laboratories holding certification from National Accreditation Committee (KAN), ensuring analytical competence and result reliability. Facilities may use in-house laboratories if properly accredited, or contract external commercial laboratories meeting accreditation requirements. Article 12 requires monthly monitoring reports compiled into quarterly summary reports submitted to supervising environmental authorities (provincial environmental agencies for large facilities, municipal agencies for smaller facilities). Reports must include: raw monitoring data with laboratory certificates, statistical summaries (minimum, maximum, average concentrations for each parameter), compliance evaluation comparing results to standards, and explanations for any exceedances with corrective actions implemented.

Article 13 establishes authority inspection rights. Environmental officers may conduct unannounced facility inspections, observing treatment system operation, collecting independent verification samples, reviewing maintenance records, and interviewing operators. Facilities must provide full access and cooperation, refusing inspections constitutes violation subject to sanctions. Article 14 requires facilities to maintain monitoring and maintenance records for minimum 3 years, enabling regulatory review of long-term compliance trends and treatment system performance. Electronic record-keeping in online environmental reporting systems is encouraged but not mandatory.

4.0 Compliance Consequences and Enforcement

Article 15 establishes administrative sanctions for violations. Facilities exceeding quality standards face graduated penalties: (1) Written Warning for first-time single-parameter exceedances not exceeding standards by more than 25%, requiring corrective action within 60 days; (2) Operational Suspension for repeated violations or exceedances exceeding standards by 25-50%, requiring suspension until compliance demonstrated; (3) Permit Revocation for persistent violations or exceedances exceeding standards by more than 50%, requiring complete treatment system redesign and reinstallation before permit reissuance; (4) Forced Closure for violations causing severe water pollution affecting public health or drinking water sources. Facilities causing environmental damage must fund remediation costs entirely.

Article 16 specifies that sanctions do not preclude civil liability for damages to affected communities or criminal prosecution under environmental law for intentional pollution or negligent environmental crimes. Operators found criminally liable face imprisonment up to 3 years and fines up to IDR 3 billion under Law 32/2009 Article 100. Article 17 establishes that compliance with standards does not absolve facilities from additional local requirements; municipal governments may impose stricter standards (lower maximum concentrations) for sensitive receiving waters, though they cannot authorize weaker standards than national minimums. Article 18 requires provincial and municipal authorities to conduct annual compliance surveys, publishing results identifying top-performing facilities (recognition incentive) and chronic violators (reputation pressure).

5.0 Implementation Support and Capacity Building

Article 19 mandates government provision of technical guidance assisting facilities in achieving compliance. Environmental authorities must publish technical guidelines covering treatment technology selection, design criteria, operation procedures, troubleshooting common problems, and cost-effective solutions for small facilities with limited budgets. Article 20 establishes subsidy programs for small businesses, community facilities, and low-income housing unable to afford treatment infrastructure, providing grants or low-interest loans for treatment system construction. Eligibility criteria prioritize facilities serving vulnerable populations (hospitals, schools, low-cost housing) and facilities in areas with severe water pollution requiring urgent intervention.

Article 21 encourages innovative approaches. Facilities may propose alternative treatment technologies or discharge arrangements—water reuse for landscaping irrigation, aquifer recharge through infiltration wells, nutrient recovery for fertilizer production—provided they demonstrate equivalent or superior environmental protection compared to conventional discharge. Authorities must evaluate proposals within 60 days, approving innovations meeting environmental protection objectives while allowing operational flexibility. Article 22 establishes annual National Domestic Wastewater Treatment Workshops where operators, technology vendors, regulators, and researchers share best practices, troubleshoot challenges, and identify policy improvements enhancing compliance effectiveness while reducing costs. Article 23 mandates regulation review every 5 years, updating standards based on improved treatment technologies, emerging pollutants (pharmaceuticals, microplastics), and lessons learned from implementation experience.

Regulation Reference

Regulation: PERMENLHK No. P.68/Menlhk-Setjen/2016 Tahun 2016
Full Title: Peraturan Menteri Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan Republik Indonesia Nomor P.68/Menlhk-Setjen/2016 tentang Baku Mutu Air Limbah Domestik
Enacted: August 23, 2016
Official Source: peraturan.go.id

Legal Disclaimer

This analysis is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, regulatory interpretation may vary. For specific legal guidance regarding domestic wastewater treatment compliance or facility permit requirements under PERMENLHK 68/2016, consult qualified Indonesian environmental legal counsel or contact the Directorate General of Pollution and Environmental Damage Control at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry.

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