KBRN, Pemalang: Diponegoro University (Undip) in Semarang, Central Java, together with the Pemalang Regency Administration, has inaugurated a desalination plant in the coastal villages of Blendung and Kaliprau, Ulujami subdistrict.

The facility was established to improve access to clean water for coastal communities, which have long faced limited supplies of safe drinking water.

The plant processes brackish water into potable water suitable for daily consumption. The installed machine has a production capacity of about 200 gallons per day and is already available for community use.

The desalination plant's presence is expected to reduce reliance on water supplies from other regions, particularly during the dry season. Its launch also strengthens cooperation between Diponegoro University and the Pemalang Regency Administration.

This partnership was formalized through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Undip Rector Suharnomo and Pemalang Regent Anom Widyantoro.

The agreement covers collaboration in education, research, and community service, in line with the Three Pillars of Higher Education, to enhance public service quality and regional development.

For Diponegoro University, involvement in the construction of the desalination plant represents a tangible contribution by a higher education institution in providing research-based solutions. The benefits are expected to be felt directly by coastal communities.

Rector Suharnomo emphasized that collaboration between universities and local administrations is essential to addressing fundamental community issues. “Through this cooperation, we strive to ensure that research and innovation developed on campus can be applied tangibly and sustainably. Hopefully, we can continue to expand this collaboration and truly help the community, especially in meeting the need for clean water in coastal areas,” he said in a press release on Tuesday, December 30, 2025.

Regent Anom Widyantoro welcomed the collaboration, describing the desalination plant as a significant step toward improving the livelihoods of coastal residents and creating opportunities for similar facilities in other villages. “We have tested the desalinated water, and its quality is excellent and suitable for consumption. In the future, we will encourage the development of this technology in other areas,” he said.

Through this initiative, Diponegoro University and the Pemalang Regency Administration aim to deepen their cooperation and develop additional programs that directly improve community welfare. (Gusti Panji/Lasti Martina)​