ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA — The global water crisis is increasingly capturing the attention of the younger generation.
At the Jakarta Scholars Symposium (JSS) 2025, themed “Advocacy in Action”, one particular innovation stood out: a creative solution that utilizes river water for toilet flushing to help conserve clean water.
The idea came from Kayson Sunjoto, an 11th-grade student at the Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS), who presented a project titled Water Conservation through Grey Water Innovation.
In his presentation, Kayson revealed a striking statistic: approximately 24% of household water consumption goes to flushing toilets, with each flush using between 6 to 9 liters of clean water.
“An enormous amount of clean water is flushed away daily, while millions of Indonesians still lack access to safe and clean water,” Kayson explained at the international symposium, which brought together young innovators from around the world.
Kayson’s project proposes a system that channels river water to toilets for flushing purposes, thereby preserving clean water for essential needs such as drinking, bathing, and washing. The system begins with the installation of a Floating Net Barrier in the river to block waste and debris. The filtered water is then collected and directed through a filtration process before being stored in dedicated toilet tanks.
“Although the filtration process isn’t perfect yet, the water is clean enough for flushing toilets,” Kayson noted.
“We also separate the water tanks—one for clean water consumption and another specifically for toilet use.”
This innovation not only offers a practical solution for water conservation, but also serves as a promising example of eco-friendly and sustainable sanitation technology. Kayson hopes to implement this system in more regions across Indonesia in the near future, through a social initiative he helps lead.
Kayson currently serves as Chief Financial Officer of Spring, a nonprofit organization founded in 2016 with the mission of providing clean water to communities in need across Indonesia. Spring actively builds water wells and sanitation facilities (MCK) in underserved areas.
“My team at Spring is working with a long-term vision. By involving young people in this project, I believe the spirit of innovation and change will continue to grow,” Kayson concluded.
“My hope is that this solution will make a meaningful contribution to our nation.” (AT Network)
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