Christorio Silalahi, Water Resources Planning Advisor, Indonesian Government. Photo credit: Christorio Silalahi
NAME: Christorio W. Silalahi
CURRENT TITLE: Planning Advisor for Water Resources in Government, Indonesia
AREA OF EXPERTISE: Geophysics Public Work Government
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE: 4
EDUCATION: Diploma Degree (Undergraduate Degree/Bachelor without Honor) from Institute Technology of Bandung, Indonesia
WEBSITE: http://pu.go.id
What’s your job like?
Here, I am going to talk about working as a Planning Advisor for Water Resources in Government. As a Planning Advisor for Water Resources, my team and I go to the field to survey the best resources of water. Our field control includes 12 Provinces for every year’s annual report.
My team and I analyze river water, lake water, and groundwater. If there is a river, we choose it to be a resource. If the lake/river is too far from the village/city, we choose groundwater for resources. But for as long as I have worked, almost all resources of water we choose is from the river. We analyze basic water constituents in the Laboratory Department. If we choose land for water resources, we utilize a consultant or contractor for a geoelectrical survey and control it in a step-by-step report for decision drilling.
Water treatment plant. Photo Copyright: Christorio Silalahi
What’s a typical day like?
My typical day is not so busy. Every 3 months until the end of the year, the consultant or contractor must do a presentation in my office and provide the draft for 3 reports including the Initial Report, Middle Report, and Ending Report.
In the middle of the year, after the consultant and contractor do their jobs, we check all reports from them in a separate report schedule. All technical analysis are included in the reports.
Once a period has been set, we go to check the Installation Treatment Plant Water Process to the 12 provinces by car and check the report again from the Government Institution that controls and supervises the job from the consultant and contractor in that Province.
Water treatment process. Photo Copyright: Christorio Silalahi
What’s fun?
In the first year of work in Government, we get all the information and a technical guide tutorial, where the government gives us our chance to learn step-by-step. This is not as fast as working in a non-governmental company. Every new year, we can get a job for another position from another division in Public Government. We all, as a team of planning advisors, do not have tight timelines, because the job has a one-year time limit. It’s so much fun to go to 12 provinces every year to control a job and find some new professional friends in that province.
What’s challenging?
We must have good, realistic planning to control plants in 12 provinces in one year, economic budgeting, technical engineering, scheduling and communication on budgeting savings to the capitol city, because if the capitol city doesn’t agree, we can’t made field work become a reality.
What’s your advice to students?
• Earth science is one of the most fascinating sciences (and so underrated). The job prospects are really good and very few professions will allow you to travel and experience the landscapes that earth sciences will. Tell me what other science allows you to combine the knowledge of physics, biology and chemistry the way you can in earth science?
• Enjoy what you do. You don’t have to be super brainy to succeed — just have passion!
Geoelectricity processing, line one slicing dipole, dipole method. Photo Copyright: Christorio Silalahi
Geoelectricity method, line two dipole, dipole method. Photo Copyright: Christorio Silalahi
Aquifer thickness. Copyright: Christorio Silalahi
For further information see the Technical Guide Water Resource Planning (Written in Indonesian language)