The Provision of Clean Water Networks Infrastructure and Urban Fragmentation Based on Splintering Urbanism Theory in Semarang

Abstract

The theory of splintering urbanism which is first introduced by Graham and Marvin (2001) has received criticisms as well as inputs based on the research result on the infrastructure of clean water networks and urban fragmentation in Semarang. The purpose of this study was to assess the understanding of the splintering urbanism phenomenon in Semarang due to the provision system of water network infrastructure and urban fragmentation in developing countries. Based on positivistic research as the paradigm, quantitative approach is used by empirically assessing several variables in the theory. The result of this study indicates that the concept of splintering urbanism particularly in the water sector in Semarang is the water infrastructure network disintegration in dualism formal-informal condition of urban life through the creation of network territory which does not yield on the urban fragmentation such as gated communities. This network disintegration is not prompted by unbundling such as privatization or even liberalization, but the emergence of informal sector in water supply out of formal monopoly system due to the people needs and not because of profit orientation. Some of the conceptual frameworks in the theory of splintering urbanism, indeed, need to be examined in local context (Coutard, 2009) and are completely different from that occurred in Semarang. The recommendations of this research are related to the effort of water infrastructure network development in Semarang for fairly fulfilling the needs of its citizen, the contribution of research in the development of urban science, and the recommendation for the next research.