Semarang – Students of the Environmental Science Study Program, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES), conducted a field-based project on spring conservation and sustainable water resource management in the area surrounding the UNNES Gunungpati Campus. The project was carried out as part of the Drinking Water Supply System course, taught by Abdul Jabbar, M.Ling. and Trida Ridho Fariz, M.Sc., as well as the Water Resources and Water Quality Management course, taught by Trida Ridho Fariz, M.Sc. and Amnan Haris, M.Ling. The initiative aimed to strengthen students’ understanding of sustainable water resource management while supporting the conservation of springs that serve as an important source of clean water for communities surrounding the UNNES campus.
The project involved spring identification, land cover change mapping within spring recharge areas using satellite imagery, water quality and quantity assessments, evaluation of community-based water management systems, and documentation of local wisdom that contributes to spring conservation. Students also examined the utilization of springs as community-based drinking water sources and evaluated the sustainability of water resource management from environmental, social, technical, economic, and institutional perspectives.
Through this project, FMIPA UNNES applies sustainable approaches and technologies for water extraction at water abstraction sites, particularly through monitoring spring recharge areas, assessing land cover changes, conducting water quality analyses, and evaluating community-based water distribution systems. Field learning also emphasizes the protection of spring buffer zones, the preservation of surrounding vegetation, and sustainable water resource management practices to ensure the long-term availability of groundwater for both communities and ecosystems.
Documentation of Jurang Spring 1, Jurang Spring 2, and Jurang Spring 3, which were observed as part of a study on spring conditions and groundwater recharge areas near the UNNES Gunungpati Campus.
In addition, FMIPA UNNES actively promotes responsible water use across the university through project-based learning, field research, and educational activities that raise students’ awareness of spring conservation, water-use efficiency, recharge area protection, and sustainable water resource management. Students are encouraged to recognize that sustainable clean water provision depends not only on water quality but also on responsible water consumption, ecosystem conservation, and effective community-based water management.
As part of the implementation of project-based learning, the outcomes of these student projects extend beyond field activities and have resulted in scientific publications in SINTA 3-accredited national journals as well as the IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science (IOP EES), which is indexed by Scopus. These publications demonstrate that research-based learning at FMIPA UNNES not only enhances students’ academic competencies but also generates scientific contributions and practical recommendations for spring conservation, sustainable water resource management, and the protection of groundwater recharge areas surrounding the university. This initiative contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) through sustainable water resource conservation and management, SDG 4 (Quality Education) through project-based experiential learning, SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) through the protection of community water resources, SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by promoting responsible water use, and SDG 15 (Life on Land) through the conservation of spring ecosystems and groundwater recharge areas.
