The profile of disputes in water resources projects

Abstract

Disputes can give serious implication to the projects. It can lead to cost and time over-run even project termination. The practitioners always try to avoid the disputes and the legal disputes resolutions due to its lengthy process. Some sources of the disputes are design errors, defects, failure of cost estimation and different site conditions. However, these sources are exhaustive. There are still other elements of the disputes that have to be determined especially for specific construction projects such as water resources projects. Disputes have been one of the factors which give negative effect on the completion of the projects, it is necessary to figure the nature, the background or the profile of these disputes. Thus, the aim of this study is to identify the types of disputes that occur in water resources projects. Using descriptive frequency analysis method, this study has developed the profile of the disputes based on experts opinion who are involved in several water resources projects in Indonesia which include Hydraulic Dredging of Sediment in Sengguruh and Sutami Dam, Hauling of Sediment in Sengguruh Spoil Banks, Construction of Check Dam in Konto River and Construction of Revetment in Parit Agung River. These experts have been certified by the Indonesia Association Committee on Large Dams (INACOLD) and Indonesia Hydraulic Engineers Association (HATHI). Based upon literature reviews and previous studies, the profile of the disputes in water resources projects were categorized into fourteen types of disputes. The analysis identified that among fourteen types of the disputes, the types of disputes that often occur in water resources projects are environmental disputes due to adverse weather and inclement weather, unforeseen problem below the surface and dust pollution. This study also showed that environmental disputes often occur in water resources projects due to the nature of the projects, as the projects are usually carried out above or below the water surfaces and in open area. By establishing this profile, it will assist the owner and project manager to predict and anticipate problems at an early stage of the water resources project.