Locals make use of the subsiding level of a reservoir to clear a land for a paddy field at Bade reservoir in Blumbang village, Klego district, Boyolali regency, Central Java, Monday (28/8). The dry season and the lack of water sources have forced farmers to think of new ways to grow rice.
MATARAM, KOMPAS – The dry season has caused drought in a number of regions, with thousands of people finding it difficult to obtain clean water for their daily needs. They only require clean water assistance. In West Nusa Tenggara, five regencies have declared drought alert.
Aside from West Nusa Tenggara, the clean water crisis has also hit some parts of East Nusa Tenggara, East Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta and West Java.
In West Nusa Tenggara, most of the artesian wells – the people’s source of clean water – have dried up. Therefore, local residents need clean water assistance to meet their daily needs.
Agung Pramuja, head of emergency response at the West Nusa Tenggara Disaster Mitigation Office, said on Monday (28/8) in Mataram that the regency administrations on drought alert included Bima, West Sumbawa, East Lombok, Central Lombok and West Lombok. The water crisis has hit 318 villages in 71 districts, affecting 127,940 families or 640,048 people. Most residents of affected villages were seeking clean water from the nearest natural springs.
Bima Disaster Mitigation Office head Taufik said the regency had seen as many as 42 villages consisting of 8,203 families (24,608people) affected by the clean water crisis. Since early August, his agency has provided 20,000 liters of clean water a day.
In East Nusa Tenggara, eight regency and city administrations have also reported to be in a drought emergency and have asked to be given clean water aid. East Nusa Tenggara Disaster Mitigation Office head Tadeus Tini said amounts to 185 villages and a total of 18,500 people were in danger of drought.
In Ponorogo regency, East Java, 293 families, or more than 1,074 people, are facing a clean water crisis. The wells and other local water sources have dried up.
Drought has also left residents relying on clean water supplied by the regional administration in a number of areas in Bantul regency, Yogyakarta. In the last two months, local residents have failed to locate a source of clean water, despite many efforts to do so.
Clean water aid has also been distributed to areas of Wonogiri and Klaten regency, Central Java. Several areas to the north of Central Java, like Kendal, Demak and Brebes, have also experienced drought.
Borehole wells
The government has prepared a solution for regions affected by the drought problem. In addition to distributing clean water aid, the government will also build borehole wells in areas that are prone to drought.
Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono mentioned the plan to dig borehole wells on Monday at the Presidential Palace compound in Jakarta. He said the government had formed a joint team comprising the Natural Resources directorate general and the Cipta Karya directorate general to manage the drought problem.
The government is currently digging borehole wells in several affected areas, including Sukabumi, West Java. Another drought management solution that has been prepared by the government is the direct distribution of clean water.
Separately, Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman has assured that the drought would not affect food production, including rice.
