New reservoirs to be built in E. Jakarta

Citizens across the puddle of water was receded in Melayu Cipinang, East Jakarta. KOMPAS.comThe Jakarta administration says it is ready to construct three new reservoirs in the Halim Perdanakusuma area of East Jakarta to contain floodwaters from the Cipinang and Sunter Rivers.

Governor Fauzi Bowo said on Wednesday that the reservoirs would cover a combined total of 100 hectares of land.

“We are finalizing construction planning and building details for the reservoirs,” Fauzi said.

The reservoirs are expected to have a total capacity of 120,000 cubic meters and are estimated to
cost around Rp 10 billion (US$1.11 million) each.

The governor said construction would be carried out in parallel with the dredging of both rivers.

“In two or three years, the surrounding areas will be free from flooding,” Fauzi said

The administration had planned to build six reservoirs in the area, on plots of land owned by the Air Force.

Jakarta Development Planning Board chairwoman Sarwo Handayani said separately that the administration and the military had only signed an agreement for the construction of three reservoirs.

“We had planned to construct the reservoirs last year, but a memorandum of understanding had only been signed this year,” Sarwo said.

The chairwoman said that the administration would work under the conditions of the MoU.

Last year, the Public Works Ministry warned that a large number of reservoirs in the capital were shrinking or had been polluted.

The Jakarta administration admitted it has yet to restore and expand all reservoirs, blaming a lack of funding to purchase land.

The city’s Public Works Agency reported that until last year, the administration had only been able to clean and expand five reservoirs back to the sizes mandated by the Spatial Planning Bylaw.

The restored reservoirs are the 32-hectare Babakan and the 12-hectare Mangga Bolong in South Jakarta, and Rawa Dongkal (12 hectares), Kelapa Dua Wetan (10 hectares) and Cilangkap (11 hectares) in East Jakarta.

According to a report released by the city in 2009, the Jakarta administration manages 30 reservoirs and dams, with a total size of 149.92 hectares.

The city has designated them for use as water holding areas to reduce flooding, water catchment areas to replace underground water loss, sources of raw water, and tourism and environmental preservation sites.