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South Sumatra scrambles for water amid drought
The peak of this year’s dry season has not only seen fires across thousands of hectares of South Sumatra, one of the worst-affected provinces, but has also left people scrambling for water
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T
he peak of this year’s dry season has not only seen fires across thousands of hectares of South Sumatra, one of the worst-affected provinces, but has also left people scrambling for water.
Rivers and wells have become so depleted that people have been forced to buy water for their daily needs like drinking and cooking.
A resident of Rambutan village in Banyuasin regency, Dawisa, 49, said she and her family had been forced to purchase water as the river in their village had dried up to the point that locals needed to share water with their livestock.
Residents of Sumber Makmur village, also in Banyuasin, have also needed to purchase clean water, as the village, which lies on peatland, does not have access to clean water.
“Sometimes we have to wash our clothes with peatland groundwater, which damages the color of the clothes,” said Sumber Makmur village head Agus Riyanto.
Agus said the villagers collected water during the rainy season and were forced to purchase water during the dry season.
Things are not much different in the province’s capital of Palembang where tap water coverage is still poor.
Tatik, 32, said her house had not been connected to the tap water system and that she could not rely on the groundwater well that had been dug at her house.
“The distribution of clean water by [tap water company] PDAM Tirta Murti is not reliable. Newer houses like ours are not equipped with water pipes, so we have to rely on conventional wells. However, the wells have been dry for the past month. It’s been a real struggle for many of us [in the residential complex],” said Tatik.
The drought affecting many parts of the province has caught the attention of humanitarian organization Aksi Cepat Tanggap (ACT). The organization has been distributing thousands of liters of clean water to affected residents of poor neighborhoods in the province since June.
“We have distributed 140,000 liters of clean water in a number of areas of the province,” said ACT South Sumatra branch manager Ardiansyah.
According to the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the drought could be attributed to several factors, including El Niño. The agency predicts that many parts of Indonesia will suffer from drought until October.
PDAM Tirta Murti reported that the persistent dry season has affected the company’s ability to produce and distribute clean water.
The company’s CEO, Andi Wijaya, said that water supply from the Musi River had receded.
The Musi River, which at 750 kilometers in the longest river in Sumatra, is the province’s main source of clean water. However, the severe receding of the river has forced the water company to lower its production rate to ensure its supplies last until October.
“Our current production capability is 4,000 liters per second at each of our six water plants. The company is doing its best to maintain its production rate. The demand for clean water currently far exceeds the supply that we can provide. That’s why it’s been difficult to provide clean water to all areas, especially areas far from the river,” said Andi. (bry)
