TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Thousands of infiltration wells built to hold floodwater

Extensive development in Greater Jakarta has caused swaths of land to subside and has undermined the ground’s ability to hold water

Vela Andapita (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Sat, December 7, 2019

Share This Article

Change Size

Thousands of infiltration wells built to hold floodwater

E

span>Extensive development in Greater Jakarta has caused swaths of land to subside and has undermined the ground’s ability to hold water. This has resulted in drought during the dry season and flooding during the rainy season.

This annual cycle has prompted local administrations and residents to create infiltration wells to restore the ground’s ability to hold water.

Last year, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan issued Gubernatorial Instruction No. 131/2018 on the acceleration of infiltration well construction in a bid to better manage rainwater and groundwater.

The instruction ordered building owners throughout the city to dig and manage their own infiltration wells to prevent rainwater from flooding surrounding areas.

In addition to privately owned buildings, the city asked state and city offices, schools, hospitals and other public buildings to follow suit.

Residents have also taken the initiative to dig their own infiltration wells.  

Ana Rosdianahangka, who lives in a complex of 11 houses in the Sukmajaya district of Depok, West Java, said her neighborhood had benefited from the well that was built in her area.

In 2016, Ana’s family and neighbors decided to build an infiltration well for the entire complex. Each homeowner chipped in, and the complex managed to collect Rp 18 million (US$1,200).

“We agreed to build one of the best quality, so it would last for decades. The surface is only 1.5 meters square,” Ana told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

“It has been three years, and we have been reaping its fruit. Rainwater is quickly absorbed even during a downpour. In the dry season, we always have enough clean water from the well,” she added.

Ana said she was lucky to live in a neighborhood where people were keen to conserve groundwater and rainwater. Ana and her neighbors agreed not to pave the roads with asphalt. They used paving blocks instead to leave more space for water to seep into the ground.

“In the past three years, even during the driest days, I’ve noticed that the grass was green and the flowers were blooming in our complex. It is a contrast to our neighboring residential areas,” the 38-year-old said.

Infiltration wells, also called water portals, are shallow wells filled with porous natural materials to increase the ground’s capacity to absorb and hold water. The surface is usually about four square meters, while the depth could reach five m deep.

Adhitya, a resident of Ciputat, South Tangerang, dug an infiltration well for his house in August.

He spent much less money than Ana and her neighbors — only about Rp 3 million. He said his expenses were an investment because the well would be useful throughout the year.

“I was motivated to build an infiltration well due to the lack of groundwater reserves despite the fact that we get a large amount of water when it rains,” he told the Post.

“I have yet to notice the impact. It’s only been three months. I hope that if I can reduce flooding around my house and have enough water next season, my neighbors will be encouraged to follow suit.”

Ahead of this year’s rainy season, the Jakarta administration plans to build 1,300 infiltration wells by Dec. 15.

Jakarta Industry and Energy Agency acting head Ricki M. Mulia said workers in his agency could finish 25 wells a day. He was optimistic that they could meet their target.

“We believe we can finish [on time]. We are working on it,” he said, as quoted by tempo.co.

The Jakarta Water Resource Agency has also started digging. It hopes to complete 1,000 infiltration wells in the capital by the end of the year.

South Jakarta Water Resource Agency head Saut M. Robet said 500 wells were being built in the municipality. He said the agency had built 326 already and was rushing to finish the remaining 174 wells before the end of the year.

The wells are located on major thoroughfares and small roads in some districts of South Jakarta.

“We started the project in February of this year,” Saut said.

A project to construct 400 wells in West Jakarta, however, has faced some technical challenges.

West Jakarta Water Resource Agency head Purwanti said her team could not dig too deep because they would reach the water table.

An infiltration well cannot to absorb much rainwater if it is too close to groundwater.

“The reason why we don’t build infiltration wells in Taman Sari and Cengkareng is because of its groundwater level,” she said recently, as quoted by antaranews.com.

To meet the target, Purwanti has tried to find additional locations. “We’re now coordinating with some schools and mosques so that they can build infiltration wells of their own,” she said.

{

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.