Drought hits Gunungkidul regency<\/p>\n
Slamet Susanto, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
Residents of Gunungkidul regency, Yogyakarta province, are facing
\na shortage of clean water due to drought conditions that have hit
\nthe area in the past two weeks.<\/p>\n
As many as 220 or 85 percent of the 260 wells which are the
\nmain source of water for residents in the regency have dried up.
\nAs a result they have to buy water at Rp 45,000 (US$5.00) to Rp
\n100,000 per 5,000-liter tank.<\/p>\n
\"We have been forced to buy clean water since the middle of
\nMay. Where can we get water from if we don't buy it,\" said
\nNingsih, a housewife from Paliyan, Gunungkidul.<\/p>\n
The price of water in her village is relatively low due to its
\nclose proximity to the main road. A 5,000-liter tank of water
\ncosts Rp 45,000 there.<\/p>\n
\"It'll be enough for a month if it's only used for drinking
\nand cooking. But it will only last for two weeks if it's used for
\nwashing and bathing as well,\" Ningsih added.<\/p>\n
Her neighbor, Wiyarto, 54, said that the dry season this year
\nwas more severe because cassava crops had failed.<\/p>\n
\"It was not that bad earlier. We could still harvest cassava
\n(to be made into gaplek or dried cassava). But cassava bulbs have
\nnot developed now due to the drought,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Wiyarto added that gaplek now cost Rp 400 to Rp 500 per
\nkilogram, depending on the quality.<\/p>\n
\"We have to sell 100 kilograms of gaplek to buy a tank of
\nwater,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Separately, Saptosari district head Cahyadi said that as many
\nas 23 villages or about 15,000 residents in his district were
\nexperiencing a water shortage.<\/p>\n
Residents have to fork out Rp 90,000 to buy a tank of clean
\nwater. The price can reach Rp 100,000 per tank for those living
\nin more remote areas.<\/p>\n
According to Cahyadi, there are 16 wells used by residents to
\nfulfill their daily needs in the district which consists of 60
\nhamlets.<\/p>\n
Thirteen of them are completely dry, while the three remaining
\nwells have murky water not fit for human consumption.<\/p>\n
Head of the Gunungkidul drought mitigation task force, Basuki
\nRakhim, disclosed that 13 of the 18 districts in the regency were
\nfacing drought.<\/p>\n
Of the 260 wells that residents rely on for their daily needs,
\nonly 15 percent still have water.<\/p>\n
Among the districts which are now facing drought and where
\nresidents are forced to buy water are Girisubo, Tepus, Ponjong,
\nTanjungsari, Saptosari, Rongkop, Panggang, Semanu, Paliyan,
\nPurwosari, Gedangsari and Karangmojo.<\/p>\n
While districts that still have adequate water are Wonosari,
\nSemin, Patuk, Nglipar and Playen.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/drought-hits-gunungkidul-regency-1447893297",
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