People see newfound hope as Germany provides water<\/p>\n
Slamet Susanto, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
Drought, which often leads to a water crisis, has been an annual
\nproblem for about 132,000 residents in Gunung Kidul regency,
\nYogyakarta.<\/p>\n
In the beginning of the dry season, it is common to see people
\nforming a long queue at lakes in the regency. When the dry season
\ngets worse, people get desperate and sell their valuables such as
\ncows, goats or trees to purchase water.<\/p>\n
As many people sell their valuables, especially cattle, to buy
\nwater during the peak of the dry season, local residents often
\njokingly say \"drinking cows\" or \"drinking goats\" when they drink
\nthe water.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, Gunung Kidul residents now see light at the end
\nof the tunnel. Government workers have been digging for several
\nmonths on a spot of land in Bribin area, Gunung Kidul, where an
\nunderground river is located and have now reached the surface of
\nan underground river, some 100 meters below the surface.<\/p>\n
After the successful digging project, the workers have just
\nstarted to build an underground dam to store water from the
\nriver. The small dam is slated to be completed next month.<\/p>\n
The Rp 6 billion (US$666,666) dam will be able to accommodate
\n210 liters of water per second. The water debit in the river
\nreaches 2,000 liters per second in the dry season and 4,000
\nliters per second in the rainy season. The dam is expected to be
\nable to meet the water needs of the 132,625 people living in
\nGunung Kidul regency.<\/p>\n
The head of the Settlement and Regional Infrastructure Office
\nat the Yogyakarta administration, Tri Harjun Ismail, said that
\nthe workers had dug 100 meters deep and 2.4 meters wide. The
\ndigging started in July last year and was completed recently.<\/p>\n
After completing the digging project, the workers will later
\nbuild an underground dam, which will be completed in April this
\nyear.<\/p>\n
\"Then, the next step is to set up an electricity turbine, that
\ncan bring the water up to the surface,\" said Harjun, adding that
\nthe overall project will be completed in the next few months.<\/p>\n
The project is a joint effort between the Indonesian
\ngovernment, the German government and various universities in the
\ncountry. The dam itself will cost the state Rp 6 billion, while
\nthe digging project cost Rp 70 billion.<\/p>\n
The German Minister of Research and Education, Edelgard
\nBulmahn, visited the area last week to observe the project. He
\nsaid that what the Indonesian government had done in Bribin could
\nbe a model for similar projects in other places in the country.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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