Water shortages hit Condet green area<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): For the first time in nearly 30 years, Jakarta's
\ngreen conservation area in Condet, East Jakarta, is experiencing
\na water crisis.<\/p>\n
An official said yesterday that the crisis has been affecting
\nmost of the area's subdistricts since August.<\/p>\n
\"Since 1970, when the Betawi people (native Jakartans) moved
\nhere from Kuningan, South Jakarta, because of land appropriation,
\nCondet has never experienced a water crisis.<\/p>\n
\"But due to the prolonged dry season, the ground water supply
\nis dropping sharply and forcing residents to endure a water
\nshortage,\" East Jakarta Mayor Sudarsono told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Sudarsono said his office had sent warning notices to all
\nsubdistrict heads to conserve water and alert the subdistrict
\noffice if their areas were badly in need of water.<\/p>\n
\"But until now there has been no official report on this
\nmatter,\" he said. \"Officials must not be ashamed to admit that
\nsome of their areas are experiencing a water crisis.\"<\/p>\n
Sudarsono said that city-owned drinking water company PDAM
\nJaya is ready to supply water to drought-hit areas.<\/p>\n
In Condet, the 18.83-hectare area consists of three
\nsubdistricts -- Batuampar, Balekambang and Kampung Tengah -- and
\nis known as the center for Betawi culture and a fruit
\nconservation area based on Gubernatorial Decree No.D.IV-
\n115\/e\/3\/1974.<\/p>\n
Located near Kali Ciliwung, one of the longest rivers in
\nJakarta, the area produces the local fruits salak and duku.<\/p>\n
But, over the past five years, some of the green areas have
\nbeen converted into housing complexes which no longer pay heed to
\nthe greening program.<\/p>\n
\"People never used to have problems finding clean water here,\"
\nZakaria Idrus, the head of Batuampar subdistrict, said.<\/p>\n
\"Usually we only needed to dig artesian wells to six meters to
\nfind water. But because of the long dry season, many residents
\nhave to dig deeper wells,\" Zakaria said.<\/p>\n
Law enforcement<\/p>\n
When asked whether the water crisis was due to a lack of
\ncontrol on officials -- who made way for the conversion of the
\nland in Condet into housing complexes -- Zakaria admitted that
\nhis office has some troubles enforcing the rules.<\/p>\n
\"Many Betawi people sold their land. We can't control that.
\nThey sold it mainly to small developers, who later converted the
\nland into several houses. The new residents who buy the houses
\nnever learn to obey certain rules in order to live in Condet,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Among the rules set for houses in Condet are: requirements for
\neach house to plant trees, support the greening program and
\ninstall a waste water shaft -- which ensures runoff is absorbed
\ninto the ground -- in their yard to help avoid water shortages.<\/p>\n
\"For instance, if a person bought a 1,000-square-meter plot of
\nland, only 10 to 20 percent of it can be used for the building of
\na house. The rest is a green area,\" he said.<\/p>\n
But these days, many newcomers in Condet do not obey such
\nrules.<\/p>\n
\"They built luxurious houses without a sufficient garden.
\nThat's why all of the subdistrict in Condet started the
\nregreening campaign by giving each house a tree to plant,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
But the regreening program had not been completely successful
\nbecause of the prolonged dry season.<\/p>\n
\"So, we still have to wait for the rainy season to continue
\nthis program,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Based on the Post's observation, in Batuampar, Kampung Tengah
\nand Balekambang -- which have been in drought since August --
\nthere are reportedly 100 dry artesian wells.<\/p>\n
\"The symptoms of dry wells are evident in the water's yellow
\ncolor, and sometimes brown shade, and there is mud mixed in it,\"
\nHusein, a water pump operator, said.<\/p>\n
\"But if the wells are left dry too long, the water will drop
\nlower into the ground,\" he said. \"With a little dig out, usually
\nthe clean water will come to the surface again,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Husein said he and his workers had already repaired about 80
\nwells in Condet during the current dry season.<\/p>\n
A 55-year-old man, who has lived in Condet for 22 years, said:
\n\"The case is more or less the same. I think if rain comes, it
\nwill solve the water crisis.<\/p>\n
\"Land in Condet easily absorbs water so if the area is kept as
\ngreen as usual, there would not be any problem,\" he said. (07)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/water-shortages-hit-condet-green-area-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}