Drought hits Gunungkidul regency

Drought hits Gunungkidul regency

Slamet Susanto, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

Residents of Gunungkidul regency, Yogyakarta province, are facing
a shortage of clean water due to drought conditions that have hit
the area in the past two weeks.

As many as 220 or 85 percent of the 260 wells which are the
main source of water for residents in the regency have dried up.
As a result they have to buy water at Rp 45,000 (US$5.00) to Rp
100,000 per 5,000-liter tank.

"We have been forced to buy clean water since the middle of
May. Where can we get water from if we don't buy it," said
Ningsih, a housewife from Paliyan, Gunungkidul.

The price of water in her village is relatively low due to its
close proximity to the main road. A 5,000-liter tank of water
costs Rp 45,000 there.

"It'll be enough for a month if it's only used for drinking
and cooking. But it will only last for two weeks if it's used for
washing and bathing as well," Ningsih added.

Her neighbor, Wiyarto, 54, said that the dry season this year
was more severe because cassava crops had failed.

"It was not that bad earlier. We could still harvest cassava
(to be made into gaplek or dried cassava). But cassava bulbs have
not developed now due to the drought," he said.

Wiyarto added that gaplek now cost Rp 400 to Rp 500 per
kilogram, depending on the quality.

"We have to sell 100 kilograms of gaplek to buy a tank of
water," he added.

Separately, Saptosari district head Cahyadi said that as many
as 23 villages or about 15,000 residents in his district were
experiencing a water shortage.

Residents have to fork out Rp 90,000 to buy a tank of clean
water. The price can reach Rp 100,000 per tank for those living
in more remote areas.

According to Cahyadi, there are 16 wells used by residents to
fulfill their daily needs in the district which consists of 60
hamlets.

Thirteen of them are completely dry, while the three remaining
wells have murky water not fit for human consumption.

Head of the Gunungkidul drought mitigation task force, Basuki
Rakhim, disclosed that 13 of the 18 districts in the regency were
facing drought.

Of the 260 wells that residents rely on for their daily needs,
only 15 percent still have water.

Among the districts which are now facing drought and where
residents are forced to buy water are Girisubo, Tepus, Ponjong,
Tanjungsari, Saptosari, Rongkop, Panggang, Semanu, Paliyan,
Purwosari, Gedangsari and Karangmojo.

While districts that still have adequate water are Wonosari,
Semin, Patuk, Nglipar and Playen.