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.