Drought takes toll in Palembang, 'city of water'
Drought takes toll in Palembang, 'city of water'
By Muhammad Suparni
PALEMBANG (Antara): The city of Palembang in South Sumatra bears the alias of kota pempek, pempek is a fried fish-based cake served with a sour sauce. Palembang also used to be nicknamed "the city of water" because of the Musi river crossing its swamps.
The name Palembang is derived from lembeng (puddle in colloquial language) while pa means place. An area covering 37.36 percent of the city is continuously under water, and an additional 14.48 percent is inundated during high tide.
Ironically, however, most of the ground water is not consumable thanks to its high acid content.
The 1.2-million population get some of their clean water from the city water company, PDAM. The remainder of the city's needs are taken from the Musi river and other places considered to be relatively safe.
But the Musi -- the waterway that divides the city of Palembang in two, Sebrang Ulu and Sebrang Ilir -- is heavily polluted by waste from factories lining its banks.
An alternative source is the supply of clean water from the water company Tirta Musi, but their supply is limited and covers only the areas of the relatively well-to-do.
Others have to install a pipe network and acquire a water pump to access water.
Residents outside the PDAM pipe network, such the over 3,000 inhabitants in the nearby Azhar housing complex in Kenten Laut, feel like "ducks swimming in water but dying of thirst," to quote a local expression.
"During this long dry season more than 2,000 wells dug by the developer have run dry," Sarno, 38, a resident said.
"We have no choice but to buy PDAM water at Rp 30,000 to Rp 35,000 per 4,000 liter tank. The normal price is about Rp 15,000 or Rp 350 per 20 liter jerrican," Sarno said.
Another alternative source is an artificial lake, but "the quality of the water is not guaranteed," said Tatik, 41, a housewife.
Deddy Ruswendi, chief of the South Sumatra health ministry regional office, says his office is busy spreading information on the safe use of water. Among reminders is the need to boil water before using it to cook to prevent diarrhea.
Health officers stand by in case of any occurrence of new diseases, ready to take immediate steps. In Palembang alone an average of 200 people a month are diagnosed with diarrhea.
At the household level, self-made water filters do their bit in cleansing water. Drums cut to size are drilled at the bottom with several holes. The drums are then layered with sand, dried palm fiber and charcoal.
Profit
It's not all complaints in the dry season -- the drought has created work for people who supply clean water to the community.
They get clean water from PDAM for Rp 30,000 per 4,000 liter tank and sell it for Rp 350 to Rp 400 per 20 liter jerrican.
"We may make a profit of between Rp 7,000 to Rp 12,000 a day," said one seasonal water vendor at the Azhar housing complex in Kenten Laut.
In the Kertapati area, junior high school students take water from the Ogan River which is sold to them by an agent for Rp 75 per jerrican.
This price includes the rent of the cart that carries the jerricans. The water is sold on for between Rp 125 and Rp 150 per jerrican.
"It's not bad. A daily income of Rp 2,000 to Rp 3,500 helps my parents," said Edo, a junior high school student, who delivers water to regular customers with his friends after school.
Currently Palembang's Tirta Musi water company has a capacity of only 1,816.5 liters per second. Only 1,689.6 liters per second can be channeled for household use which is sufficient for 60,000 customers, said the company's managing director Wahab Umar.
Wahab said the total water output is supplied by the Rambutan installation with 830 liters per second and the Tiga Ilir installation with 720 liters per second, while small installations only serve surrounding areas.
To overcome shortages he said clean water installations will be added in Karang Anyar in Ilir Barat II and Ogan subdistrict in the Sebrang Ulu I district, each with a capacity of 600 liters.