Public Works Ministry monitors water resource infrastructure in NTT after earthquake
The Ministry of Public Works (PU) is continuing to handle and monitor infrastructure following the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) on Saturday, 15 August.
Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo said comprehensive preparedness measures are being carried out to ensure infrastructure remains safe while maintaining the continuity of basic public services.
“I have instructed the Ministry of Public Works to continue monitoring infrastructure conditions and carry out handling as needed in the field. Public safety is the priority, including ensuring water resource infrastructure remains safe and functional,” Dody said in Jakarta on Saturday.
In addition to deploying heavy equipment to deal with landslides disrupting several national road sections, the Ministry of Public Works is also strengthening monitoring of water resource infrastructure, including dams, rivers, irrigation networks, and drinking water services.
Based on initial inspections by the Nusa Tenggara II River Basin Agency (BBWS), the Raknamo Dam, Tilong Dam, Lokojange Dam, and Rotiklot Dam were found to be safe.
Visual inspections of the dam bodies, dam crests, spillways, supporting structures, and surrounding areas showed no changes in condition resulting from the earthquake.
However, earthquake impacts were found on the Wae Laku Weir irrigation channel in Borong, East Manggarai Regency. Based on visual monitoring, the channel is covered by landslide material consisting of soil, rocks, and vegetation from the cliff alongside the channel.
The relatively steep cliff conditions and presence of loose material also still pose the potential for subsequent landslides, especially if high-intensity rainfall occurs.
Dody said the earthquake’s impact at several points also caused landslides that blocked river channels and disrupted drinking water supply systems. These conditions caused water distributed through the drinking water supply system to become turbid due to the influx of soil material.
“Indeed, at several points in Manggarai and several other places, the earthquake caused landslides here and there. The landslides also blocked rivers so the drinking water supply system became severely disrupted. In several places, water that should come out clean from the SPAM is now brown because of the large amount of soil material. This is what we will prioritise for immediate repair,” he said.
To accelerate handling, the Ministry of Public Works is strengthening teams in the field, particularly to address impacts on rivers and clean water services.
“Because it now involves rivers, the handling is quite complex. The Director General of Water Resources will depart immediately accompanied by colleagues from the River Engineering Centre, so that river handling in several districts can be faster and more efficient, and the community’s clean water needs can be met promptly,” Dody said.
The Ministry of Public Works has also begun preparing water tanks to support meeting the community’s clean water needs during the recovery process. Their placement and distribution will be coordinated with provincial and district/city governments according to needs in the field.
In addition, the Ministry of Public Works, through BBWS Nusa Tenggara II, continues to conduct follow-up monitoring of irrigation networks and other water resource infrastructure to ensure building safety and accelerate the restoration of affected service functions.
The Ministry of Public Works has placed personnel and equipment on standby in affected areas and is strengthening coordination with local governments and relevant agencies. Monitoring is being carried out in stages while taking into account the potential for aftershocks and the safety of personnel.
These measures are part of the Ministry of Public Works’ response to ensure water resource infrastructure remains safe and public water services can be restored promptly, while supporting the overall post-earthquake handling and recovery process in NTT.