Seawater intrusion worsens drinking water quality

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Seawater intrusion has caused the salinization of groundwater as far as the National Monument (Monas) in Central Jakarta and is starting to adversely affect the quality of the city's drinking water, said Minister of Resettlement and Regional Infrastructure Soenarno on Wednesday.

"With seawater intrusion already reaching Monas, it means our drinking water is being polluted," he said after officially opening an exhibition to mark World Water Day.

Salinization has meant the land is fast losing its ability to absorb water. The consequence is more flooding during the rainy season and more surface runoff after heavy downpours.

It has been a long-running issue in the city, exacerbated by the fact that many residents dig their own artesian wells at home. The existence of these wells is one of the factors that has triggered the spread of salinized groundwater.

Another contributing factor has been the construction of housing estates, apartments, offices, factories and business centers in the city's northern districts.

Soenarno said the government had begun to comprehensively manage both the groundwater and surface water.

So far, groundwater has been managed by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, while surface water has been handled by the Ministry of Resettlement and Regional Infrastructure and other institutions.

"Both groundwater and surface water urgently need to be managed comprehensively so that the quality of drinking water can be improved and the water supply can be planned ahead better," he was quoted as saying by Antara.

Soenarno said the city's water condition had also worsened with the diminishing water supply. The city's water supply only amounts to 91 cubic meters per second, far from its necessary supply of 269 cubic meters per second. That means the city still needs an additional supply of 178 cubic meters per second.

Water shortages have also hit other parts of the archipelago during the dry season, such as East Nusa Tenggara, as well as small islands including Nias island in North Sumatra.

"Actually, Indonesia has a water surplus but there are areas prone to drought that need our attention and help," he said.