Tasikmalaya City Government Distributes Water to Drought-Affected Areas

The Tasikmalaya City Government in West Java has commenced the distribution of clean water to meet the needs of residents currently facing water shortages due to the drought in the dry season. “Today we will distribute three tankers, each carrying 5,000 litres. This is for the areas of Singkup, Sukanagara, and Sukamanah,” said Dudu, Head of the Disaster Management Division at the Tasikmalaya City BPBD, on Monday. He stated that the Tasikmalaya City BPBD is on standby to tackle the dry season, which often causes drought and leaves residents struggling to obtain clean water. Prepared measures include distributing clean water using tanker trucks that directly reach the drought-affected communities. He noted that preliminary reports indicate 12 sub-districts have reported their areas are already experiencing drought, causing residents difficulty in getting clean water because their usual water sources have dried up. “The number of those affected is still dynamic, not yet certain, but so far there are 12 sub-districts,” Dudu said. He added that besides supplying clean water to meet residents’ needs, his team, through the Rapid Reaction Team, is directly inspecting all areas to detect the impact of the drought and to search for water sources that might still be usable. During the dry season, he urged residents to use water sparingly and to make good use of any remaining water sources. “We have also conducted field surveys, and we urge residents to conserve water,” he said. A resident of Singkup Sub-district, Abidin, expressed gratitude for the clean water distribution amidst the community’s daily need for water. He mentioned that in his area of Babakan Village, 260 families require clean water supply from the local government because their water sources have dried up due to the drought. “The affected area covers roughly 260 families. There is no water here, so the residents are currently in dire need of clean water,” he said.