Two Regions in Banyumas Request Clean Water Aid as Dry Season Approaches
The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Banyumas Regency, Central Java, has received requests for clean water assistance from two areas beginning to experience the impacts of drought amid reduced rainfall in recent times.
Head of the Banyumas Regency BPBD Dwi Irawan Sukma stated on Wednesday that the two areas are Tamansari Village in Karanglewas District and Sokanegara Urban Village in East Purwokerto District. “This morning, two reports had already come in, Tamansari Village and Sokanegara Urban Village,” he confirmed.
Nevertheless, he said the BPBD does not immediately distribute clean water aid to areas that have submitted a request. The agency is conducting field surveys to ascertain conditions in both locations and to inventory the assistance needed by the community. BPBD officers are also recording the required water tanks and the volume of supply needed as a basis for aid distribution.
“Tamansari and Sokanegara are still being surveyed, including the water tank requirements which we are also inventorying,” he said. He noted that the distribution of clean water aid could potentially be carried out in the near future if the survey results indicate urgent need.
He acknowledged that rainfall in the Banyumas region has begun to decrease, a condition that is one of the early indications of the arrival of the dry season, especially in the southern region. Meanwhile, the northern part of Banyumas still occasionally experiences light rain, so water availability is relatively better compared to several areas in the south.
Therefore, he said, the BPBD is starting to enhance its preparedness to anticipate the potential increase in areas experiencing drought, particularly in the southern part of Banyumas, which has historically been more vulnerable to clean water crises during the dry season. “Rainfall has started to decrease. There are signs of the dry season arriving, so we must begin making preparations,” he stated.
In relation to this, Dwi said the Banyumas BPBD will continue to monitor weather developments and the condition of community water sources to ensure that response measures can be implemented swiftly if drought reports increase during the dry season.