Water crisis seen in 2000

BANDUNG: West Java will experience an acute shortage of water by the year 2000, the province's Public Works Office says.

Head of the office's irrigation division Maman Gantina said during a hearing with the local legislative assembly that the province will have a deficit of 745 million cubic meters a month in the year 2000.

"Under such conditions, there will be intense competition for scarce water supplies," Gantina said.

He said the present intense dry spell has already shown that some parts of West Java are experiencing water shortages. (pet/emb)