Water shortages hit Banjarnegara

BANJARNEGARA, Central Java: At least 60 percent of the 841,000 residents in Banjarnegara are experiencing clean water shortages, regent H. Nurachmad said on Friday.

He added there was also a lack of sufficient sanitation facilities which only compounds the situation further.

"Many residents here still use rivers and other places rather than a decent toilet," he said.

In a bid to cope with the problem, the United Nations Children Fund (Unicef) will start this week a sanitary rehabilitation project in 23 villages in 12 districts here to prevent possible contagious diseases and diarrhea.

"We want this problem to be taken care of before the new year," Nurachmad said. (45/edt)