Bandarlampung, Ekuatorial – Dealing with water scarcity, researchers with civil society in Lampung province pushing local people to implement biopores program, said an activist in Bandarlampung, on Tuesday (14/10).
Biopores, or Biopori in Indonesian are small holes drilled into the ground, at least one meter deep, which would be able to absorb water into the soil. Hence, it will reduce impacts of floods and reserve water from the rains. In addition, these holes also serve as containers for composting.
“Since 2012, we already made 20,000 biopores [holes] in Langkapura sub-district as the first pilot project. The area was chosen because it’s one of the city’s main water catchment area,” said Mashabi, director of Mitra Bentala, a civil society based in Bandarlampung.
The project was also supported by Langkapura government by stipulating its citizens to make a minimum of five holes in their houses as one of the requirements before obtaining their documents. As a result, the program was duplicated by four other sub-districts, such as Kemiling, Tanjungkarang Pusat, Kedaton, and Tanjungsenang, which aiming to make 100,000 holes.
Furthermore, University of Lampung researchers found that biopores have kept water discharges in a stable condition despite of long dry season. It was different condition before they started out the biopores program where people have to suffer from drought.
“I have been conducting the research [on groundwater level decrease] since 2002. If it continues to decrease for 20 centimeter per year then by now it would be two meters decrease. Eventually, it will affect on water availability,” said M. Zen Kadir, a researcher of Lampung University.
Other reason, Kadir said that water catchment areas have been turned into buildings blocking the water from absorbed into the soil, instead turned into floods. “Currently, the city is losing its water and to handle it is by implementing water management,” he said adding that western part of Bandarlampung required more protection and attention.
The biopores also lead to cleaner water as e.coli bacteria was dissolving in their wells. Bandarlampung Development Agency recorded that there are 42 areas prone to floods. Eni Muslihah
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