Karanganyar, Ekuatorial – Due to long dry season, water discharge in thirty springs in Mount Lawu, Central Java, have been decreasing, said an official on Monday (6/10), in Karanganyar district, Central Java.
“This is the first time for water discharges in 30 springs in Mount Lawu are decreasing. [I find it] very ridiculous for water scarcity to happen in the mountain. But it is inevitable since this year’s dry season is very long,” said Suroso, head of Karanganyar Water Company (PDAM).
Suroso said that a spring can discharge water for 515 liters/second on normal condition. However, since the long dry season, the springs only discharge water between 40-150 liters/second.
Though they have tried to find other ways to distribute the water, he said that several areas, including Mojogedang, Gondangrejo, Colomadu, Tasikmadu, and Jaten sub-districts were still experiencing water scarcity.
“We have already distributed the water to all areas based on hours. We divide the hours in accordance to the 14 sub-districts,” he said. “However, it is possible that too many residents scrambling for the water leaving several of them without water.”
Meanwhile, in Klaten, Central Java, people were also affected by the dry season. In Jambakan village, Bayat sub-district, wells have dried up forcing people to buy water from private sectors.
Joko Hartono, head of Jambakan village said that they have no other choices despite of the high price. Hartono said that his village could not rely on water dropping from Regional Water Company as they were not on the list.
“We have asked PDAM but they said the water ran out in other areas before reached ours. So, villagers buy water from private sectors rather than die of thirst,” said Hartono adding that water scarcity had started since September 2014.
Furthermore, he said that they have bought Rp150,000/tank (US$ 12) for three times which villagers throw it down to the wells as they didn’t have any containers.
Based on the Klaten Disaster Management Agency, 33 villages located in Mount Merapi slope were experiencing drought. The agency had distributed 1,000 clean water tanks to seven sub-districts and prepared seven back up tanks with 5,000 liters capacity but they were still not enough. Bramantyo.