KESDM Records 421 Groundwater Basin In Indonesia

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) noted that 421 groundwater basins (CAT) in Indonesia were in various conditions.

Deputy Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Yuliot Tanjung, said that of the 421 CATs spread throughout Indonesia with the largest distribution being on the island of Sulawesi as many as 91 CATs, followed by Java and Madura as many as 80 CATs, Maluku 68 CATs, Sumatra 65 CATs, and Papua 40 CATs.

"If we look at this, groundwater reserves based on this basin, there is groundwater in nature, the conditions are very vulnerable, there are critical groundwater reserves, and also groundwater reserves whose conditions are damaged," said Yuliot, Wednesday, January 8.

Yuliot said that his party had mapped a number of areas where the groundwater basins were categorized as critical. The areas included in the critical category are Denpasar, Tabanan, Brantas, East Java; Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan; and Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan.

Meanwhile, areas whose basins are categorized as damaged include Jakarta ground water basins; Karawang, Bekasi, Serang, Tangerang, Bogor, Bandung, Soreang, Pekalongan, Pemalang and Semarang

Then a number of areas that fall into the vulnerable category are Yogyakarta, Karanganyar, Boyolali, Metro, Lampung and Kotabumi, Lampung.

He added that the area of groundwater basins in Indonesia reaches 907,615 km2 with the potential for groundwater in the aquifer free of 496.2 billion m3 per year and in the acupressure system of 20.9 billion m3 per year.

Indonesia is also known to be the 9th largest groundwater user in the world.

"Alhamdulillah, with the existence of Permen 14 of 2024, we are making arrangements, about how the use of groundwater is carried out effectively and efficiently and also useful," said Yuliot.