Solutions To Overcome Floods, Palembang Ideally Have 20 Retention Pools

Optimization of retention ponds in Palembang City, Friday (9/12/22). (ANTARA/Ahmad Rafli Baiduri)

PALEMBANG - Regional Secretary (Sekda) of Palembang City, Ratu Dewa, said that the ideal city must have 20 retention ponds as a solution to overcome flooding in the long term. "Based on our study, Palembang City ideally has 20 retention ponds, because currently only seven units are considered unable to control puddles or floods in the event of heavy rains," said Ratu Dewa in Palembang, Antara, Friday, December 9. This retention pond is considered effective in dealing with flooding in the long term because its function is to replace infiltration land which has changed many functions to residential and office areas and other causes. The Palembang City Government continues to strive to add retention ponds by adjusting the budget so that floods that are often the problem in this city are immediately resolved. Meanwhile, the Head of the Water Resources Control Division (PSDA) of the Palembang PUPR Service, Marlina Sylvia, said that the cause of flooding in Palembang City was not only due to high rainfall but also narrowing and illegal buildings in the drainage channel. Therefore, he appealed to the public not to close and also to build buildings on drainage channels and not to throw garbage in the tributaries. Floods hit several protocol roads and residential areas in Palembang City after heavy rains fell for about two hours on Thursday (8/12). Heavy rains caused inundation in the residential areas of Sekip Bendung, Demang Lebar Daun, Dwikora, Jalan Simanjuntak, and Rawa Sari behind the old UIN Raden Fattah Palembang campus. In addition, rain caused the section of Jalan Soekarno Hatta, Jalan Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II KM 11, Jalan Japan, Alang-Alang Lebar District, Jalan Kolonel Barlian, Jalan Basuki Rahmad, Jalan R Sukamto, Jalan Demang Lebar Daun, Jalan Major Ruslan, Jalan Bay Salim, and Jalan Jendral Sudirman in front of the Sriwijaya Pangdam II Service house.