Alert! Drought Impact, Clean Water Crisis In NTB Lasts Until December

Illustration of clean water crisis during the Dry season (ANTARA)

The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of West Nusa Tenggara Province revealed that the clean water crisis due to the impact of the dry season that hit a number of areas in the region is predicted to continue until December 2024.

"Untuk ketersediaan air minuman/air bersih kemungkinan sampai Desember kita masih kekurangan," kata Kepala BPBD NTB Ahmadi dikutip ANTARA, Rabu 25 September.

He admitted that although the rain had started at the end of September, some areas, especially those in the southern region of Lombok Island and Sumbawa Island, still lacked water.

"Although high rainfall is not necessarily in the southern region of Lombok and Sumbawa islands, water flows immediately because the water takes time to infiltrate," he said.

Based on data from BPBD NTB, up to now the number of residents affected by drought has reached more than 500 thousand people spread across 77 sub-districts. Meanwhile, of the 10 districts/cities, there are nine who have set a drought emergency alert status.

In addition to causing water difficulties, there are 10 hectares of agricultural land that are also affected by drought due to the dry season.

"Currently in the peak positions of dry season," he said.

To overcome this lack of clean water, BPBD NTB continues to distribute clean water to affected areas. Building bore wells at a number of points. This drill well is obtained from the assistance of the central government through BNPB, including a weather modification plan to reduce rain.

"The southern Lombok area cannot drill wells because there is no groundwater basin. The way we do it is by distributing water, even if the boss is not there," explained Ahmadi.

The budget allocation for buying water and operations, BPBD NTB received financial assistance from BNPB of Rp. 300 million, while in the APBD NTB it was Rp. 700 million.

"We use this to buy water needs and operate tank cars. With that money we use it for 2,000 water tanks," he said.

Previously, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) predicted the potential for drought in NTB would expand because the peak of the dry season was still ongoing in September 2024.

On the second basis of September 2024 (11-20 September) the potential for rain in the NTB region is very low. The potential for rain with light to moderate intensity occurs in a small part of NTB.