9 Areas In NTB Emergency Drought, BPBD: Lack Of Clean Water

Archives - A man herded his buffalo cattle in a dry rainshed in Penujak Village, West Praya District, Praya, Central Lombok, NTB, Tuesday (17/9/2024). BETWEEN PHOTO/Ahmad Subaidi.

JAKARTA - The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Province reported that nine regencies/cities in the local area had issued a drought emergency alert status due to the impact of the dry season.

"The city districts through the regents and mayors have each issued a decree (SK) on drought emergency alert. If it has reached the peak of the dry season, there will be a drought emergency decree," said Head of BPBD NTB, Ahmadi, contacted by telephone in Mataram, Wednesday, confiscated by Antara.

He admitted that the nine districts/cities minus Mataram City that were hit by drought were prone areas for drought when the dry season arrived.

"So due to regional conditions, there are several places that are affected and not affected. It is affected, meaning that some areas experience a shortage of water supply. There is a lack of water for irrigation and there is a shortage for clean water," he said.

Ahmadi explained, due to this water shortage condition, the district/city government has distributed clean water in affected areas. However, how many areas are affected, his party is still collecting data.

"If the number affected is still data, yes, but usually the affected areas are in the southern region and are drought-subscribed areas. Because this cannot be handled by districts/cities alone, those involved in helping are multi-sectors, including provinces," he said.

According to Ahmadi, based on estimates from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the drought that hit the NTB area occurred from August to its peak in September 2025.

"Currently we have entered the middle of the dry season and the peaks will occur in September," he said.

Furthermore, he said, to overcome the drought problem that occurs every year, a permanent effort is needed by the district/city government, especially for handling surface water and clean water. For example, by adding a drinking water pipeline network to drought-prone areas.

"If we at BPBD are firefighters, when they (Pemda) don't do it, we will move forward to handle it," he said.

Ahmadi hopes that if the local government has more budget, it is necessary to immediately add a drinking water piping network. The reason is, during the long dry season, these facilities are functioning and can be utilized by the community.

"We hope to accelerate the permanent handling," he said.

Previously, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported that as many as five districts in NTB are currently entering a drought alert status due to the impact of the dry season.

"The entire NTB area is already in the dry season period. The public needs to be aware of the potential for drought hydrometeorological disasters and forest and land fires," said BMKG forecaster for NTB Climatology Station Afriyas Ulfah in a report quoted in Mataram, Monday (4/8).

A total of five areas are Dompu Regency which includes Kilo and Pajo Districts; Bima districts include Lambitu, Lambu, Sape, Soromandi; East Lombok Regency covering the Sambelia District area.

The drought alert status also occurred in Sumbawa Regency which includes Labuhan Badas, North Moyo, Rhee, Sumbawa; and Sumbawa Regency which includes Jereleh District.

The results of monitoring days without successive rain in NTB in general are very short ranging from 1-5 days without rain to 21-30 days without rain.

However, there are also areas that experience days without rain with a very long category of 31-60 days without rain. Rhee Rain Post located in Sumbawa Regency recorded a total of 51 days without rain.