Semarang BPBD: Areas Of Clean Water Shortage Expand

Head of the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Semarang City Endro P. Martanto. (ANTARA/Zuhdiar Laeis)

SEMARANG - The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Semarang City said areas experiencing a lack of clean water were expanding along with the long dry season as a result of El Nino.

"In fact, one of the sub-districts that is usually never. Today, demand emerged, namely in Gunungpati, Cepogo Village," said Head of BPBD Semarang City Endro P Martanto as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, September 13.

He said requests from the public for clean water every week averaged six tanks, with each tank capacity reaching 5,000 liters.

For a request for clean water assistance, he said, it only took one day for the Semarang City BPBD to send clean water assistance once it received a request from the public.

"I only need one day. This is an entry letter from the Head of the Cepoko Village yesterday (12/9). Just a letter. We immediately followed up. This is to issue clean water. Even though the service, we must be held accountable," he said.

He gave an example, the Semarang City BPBD this Wednesday distributed clean water assistance in Gedawang and Jabungan in Banyumanik District, which is a regular delivery.

"Today, we are spreading. In Banyumanik (District), it is routinely in Gedawang and Jabungan, Gunungpati in Cepoko as many as one tank, and one tank in Beringin, Ngaliyan District," he said.

Along with the expansion of areas affected by drought, Endro acknowledged that the supply of clean water assistance sourced from the 2023 APBD had run out, so he just had to rely on CSR (corporate social responsibility) assistance from the company.

"The ability of BPBD to provide clean water from the 2023 APBD funds has run out, zero. We are now moving to distribute only from third parties, CSR," he said.

According to him, the Semarang City BPBD continues to raise CSR from various companies to help supply clean water, and so far it has reached 25 tanks.

"Overall, we have 25 tanks from CSR. Up to now, approximately 10 tanks have been absorbed. This has entered again 15 tanks that we can use as backup stock for the future," he said.

Endro hopes that the dry season will be long as El Nino's phenomenon ends so that the community's clean water needs can be met again as before.

"Hopefully there won't be more requests (clean water). We hope El Nino (after), yes, even though the time is getting longer," he said.