31-7-2023 (JAKARTA) Ridogalih Village, located a 90-minute drive from the eastern edge of the Indonesian capital Jakarta, is facing a severe water crisis as the wells have dried up and the once-fertile rice fields have turned into parched dirt. The villagers have been forced to travel on foot or by motorcycles under the scorching summer sun to a small river named Cihowe to bathe and wash their clothes.
The situation has worsened since early June, and 45-year-old Hanifah, a resident of Ridogalih, fears that if the dry spell persists, Cihowe will reduce to a trickle, much like what happened during the 2019 drought caused by the weather phenomena El Nino and the positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) event.
The Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has predicted that these two weather phenomena are likely to return this year, leading to prolonged drought, clean water scarcity, and crop failure for millions of Indonesians. Forest and land fires are also expected to rise during this period.
In response to the looming crisis, regional governments across Indonesia have started mapping out drought-prone areas and devising strategies to mitigate the impacts. West Java, where Ridogalih is located, has already declared a state of emergency.
The previous occurrence of the El Nino and positive IOD event in 2019 had severe repercussions for the country, with approximately 48.5 million people facing reduced access to clean water. States of emergency were declared in several provinces, and millions had to rely on government and private donors for freshwater supplies.
This year, signs of the impending crisis are already emerging in some areas. Three districts in Papua have reported famine due to crop failure, and more than 3,000 people in four districts in Sragen, Central Java, are facing a clean water crisis.
Even the capital city, Jakarta, is experiencing the effects of the dry season, with the water level in the flood-prone river Ciliwung drastically dwindling. Residents in the city are already facing intermittent tap water supply, prompting them to resort to water tanks to store water.
President Joko Widodo has instructed regional governments and state-owned enterprises to set aside funds to aid those affected by the drought. The government is also ready to provide food aid and subsidies to anticipate possible price hikes resulting from crop failures.
Experts are warning that during the dry season, air quality can deteriorate due to dust, leading to the spread of diseases. Individuals are advised to conserve water and reduce water-reliant activities to mitigate the effects of the drought.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) is urging regional governments to come up with comprehensive contingency plans and has already initiated mapping of drought-prone areas. The West Java government has declared an emergency status, which allows them to allocate more resources to mitigate the drought and seek assistance from the central government.
However, environmental engineering expert Firdaus Ali from the University of Indonesia emphasizes that a more strategic long-term solution is needed. He suggests the construction of more dams and reservoirs to store water during the rainy season and redistribute it during droughts. Currently, Indonesia has only 235 dams, while ideally, it should have at least 4,000.
Addressing this water crisis will require significant investment, but experts believe it is necessary for the country’s water supply, flood control, and overall sustainability. As the dry season is expected to peak between August and September and last until early next year, urgent action and preparedness are critical to mitigate the impact on millions of Indonesians.
