TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Bantul Regency's Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) said that 48 hamlets in the area is at risk of a severe water shortage as the dry season nears its' peak.
"The location of drought prone areas in Bantul are more or less consistent with the areas marked in 2014 - and we predict that at least 48 hamletsnwill be affected," said the Head of Bantul's BPBD, Dwi Daryanto in Bantul on Thursday, July 23, 2015.
According to Dwi, the hamlets affected are spread across several districts near the hills of Bantul, such as Dlingo, Imogiri, Pajangan, and parts of Piyungan, Pleret, Pandak, and Kasihan.
Although drought is often reported across Bantul, Dwi said that Bantul's BPBD has yet to receive any request for emergency clean water aid since June. "We are prepared to dispatch water aid - but to date, we have yet to receive wuch request," he said.
According to Dwi, as predicted by Jogjakarta's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the peak of the dry season in Jogjakarta is expected to fall between the months of August and September. "The dry season is somewhat longer this season, because a light El-Nino current is in effect," he said.
"That said, this will make the issue of water scarcity more apparent in drought-prone areas," he continued.
As a result, BPBD is advising residents - especially those who lives on the hills - to be more aware of the weather pattern, and conserve water. "If residents could conserve water, the springs in the area could still meet their needs," said Dwi.
"We could dispatch emergency water aids, but this is not a sustainable, long-term solution to a perennial problem," finished Dwi.
ANTARA
