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ID
ACTNews, BEKASI
– Despite the rich marine potential, the coastal area of Bekasi has to deal
with various environmental problems from rising sea level, land subsidence, and the potential sinking caused by global warming. Yet, there’s another problem that
has greatly affected the lives of the locals: the water crisis.
The report of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on August 9, 2021, as reported
by Kompas.id, stated that climate change is out of control. The IPCC warns that the water crisis is one of the potential threats caused by climate change.
A resident of
Sisik Sangkal Hamlet in Samudrajaya Village of Bekasi, Isah (60), revealed that
she had experienced a clean water crisis that occurs during both dry and rainy
season since she first moved there.
To this day, Isah
said, more than 100 families in the village can only rely on a pond that serves
as the only clean water source in the village.
"I usually
take water from the pond twice, every morning and evening. I take two jerry
cans of water in one go, but I have to queue especially during the dry season. The dry season makes things harder,” said Isah.
During the rainy
season when the water in the river becomes clearer, some residents also take
water from the river for bathing and washing. During the dry season, the water
becomes murky and salty.
“Every other day,
we buy clean water for cooking. Once we tried to build a borehole well. It came
to no fruition because we didn’t dig it deep enough. The water was salty,” she
said.
People in other
villages also experience clean water scarcity. Santi, a housewife in Sukaduri
Village said there was only one water well in her village, but the water pump needs
repairs. The water crisis is exacerbated when the dry season arrives.
"We have to
stand in line and take the water manually. From morning to evening, around 50
families in the village use this well. When the water in the river becomes
clearer in the rainy season, many also take water from the river for bathing and
washing instead of having to queue at the well,” she said.
Santi said that
she had experienced the water crisis since she was little. Clean water has been a
luxury for the residents of Bekasi’s. Both in Sisik Sangkal Village and
Sukaduri Village, most of the residents work as fishermen, earning only IDR 1
million to 2 million at most. Their daily expenses include buying clean water
for consumption.
"At times, we
come home without having any money. But most of us here work as fishermen. Some
are odd jobbers,” said Dwi, one of the residents.
World's top five risks
The clean water crisis
in the coastal area of Bekasi is only a small fraction compared to the water
crisis worldwide. But, for the local residents, this is a dire problem because
it affects their health if not solved.
"Of course
this is very dangerous for the health and lives of residents in Tarumajaya,
Bekasi. We humanitarian agencies see it from a humanitarian perspective. This
is a serious problem that must be resolved. How long will the residents of the
Bekasi coast have to deal with the clean water crisis? This concerns the life of
the local residents,” said Aksi Cepat Tanggap (ACT) Bekasi Branch Manager Rizky
Renanda.
According to a
report by the World Economic Forum (WEF), from 2012 to 2021, the clean water crisis
has become among the top five global risks. According to a previous report taken from
2007 to 2011, it was not yet a major concern. This indicates that the water crisis
has become widespread and become one of the prevalent problems globally.
Climate change seems
to exacerbate the water crisis in Bekasi. In addition, it is partly caused by
its geographical location.
According to
calculations by the World Resource Institute (WRI) as quoted from Kompas.id,
Indonesia is one of the countries facing a high risk of water scarcity in 2040
through the calculation of water stress projections. Indonesia has a score of
3.26 and is ranked 51st as the country with the highest water scarcity due to
various factors, from population growth, geographical conditions, and natural
changes.[]
