El Nino Impact to Clean Water: Thirsty Days in Kampung Kurnia Mataram
Living in Kampung Kurnia Mataram, Seputihmataram Subdistrict, Central Lampung Regency, isn’t a breeze these days. The folks here are facing a shortage of clean water, courtesy of the El Nino phenomenon. The water level in the residents’ wells has dramatically dropped, forcing them to run their water pumps for hours just to draw water from the wells.
Sahrul Antoni’s Clean Water Woes
Sahrul Antoni, a resident of Kampung Kurnia Mataram, Seputihmataram, sheds light on the situation. For the past month, the water scarcity has been a persistent issue due to the dry spell, with no rain in sight. Daily water consumption remains constant, but the wells are struggling to keep up.
“For the past month, we’ve been running short on clean water because of the dry spell. There’s been no rain. And, you know, we use clean water every day,” says Toni, as he’s affectionately called, on Monday, October 16, 2023.
In the last month, the water tank at his home has never been filled to the brim. His water pump has to be running continuously for hours, up to five times a day – a situation unheard of until recently.
“The water tank never fills up no matter how many times a day we run the pump. Three hours of dawntime activation yields only 15 minutes of actual water flow and a minimal amount of filling. Then, between the hours of 11 am and 2 pm, it only trickles for a total of five minutes. Once again, it’s a five-minute trickle from 5 p.m. until after Maghrib. We switch it on again at 11 at night and get the same effect. And every night at one o’clock, it plays again. There is a growing water shortage in this area,” he explains.
Call for Government Action
Toni urges the government to take preemptive measures, considering the impact of the El Nino phenomenon in Seputihmataram. It’s not just his area; several neighborhoods in other villages within the same subdistrict are grappling with a shortage of clean water.
Agus Echoes the Concerns
Agus, another resident in Seputihmataram Subdistrict, echoes similar concerns. The scarcity of clean water is becoming a widespread issue in the community. He urges the local government to proactively address the situation, especially if the El Nino phenomenon is expected to persist.
“Because we don’t use drilled wells and instead rely on old-fashioned wells, we’re starting to run out of potable water. We can only hope that the administration will act swiftly to take preventative steps. I’ve heard that clean water is being distributed in some parts of Central Lampung,” he states.
