Indonesia: Water supply in Wonogiri cut off due to drought

Ganug Nugroho Adi The Jakarta Post 25 Sep 17;

The prolonged dry season has caused the Gajah Mungkur reservoir in Wonogiri, Central Java, to dry up, halting supply to local water company PDAM Giri Tirta Sari. As a result, the company cut off residents' water supply on Monday.

According to data supplied by state-owned water supplier Jasa Tirta I Bengawan Solo region, water levels at the reservoir have dropped by an average of 10 centimeters a day.

“We have no option other but to cut off the water supply to residents in some areas in Wonogiri city,” PDAM Giri Tirta Sari Wonogiri head Sumarjo said on Monday.

Read also: Drought hits farmers, food supply

Erwando Rahmadi, the water service and resources division head at Jasa Tirta I Bengawan Solo region, said the situation also affected operations at the Wonogiri hydropower plant (PLTA).

As a result, electricity to residents in Wonogiri has been partly supplied from Surakarta.

Jasa Tirta sub-divison head Hendrawan Cahyo Nugroho said the remaining water at the reservoir could only be channeled to an irrigation facility to help provide water to agricultural areas in Sukoharjo, Klaten, Karanganyar, Sragen and Ngawi. (bbs)