We require water reservoirs, so that during the rainy season, the abundant water supply can be stored for use during the dry season
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The government has targeted to complete the construction of eight dams under the National Strategic Program in 2020 at several food production centers, the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry stated.

Indonesia has high water potential of 2.7 trillion cubic meters annually, of which 691 billion cubic meters are usable yearly, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono noted in a statement here on Thursday.

However, only 222 billion cubic meters have been utilized for various purposes, including household, animal husbandry, fishery, and irrigation.

"We require water reservoirs, so that during the rainy season, the abundant water supply can be stored for use during the dry season. That is the function of the dams as water reservoirs," Hadimuljono stated.

The eight dams are Paselloreng in South Sulawesi; Ladongi in Southeast Sulawesi; Tapin in South Kalimantan; Way Sekampung in Lampung; Kuningan in West Java; and three dams in East Java: Bendo in Ponorogo, Tukul in Pacitan, and Gongseng in Bojonegoro.

The completion of construction of the eight dams will add 408.89 million cubic meters of water to the national reservoir.

The work to construct the Paselloreng dam by PT Wijaya Karya and PT Bumi Karsa, at a total cost of Rp753.4 billion, is 100 percent complete. The 1,892-hectare dam has a capacity to hold 138 million cubic meters to irrigate 8,510 hectares of paddy fields.

The construction of Tukul dam has reached 76.2 percent completion, with a capacity of 8.68 million cubic meters to irrigate 600 hectares of paddy fields and supply 300 liters per second of raw water.

The construction of Bendo and Gongseng dams, of capacity 43.11 million cubic meters and 22.43 million cubic meters, has reached 70.97 percent and 76.03 percent completion respectively.

Ladongi Dam, with a capacity of 45.94 million cubic meters, is expected to irrigate 3,604 hectares of paddy fields. Construction of the dam has reached 71.22 percent completion.

Tapin Dam in South Kalimantan will has a capacity of 56.77 cubic meters and its construction has reached 95 percent completion to irrigate 5,472 hectares of paddy fields.

The work to construct the Way Sekampung Dam in Lampung and Kuningan Dam in West Java has respectively reached 84.50 percent and 97.5 percent completion. Related news: President pledges to construct 13 more dams in NTT: Deputy Governor

Related news: Governor confirms construction ongoing for two flood-control dams


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Translator: M Razi Rahman, Sri Haryati
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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