What I meant by save yield is that we utilize groundwater through conjunctive useJakarta (ANTARA) - Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono encouraged all stakeholders to improve their knowledge of water resource management, specifically of groundwater, by prioritizing a scientific approach.
Through a written statement on Wednesday, the minister explained that groundwater is a precious water resource as compared to surface water since refilling groundwater takes a long period of time.
To this end, he pressed for utilizing groundwater optimally by referring to the save yield principle.
"What I meant by save yield is that we utilize groundwater through conjunctive use," he noted.
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As mandated by Law No. 17 of 2019 on Water Resource, water resource management is conducted based on the river area by considering the relation between surface water and groundwater use by prioritizing surface water utilization.
While the natural potential of water resources in Indonesia, both for groundwater and surface water, is quite large, sound management is nonetheless necessary to avoid a clean water crisis.
"Hence, we need to balance the exploration of groundwater with surface water for its utilization in order to prevent degradation or at least to extend the groundwater age," the minister explained.
Water resource management cannot be conducted by one sector only. Collaboration between stakeholders, whether they are the public, the government, businessmen, academicians, researchers, and water profession organizations, is of utmost importance.
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This collaboration can offer a real solution for all groundwater issues in Indonesia to support groundwater continuity in future.
Hadimuljono highlighted three areas of focus according to his notes.
The first relates to conservation of the recharge area, while the second pertains to save yield for policies and their implementation, and the third involves groundwater exploration wherever it can be conducted.
He also pressed for cautiousness in building infiltration wells to maintain the quality of ground water.
Creating infiltration wells has to take into account the water table or groundwater level, so that the water absorbed from the surface will not pollute the groundwater.
"I also want to bring up the special theme of groundwater at the World Water Forum in Bali in 2024, as groundwater utilization has been conducted in a scientific manner in other nations," he remarked.
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Translator: Aji Cakti, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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