We have to build more dams and manage existing dams more efficientlyJakarta (ANTARA) - Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Minister Basuki Hadimuljono drew attention to the threat of a global water crisis during the 27th Congress of International Commission On Large Dams (ICOLD) in Marseille, France.
The annual ICOLD congress and meeting is a routine agenda from the international dam community that discusses the issue of large dam development and management held from May 30 to June 1, 2022.
In his statement on Monday, the minister explained that water crisis is currently a global challenge that comes along with the rising demand for water due to rapid urbanization, economic growth, COVID-19 pandemic, and climate change.
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According to the OECD study, the global water demand will rise by 55 percent until 2050, especially due to population and industrial growth. To this end, effective water management is deemed necessary.
"We have to build more dams and manage existing dams more efficiently," he noted.
"Since 2015, Indonesia has built 61 new dams and optimized 231 existing dams or reservoirs to increase water availability to support agriculture, industry, tourism, cities, domestic demand, and other activities," he stated.
To bolster flood retention capacity during the rainy season, the PUPR Ministry will add floodgates on 21 new dams and 24 dams currently being constructed, he remarked.
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Moreover, to maintain water balance in the river area, interconnection facilities between dams has and will continue to be built.
"With the advanced development of information technology, we are capable of utilizing artificial intelligence and latest information technology to manage and operate the reservoir effectively," Hadimuljono noted.
"For instance, to obtain a more accurate hydrology parameter and to reduce disaster risk, we conduct damn inflow estimation modeling," he stated.
The minister urged all parties to pay greater attention to the issue of dam safety, such as dam repair works, dam instrumentation rehabilitation, and reservoir operation pattern adjustment.
Moreover, he expects that this year's ICOLD meeting can support knowledge exchange on dam construction and advancement across the world as well as produce several new ideas or breakthroughs in dam construction.
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Translator: Indra Arief P, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
