Some 400 families living in Ciangir village, Legok district, face difficulties in getting enough clean water from the existing wells in the area as the particularly arid dry season continues.
To meet their daily needs, the residents are forced to walk more than two-kilometers to the nearest wells.
"We have to walk a long way and line up for hours just to get a jerrycan of water. The water is not clean but we have no choice," Asminah, 40, a resident of Ciangir, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.
Suherdi, head of the Ciangir village said the village faces the problem every dry season.
"To fulfil our daily needs, residents who have money buy water in gallons at water refill kiosks. But to have enough to drink, cook with, bathe in and do the washing, they have to use the water wisely," he said.
He said that although water shortages have been a big problem in the village for a long time, the Tangerang administration has failed to help them.
"We experience water shortages every year. We hope that the authorities will install clean water infrastructure for us locals as compensation for the use of our land for a rubbish tip," he said.
Several neighboring villages, including some in Curug and Panongan districts, are dealing with the same problem.
Siswati, a resident of Serdang village in Panongan, said that she and her neighbors have been forced to buy water since June, when their local well dried up.
Some residents in the village have tried to dig deeper, up to 100 meters, but with no luck.
Zamil, a residents of Mekar Jaya village in Curug, pointed out that live stock raised in the area are too suffering from the shortage.
"You can see that there is no more green pasture for our cattle. People will find it difficult to feed their cows, buffalos and goats," he said, adding that he hopes the rains will come soon. Multa Fidrus
Post Date : 31 Agustus 2009
|
