TEMPO.CO, Yogyakarta - The Yogyakarta Disaser Mitigation Agency (BPPD) instructed local residents to be careful in consuming water from wells after the Mount Kelud eruption last Friday. "There are reports of volcanic ash pollution in the wells. We ask them to check the water before consuming and report to the Environment Agency [BLH] to ensure its cleanliness," Yogyakarta BPPD chief Agus Winarto told Tempo yesterday.
The Yogyakarta BLH confirmed the pollution. "Since the eruption on Friday, there have been reports of polluted wells," Yogyakarta BLH's environmental recovery chief Peter Lawoasal.
Peter said that there are more than 15,000 wells in Yogyakarta, and 30 percent of them are open wells with higher potential of volcanic ash pollution. "We want all open well owners to ensure the cleanliness of the water," he said.
The Kelud volcanic ash, which contains metal elements such as silica and iron, is dangerous if it is swallowed. The BLH has prepared several steps to neutralize the polluted water. "We have prepared alums and limestone to neutralize [the pollution]," Peter said.
PRIBADI WICAKSONO
