Geologist: Ground Water Levels in Yogyakarta Continue to Decrease

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Disaster mitigation researcher and geologist from the National Development University, Yogyakarta, Eko Teguh Paripurno accused the uncontrolled hotel construction in the city as the cause of the continuous decrease in ground water level. His research shows that the ground water levels decrease 15 to 50 centimeters per year.

Referring to a study done in 2006, Eko is convince that the condition has been worse instead of improving. The decrease is bad for water availability in Yogyakarta.

“People in Yogyakarta are forced to buy water because of water condition that keep deteriorating in Yogyakarta,” Eko said during the discussion entitled “Hotel Construction in Yogyakarta and The Risks On Economy, Social, and Culture in Yogayakarta on Thursday.

He said that some five-star hotels are sucking water inconsiderably that disrupts water availability for local residents. He also said that the hotels have been drilling the ground and ‘stealing’ the water from residents’ wells. The hotels also put no measures on the amount of water they are taking, despite of the availability of such technology.

“Such technology is cheap. Investments should be truthful, not causing harm to the others,” said Eko.

Regarding this matter, Istijab, the Chairman of Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants Entrepreneurs (PHRI) said that hotels could not rely solely on the supply from the state water supply company. Therefore, they have to drill their own wells. However, Istijab insisted that the wells made by the hotels are not affecting wells owned by surrounding residents.

“Because the hotels drill the deep water wells, so that they wont affect shallow-water wells of the surrounding residents,” Istijab explained.

Data from PHRI shows that there are currently 68 five-star hotels and 1,010 regular hotels. As many as 110 more hotels are applying permits for constructions.

SHINTA MAHARANI