TEMPO.CO, Tangerang - Head of the Ciliwung Cisadane River Basin Management Authority (BBWSCC) Bambang Heri Mulyono said that the surface water level of Cisadane River decreases by around 50 percent, affecting agricultural activities and clean water production by a number of companies.

“The drop in the water level is quite large, which is certainly below 50 percent,” Bambang told Tempo on Monday, July 24, 2023.

He explained that land subsidence occurred not only because of the leaking of several watergates but also hydrological factors, such as the dry season. More than half of the water level is now below normal in the river upstream.

“It's not just because of the leaky sluice gate, but the water from upstream has lowered,” Bambang said.

As previously reported, the Cisadane Water Gate 10 was broken, hampering the supply of clean water to the community. As many as 56,000 customers of Tangerang-owned tap water company PDAM Tirta Kerta Raharja (TKR) are facing a clean water crisis.

Bambang said he would check the damage to the sluice gate and the volume of water supplied to PDAM today. Meanwhile, the Tangerang Regency Government was mapping the impact of the river drought caused by the broken water gate.

“We are still waiting for reports from farmer groups and PDAM which are directly affected by the damage to the Water Gate 10,” Tangerang Regency Water Resources Agency Head Iwan Firmansyah said.

Iwan claimed the northern area of Tangerang often experiences a water crisis during the dry season. However, it is still unknown whether or not the broken Cisadane Water Gate 10 exacerbates the crisis as he is still waiting for the reports.

JONIANSYAH

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