Water Crisis in Batam, BMKG Predicts Rainfall Will Be Normal On Upcoming May

TRIBUNBATAM.id - Entering February and March 2020 is a time of low rainfall.

Head of Data and Information Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG) Meteorological Station Hang Nadim Suratman explained, the slight rainfall did not only occur this year.

"Based on BMKG chart records, since the period from 1995 to 2018, February and March the rainfall is the least," Suratman said, Friday (3/3/2020) afternoon.

This is due to the direction of prevailing winds.

Wind direction pattern according to BMKG measurement tools, blowing from northeast to south.

So that evaporation is higher.

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"There is rainfall, but it's unlikely. It's only normal to enter May, "he said.

As is known, as the release of water company PT Adhya Tirta Batam (ATB), Dam Duriangkang which is a source of raw water for Batam City has shrunk.

Therefore, PT ATB imposed Duriangkang Reservoir raw water abstraction through 3 Water Treatment Plants (IPA).

Among Duriangkang WTP, with capacity of 2,200 liters per second, Tanjungpiayu WTP with capacity of 200 liters per second.

As of 5th March 2020, the depletion raw water volume in Duriangkang Reservoir has reached minus 3.06 meters from overflow building surface.

The government (BP Batam) has decided to ration in Duriangkang reservoir.

"This step will begin to be carried out on the second week of March 2020, with scenario 2-5.

This means that operations in Duriangkang reservoir will stop for 2 days, and will run as usual for 5 days a week," explained ATB Head of Corporate Secretary, Maria Jacobus.

The rotation program will affect around 228,900 customers served through the reservoir.

Not only does it affect 196,000 domestic customers, supply rotation will also affect 2,900 industrial customers and 30 thousand commercial customers.

Areas that will be affected by rotation include Tanjungpiayu, Mukakuning, Sagulung, Batuaji, Tanjunguncang, Marina, Batam Center, Nagoya, Dating, Bengkong, Batuampar, Kabil, Punggur and its surroundings.

Customer will experience supply recovery after Water Treatment Plant (IPA) resumes.

The time needed to restore the post-rotation water supply depends very much on consumer behavior.

ATB hopes that consumers in upstream area (adjacent to Water Treatment Plant) are more tolerant, so that users who are at the end of pipe or high places can immediately get water flow after the rotation is complete. (tribunbatam.id/leo halawa)

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