Conducting Post-Disaster Recovery Efforts, ITB Drills Wells near Health Facilities
By Adi Permana
Editor Adi Permana
BANDUNG, itb.ac.id – Post-Lombok earthquake disaster recovery efforts are still ongoing. Among the efforts is the clearing of debris in several affected regions, restoration of community housing, and construction of vital infrastructure for clean water and sanitary needs to help revive Lombok.
On Thursday (6/9/2018), ITB’s task force had a coordination meeting at CRCS Building which was attended by Centers and Research Centers in ITB. The meeting was attended by Research Center for Disaster Mitigation, Research Center for Infrastructure and Regional, Research Center for Tourism Planning and Development (P2PAR), and Regional and Urban Infrastructure System Research Group.
According to data by National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), several villages has not received clean water access, including on areas near health facilities such as Community Health Centers (Puskesmas) and health posts. 11 health facilities will be built by BNPB, they are RSUD Tanjung, 8 Puskesmas in North Lombok and 2 Puskesmas in East Lombok.
“Distribution of clean water is conducted because several places in Sokong village reported to Orari that they did not get clean water access yet. In Kuripan village, West Lombok there are 123 family that already got water tanks but not yet the water itself because the place is not reachable by tank truck,” said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, Head of Information Data Center and Public Relation of BNPB.
Several times ago, ITB’s task force conducted survey of clean water facilities in Lombok. The result is that most likely 95% of wells in North Lombok get “sanding”. The condition of sand that comes up to the surface cause submersible pump to stuck because of sand abrasion so that drilling is necessary to get water.
“Hopefully ITB with LPPM-ITB will drill more wells,” said Dr. Bagus Endar (5/9/2018). Wells are planned to be drilled on locations near health facilities that BNPB will build.
The next drilling will be carried out on Puskesmas in Stangi Malaka village, Pemenang district, North Lombok. The exact position on the GPS is X 394397, Y 9065511, Z 33 with drill depth 20 to 30 meter and water table 9 meter. It is estimated that from this point, fresh water can be obtained with pH 7.43.
The first well was drilled on a shelter in Sigar Penjalin village, Tanjung district, North Lombok. This time, ITB’s task force considered the estimated time to deliver drilling tools, which previously took 2 days due to the overload of cargo for victims of Lombok earthquake.
“Drilling was conducted near health facilities so that when the evacuees has returned home, the water source can be utilized by Puskesmas,” Bagus concluded.
