By Hasan Zainuddin
Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan ( Antaranews ) - Banjarmasin Government owned water company PDAM Bandarmasih soon will build a giant embung or dam in the area of ​​Tabuk River to store water to be processed into clean water.
"In 2015 we will start to build the dam. If only rely on the river water it seems would not be enough anymore," said President Director of PDAM Bandarmasih Ir Muslih to Antaranews here on Saturday .
According to Muslih, the company already mastered about 25 hectares of land in Sungai Tabuk, Banjar District, close to the raw water intake for the company, and land will be added later up to 50 hectares for various maintenance purposes. He hopes the land owners from local residents willing to sell to the company.
Making these embungs as the location of raw water supply in the dry season, because the estimated water discharge
from Martapura River which has been the mainstay of the raw water source will continue to decrease. As sea water intrusion into the river is increasing, it will be difficult to process river water into clean water.
The reduced water flow of Martapura River due to catchment area upstream as Meratus Mountains have been damaged, after the exploitation of the forests in the region. Therefore, the taps must anticipate the scarcity of the raw water reservoir by building embung which estimated to cost no less.
"Especially rubber resistance will be made near the dam to prevent the entry of sea water intrusion, the additional cost would be big enough," he explained.
Construction of embung is to maintain water service to the people who are now approaching one hundred percent for urban, or about 1,700 liters per second, said Muslih.
