Batulicin, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - The Public Works and Spatial Planning (PUPR) Office of Tanah Bumbu, South Kalimantan, is building a retention basin (locally called embung) with a capacity of 60,000 cubic in Kusan Tengah Sub-district, to supply government's tap water company PDAM Bersujud.
"In addition, it will also be used to irrigate rice fields in Batulicin Sub-district and Kusan Tengah Sub-district," said Head of Water Resources of the PUPR M Hairil Bakri in Batulicin, Thursday.
The reservoir which covers an area of 15 hectares is constructed with a budget of Rp19 billion sourced from Tanah Bumbu APBD (regional budget).
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He said the work uses a multiyears system and is targeted for completion by the end of this year.
In 2023, the work beginning with embung excavation and this year is construction of spill way and continuation of excavation work.
"The first stage will be used for agriculture. It is now entering flow normalization to rice fields," Hairil expounded.
The rice fields to be irrigated are estimated to reach 1,000 hectares and 240 hectares are already functional or cultivated by farmers.
"We continue to strive to accelerate infrastructure development to spur economic growth in "Bumi Bersujud" (Tanah Bumbu's nickname), one of which is building a reservoir to meet the availability of water for rice fields and PDAM," he said.
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