The Team of LPPM ITB Helps Tackle Surface Water Crisis in Cinangsi Village, Cianjur
CIANJUR, itb.ac.id – Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), through the Institute for Research and Community Services or Lembaga Penelitian dan Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat (LPPM), is aiding in addressing the challenge of surface water access in Cinangsi Village, Cikalongkulon, Cianjur. This village is one of ITB’s fostered villages, located within the Citarum Watershed. Various efforts have been undertaken by ITB in response to the Citarum Harum Program which was initiated in 2018, including efforts in the clean water sector.
Cinangsi Village primarily relies on surface water from irrigation runoff. The water supply fluctuates with the rice planting season. During the rice planting season, surface water is abundant, but it significantly decreases during the dry season, which doesn't align with the rice planting season. Under these circumstances, the villagers are compelled to use river water.
To address the limited surface water problem, ITB's community service team led by Dr. Eng. Arno Adi Kuntoro, S.T., M.T., and including team members Dimas Putra Wahyudi (15820010), Hasna Amalliya (15721037), Emilliana Khairiah (15721029), and Farhan Setiawan (15721007), has constructed a drilled well. The team involves three students of Environmental Infrastructure Engineering and a student of Water Resource Engineering and Management to test the groundwater sample.
"Based on geoelectrical interpretation conducted in the middle of July, the groundwater potential in this village is at a depth of 75 meters. However, during the drilling process, we found an adequate water supply at a depth of 50 meters, and the drilling was halted at a depth of 56 meters. The drilling took place in August 2023," explained the lecturer from the Water Resource Engineering Research Group.
The drilled well uses a submersible pump. Groundwater was chosen due to its reliability, especially during the dry season, compared to shallow wells or water from irrigation runoff.
"The produced water has a substantial flow rate and is clear. It takes about a week to ensure that the well water is tasteless, which is still within reasonable limits," shared Farhan Setiawan. This program is integrated with other community services, such as the establishment of sanitation infrastructure. The plan includes the construction of a water tower on top of the MCK building in the same place. Groundwater will be pumped and automatically stored in the 1000-liter water tower. The community services have been ongoing since July 2023 and are expected to conclude before the new year.
Dr. Arno Adi Kuntoro hopes that the provided water resource can meet the needs of 49 families in Cinangsi Village.
"Hopefully, the operation and maintenance of this drilled well is continuous, as it has been entrusted to the Nurul Ihsan Islamic Boarding School Management. This community service represents a contribution from ITB towards the establishment of basic infrastructure, which cannot always be independently provided by the local community," he added.
Reporter: Maharani Rachmawati Purnomo (Oceanography, 2020)
Translator: Hanifa Juliana (Urban and Regional Planning, 2020)
Editor: Ayesha Lativa Mafaza (Postharvest Technology, 2021)
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