The Effects of the Indonesian Water Crisis on Rural Populations

Faculty Mentor

Richard Orndorff

Document Type

Poster

Start Date

10-5-2023 11:15 AM

End Date

10-5-2023 1:00 PM

Location

PUB NCR

Department

Environmental Science

Abstract

Indonesia, a vast country with 6,000 inhabited islands, has had a long history with water scarcity and pollution among both urban and rural populations. The issues facing urban water systems stem from pollution, aquifer over-extraction, and fragmented water management and coordination. Responses to the water crises are already in motion in urban areas, yet populations that rely on self-supplied water are facing a crisis of their own. At least 33% of the population of Indonesia relies on self-supplied drinking water, primarily from wells and rain catchment systems. While some regions have high aquifer productivity, pollution of unconfined aquifers, drawdown and subsidence, saline intrusion, and decreasing recharge rates all pose serious threats. Decreasing recharge rates and the issues facing rain catchment dependency stem from the same source: climate change. Climate change has produced rising sea levels and a 12% decline in precipitation during the dry season. Water catchment systems and wells are becoming less reliable, which increases the frequency and intensity of drought, especially during El Nino years. Freshwater resources on all island nations in the region are especially vulnerable to precipitation variability because many rely on rainwater collection for their supply of fresh water in these semi-arid environments. Drinking water is not the only factor that is vulnerable to these threats; agriculture, rivers, forests, coastal ecosystems, disease and human health, tourism and national security are impacted as well. The outlook for water resources in Indonesia is grim, so innovation, sustainable plans and better education surrounding self-supplied drinking water are necessary to help mitigate the current water crisis.

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May 10th, 11:15 AM May 10th, 1:00 PM

The Effects of the Indonesian Water Crisis on Rural Populations

PUB NCR

Indonesia, a vast country with 6,000 inhabited islands, has had a long history with water scarcity and pollution among both urban and rural populations. The issues facing urban water systems stem from pollution, aquifer over-extraction, and fragmented water management and coordination. Responses to the water crises are already in motion in urban areas, yet populations that rely on self-supplied water are facing a crisis of their own. At least 33% of the population of Indonesia relies on self-supplied drinking water, primarily from wells and rain catchment systems. While some regions have high aquifer productivity, pollution of unconfined aquifers, drawdown and subsidence, saline intrusion, and decreasing recharge rates all pose serious threats. Decreasing recharge rates and the issues facing rain catchment dependency stem from the same source: climate change. Climate change has produced rising sea levels and a 12% decline in precipitation during the dry season. Water catchment systems and wells are becoming less reliable, which increases the frequency and intensity of drought, especially during El Nino years. Freshwater resources on all island nations in the region are especially vulnerable to precipitation variability because many rely on rainwater collection for their supply of fresh water in these semi-arid environments. Drinking water is not the only factor that is vulnerable to these threats; agriculture, rivers, forests, coastal ecosystems, disease and human health, tourism and national security are impacted as well. The outlook for water resources in Indonesia is grim, so innovation, sustainable plans and better education surrounding self-supplied drinking water are necessary to help mitigate the current water crisis.