USAID IUWASH PLUS and USAID APIK projects presented the results of Binangun spring vulnerability and action plan (KKMA) as well as Tlogorejo infiltration ponds to the Mayor of Batu City during the coffee morning event held by the city government in Batu City on July 1, 2019.
Present in the coffee morning event were the Mayor of Batu City, Dewanti Rumpoko, Vice Mayor, Punjul Santoso, the heads of local government working units, heads of sub-districts, USAID IUWASH PLUS, and USAID APIK.
During the meeting, USAID IUWASH PLUS and USAID APIK shared information on the KKMA (Kajian Kerentanan Mata Air dan Rencana Aksi/Spring vulnerability assessment and action plan) results and the recommendations for Binangun spring. The KKMA indicated decreasing groundwater debit in the whole of Batu City of about 30 to 45 percent, and estimated the Binangun spring decreased from 300 liters per second to 230 liters per second.
KKMA recommends three activities to restore the quality and quantity of Binangun spring, including the construction, promotion, and regulation enforcement of infiltration ponds and septic tanks. All of these endeavors will require approximately Rp12.7 billion.
This presentation received positive responses from the Mayor. She instructed all relevant heads of local government working units to optimize their programs by adopting KKMA recommendations.
The district environmental office will also optimize their APBD (local government budget) spent for building infiltration ponds and monitoring water quality and quantity as recommended by the KKMA. Currently, this office has budgeted for 20 infiltration ponds per year).
“Binangun spring vulnerability and action plan is a great study and can be used as a main reference for other springs in Batu City.” said the Mayor after receiving the KKMA documents symbolically.
Bappelitbangda (the regional development planning and research agency) of Batu City will also support the local government working units to include the KKMA recommendations into their work plans. The program for protecting Binangun spring will also be synergized with Batu City’s SABER PUNGLI (Sapu Bersih Nyemplung Kali/river cleaning) program.
