Prabowo Subianto, the Indonesian Minister of Defense, recently oversaw the installation of clean water pipes in Kalurahan Banyusoco, Playen, Gunungkidul, Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY). The initiative, a collaboration between the Ministry of Defense (Kemhan) and the Defense University (Unhan) of Indonesia, aims to address the clean water crisis faced by local communities in the region.
Gunungkidul has been grappling with water scarcity and access challenges, particularly during the dry season. The clean water pipes will not only provide much-needed water for daily use but also aid in agricultural irrigation. According to the Rector of Unhan RI, Jonni Mahroza, this support can potentially allow the Gunungkidul community to increase their harvest frequency to up to three times a year.
The water flow from the clean water pipes is estimated to be around 15 liters per second, sufficient to cater to all 82 tanks in the area. Previously, the local community could only manage to harvest once a year, but with this intervention, they can now triple their harvest frequency.
The clean water source in Kalurahan Banyusoco originates from a cave in the vicinity, with ongoing efforts to develop 16 water source points that can irrigate approximately 7,400 hectares of agricultural land. Each cave water source has the capacity to irrigate varying amounts of land, ranging from 1,000 to 200 hectares.
This is not the first time Minister Prabowo has been involved in such projects. In August 2023, he inaugurated 11 clean water source points in Gunungkidul and Bantul, Central Java. Across Indonesia, the Unhan RI Water Task Force has identified and constructed clean water facilities at over 130 locations in regions like West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), West Java, Southwest Maluku, and Banten.
The inauguration event was attended by various officials from the TNI and Unhan, including Vice-Rector I for Academic and Planning of Unhan RI, Laksda TNI Agus Adriyanto, Military Commander V/DIP Mayjen TNI Deddy Suryadi, Military District Commander 072/Pamungkas Brigjen TNI Zaenul Bahar, and Permanent Lecturer at Unhan RI Marsma TNI E. Soni Astaryadi.
