Indonesia faces water security risks and land subsidence threats

Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, the Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, has issued a warning regarding Indonesia’s water security and the rising risk of land subsidence. Currently, approximately 70% of domestic clean water needs and 90% of industrial water requirements rely on groundwater. This high dependency threatens to worsen land subsidence, particularly in the northern coast of Java (Pantura). The Minister noted that building coastal embankments is not a sustainable long-term solution if the land continues to sink.

Environmental challenges are further compounded by the El Nino phenomenon, which has caused 36% of dams in Java to face water deficits, affecting 62 out of 119 regencies and cities on the island. Additionally, small inhabited islands face severe water scarcity, with only about 5.64% having access to a Water Supply System (SPAM), leading to water prices three to five times higher than the national average.

To address these issues, the government aims to improve groundwater management through stricter licensing and data integration. Currently, data regarding rivers, weather, and groundwater are managed separately by different ministries. The Minister emphasized the need for integrated data and the implementation of smart water management technology to provide clearer policy recommendations to the President.