Stories from the field Author: Nyoman Prayoga Comments
ASIA: Indonesia

It is believed that the impact of climate change on water supply will be one of the greatest challenges for cities in this era. Water is indispensible in our lives. It is the ultimate common commodity. It is central to human development, and indeed, for urban life on many scales. However, urban water management can be a risky business. Mismanagement of this crucial necessity can threaten human activities, and even more so under climate change circumstances.

Based on findings in many places, some cities in the past, like Jakarta, Mumbai, and Bangkok, have been paralyzed by flooding due to prolonged heavy rainfall. On the other hand, severe droughts in parts of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia have caused some farmers to leave their fields and rice paddies unplanted in 2015. It is quite fair to say that many cities are searching for ways to face the complexity of water problems that are exacerbated by climate change. The challenges include the rise in sea level that may cause salination of water supplies, extreme weather events which are related to greater rainfall or more severe droughts, water scarcity, and water quality issues. Climate change could also threaten food security as demand for water may intensify in these situations.

Many cities need to adapt to climate change impacts to protect the lives and livelihoods of millions of their citizens. Building urban water resilience is needed. Though the water sector is primarily the responsibility of the government, more stakeholders are needed to collaborate in creating robustness. By identifying and understanding the available water resources, the gap between human needs and nature’s capacity to meet them, everyone may come together to find solutions that result in sustainable development.

Arup, in its publication titled Water Resilience for Cities, mentioned several things to consider regarding challenges surrounding urban water resources. It is crucial that water resource management ensures an increase in water storage capacity, combats salination, manages water demand, and improves river basin management. The other crucial thing in improving urban water resilience is to improve the city’s ability in flood and water management through improving drainage its system, harvesting rainwater and recharging groundwater.

According to the lessons learned by the ACCCRN programme in Indonesia, there are several approaches to climate change adaptation that are related to building urban resilience in the water sector. These include projects such as increasing the water supply in cities that are experiencing drought or water scarcity based on their vulnerability assessment. Some cities in Indonesia, such as Semarang and Cirebon, have implemented the practice of rainwater harvesting under the ACCCRN programme. Rainwater harvesting means collecting rainwater that can be stored for direct use. The system comprises components of various stages: transporting rainwater through pipes or drains, filtration, and storage in tanks for reuse or recharge. It is mostly used for non-potable uses such as landscape irrigation, ground watering and washing. One thing for sure, rainwater harvesting reduces run-off discharge to the downstream drainage system and provides an alternative water supply.

The forms of the rainwater harvesting (RWH) installation were varied depending on the city’s needs. In Semarang, during 2010-2011, the RWH project was piloted at the household level, so it used a simple design that accommodated family needs. The pilot in Semarang then was replicated by the City Environmental Agency in many other places in Semarang, especially in schools and office buildings. In Cirebon, the RWH project took lesson from Semarang’s experience. During 2014 to 2015, four RWH units were installed in four primary schools in Argasunya Sub-District, Cirebon, that lacked an adequate water supply. It has been proven that the schools took benefit to have an adequate water resource during rainy season and expected to have better groundwater supply in the future. Now, Cirebon City Government has a budget allocation for replicating the RWH system in other schools that are experiencing same problem.

Biopore infiltration holes are designed to reduce flooding or inundation potential, increase groundwater quantity, and accelerate soil infiltration capacity. Photo credit: ACCCRN programme in Indonesia.

Other cities within the network of ACCCRN in Indonesia have also implemented climate change adaptation measures in the water sector through biopore infiltration holes. This groundwater conservation practice was conducted in Bandar Lampung and Blitar. Biopore infiltration holes are designed to reduce flooding or inundation potential, increase groundwater quantity, and accelerate soil infiltration capacity. The project in Bandar Lampung took place from 2012 to 2014 in five sub-districts, schools and government offices. Meanwhile, Blitar implemented the biopore project from 2014 to 2015 in starfruit (carambola) farm area in Karangsari Sub-District. The project also influenced Bandar Lampung City Government to enact a regulation regarding rainwater management that sets up the collecting and recharging of rainwater into the ground water aquifers.

Those climate change adaptation measures are needed to increase city resilience especially in terms of the water sector. The use of rainwater harvesting serves to diversify water sources at the city level, so they are not dependent on one source from the public water company. Cities are taught that they have options because they have different ways to provide sufficient water or create a supplementary water supply. Upon the completion of the project, cities are able to learn and apply the practice of rainwater harvesting and ground water conservation so they can save water and reduce costs. From this, greater attention has been paid to increasing the city’s capacity in managing the threats and impacts of climate change on water resources which are expected.

As we have learned from Semarang, Cirebon, Bandar Lampung, and Blitar, building resilience into water management systems is critical in meeting the needs of the population and city development. 


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