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| Establishing secure and permanent water supply in Kinahrejo, Yogyakarta |
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| Establishing secure and permanent water supply in the village of Kinahrejo, while addressing nutrition shortages for local children through the provision of nutritious food |
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Introduction
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Indonesia is home to more active volcanoes than any other country in the world. Mount Merapi in Central Java is one of Indonesia 's 130 active volcanoes. It is the most active volcano in Indonesia and has erupted 68 times since 1548, with at least twelve eruptions that resulted in widespread fatalities. As well as being very volatile, the proximity of Merapi to the city of Yogyakarta (27 km) is of grave concern. The fertile volcanic soil has meant that the area has developed into one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Thousands of people live on the volcano's slopes.
In light of the hazards Mount Merapi poses to these highly populated areas, it has been designated as one of the ‘Decade Volcanoes'. The Decade Volcanoes are 16 volcanoes that have been identified by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior (IAVCEI) as being worthy of particular study in light of their history of large, destructive eruptions and proximity to populated areas.
Merapi means " Mountain of Fire ". This majestic volcano is considered to be very sacred by the people of Indonesia and every year a priest climbs to the top of Merapi to make offerings.
Mbah Maridjan (born 1927) is the current ‘gatekeeper' of Mount Merapi . If Mount Merapi erupts, surrounding residents follow Mbah Maridjan's command about evacuation. Mbah Maridjan was born and resides in the village of Kinahrejo . He has supported this project's implementation with his blessings and guidance.
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| Geological history of Mount Merapi |
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Merapi is the youngest in a group of volcanoes in southern Java. It is situated in a subduction zone, where the Indo-Australian Plate is sliding beneath the Eurasian Plate. Eruptions in the Merapi area began about 400,000 years ago, and from then until about 10,000 years ago, eruptions were typically effusive, and the lava emitted was basaltic.
Since then, eruptions have become more explosive, with viscous andesitic lavas often generating lava domes. Dome collapse has often generated pyroclastic flows, and larger explosions, which have resulted in eruption columns, have also generated pyroclastic flows through column collapse.
Merapi activity is characterized by a frequent eruptions ranging from 1 to 5 years, including weak explosion, and low gas pressure. Eruption is usually accompanied by pyroclastic flows, or what is called locally "awan panas".
Typically, small eruptions occur every 2-3 years, and larger ones every 10-15 years or so. Notable eruptions, often causing many deaths, have occurred in 1006, 1786, 1822, 1872 (the most violent eruption in recent history) and 1930 (when 13 villages were completely destroyed and 1,400 people killed by pyroclastic flows).
A very large eruption in 1006 covered all of central Java with volcanic ash. The volcanic devastation is believed to have led to the collapse of the civilization of the Hindu Kingdom of Mataram, which allowed Muslims to become the rulers of Java.
The volcano's recent eruption began in 1992 and continued for ten years. During this time, a lava dome was extruded, growing by up to half a meter per day. In 1994, the dome reached the edge of the crater, and from then on, rock fall from the dome produced frequent pyroclastic flows. In late 1994 almost the entire dome collapsed, generating very large pyroclastic flows, which travelled several kilometers from the summit and killed 43 people. Following the large eruption of November 1994, a new dome formed in the crater, and small explosive eruptions continued for several years, generating scores of lava avalanches and pyroclastic flows every day.
The last eruption occurred in May 2006, provoking a massive flow of ash into local riverbeds, destroying the water pipeline system in the area. Local communities' access to water was completely cut off. An International NGO installed a new pipeline to supply villages in the area with water, however the pipe is located in a lower area, which meant that the village of Kinahrejo (2,968 m above sea level) was still not able to access the water.
In the poor mountainous village of Kinahrejo , which is only four miles from the crater of Mount Merapi , lack of water storage facilities and piping left the people of Kinahrejo without direct access to fresh water, dramatically impacting the health and hygiene of the local population.
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| Program objective |
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This program's objective was to establish a secure and permanent system for water supply for 100 families in the area, from springs in the direct vicinity of Kinahrejo, while addressing nutrition shortages for local children through the provision of some basic nutritious food supplies.
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| Program activities conducted to achieve this objective |
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Assessment
The Bahari team worked in cooperation with an expert water and sanitation volunteer and community representatives from three local villages to conduct a detailed assessment of local resources that could be used to solve the water shortage problem in the area in a cost effective and sustainable way. Together they identified three springs that had a constant water flow even during the dry season. These springs were also ideally located 800 meters uphill so that gravity could be used to ensure water flow to the villages. As the flow from each of the individual springs was not significant it was decided to combine the three water sources into one, which resulted in a sufficient level of water supply.
Re-establishment of the local water supply systems
The areas around the springs were cleaned and carefully excavated to create direct access to the source of each of the springs. Once direct access to the sources was established the team was able to calculate the water output for each of the springs. The water from the second spring was then diverted to join with the water from the third spring. During this process the water from the third spring started to dry up, so the team dug out the area even deeper and built a ‘spring water retention box' in that area. The first spring was also prepared in the same way. The team established a regular supply of 5.5 liters per minute of fresh water into the piping system in the area. 16 lengths of additional GI piping were fitted to rehabilitate the piping system from the water sources to the retaining tanks in the villages.
While the water systems are being established Bahari is supplying the area with one to two trucks per day for a period of one month to subsidize water shortages during the dry season.
Distribution of nutritious food for local children
The lack of water in the area meant that the local population's main income stream, the sale of milk from their cows, had decreased dramatically. Due to this, people in the area, especially children, were in need of supplemental nutrition to re-establish their basic health and immunity to infection and disease.
To address this problem, Bahari prepared nutritious food supplies that were distributed to local families in the participating villages. The Bahari team supplied Powdered Milk and High Protein Biscuits to 100 families in the area. This activity helped to boost the nutrition for local children who had been suffering from the results of the lack of water supply.
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| Project Donors |
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IDEP wishes to express its sincere thanks to these project donors:
- The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) for re-establishment of local water supply systems, nutritious food aid and related distribution logistics
- Tan Bark Sales for distribution logistics
To everyone that made this important relief effort possible, we express our most sincere thanks.
Thank you so much for your kindness and your support |
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